LAS VEGAS — Response Logix and Digital Air Strike announced a merger of their two companies at this past weekend’s National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Convention. The combined company features two business units, with Response Logix offering a prospect-response digital marketing solution and Digital Air Strike offering social media and reputation management solutions, reported F&I and Showroom magazine.

“I’m excited to announce the merger of these two fast-growing, ground-breaking companies,” said Tom Mohr, president and CEO of Response Logix. “I’m especially excited that we have brought together a winning team of innovators and powerful digital marketing solutions that are second to none.”

The Response Logix product line features automotive Internet lead management tools SmartQuote, SmartFollow and RapidTouch. SmartQuote delivers a multi-vehicle price quote to the customer within 10 minutes of lead arrival while SmartFollow provides continuous e-mail and online advertising-based follow-up to prospects for up to 180 days. Through a partnership with an automotive call center, RapidTouch ensures that once the quote has been sent, a follow-up phone call is made to the prospect within 45 minutes, according to Response Logix.

“This merger brings together two very dynamic companies that complement each other in many ways,” said Alexi Venneri, co-founder and COO of Digital Air Strike, and chief marketing officer of the combined company. “In our industry, it is all about responding quickly, whether that’s to leads, online reviews or social media prospects. Our combined solution utilizes revolutionary technology and a team of strategic marketers to help dealers respond incredibly quickly and professionally throughout the entire sales and customer lifecycle.”

The Digital Air Strike product line offers a solution to fully manage more than 50 social media and review sites, enabling dealers to select from multiple levels of service, according to the company. Product service levels include the Defend package for outsourced online reputation management, the Conquer package for proactive social media marketing, and the Dominate package which offers the broadest combined automotive social media and reputation management solution.

In the near-term, the combined company will operate under both names while leveraging the combined management team.

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Making his first appearance at the magazine’s annual conference, Jim Ziegler will be at the 2011 Industry Summit to lead a special workshop on how YouTube and an inexpensive video-recording device can help dealers convert 50 percent of their leads into appointments.

Calling his tips “blue-collar marketing” in the digital age, Ziegler will present, “Using YouTube as a Lead Conversion Tool.” He will be in the Conrad Room inside the Las Vegas Hilton on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 11:30 a.m., and will showcase several examples of how dealers are using video to separate themselves from the pack, reported F&I and Showroom magazine.

“I was at a recent convention when I heard an Internet millionaire say that 80 percent of all online content will consist of video by 2013,” he said. “Well, I’ll be at this year’s conference to show you how you can get ahead of that curve today. This is guerilla marketing for the digital age.”

Ziegler, president of Ziegler Super Systems Inc., will focus on how dealers can easily create a video response for an Internet or phone-in lead. He’ll also talk about how YouTube can be used in conjunction with Facebook.

“When customers submit an inquiry for a car via the Internet, more than likely they’ll receive an auto-response e-mail from multiple dealerships vying for their business,” he said. “And because those dealerships are probably using the same vendor, each of those e-mails will most likely be worded the same. Well, there is a better, more personalized way to respond to those inquiries.”

Ziegler’s workshop is one of five sessions at this year’s conference that will address marketing in the digital age. Other presenters include Cory Mosley, Sales Driver columnist and principal of Mosley Automotive Training, and David Johnson, social media strategist for Next Generation Dealer Services.

PORTLAND – Helping automotive retailers better capitalize on the ever-growing accessories marketplace, Chrome Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of DealerTrack Holdings, introduced an enhanced version of its Accessories Web Service.

This dynamic new solution allows automotive retailers and portals to capture leads and revenue by easily displaying, promoting and up-selling accessories at strategic customer touch points, including in social media and mobile applications, in-store and online.

With this new solution, accessories information can now be included on detailed vehicle pages, alongside new and used inventory, on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, in mobile applications, in CRM and Lead Management tools, and in printed or electronic accessories catalogs or brochures, as well as part of the in-store selling process.

Chrome’s Accessories solution can be seamlessly integrated into online applications and in-store selling tools, while allowing retailers to maintain complete control over the look and feel of the information being presented to the customer.

The solution also supports all major OEM/brand accessories catalogs, Chrome StyleID-based searches, daily data updates, dealer customized pricing, and Chrome’s “Cool Ideas” dynamic displays of accessorized vehicles.

“Drivers are becoming more interested in personalizing their vehicles. This enhanced offering will allow our customers to meet the demand for comprehensive and easily accessible accessories information at numerous points in the vehicle shopping and selling process, including in social media and mobile applications,” said Amit Maheshwari, general manager, DealerTrack Data Services.

“By providing a more seamless online and in-store shopping experience, we are helping retailers tap into the $38 billion vehicle accessories market.”

Mosley Automotive Training is kicking off a new sales seminar series for automotive sales professionals next month in Florida. Called “Control Your Sales Destiny,” the one-day event will be led by Cory Mosley, celebrated trainer and Sales Driver columnist for F&I and Showroom magazine.

The seminar series arrives at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport & Cruise Port Hotel on Tuesday, June 14. The daylong event is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mosley will then be at the Tampa Marriott Westshore in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday, June 16, reported F&I and Showroom.

“This year I made a commitment to do more to help the people working on the front lines, and the ‘Control Your Sales Destiny’ seminar is my contribution to the improve incomes and change lives,” said Mosley. “We’ve got a lot of ground to cover, but I’m certain attendees will leave my seminar feeling rejuvenated and ready to get back to work.”

Sponsored by DealerSocket, Cars.com and activEngage, the daylong event will tackle a range of sales-related topics, from showroom, Internet and phone sales to leveraging social media and time management. Here’s a breakdown of Mosley’s “Control Your Sales Destiny” seminar series:

• New-School Training: Learn new word-tracks that convert, control and close more prospects. Attendees also will learn how to double their average gross profit on Internet deals, and will gain psychology techniques employed by Fortune 500 companies.
• Social Media for Sales Professionals: Learn how to leverage the social-media phenomenon to drive more referrals and repeat business into the showroom. Attendees also will gain social-media branding techniques and get new insights on today’s Gen-Y buyer.
• Better Time Management: Learn how to create a daily routine that will keep you focused and ready to take on that next “up.” Also, gain insights on creating a game plan that will produce consistent results while maximizing gross profit. Attendees also will learn new tricks for breaking away from the pack.

The event also will feature a special presentation by Cars.com on reputation management.

Once named the “hardest working man in the automotive consulting/training business” by a leading industry publication, Mosley founded his Mosley Automotive Training company in 2004. He’s conducted training programs for major dealer groups, including Van Tuyl, John Eagle and DARCARS, and has taken the stage at several major industry events, including the F&I Conference and Expo, Ward’s Spring Training events and J.D. Power and Associates’ Industry Roundtable.

Last year, Mosley signed on to pen F&I and Showroom’s new Sales Driver column, a monthly section dedicated to his new-school approach to automotive sales. Before becoming a sought-after trainer, Mosley spent more than a decade on the retail side of the business, where he was tested on the sales floor, in the business development center, as an Internet director and as a general sales manager.

“My mission is simple: I want to share information that matters with people who care,” Mosley said. “Right now sales professionals are facing several challenges that might be seem overwhelming. My seminar series will provide them with a game plan to attack these challenges head on.”

PORTLAND – According to a recent survey of online vehicle shoppers by Chrome Systems Inc., a subsidiary of DealerTrack Holdings Inc., automotive retailing sites can increase brand awareness and attract more shoppers with a savvy mix of robust research tools backed up by social networking.

Chrome Systems said brand loyalty has dropped among automobile buyers, and as a result, it is more important than ever for manufacturer, dealer and third-party sites to find alternative ways to stay connected with existing customers and to reach out to new potential buyers, reported F&I and Showroom. The late 2010 survey results of potential buyers and purchasers show only 35 percent wanted to purchase the same brand of vehicle they owned previously, dropping from 39 percent in 2009.

The survey reports a rapidly growing number of potential vehicle buyers are turning to Website tools such as side-by-side vehicle comparison of pricing and configurations to make educated decisions (31 percent in 2010 versus 14 percent in 2009 used side-by-side comparison tools). In addition, 20 percent of surveyed consumers who purchased or leased a vehicle in the past 12 months have used social networking sites to research or get opinions on a vehicle.

“A vehicle is a big ticket item, and having the right balance of hard facts and third-party opinions is of growing importance when making an informed vehicle decision,” said Amit Maheshwari, general manager of DealerTrack Data Services. “Moving into 2011, we firmly believe that comprehensive research tools that let the consumer build, price, compare and review will be crucial to the vehicle buying decision, and social networking sites will increasingly become a viable channel to augment that research.”