The Dealer Playbook

By Michael Cirillo

What's The Dealer Playbook about?

The car business is rapidly changing and modern car dealers are meeting the demand. Join Michael Cirillo on The Dealer Playbook podcast which features expert interviews, actionable advice, and insights that will help you create a thriving career and life within the retail automotive industry. 

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The Dealer Playbook episodes:

04.25.2024
The New Rules of Luxury Leasing: What You Need to Know in 2024 with Steven Posner
In this episode I sit down with Steven Posner, the CEO of Putnam Leasing Company, to dive into the intricacies of the exotic car market. Our conversation covers a wide range of topics, starting with the resilience of the exotic...
04.18.2024
Women Drive Auto Sales: Unlocking Female Customer Satisfaction with Katie Mares
Katie Mares is an author, speaker, and consultant who empowers businesses to design experiences that resonate with female consumers. She is a bestselling author and her book, "CustomHer Experience" is a guide for businesses to close the gender gap in...
04.11.2024
Leadership Lessons from a Millennial General Manager - Gabrielle Abinion
Gabrielle (Gabi) Abinion is the General Manager at Fox Valley Volkswagen of St. Charles. With a rich family history in the automotive business, Gabi brings a unique perspective to her role, blending tradition with innovation to drive success. Her dedication...
04.04.2024
Run Into the Fire: How to Move from Management to Ownership in the Car Industry with Steve Whitlock
In this episode, I sit down with Steve Whitlock, the president of Innovation Financial Services, to explore the fascinating journey of automotive entrepreneurship. We dive into Steve's unique background, starting from his days as a firefighter to his eventual transition...
03.28.2024
From Clicks to Customers with Glenn Pasch
Glenn Pasch, an industry veteran with a penchant for data-driven insights and a logical approach to marketing, brings decades of expertise in digital marketing and dealership strategies. As the brains behind PCG Digital, Glenn has empowered countless dealerships to optimize...
03.21.2024
Driving Business Innovation in the Electric Vehicle Sphere with Alex Lawrence
Alex Lawrence is the CEO and co-founder of Ev Auto, a pioneering dealership specializing in electric vehicles. With a background in franchising and tech, Alex brings a wealth of experience to the table, along with a passion for creating exceptional...
03.14.2024
Spanish SEO Does Matter! | Ally Pinon
Are you leaving a massive chunk of the market untapped? Welcome back to another insightful episode of the Dealer Playbook podcast. Today, we're delving deep into the world of marketing segmentation, focusing specifically on the Hispanic marketplace. Joining me today...
03.07.2024
From Plastic Surgery to Auto Marketing Mastery | Adrian Gibbs
When Adrian Gibbs, Marketing Director of Nimnicht Family of Dealerships, stepped into the world of automotive marketing, she brought with her the competitive edge of the plastic surgery industry and a knack for nurturing customer relationships. Our exchange is as...
02.29.2024
How TikTok Is Shaping the Next Wave of Digital Marketing for Young Consumers with Paul de Vries
Paul De Vries is the Founder of #DCDW, Spokesperson for Marktplaats Automotive, and Co-Owner of Carmen BDC. With an impressive track record in dealership ownership, BDC management, and online car sales, Paul is recognized as a trailblazer in the automotive...
02.22.2024
The DEATH of Marketing Attributions | Rand Fishkin
Rand Fishkin is cofounder and CEO of SparkToro, makers of fine audience research software, and indie game developer Snackbar Studio. He’s dedicated his professional life to helping people do better marketing through his writing, videos, speaking, and his book, Lost and...
02.15.2024
Personal Growth Fuelling Leadership Excellence, Cultivating Organizational Culture, The Essence of Soft Skills | Scott Greenberg
Have you ever wondered how a personal crisis might just be the catalyst for a profound transformation in how you lead your team? That's the story Scott Greenberg, author of "Stop the Shift Show," brings to our table as we...
02.07.2024
The Electric Shift, Securing the Auto Trade, and Tackling Fraud with Expert Insights from Matas Buzelis
Matas Buzelis is the Head of Communications at carVertical.com Matas Buzelis brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table, shedding light on the intricacies of the global car market. What We Discuss In This Episode: Ever wondered about the global impact...
02.01.2024
Redefining Dealer Ad Strategies, Surviving Google Support Changes, The Importance of Human Insight | Dave Spannhake
Dave Spannhake is the Founder and CEO of Reunion Marketing, one of the fastest growing marketing companies in the country that specializes in using data and consumer behavior to create highly effective marketing strategies. What We Discuss In This Episode: Dave sheds...
01.25.2024
Driving into a Cookie-less Future, The Rise of First-Party Data, Embracing Change in Automotive Marketing | Subi Ghosh - Part 2
Subi Ghosh is the Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Marketing at Stream Companies. What We Discuss In This Episode: We delve into the importance of first-party data and how it can be leveraged to create personalized marketing experiences. Subi emphasizes...
01.25.2024
Driving into a Cookie-less Future, The Rise of First-Party Data, Embracing Change in Automotive Marketing | Subi Ghosh - Part 1
Subi Ghosh is the Executive Vice President of Strategic Partnerships & Marketing at Stream Companies. What We Discuss In This Episode: We delve into the importance of first-party data and how it can be leveraged to create personalized marketing experiences. Subi emphasizes...
01.18.2024
Navigating the Fiscal Roadmap, Car Pros' Guide to Money Mastery | Rob Bacharach
In this power-packed episode, I sit down with the brilliant mind behind Automotive Wealth, Rob Bacharach. Rob is the president and founder of Automotive Wealth, a seasoned financial planner specializing in empowering automotive professionals to secure their financial future. With...
01.11.2024
From Clicks to Handshakes in Modern Car Sales, Allowing Your Customer to Take the Lead, Mastering Customer Engagement | Kirk Preiser
Ever wondered how the digital revolution has transformed the car buying process? Join us as we sit down with Kirk Preiser, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at LeadVantage. Formerly the Director of Retail Buying Experience at Audi of...
01.04.2024
The Importance of Customer Experience in the Automotive Industry, The CX Mindset, GET OUT of the Customer's Way, for crying out loud! | Gary Graves
Gary Graves co-founded InteractiveTel, now TotalCX, in 2008 and presently serves as CEO. Previously, he served as the company's first Chief Technology Officer. He developed the communications platform on which the company's proprietary products are based and has been instrumental...
12.28.2023
The Power Of Inventory In Your Dealership, Starting a Business With a Friend, The Future of Auto Retail | Dan Collingridge
It all began with automotive inventory management software. I never imagined I'd end up in the automotive industry. Back in the day, my childhood buddy Dan Collingridge and I had this grand plan of starting a record label and radio...
12.21.2023
Merry Christmas, Auto Industry Pros Share Their Predictions About 2024 | Michael Cirillo
Ever get caught in the hustle, only to realize Christmas is knocking on the door? Yeah, I've been there, too, and what a year. I recently took to LinkedIn and Facebook to satisfy my curiosity about people's thoughts and predictions...
12.14.2023
30 seconds to sell a car, The 4 E’s of social media growth, How she grew her Instagram to 445k and why it’s not hard | Kelly Stumpe aka @the_car_mom
Kelly Stumpe, also known as The Car Mom, is a social media influencer, car enthusiast, and advocate for local independent dealerships. She has over 473,000 followers on Instagram and is known for her engaging and informative content about cars from...
12.07.2023
Erin Richmond: Building a High-Performance Marketing Mix
Erin Richmond is the Chief Revenue Officer of sMedia, a digital advertising and marketing agency in the automotive industry. With years of experience in the industry, Erin has worked her way up from a customer success manager to overseeing the...
11.30.2023
Ashley Cavazos: Transform Your Dealership Into A Marketing Powerhouse
Ashley Cavasos is the Marketing Director at Demontrond Auto Group in Houston. What We Discuss In This Episode: As the marketing director for Demontrond Auto Group in Houston, her journey from a temporary receptionist to a marketing powerhouse is a...
11.23.2023
Mike Draper: Social Media Secrets For Automotive Professionals
Mike Draper, the former SWAT police officer and Air Force vet is making waves as a viral content creator and social strategy expert. His MBA mind, coupled with experience in real estate and mortgages, has enabled him to decode the...
11.16.2023
From Buckets to Boardrooms: A Detailers Rise to General Manager with Rahim Bhimani
Rahim 'Cherry' Bhimani is the General Manager at Motorvation Trucks in Georgia. He started his career in the car business as a detailer and worked his way up to his current position. Rahim is known for his passion for solving...
11.09.2023
Glenn Lundy: How To Navigate Auto Industry Uncertainties Like a Pro
Glenn Lundy is the only person in the world that grew a dealership 800% in 5 years, from 120 cars a month to 1000, in a small town of only 9600 people. He is also the founder of the 800 Percent...
11.02.2023
Todd Hauser: How Generative AI Powers Auto Marketing Success
Todd Hauser is the Executive Vice President, Strategic Partnerships at fullthrottle.ai. Todd has been actively involved in the automotive industry for over three decades. He has witnessed how the industry has evolved from the age of traditional advertising to digital...
10.26.2023
Lisa Copeland: How to Pivot, not Panic!
International Keynote Speaker, Best Selling Author, Award -Winning Sales Strategist, and Former Automotive Dealer Principle. In this episode, I sit down with my dear friend, Lisa Copeland, after a decade-long hiatus from our last conversation. We delve into Lisa's journey...
10.19.2023
Sell Like A Pro: A Game-changing Video Hack For Car Dealers
We all want more customers right? In this highly competitive world of auto - industry, turning prospects into loyal customers is a crucial skill for success. But It's always crucial to nurture prospects from the start so they become clients....
10.12.2023
Crissy Burton: Selling Cars Doesn’t Have To Be Hard
Today's episode I had the pleasure of sitting down with Crissy Burton. Crissy also known as the “The Car Fairy” Burton is based out of Indianapolis, Indiana working at one of the top 10 dealer groups in the United States...
10.05.2023
Heather Munafo: Automotive Pros Can't Ignore Their Health
This year has brought some health concerns to yours truly, and as a result I decided it was high time to pay closer attention to my health and wellness. Yes, I've lost weight and gained muscle, but most importantly I've...
09.28.2023
Harness Data for Marketing Success
In this episode I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Michael Heidner, who holds the position of Vice President of Analytics and Business Intelligence at Foundation Direct as well as Ben Yehle, who is the Measurement Lead...
09.21.2023
Kiera Fogg & Alva Senow: Is AI The Future of Car Buying?
Kiera Fogg is the Vice President of Customer Experience and co-founder at Ribit, and Alva Senow is the Vice President of Sales and Finance at Ribit. Together, they've brought a revolutionary solution to the automotive industry with Ribit AI -...
09.14.2023
Andrew Myers: How To Win Customers with Video Content
Andrew Myers is the owner of Parachute Video Ads. Andrew began in sales and marketing from as young as the age of 16 years old, selling toys door to door which eventually led him to stumble into the world of...
09.09.2023
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Don't Miss This!
Imagine an automotive conference that is as much educational as it is fun. Imagine not only getting to learn from the speakers but also networking with them! I'm talking about speakers like Jesse Cole, the owner of the Savannah Bananas...
09.07.2023
Janae Andrews: How To Sell More Cars At Your Dealership
Janae Andrews is the Sales Leader at Andy Mohr Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. In this episode, we dive into Janae's journey, uncovering the secrets behind her remarkable success and her unique approach to car sales. In less than 3 years,...
08.31.2023
Jesse Cole: The Car Buying Experience Should Be Longer!
Jesse Cole is the founder of Fans First Entertainment, which owns and operates the Savannah Bananas and the Party Animals. The Bananas have sold out every game since their first season and have a waitlist for tickets in the thousands....
08.24.2023
Stay Ahead of the Curve: Why Dealers Can't Afford to Miss ASOTUCON
In this episode we dive into the world of ASOTUCON joined by two industry heavyweights, Paul Daly and Kyle Mountsier. In this episode we kick things off with a question that's been buzzing in the minds of industry professionals: Why...
08.17.2023
Charles Cannon: How to Accelerate Growth In Your Automotive Career
Charles Cannon is the General Manager at Lexus of Serramonte. Charles Cannon developed a passion for the car business during his career of over 20 years. Along with Rules to the Game, he has also written a book called The...
08.10.2023
Mathew Growden: Are Google Vehicle Ads Worth It?
Mathew Growden is the Head of Auto Retail Team and Answerer of Automotive Retail related questions at Google Canada. In this episode we dive deep into the world of Google Vehicle Ads. We explore the intricacies of this powerful marketing tool...
08.03.2023
Kyler Kropf: What It Takes To Build a Successful Business
Kyler Kropf is the founder of SaddleBrooke Life , a business specializing in building beautiful and spacious tiny homes. In this episode we delve into Kyler's incredible journey from growing up Amish to becoming a successful entrepreneur in the...
07.27.2023
Dylan Vanas: Modern Marketing - Is It All Hype Or Is It Real?
Dylan Vanas is the CEO and founder of AgencyBox and Mindful Agency, a whitelabel platform that has helped more than 3,500 agencies run profitable businesses, and co-founder of Monopolize, an agency that works with some of the top personalities and...
07.20.2023
Ed Roberts: Breaking The Status Quo As A Car Dealer
Ed Roberts is the Chief Operating Officer at Bozard Ford Lincoln and is breaking the conventional way of running a car dealership by constantly seeking to push beyond the status quo. In this episode, Ed shares his journey in the...
07.13.2023
Allie Peters: The Power of Servant Leadership in Fixed Operations
In this episode Michael Cirillo sits down with Allie Peters, the newly appointed Vice President of Service Operations at Cavender Auto Group. Join Michael and Allie as they delve into the surprising twists and turns of her career in the...
07.06.2023
Dan Collingridge: Unveiling the Power of Inventory In The Auto Industry
In this episode of the Dealer Playbook podcast, host Michael Cirillo engages in a dynamic conversation with Dan Collingridge, the CTO & Co-Founder of FlexDealer. Together, they delve into the realm of automotive inventory and unveil the pivotal role it...
06.29.2023
Danny Zaslavsky: Innovation, Partnerships, and Breaking the Mold
Danny Zaslavsky is a successful business and community leader within the Greater Kansas City area. As General Manager/Dealer Partner at Country Hill Motors, he has helped grow and evolve his family's business into one of the region's most successful independent...
06.22.2023
Shawn Armorer: The Power of Human Connection in a World of AI (NIADA)
Shawn Armorer is the founder and owner of BDC Alchemy consulting. He is 20 year seasoned automotive BDC growth expert with career revenues exceeding 40 million dollars. In this episode he joins Michael to discuss the transformative power of the...
06.15.2023
Jeremy Beck: How To Achieve Dealership Success
Jeremy Beck is the Vice President of Dealer Development and Industry Insights at the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association (N.I.A.D.A) and an automotive executive with 25 years of industry experience In this episode, we explore the profound impact of the...
06.08.2023
Importance of Knowing Your Numbers
In a rapidly changing automotive industry, dealerships are facing a critical crossroad: rising costs that threaten their profitability. As capital demands increase and employee expenses surge, how can dealerships find the perfect balance between expenses and revenue? Is there a...
06.01.2023
Michael Cirillo, Keynote Speaker at NIADA
In this episode, host Lou Ramirez and co-host Fred Lennartz, of the popular Car Guy Coffee Podcast, interview special guest Michael Cirillo. It's a big ol' switcheroo! Michael, who is the CEO of FlexDealer, an automotive marketing and technology company,...

What's The Dealer Playbook about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The Dealer Playbook episodes:

The New Rules of Luxury Leasing: What You Need to Know in 2024 with Steven Posner

Women Drive Auto Sales: Unlocking Female Customer Satisfaction with Katie Mares

Leadership Lessons from a Millennial General Manager - Gabrielle Abinion

Run Into the Fire: How to Move from Management to Ownership in the Car Industry with Steve Whitlock

From Clicks to Customers with Glenn Pasch

Driving Business Innovation in the Electric Vehicle Sphere with Alex Lawrence

Spanish SEO Does Matter! | Ally Pinon

From Plastic Surgery to Auto Marketing Mastery | Adrian Gibbs

How TikTok Is Shaping the Next Wave of Digital Marketing for Young Consumers with Paul de Vries

The DEATH of Marketing Attributions | Rand Fishkin

Personal Growth Fuelling Leadership Excellence, Cultivating Organizational Culture, The Essence of Soft Skills | Scott Greenberg

The Electric Shift, Securing the Auto Trade, and Tackling Fraud with Expert Insights from Matas Buzelis

Redefining Dealer Ad Strategies, Surviving Google Support Changes, The Importance of Human Insight | Dave Spannhake

Driving into a Cookie-less Future, The Rise of First-Party Data, Embracing Change in Automotive Marketing | Subi Ghosh - Part 2

Driving into a Cookie-less Future, The Rise of First-Party Data, Embracing Change in Automotive Marketing | Subi Ghosh - Part 1

Navigating the Fiscal Roadmap, Car Pros' Guide to Money Mastery | Rob Bacharach

From Clicks to Handshakes in Modern Car Sales, Allowing Your Customer to Take the Lead, Mastering Customer Engagement | Kirk Preiser

The Importance of Customer Experience in the Automotive Industry, The CX Mindset, GET OUT of the Customer's Way, for crying out loud! | Gary Graves

The Power Of Inventory In Your Dealership, Starting a Business With a Friend, The Future of Auto Retail | Dan Collingridge

Merry Christmas, Auto Industry Pros Share Their Predictions About 2024 | Michael Cirillo

30 seconds to sell a car, The 4 E’s of social media growth, How she grew her Instagram to 445k and why it’s not hard | Kelly Stumpe aka @the_car_mom

Erin Richmond: Building a High-Performance Marketing Mix

Ashley Cavazos: Transform Your Dealership Into A Marketing Powerhouse

Mike Draper: Social Media Secrets For Automotive Professionals

From Buckets to Boardrooms: A Detailers Rise to General Manager with Rahim Bhimani

Glenn Lundy: How To Navigate Auto Industry Uncertainties Like a Pro

Todd Hauser: How Generative AI Powers Auto Marketing Success

Lisa Copeland: How to Pivot, not Panic!

Sell Like A Pro: A Game-changing Video Hack For Car Dealers

Crissy Burton: Selling Cars Doesn’t Have To Be Hard

Heather Munafo: Automotive Pros Can't Ignore Their Health

Harness Data for Marketing Success

Kiera Fogg & Alva Senow: Is AI The Future of Car Buying?

Andrew Myers: How To Win Customers with Video Content

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Don't Miss This!

Janae Andrews: How To Sell More Cars At Your Dealership

Jesse Cole: The Car Buying Experience Should Be Longer!

Stay Ahead of the Curve: Why Dealers Can't Afford to Miss ASOTUCON

Charles Cannon: How to Accelerate Growth In Your Automotive Career

Mathew Growden: Are Google Vehicle Ads Worth It?

Kyler Kropf: What It Takes To Build a Successful Business

Dylan Vanas: Modern Marketing - Is It All Hype Or Is It Real?

Ed Roberts: Breaking The Status Quo As A Car Dealer

Allie Peters: The Power of Servant Leadership in Fixed Operations

Dan Collingridge: Unveiling the Power of Inventory In The Auto Industry

Danny Zaslavsky: Innovation, Partnerships, and Breaking the Mold

Shawn Armorer: The Power of Human Connection in a World of AI (NIADA)

Jeremy Beck: How To Achieve Dealership Success

Importance of Knowing Your Numbers

Michael Cirillo, Keynote Speaker at NIADA

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