Want to know why you should see the session titled “Merchandizzle” at the upcoming 11th Digital Dealer Conference? Here is a sneak peek of some of the comedic videos you’ll be seeing at the event. See it month’s before they end up online.
Posts Tagged ‘Digital Dealer Conference’
A Sneak Peek at the Merchandizzle Videos – Digital Dealer 11
Saturday, October 1st, 2011Joe and Shaun Karaokethon Returns for Digital Dealer 11
Saturday, September 10th, 2011The Joe and Shaun Karaokethon is back! Last year’s JASKT was a ton of fun and Joe Webb and Shaun Raines invite you to their next little shindig.
Imperial Palace – Karaoke Club on 2nd floor. Las Vegas, Nevada – Oct. 6th. 10pm – 2am (or longer) on the 2nd night of the 11th Digital Dealer Conference.
This will be the 7th time Joe Webb has held a karaoke party during a Digital Dealer Event and over the last few he has teamed up with Shaun Raines to add even more to the awesomeness.
These aren’t large, sponsored affairs…(not unless someone WANTS to sponsor it 
. If you want to just kick back, do a little singing, and have fun meeting your automotive Internet peers, this is the place for you.
When you arrive at the 11th Digital Dealer Conference in Las Vegas, find Joe Webb or Shaun Raines (or visit the ReachLocal booth) and ask for details about JASTK. #jastk
Between Two Ferns with Joe Webb – Shaun Raines’ 10th Digital Dealer Conference Promo Video
Friday, April 1st, 2011Joe Webb of DealerKnows sits down with Shaun Raines of ReachLocal for an interview between two ferns.
This is a (rejected) promo video for Shaun’s session, “Knowledge is Power”, at the 10th Digital Dealer Conference in Orlando.
Planning Ahead
Friday, September 24th, 2010
With the 9th Digital Dealer Conference fast approaching, it’s never too early to begin preparing for the experience. If you are one of the lucky dealership professionals attending (along with a thousand of your peers), make sure you get everything out of it you need. To do so, start with a plan. Either your ownership or you see this conference as a valuable enough learning institution to spend hard earned dollars for you to attend. So, don’t take it for granted.
Steve Stauning of Kain-Stauning and Pladoogle wrote just last week in his Dealer Communications blog about the five ways to get the most out of the Digital Dealer Conference. It was a great piece and I want to both add to that list and flesh it out a little more.
It is imperative you attend this conference with a list of goals to achieve because I know the bright lights and loud slots of Vegas can get you off course. However, this conference is too important to waste. Again, let me say, you don’t want to take it for granted.
I hear back from attendees often after their trip to a Digital Dealer conference. The first thing their owners and general managers ask is, “What did you learn?” Before you can answer that, you first need to have questions going into the conference. So let’s start planning ahead.
What are you currently missing? What is it you are doing that isn’t generating the dollars that it should?
What technologies are you most interested in exploring? What new skills would you like to come back with?
Once you’ve answered these questions, go to http://digitaldealerconference.com and look at the agenda. Read the descriptions and determine which ones you think will most benefit you and your dealership. Write down a couple for each time slot. There are ten slots with seven sessions each – 70 workshops in total. (There are three general sessions also, one each day.)
After doing this, you’ll want to look at the speaker’s page. Who is giving that session? Are they a practitioner (senior management level from a dealership), a trainer/consultant, or a vendor? Does that matter? Watch the speaker’s video and see who you might connect with most while watching. That is how you can set a game-plan.
For every three sessions you see that involve topics right in your wheelhouse, check one out that you have no involvement with. This type of ‘big picture’ learning can help you grow in the future. Get your own agenda set before the sessions begin so you don’t stand there lost in front of the big agenda board trying to flip a coin as to who to see. In other words, do your homework. You will be thankful you did.
Next, check out the 80 or so exhibitors that will be in attendance. (Just click on the exhibitor tab on www.digitaldealerconference.com and you’ll see the list there.) Surely a few of these have been calling on you for a while asking for a little of your time to view a demo. Why not set it up there? When the hall first opens, go and meet those solutions/companies that have been blowing up your phone. Schedule a specific time for a demo of their product while on-site. (Often, these vendors give special deals if you sign up on-site so having your ducks in a row and planning ahead could save some cash.)
Then visit the booths of those companies you already use. If they aren’t one of the “big boys” in the room, they may be willing to give back for your valued patronage and take you out one evening as a little payback. This is when the squeaky wheel gets the grease, so to speak.
In addition to the sessions and exhibitors, you do not want to miss the Peer Networking Tables that begin and end the conference. You sit at a table with eight of your peers (people from other dealerships) and a moderator. This is a great place to discuss challenges and solutions you may have, as well as picking up new ideas to take back to the dealership. (As a regular moderator of the Networking Roundtable, make sure to track me down.)
Lastly, take notes throughout. Write down every new idea and progressive ideology you can from the sessions and gather all of the detailed info you can from each vendor you speak to. This will save many headaches in the future when you try to remember who offered what service at which price.
So prepare yourself as you would if you were gearing up for a test — especially considering you may be asked to take one when you return. If you plan ahead, you have the chance to come out the smartest person in the class.
Joe Webb’s promo for his Digital Dealer Conference seminar
Friday, March 12th, 2010The promo for my upcoming session titled “It’s the Lead to Appointment Show ! with your host, Joe Webb”.
Scheduled to be a speaker at the Digital Dealer 8 conference in Orlando, Florida.
Another creative, funny video by Joe Webb, if I may say so myself. Raising the bar for Digital Dealer promo videos.
Digital Dealer Conference Tweets
Monday, November 16th, 2009Twitter has quickly replaced note taking for several auto industry training professionals. While in attendance at the various conferences (i.e. J.D. Power Internet Roundtable – #jdpairt or the 7th Digital Dealer Conference – #dd7), in-the-know internet experts are sharing blurbs from the many sessions with others online.
I was very pleased to see some acquaintances that attended my session had also shared with others a few of the talking points I discussed. Below, you will see both the tweets I posted myself about the Digital Dealer Conference as well as other posts from my industry friends that attended. I’ve placed the tweets aout my session in bold. Unlike Twitter, though, I will work from beginning to end. (I was going to call this Digital Dealer 7 Tweets since it was the 7th Digital Dealer Conference, but I realized people may think I am crazy since there are more than 7 tweets here. Oh, well.)
Sunday November 1st
RT @MyersAuto: In One Man Internet Dept presentation by my buddy Tim Jennings at #DD7. Same presentation as before but VITAL info 2:49 PM Nov 1st from Echofon
@dealerrefresh tell me about it. There has only been one session so far and the people who AREN’T here are whining. 2:49 PM Nov 1st from Echofon in reply to dealerrefresh
@zonewebb Yes…vital info. Plus Tim’s enthusiasm is contagious. #DD7 2:53 PM Nov 1st from Echofon in reply to zonewebb
Tim Jennings pimping ADM and Driving Sales as top free resources for small Internet departments. 3:18 PM Nov 1st from Echofon
Tim Jennings says Internet managers should have some skin in the game. #dd7 3:31 PM Nov 1st from Echofon
At Flemings steakhouse in Nashvile near Vanderbilt U with @wplayford and Chris Hanson 7:00 PM Nov 1st from Echofon
@zonewebb great to see you today at #DD7. 8:00 PM Nov 1st from Echofon in reply to zonewebb
Monday November 2nd
@VJnator speaking at #dd7 says you must obtain email addresses on every new customer. Demand it. It is your future’s success. 10:04 AM Nov 2nd from Echofon
@VJnator says choose your social environment wisely if you want to sell cars. Fish where the fish are. #dd7 10:17 AM Nov 2nd from Echofon
@sstapes talking about data hygiene applications for dealer CRMs at #dd7 11:07 AM Nov 2nd from Echofon
@sstapes Are you tracking your customers’ needs and their communications? #dd7 11:25 AM Nov 2nd from Echofon
RT @dealerrefresh: RT @DealerADvantage: 31% of leads go unanswered; average response time is 5.4 hours. #dd7 11:25 AM Nov 2nd from Echofon
#dd7 Learn how to properly recruit, interview, orientate and train new hires for the Internet Dept. My comedic session Tuesday @ 9:30am 11:34 AM Nov 2nd from Echofon
@zonewebb Looking fwd to the session and your funny videos. #dd7 12:09 PM Nov 2nd from UberTwitter in reply to zonewebb
FINALLY a world class presention at #DD7 by @drivingsales 5:22 PM Nov 2nd from Echofon
RT @ggarvin: Your website is not marketing! No more than your rent is. – Jared Hamilton #dd7 5:23 PM Nov 2nd from Echofon
RT @arnoldtijerina: Random Comment heard in elevator about a session: “I’m not buying what he’s selling.” #dd7 7:21 PM Nov 2nd from Echofon
Tuesday November 3rd
Looking forward to @zonewebb Joe Webb speak today! His sessions are always entertaining as well as informative! It’s must see TV! #DD7 6:41 AM Nov 3rd from web
Speaking in just over an hour about how to find and keep Internet talent. Hope Paglia doesn’t go over on time, because I know I will.#dd7 8:13 AM Nov 3rd from Echofon
@ralphpaglia @ #dd7 says social networking should be called “people networking”. Claims it will be far bigger than the auto industry expects 8:44 AM Nov 3rd from Echofon
At #dd7 @ralphpaglia says the new currency is time, energy, and effort. Dedicating yourself to soc media a time-intensive investment 8:52 AM Nov 3rd from Echofon
Build a social network for your store so you can publish and control your content. #dd7 #paglia 8:55 AM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
When your employees get excited about your social network, sales and service customers follow. #dd7 #paglia 9:01 AM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
On social networks: “We don’t sell in our communities, we build relationships.” #dd7 #paglia 9:04 AM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
Pay BDC agents on CSI to ensure they set qualified appointments.#dd7 #webb 9:43 AM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
“It doesn’t matter what you know. It’s what you’re willing to learn.”#dd7 #webb 9:50 AM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
@zonewebb: At #dd7 Joe laying out pay plan structure 4 dealers 2 try. Ties in 2 @drivingsales structure talk yestrday 9:50 AM Nov 3rd from txt
Everybody in your Internet dept has to know the mind of the Internet shopper. #dd7 #webb 9:54 AM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
Thanks to Joe Webb for the Cars.com props in his Digital Dealer workshop. #dd7 #webb 9:55 AM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
Resist on-the-spot hires. Make candidates earn a position on your team. #dd7 #webb 10:05 AM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
@drivingsales @dealerrefresh @zonewebb: At #dd7 Joe Webb covering 5 step interview process- including appearance 10:09 AM Nov 3rd from txt
Use open-ended questions in job interviews. You want to hear creativity in candidate’s thinking. #dd7 #webb 10:13 AM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
RT @sburges2: @zonewebb: At #dd7 Joe says one focus,”If I were this customer, what would I want?” 10:18 AM Nov 3rd from Echofon
RT @DealerADvantage: Use vendors for Internet dept employee referrals. #dd7 #webb 10:18 AM Nov 3rd from Echofon
Listening to @zonewebb at #DD7. One of the best presentations of the event. 10:24 AM Nov 3rd from Echofon
Celebrate new hires to welcome them to the dealership. #dd7#webb 10:28 AM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
Spiff your employees to find errors or problems with your Web site.#dd7 #webb 10:30 AM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
@DealerADvantage Thanks for all the kind posts. Amazing turnout! 11:11 AM Nov 3rd from Echofon in reply to DealerADvantage
@sburges2 Thanks for all the kind posts. You were my go-to person out there. Everytime I looked you were nodding in agreement. 11:14 AM Nov 3rd from Echofon in reply to sburges2
@sburges2 And thanks for sticking with it even though it was packed and standing room only. Or in your case, floor sitting only. 11:15 AM Nov 3rd from Echofon in reply to sburges2
RT @zonewebb: @VJnator says choose your social environment wisely if you want to sell cars. Fish where the fish are.#dd7 (Thank You JOE) 11:25 AM Nov 2nd from moTweets
@zonewebb #dd7 Best superhero costume goes to Joe Webb 11:36 AM Nov 3rd from TwitterBerry
Avoid price in walkaround video so you don’t have to redo when car ages. #dd7 #tim_jennings 12:08 PM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
Uncheck “include related videos” on YouTube to make your videos stand alone in the player. #dd7 #twip #tim_jennings 12:15 PM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
RT @automotiveseo: @zonewebb #dd7 Best superhero costume goes to Joe Webb—-Awesome. Thanks for everything Brian. 12:32 PM Nov 3rd from Echofon
Use factory certification as a sales tool, not a closing tool. #nrc_09#twip 1:46 PM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
Multiple photos and descriptive sell copy increase contacts from car buyers. #nrc_09 2:13 PM Nov 3rd from UberTwitter
RT @joe4pres Mitch Golub – process is more important than any marketing you can do #nrc_09 3:40 PM Nov 3rd from web
Just finished judging the homenet karioke contest with @zonewebb Tim Jennings #dd7. Video to be posted on drivingsales.com soon 10:53 PM Nov 3rd from TweetDeckdealerrefresh
THE BENEFIT OF THE PRESENTATION I GAVE? Check out my last tweet
zonewebb I’m putting together a ton of proposals for dealers ready to take the next digital step. Thanks #dd7 4 days ago from Echofon
To view the presentation I gave at the 7th Digital Dealer Conference in Nashville (as well as many other presentations I’ve given), check them out at http://slideshare.net/zonewebb
Auto Industry Consultant, Joe Webb, Scheduled to Speak at Digital Dealer Conference
Monday, October 19th, 2009Automotive Internet Sales Trainer, Joe Webb, consults car dealers nationwide on the best practices of eCommerce and digital marketing tactics within their departments.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRLog (Press Release) – Oct 19, 2009 – Joe Webb, President of Dealer Knows Consulting, will be speaking at the upcoming Digital Dealer Conference.
The title of the seminar, “Selection, Hiring, Orientation and Training for the Internet Department” teaches automotive professionals the best-in-class practices of recruiting for success in today’s difficult economic climate.
“The secret to success in the auto dealership world is by surrounding the staff with talent. Recruiting is step one.” Webb says. In this session, dealers will learn the best places to recruit talent for the Internet department of car dealerships. Joe Webb of DealerKnows will also be showing how to conduct professional interviews with leading interview tactics.
Webb states “Orientation of sales professionals, especially those in Business Development Centers and Customer Contact Centers in dealerships, continues to be a growing problem.” Industry Expert, Writer, Trainer, and Blogger, Joe Webb, will provide step-by-step instructions on how to properly orientate new hires and train them to find success in the future.
The 7th Digital Dealer Conference will be held in Nashville, Tennessee from Nov. 1st – 3rd. The conference continues to be one of the auto industry’s top destinations for digital marketing professionals to expand their knowledge base. Webb, consistently rated as one of the top speakers at past conferences, will bring his unique blend of past experiences, knowledge, and comic background to deliver his session.
# # #
Joe Webb is the President of DealerKnows LLC, an automotive digital marketing consultation firm. They specialize in assisting dealers with their online advertising, lead management, ecommerce marketing, and internet initiatives. Called “the funniest guy in the car business” where he combines his background in comedy with his presentations and seminars nationwide, Joe also recently founded Dealer Signage Inc where he is the acting Chief Operating Officer. Dealer Signage is a progressive, digital advertising network and signage company that allows dealers to manage the media on their own televisions and deliver targeted digital messages to their loyal customers within their own dealership. In the past, Mr. Webb found success in the trenches of dealerships where he created and managed award-winning Internet Departments and Business Development Centers. Joe Webb’s primary goal, as he always states, is “to better the culture of car sales”.
Digital Dealer 6 Conference – Las Vegas – general session
Friday, April 24th, 2009Video excerpt of general session during sixth Digital Dealer conference in Las Vegas. Presented by Joe Webb, Kim Clouse, and Gilbert A Chavez at the Mirage Hotel and Casino for spring conference.
Digital Dealer Conference – Las Vegas – General Session
Thursday, April 23rd, 2009Here is the opening to our general session at the recent 2009 Digital Dealer Conference general session at the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Well-received and we thank you for that.
Amazing Grace
Saturday, October 4th, 2008Sing it with me – “I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind, but now, I see.” This is the truth – except the being blind part. Attending the 2007 Digital Dealer Conference “…saved a wretch like me.”
You will not learn anything in the article – not much at least. There is no structure to this piece like my typical articles – just a stream of consciousness and writing from the heart. This is my personal story about my time at the most recent Digital Dealer Conference in Las Vegas. A thank-you note, if you will, to those that had a profound impact on me. Later in the article, I will tell you some of what I learned, but first, I need to get something off my chest.
I have always been a confident guy. I believe in myself, that I am good at what I do, and am an upcoming expert in an evolving field. My past articles have been calls for action to change the culture of Internet car sales. I say often, “I don’t claim to know everything, but I claim to be right about everything I know.” However, on the way to the conference, I began doubting myself. I felt empty. That my search for increased knowledge and enlightenment would go unfound. I was in a rut; I just didn’t realize it until now.
Maybe I expected more from myself after college than being in car sales. Not trying to demean the industry where I make my living, but admit it. It’s not the sexiest and coolest of responses to the questions asked at every barbecue. “What do you do?” Your answer almost brands you as a “bad person” in some social circles. But I’m not a bad person. Never have been. As a matter of fact, I have been told one of my biggest flaws is that I try to please too many people. I try to motivate others, make people laugh. I consider myself a comedian, a storyteller. I’ve been involved in improv and sketch comedy in Chicago for years to back up these claims. I am extremely passionate and extremely opinionated – a big man with bigger ideas and the biggest of hopes and dreams. Somewhere, though, sometime recently, I must have lost that passion for our industry. After four and a half years, the monotonous multi-tasking of an ISM’s daily work had taken some of my spirit away. The Digital Dealer Conference gave it back.
My dealership is not filled with monsters. We have good people selling and servicing vehicles. Our management team is friendly, though not exactly Internet-oriented. Ownership is supportive. We are an atypical dealership compared to others, I believe. At the conference, though, I met truly fascinating people with a genuine care for others’ ideas. Some became friends. These are people I hope to be associated with for a long time.
I will namedrop some and conceal the identity of others. I had the opportunity to rub elbows with leaders in the field – people I was excited about meeting and speakers that gave me far more to think about and focus on than I had ever imagined. Jim Ziegler, the keynote speaker, was impressive, but I was also pleased to find myself sitting next to our very own Sandi Jerome (whom I had never even met until that point) and was able to attend her informative seminar just afterward. Clayton Stanfield overwhelmed me with his comprehensive understanding of the bigger picture of Internet sales. Jared Hamilton and Trevor Hill spoke about ISMs being groomed for a GM position. If only everyone realized the business sense of this. Stephen M. Stauning gave ideas for negotiating with vendors that opened my eyes. However, it was another speaker, Craig Criswell, that said one of the more memorable quotes regarding the topic of vendors. It wasn’t during his seminar (which I believe to be one of the strongest). It was over dinner one night. I had the opportunity to “talk shop” with Craig and the amazing gentlemen from ILead Control (more on them later). As if talking to a vendor and pointing with the authority of a professor and the knowledge, experience, frustration, and resolve in his voice of someone who has fought in the Internet trenches, he said, “The vendors’ job is to make us money! It is not our job to make them money.” Even though it makes perfect sense, I had never heard it stated so clearly. I was in and among my peers and mentors. Craig had been successful in the Internet field before I even had a driver’s license. (Sorry, Craig, that’s not a shot, it’s a compliment.) It was an amazing opportunity to share my ideas and ideals with those people.
The vendors were impressive. To see products and services ahead of their time instills a passion for the industry I have never had. I see the light farther down the tunnel and know I’m heading in the right direction. I actually know what I want to do with my career. Suzanne from 5Square was a delight, Jason from Dealix, Dan from VinSolutions, the crew with BZ Results – all with great ideas and products. There were too many vendors to mention.
I’m saving the best for last. I want to thank Bill Hilbun and Steve Norby of ILead Control. It is so refreshing to spend time with likeminded individuals of such high moral character as these two men. To know people like this still exist in our industry makes me feel better about my choice in careers. I want them to know how truly grateful and overwhelmed I am by their support and friendship.
You just don’t go for the seminars, but the opportunity to spend time with others like you – others with the same concerns, triumphs, work ethics and goals. This article is for everyone. To the fun and crazy Internet director from So Cal who, while partying, decided to get a tattoo. To the spunky ISMs from Colorado for the long, strange night of karaoke support. To the ISM downstate from my dealership that admitted mystery shopping me after reading a past article and complimenting all of my content and my follow-up effort. I wasn’t mad I was mystery shopped, I was flattered. You know who you are. I definitely hope to see you all again.
I leave feeling fulfilled – for the first time in a long time. I’m passionate again. I see the future of Internet car sales and it excites me. It will always be evolving, always changing and growing – much like life I suppose.
Hopefully, you can read and understand what the Digital Dealer Conference has done for me. It’s given me a new outlook and new ideas. If this article motivates just one of you to attend the next conference and you gain half of the pride and enjoyment in our industry that I have found again, this rambling, inarticulate story has done its job.
You may think I’m crazy. I’m actually rejuvenated. The Fall 2007 Digital Dealer Conference in Las Vegas – I went to the desert, but came home refreshed. What are the odds?
Thank you for allowing me to share my experience with you. I hope to see you at the next conference and, in the meantime, I wish you all success.