Beyond The First Pencil

Throughout this podcast, Kathi and Mike have shared techniques and tips on how to  make social media effective throughout the entire sales process. It works well in building a pipeline, nurturing leads, giving and getting referrals and achieving sales goals. 

The more things change, the more they remain the same. You can’t close the sale without connecting first.

Valuable content (that customers need and appreciate) is still at the forefront of getting noticed online. Kathi and Mike share why content is still so important and illustrate that fact with an awesome real-time example.

In our music segment:

RIP Sinead O’Connor. Sinead sang at Shane MacGowan's 60th birthday party in 2018. This comment on the video says it all: "She sings from the inside, and never cheats a single note. Her spirit transcends all that is common, small, and mean." It gives you the chills!

A Classical composer experiences Emerson, Lake and Palmer for the first time.

The Rob Squad reacts to ELP Karn Evil 9 Pt 2

Here’s JayveeTV getting emotional about The Seekers and their harmonizing. (It’s so nice to see!)

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If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you. 

Got a question (or two or three)? Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: [email protected]

Mike: [email protected]

Car prices are coming down and dealers’ vehicle supply is going up. The problem now is that loans are harder to come by. Millennials and Gen Z can’t afford their car loans and it seems to be getting worse. 


Delinquency rates on auto loans are hitting record highs: in May 2023, the number of severe delinquencies matched that of 2006, when Cox Automotive first started tracking these. All of this will cause major shifts in the way we’ve been doing business for the last 10+ years. Kathi and Mike provide insights and share the opportunities they see coming.

As operations change, the one constant is customer experience. It’s what will differentiate you from “just another car dealership.” Everything old is new again. Carl Sewell said in his book, “Customers for Life”: “Find out what the customer wants and give it to ‘em.” Kathi shares a story that illustrates the importance of listening to the customer.

Here’s the Automotive News article on Autonation’s Q2 results.

Here’s more info on auto loan delinquencies.

In our music segment:

Jack White purchased the first Elvis recording at Sun Records. Here’s his Instagram post about it.

Dogstar at The Roxy this week (features Keanu Reeves on bass). Videos thanks to Pamela Chelin, writer for Billboard, Spin, LA Times and more. Follow her on Twitter @PamelaChelin

Dogstar Video one

Dogstar Video two

Lollapalooza 1991 (the first one was in Tempe, AZ but then it came to Irvine Meadows in So Cal)

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If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you. Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: [email protected]

Mike: [email protected]

Now that many of us are starting from scratch on a few new social networks, Kathi and Mike discover that when you’re forced to start over with a clean slate, it’s easy to lose sight of the exceptional talents each of us have. “Stinkin’ thinkin’” gets the better of all of us sometimes so we wanted to share our own tips and tricks for not letting imposter syndrome get the upper hand.

In our music segment:

Live Aid happened on this day, July 13th, in 1985. It’s amazing how many bands contributed and wow, thank goodness they televised it so that we can bask in its glory all these years later, amirite?

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If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you. Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: [email protected]

Mike: [email protected]

Today (7/6/23) is the launch of Threads, Facebook/Meta’s answer to Twitter. Kathi and Mike had already explored it a bit and have a lot to share about it and the other new platforms that are popping up.

As things shift and decentralize in the social media ecosystem, it’s more important than ever to begin with a strategy that outlines the goals you want to achieve. Kathi and Mike share a few not-best-practices they’ve seen happening so that you can learn what not to do, too.

In our music segment:

Watch the Wham! Documentary trailer here.

Here’s the link to the Hard Fork Podcast Kathi mentioned.

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If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you. Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: [email protected]

Mike: [email protected]

To say there’s been changes in the car business is a colossal understatement. After the challenges from the pandemic, it seems as though dealership processes are all over the place…and that’s to be expected. But now that we are beginning to see a return to some norms, and customers are expecting an improved experience at the dealership, focused training and digital retail tools will get the flow going again.

Our friend, Tim Bartz:

Connect to Tim Bartz in all these places!

Tim Bartz/Long McArthur Ford YouTube

Check out the Cox Automotive Q2 Industry Recap

In our music segment, there are a couple new documentaries coming that you’ll want to check out.

If you’re a sick individual like Kathi and want to know more about 90 Day Fiance, click here.

If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you. Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: [email protected]

Mike: [email protected]

There are consequences of social media behavior. Whether they’re good or bad is determined by you. We talk about it a lot but wow, it’s so crucial to think about how you want to be perceived.

Then we talk about ChatGPT and how useful it can be for creating social media content.

Kathi shares her insights with the latest Facebook push of short-form video. Lots of opportunity for those without a budget…even if it’s temporary.

In our music segment:

Mike is exploring the uncharted territory of being an Elvis Costello fan. Here’s the show he was watching: Elvis Costello in the Artist’s Den.

Kathi’s Twitter friend David Wild posted about his experience as an audience member at the EC show here in Los Angeles. You’ll want to watch ‘til the end. 

If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you. Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: [email protected]

Mike: [email protected]

This week, we dive into some real-time stories of customer experience at dealerships. Both of us have noticed a deterioration of general behavior within the interactions between dealership personnel and customers and we’re a little worried about where we go from here.

Takeaway: Be truthful with the customer. 

Music: 

• On SNL: Elvis Costello and the Beastie Boys -Radio,Radio
• Foo Fighters in Sept at Dana Point $825. Glad I got to see them when it didn’t cost so much!
• We’re sad to hear Mike Ness (Social Distortion) has throat cancer. 

If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you. Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: [email protected]

Mike: [email protected]

Kathi and Mike welcome our friend, Kelly Wilson, who’s not only a top-notch dealership Marketing Manager and Internet Manager, but an awesome, high-producing Finance Manager. Kelly gives us a “boots on the ground” recap of the Dealer Knows Summer Camp. 

We also talk about overcoming adversity, something that Kelly knows “a little bit” about. She’s a powerhouse of knowledge and enthusiasm. 

Highlights:

• Do one thing. 
• Simple marketing tactics that sell more cars. 
• Employees want to feel valued, customers want to feel valued. With a tight labor market, certain practices are required.
• #AutoFam — Bill Playford, Jessica Ruth, Joe Webb, Gary May, Ryan Leslie, Renee Stuart, Brent Wees, Hunter Swift, and Dara Koenig - so much love and support!

Kelly is looking for her next opportunity. You can reach her on all the socials or her website: https://kellysuewilson.com/

Email her here: [email protected]

If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you. Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: [email protected]

Mike: [email protected]

Car dealers are bombarded by truckloads of vendors who each promise the world, and this is never more true than in the digital marketing and advertising space. Dealership personnel don’t have time to become digital experts so they depend on their vendors. But that dependency is only beneficial when there is trust built between the store and the vendor.

Changes are happening quickly and this brings challenges for the “bigger” digital marketing vendors. “Bigger” is not better when your vendor isn’t nimble enough to prepare and implement changes quickly. 

Next, we talk about shady sales tactics that we thought were mostly gone, but are not. 

In our music segment:

RIP Tina Turner

RIP Andy Rourke

Happy Birthday to The Modfather, Mr Paul Weller.

If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you. Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: [email protected]

Mike: [email protected]

Social media is changing dramatically and keeping up requires a focused effort. Kathi and Mike share examples of how stories differentiate you from all the online noise. 

In our music segment:

Today (5/18/23) is the anniversary of Ian Curtis’ death. Ian was the lead singer and founder of Joy Division, a band from Manchester, England in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist, guitarist and lyricist Ian Curtis, lead guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris. Sumner and Hook formed the band after attending a June 1976 Sex Pistols concert.

If you're a car person (worked/working in dealerships like us) we want to hear from you. Email either (or both) of us!

Kathi: [email protected]

Mike: [email protected]