Our Numbers Tell the Story

I hope this finds you and your family doing well. I am happy to report that, in many cases, it will find our clients’ dealerships doing well. And that’s because of you.

Yes, despite the wild fluctuations in the stock market, the shelter-in-place orders across the country and the blanket of uncertainty underpinning every aspect of our daily lives, our clients are still meeting their objectives.

It’s not because of any one thing that we are doing. I’ve talked about our digital tactics and how they’ve allowed our clients to reach more consumers, and I’ve told you about the extraordinary commitment our accounts and creative teams have demonstrated while responding to challenging obstacles. Our clients are succeeding because none of you have let up. You’ve leaned on — and into — our core values.

But the core value that strikes me the most right now, particularly in relation to our clients’ sales figures, is discipline. We often talk about discipline in our daily lives. Whether it’s the discipline to make it to the gym every morning, to stick to a diet or to read more books, it takes practice and repetition. It’s more than talk; it’s action that has become reflexive. It’s a habit that comes in handy in trying times.

The numbers we’ve been seeing from our clients prove that you’ve had that discipline. You’ve practiced, drilled and rehearsed, and it is paying off. In fact, some of our clients have posted better March numbers this year than they did in 2019.

Huntersville Ford, for example, was at 166% YoY and Lithia Springs Ford reached 121% YoY for new car sales. Angela Krause Ford was the #1 Ford dealer in its market. Sand Mountain Toyota hit their March objective (104% to be exact), their calls were up 7% and they were seventh among the entire Southeast Toyota (SET) group of dealers for the month. And Anderson Ford, meanwhile, hit 102% of its objectives for March.

The Gettel family of dealerships in Florida posted impressive numbers, as well. Gettel Kia sold 49 new cars last month. Its top two Kia competitors sold 52 new cars over the same period combined. The success wasn’t limited to new sales either: Gettel Acura in Sarasota achieved an incredible 200% of its certified pre-owned (CPO) objective. Not surprisingly, the dealership finished first in its district for CPO sales. And Volkswagen of Ocala was one of three dealers in their district that met over 100% of its objective. And while the district was down 21%, Volkswagen of Ocala was up 12% YoY.

By no means do I confuse the work we do with the work of healthcare workers, delivery drivers, grocers or others providing essential services that all Americans rely on for health and safety. But the work we do is important — for our clients and our economy.

While many are out there scrambling to find direction right now, while they are grasping at straws, you are doing the work that keeps us all moving forward. For that, I am proud and grateful.

If you continue to keep your head down and your spirits up — if you continue to exhibit the same discipline you have these past few weeks — we’ll have more good news to report next month.

Until next time . . .