The Independent Dealer Podcast

We chat with Robert MacBeth of Alchemical Bot. He is an expert in chatbots for business and explains to us how we can use them to drive leads to our dealerships. There are many applications from fielding FAQ's to prequalifying Facebook marketplace leads. Here are some links to the products we talk about: Manychat.com Alchemical-bot.com To test an example of a chatbot pre-approval flow that Jeff bu...

We recap and share with you our takeaways from the 2019 NIADA Convention. A week packed with so much great information and so many rock star dealers. We took home pages of notes. This episode we talk about some of our favorite sessions and speakers. 

In this quick episode we take you to the expo hall of the 2019 NIADA/NABD convention in Las Vegas to meet 5 random vendors. We hope to give you information on a couple vendors that stood out to us as new or interesting. None of these vendors Luke or I use so there is no bias or agenda. Wish we could have interviewed all of them... maybe next time. Enjoy! QuotePro Mircobilt Single Interest Weave Do...

NIADA  convention is next week in Las Vegas. Whether you are attending or not this podcast will help you get the most out of your next convention experience. Attending these events is a great opportunity to meet your current vendors, interview potential new vendors, get educated on aspects of the industry, meet like minded dealers and take home an actionable plan to improve your dealership. M...

Some days locking the doors and walking away sounds like a good idea. When everything is going wrong and you're ready to burn the building down tune into this podcast for Luke & Jeffs 4 tips for staying sane as an auto dealer. These are helpful tips to prevent you from getting to meltdown mode. We are in a great industry with limitless potential. Keep a long term perspective and remember to la...

 This episode has tons of great practical information about improving you sales operation. Justin is an NIADA 20 group moderator and expert when it comes to sales, branding and operations. We cover sales process, social media marketing, staff training and many more actionable topics. ENJOY!  Thank you for listening we hope you learned something new. Let us know what you think. info@thein...

George is living proof that when BHPH is done right it can be rewarding and profitable. He shares with us his wisdom and advice from decades of being a master dealer. We touch on building a portfolio in a small market, Customer retention, selling your accounts, being an advocate for your customers and many more words of wisdom.   Thank you for listening, we hope you learned something new. Let...

Tim Byrd an industry expert on dealer reinsurance company's. If you have ever wondered about setting up your own reinsurance company, this episode is for you! We answer all your questions: What is reinsurance? Difference between a warranty and a service contract? What is debt cancellation and collateral protection insurance? Tax benefits from reinsurance? Am I too small? Take action today!  ...

We cover so many valuable topics in this episode: When and why to open a second location, how to source inventory in the digital age, the importance of having great lender relationships. Joe has years of insight from running his own dealership and venturing into digital with his Turn Auctions platform. Enjoy! Remember to share the podcast with your dealer friends:   Thank you for listening we...

This week Leigh Anne, the founding member of the Independent Dealer Facebook page, shares with us the origins of the FB group. Also, we talk on-line reviews. Where is the best place to focus your efforts, how to get more reviews and what to do with those negative ones. Thank you for listening we hope you learned something new. Let us know what you think. info@theindependentdealer.com Connect with...

Getting enough of the right inventory will always be a problem for independent dealers. More competition for more expensive cars make buying harder than ever. Luckily, we have technology on our side. Luke will give us some tips on how to source more units with less headache.    Thank you for listening we hope you learned something new. Let us know what you think. info@theindependentdeale...

Dan Reel of Reels Auto in Ohio shares with us his journey of going from a BHPH dealer to mostly retail. We talk about pricing, turn, and the quality of your operation. Hear about Dans commitment to reinvest in his facility. Also, his top 3 recommendations if you want to be a successful independent retail dealer. Dan is also a co-founder of the "Independent Dealer" Facebook group. Connect with him...

This episode will give you an inside scoop on what Luke & Jeff learned at their last 20 group meeting. It was a great couple of days sharing information and best practices. You'll hear Lukes top 3 action items. Improving his underwriting, calculating his ROI through static pools, and highly targeted FB ad campaigns. Hope you enjoy. Remember to share, subscribe and leave us a review.   Tha...

This week we have a real treat for everyone. We get to sit down with Chuck Bonanno the VP of Dealer Development for NIADA. Chuck has decades of experience as a teacher and an operator. Get educated on where Chuck sees the used car market going and the importance of continuing your education as a dealer. Get your note pad out!

Tactical conversation  with Tracy Myers of Frank Myers Auto in North Dakota. Tracy is a master of ensuring his team provides an A+ customer experience every time. In this episode you'll hear his philosophy on how salesmen should handle the greeting and tips that you can put to use at your dealership today!

Luke gives us his takeaways from the NADA convention 2019 around pay plans. How to motivate employees and setup a pay plan that works. This is the 3rd and final installment from Luke's NADA notes.

We chat with Jack Carter of Turn & Burn Motors in this episode. He shares with us his tips for branding on facebook and in personal life, how to handle online reviews, and what to avoid online. Great episode full of useful information that you can put to use today. 

This week we hear more about Luke's notes from the NADA 2019 convention. He gives us practical tips for updating our sales process and taking advantage of the technology that is at our finger tips. Got your pen out and take notes. 

Our next 3 episodes are Lukes takeaways from the 2019 NADA convention he attended. He has condensed a weekends worth of information into 3 general topics: Advertising, Sales, Compensation. We will talk about what is new and what is hot coming out of the top minds in the new car/ franchise space. This information is helpful to all dealers even us independents. Stay tuned!

Luke will share with us his top 5 tips for securing your dealership. Few people know more about getting robbed at their dealership, unfortunately Luke has learned the hard way what it takes to deter theft from the inside and out. His tips will help you open your eyes to vulnerabilities at your dealership. Listen close, take notes, then take action. 

Luke and Jeff hash out what are best practices for acquiring new customers. What works in today's market and the importance of tracking your lead sources. When it comes to getting a customer on your lot, not all advertising mediums are the same. Know your demographic, know where their attention is and know your numbers!

Luke and Jeff talk tips and strategies for hiring, retaining and motivating top talent at your dealership. Happy team is the key to a productive, profitable lot. Always learning - Always improving!

Join us next week when Luke and Jeff discuss employee hiring and.... retention.

Today Luke and Jeff talk about the issues facing independents. Finding lenders, finding inventory, finding customers.

Get to know the one and only Luke Godwin in todays episode. Owner, operator jack of all trades master of most.