Category: Newsletter Stories

2,300 years ago, Aristotle defined the three pillars of persuasion – ethos, logos, and pathos. Now, two millennia later, these principles remain indispensable to a successful marketing strategy. Ethos, which represents credibility, is especially important for dealerships looking to gain market share and retain their customer base.

Manly Honda in Santa Rosa, California, holds one of the most credible titles a store could wish for. This dealership was the first in history to sell a Honda vehicle in the United States. Today, you can still see the retired model displayed on the showroom floor.

Even greater than the historical claims Manly Honda can make are its modern-day accolades. Since becoming a SAM client, the dealership has secured the number one spot in its district for two months in a row – a first for the store.

It’s easy to assume that a top-level spot requires an enormous amount of ad spend. The catch, however, is that Manly Honda’s budget is shockingly smaller than that of most SAM clients. In February, the dealership had a Facebook ads budget of just $2,100 and was one of the agency’s top-performing accounts in terms of sales and traffic.

One of the dealership’s secrets to success is its highly targeted approach. The goal was to penetrate the local Hispanic market, as it represents a significant opportunity for expansion. In January, SAM launched the store’s first Spanish-language ads. Shortly thereafter, a customer came in and referenced the ad’s offer. This was the first time a member of the Hispanic community had referenced any marketing from the dealership, and our client was overwhelmingly pleased.

Manly Honda also has a secret weapon up its sleeve – Adolfo Salazar. In Santa Rosa, Adolfo is somewhat of a local celebrity. At the dealership, he works as the Hispanic Marketing Manager. Originally, the company’s outreach to this market consisted of Adolfo posting organically to his own network of contacts. After SAM launched paid Facebook ads for the dealership, results only amplified.

Manly Honda is different from many SAM clients in that it prefers to invest in SEO more than PPC. The store runs double the amount for its SEO budget, believing that is where Manly Honda will see its greatest return. Mail is also a high performer for this dealership, with one recent mailer generating 21 calls in its first day. Previous mail campaigns have scored more than 30 sales matches.

To reach the level of success that Manly Honda has been able to achieve, it takes a mix of smart strategies and refined internal processes. This dealership has both, and with SAM’s help, plans to continue achieving many more number one feats.

In case you missed it, we’ve had several team members get recognized for their hard work lately. These employees are ready to take on higher-level responsibilities and contribute more to SAM in their expanded roles. Nice!

Kristen Callahan

• Promoted to Accounting Specialist

Hayley Grisham

• Promoted to Account Executive

Tom Little

• Promoted to Senior Copywriter

Zack Johnson

• Promoted to Digital Services Specialist

Savanna Gray

• Promoted to SEO Coordinator

Anne Heaney

• Promoted to Content Marketing Coordinator

If there’s one thing that’s synonymous with Sheila Grandy, it’s travel. But like many of us in 2020, she has had to take a different approach to leisure. So, how has Sheila spent her time when cruises and weekend excursions are off the table?

That’s what we’re here to find out.

Squeezing in a Little Sight-Seeing

Sheila and her best friend, Kim, got to enjoy one pre-pandemic trip this year.

“I did make it to Houston before everything shut down,” Sheila said. “We were dying to go to the rodeo, so we flew there at the beginning of March, right before everything really hit. We brought scarves to keep our faces covered, but that was before anyone was even wearing masks. Once we got back, the rest of my travel plans were off the books.”

Some of Sheila’s 2020 plans included Chicago in May, the New Orleans Essence Festival in July, Major League Baseball in August, and San Fransisco for New Year’s Eve.

After being forced to shift gears, Sheila said the memories of past trips helped keep her spirits high.

“My friends would always laugh because I took so many photos on our trips,” Sheila said. “Now, I’ve been sending and sharing those to help us remember the good times.”

Sheila recounted how, on a girls’ trip in 2018, the group went to New York City. On the last night, she insisted they walk the Brooklyn Bridge (they had already walked 12 miles that day). Her friends grudgingly agreed, but it turned out to be one of the best travel photos Sheila has ever captured. Now, the friends look back on that photo with nostalgia.

To fill her time this year, Sheila has enjoyed spending more time outdoors.

“I’ve always walked about 5 miles every morning, but typically I would go to the YMCA to do that,” Sheila said. “I’ve switched to outdoor walking since it’s safer, and I’ve really enjoyed the fresh air.”

Sheila has also enjoyed watching new church services online. There is one that particularly speaks to her in Chicago, and she plans to visit in person once travel is safer.

“After Chicago, I’m planning to take a girls’ trip to Savannah and Charleston,” Sheila said. “Everyone knows I love cruises, and this year was supposed to be my ninth. But land travel will come first.”

Despite the difficulty of traveling this year, Sheila has managed to tuck a few excursions under her belt. Her list includes an outdoor concert in Biloxi for the Fourth of July, a couple of trips to Memphis, and a recent visit to the Stardome Comedy Club in Hoover, AL.

Sheila has definitley found ways to make a challenging year interesting. Like the rest of us, she’s hoping for a speedy return to normalcy as we make our way into 2021.

Note: This addresses only Sept. and Oct. comment box items. The Engagement Survey results will be released later this month.

 

From: John Paul Strong

Team SAM—

We have gotten some helpful feedback from the recently-added comment box in the monthly newsletter. I wanted to take a moment to address a few of the topics that were submitted.

Kitchens

A couple of changes have already been made, like the new coffee pot system being tested in S1 along with additional creamer options. If the new system works well, we will roll it out to the remaining kitchens.

Another request mentioned concern over using George Jetson as a place to lunch with coworkers due to the open entrance. While it’s impractical to close off the kitchen, don’t let the openness dissuade you from using this area to enjoy a safely distanced lunch with others. That is one of the intended uses of this space.

COVID-19 Procedure

Our coronavirus procedure is continually adjusted as new recommendations become available from the CDC and our HR partner, Renay Winston. We know safety is a big concern for us all. If an employee tests positive, all employees identified as having close-contact exposure will be required to work from home for 14 days regardless of whether they test negative. This procedure has already been put into practice at SAM.

We are doing everything possible to maintain the efficiency of our working style while minimizing the risk of coronavirus exposure for employees. The more firmly we all follow the guidelines, the more protected we will be.

Growth Opportunities

SAM is proud to support the growth of employees and offer career advancement opportunities. This is why we fill positions internally as much as possible. Employees are evaluated on their work record and ability to drive results when decisions regarding promotions are made. Various other professional performance factors are taken into consideration as well.

If you have any concerns over your growth path with the agency, make sure to talk with your manager who can help you lay out the next steps. Megan Cesnick is also a resource for this.

 

Thank you to everyone who took the time to submit constructive feedback over the past 2 months. Be aware our annual Employee Engagement Survey results will be released later this month and will be discussed in full detail.

Not every marriage begins with love at first sight. That was certainly the case for Anne and Christopher Heaney. When they both chose to study a romance language in college, they never imagined they would star in a romance of their own.

“When Christopher and I took Italian together at Auburn, neither of us really caught one another’s eye,” Anne said. “But a few months later when we met again, a lot had changed.”

Typical to the formative years of undergrad, Anne and Christopher had both somewhat reinvented themselves in the time since they had last met. This was the beginning of a spark that led to their first few dates. At this point, Christopher had, by chance, moved into the same apartment complex as Anne. They were also both writing for The Auburn Plainsman, the university’s student-run newspaper.

Yet, while all of the ingredients were there, the fire failed to catch. It wasn’t until Christopher was involved in a serious car accident that the couple realized their feelings for one another.

“I knew that if I went to see Christopher in the hospital, this would become real,” Anne said. “I’ve always said I wanted to see how the person I marry reacts to tragedy, and Christopher handled it very well. He was lucky and had a near-miraculous recovery in just six months.”

As the two dated and their love grew, talks of marriage began to come up. Anne wanted a simple proposal, something private and intimate. One evening, after attending a concert together, Anne walked into the living room to find Christopher there, on one knee and ring in hand. She was thrilled at the future she saw for them then.

2020 has provided no shortage of challenges, and that is especially apparent when planning a wedding. Anne and her then-fiancé decided the date of their wedding would not change. On Oct. 17, rain or shine, the two would wed at Vulcan Park and Museum.

The ceremony took place outdoors at 5:30 p.m. Anne described the scene as the quintessence of autumnal beauty. The fiery oranges and reds of the setting sun created a celestial backdrop that mirrored the seasonal colors of her wedding.

“So many things could have gone wrong, but everything turned out to be perfect,” Anne said. “We stayed outside, had masks available, and did our best to make sure everyone felt safe and comfortable. And at nearly four weeks out, no one in attendance has reported getting sick.”

Anne joked that the two were planning a wedding tour for next year, as many of Christopher’s New England relatives were not able to attend due to the pandemic. Still, the couple was able to take a honeymoon to the idyllic Portland, Maine area.

“We both love fall, and our honeymoon was exactly what we were hoping for,” Anne said. “It looked like a scene out of ‘Hocus Pocus.’ The leaves were gorgeous shades of yellow and orange, and travel was surprisingly simple.”

The couple stayed in an Airbnb and enjoyed dinners by the water and strolling through the fall wonderland as newlyweds. Anne reported feeling very safe traveling, as the plane was socially distanced and featured a disinfectant fog each time passengers disembarked.

In the end, Anne and Christopher overcame the challenges of 2020 and held an unforgettable celebration with loved ones. They may have forgotten their Italian, but the amore they found will last a lifetime. Congratulations to the Heaneys from everyone at SAM!

By: Dennis Johnson

Do you ever wonder why the tag on John Paul’s car reads NVRSTOP? It’s because he doesn’t. Holly Schneider asked me to tell a story from my years with SAM. And this is John Paul at his “never stop” best.

The agency was working on picking up a Toyota dealer in Florida. This dealer was just stuck on a music jingle they had come up with, and wouldn’t let go – even after John Paul told them it just sucked (his words). To prove his point, John Paul and I flew to the dealership’s town with the agency mini-camera in tow, $1,000 in $50 bills, and a plan to do on-the-street interviews asking normal people if they had heard the jingle, or even put this dealer in their top-five choices. Keep in mind, this is the late 2000s, so people were still open to doing this kind of thing.

After not having much luck in the first location we were shooting on a beautiful spring Saturday, John Paul suggested going to the local Walmart and catch people coming and going. Great idea, but lacking just one thing Sam Walton must have been big on – permission! Wasn’t long before the store manager comes out and runs us off, but we still had gotten a handful of interviews.

Sitting in the car, I asked “Where now?” John Paul didn’t hesitate, “Home Depot!” And down the highway, we went and set up in their parking lot. I was both shooting the camera and doing the interview while John Paul wrangled the next interview. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a man in a Home Depot shirt with a security cop. We would find out Wal-Mart had called area stores to tell them about the vagabond interview crew, and when they spotted us out they came. John Paul gave me a ‘keep shooting, I’ve got this’ nod as he walked toward the manager and officer.

Their conversation lasted long enough for me to finish one interview and get started on the other. I was still watching John Paul working his magic when he reached for his wallet. If $50 was good for an interview, he would say later, maybe a $100 passed to each of the Home Depot guys would buy us some time. Well, it didn’t. After an apparent misinterpretation of ‘talent fee’ and ‘bribe’, when John Paul got to the camera, he picked up the tripod and off to the rental car we went, in a hurry. We had worn out our welcome in South Florida – at least as on-the-street movie makers.

What we did get though was about a dozen people just dogging the jingle, the store, and their advertising. Then, we got the account. Even better, this interview technique was branded as ‘Guerilla Marketing’ (by Connie Marefka), and it became a part of Strong Automotive Merchandising’s bag of tricks to get a second major store in Florida. Nope, John Paul never stops, and that my fellow workers, is a good thing.