TrueCar Dealer Newsletter: Q2 2013
TrueCar Dealer Newsletter: Q2 2013
Dear TrueCar Certified Dealer Partner,
We’re pleased to introduce our first quarterly TrueCar Dealer Newsletter, covering TrueCar product
features, updates on promotional activity, training updates, and other information to help your Dealership
succeed with the TrueCar service.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership.
Ken Potter
VP, TrueCar Dealer Development
Dealer Tools - Moving More Metal
The TrueCar Dealer Portal includes several features to help Certified Dealers better manage their TrueCar business. Adopting
these features can significantly improve your performance.
Want to learn more? Check out the training and webinar schedule on the last page of this newsletter, or reach out to your
Account Manager at 866.480.1313 for a customized training session on how to utilize these features.
DEALERSHIP
PROFILE
CREATE
OFFER
Completed Profile
A completed Profile that
effectively showcases your
Dealership can increase
close rate by 13%
compared to Dealers
that haven’t completed
their Profile
Create and Email an Offer
from the Dealer Portal
Dealers who use the
Create Offer Tool to
create itemized offers
on specific in-stock
vehicles see a 36%
lift in close rate on
average
Incomplete Profile
USED VEHICLE DISCOUNT*
Providing a used vehicle discount from the final
negotiated price to registered customers can
dramatically increase your sales. For example, on
the USAA Car Buying Service, Certified Dealers that
provide a used vehicle discount sell more than
4 times as many used vehicles to USAA
Members than Dealers that don’t provide a discount.
The minimum discount to participate is $100.
UPDATED PRICING
Dealers that update new vehicle pricing in the Dealer
Portal at least every 2 weeks typically sell 25% more
cars than Dealers that only update every 4+ weeks
Used Vehicle Discount
Dealer Portal Pricing Page
*not available
in all States
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TrueCar Dealer Newsletter: Q2 2013
TrueCar Network of Sites
We are constantly working with our network of over 300 partners to aggressively promote their branded car buying services
to their members, customers and employees. Select scheduled promotions and activities include:
USAA
USAA Car Buying Service and Subvention Promotion
USAA is updating their “My Accounts” page to
make the Car Buying Service much more visible
to USAA Members. The “My Accounts” page on
USAA.com gets 32 million impressions per month
from logged-in USAA Members and we expect a significant
increase in USAA Members contacting TrueCar Dealers.
In addition, USAA is training over 200 Member Service
Representatives to help better educate Members about the
Car Buying Service and TrueCar Dealers.
USAA is also running a “Special Offer” subvention promotion
that will be promoted heavily throughout USAA.com as well
as be included in the Annual Report that goes out to over 5
million Members.
PENFED
PenFed Loan Subvention Promotion
Optimizations to PenFed’s website,including
the Auto Loans section, the dedicated Car Buying Service
page, and the Auto Loan Calculator have led to increased
usage by PenFed Members. We have also integrated more
deeply with their internal systems to drive more traffic directly
to the Car Buying Service.
PenFed’s loan subvention program is also continuing to be
very successful at driving qualified traffic to Certified Dealers.
As with USAA’s program, the PenFed Member only qualifies
if they purchase from a Certified Dealer to whom they have
submitted their information.
CONSUMER REPORTS
Ongoing website improvements have increased in-market traffic through the Consumer Reports
Build & Buy program. Several other program enhancements are in the works for later in the quarter,
including the pilot launch of a used vehicle program.
Recent AAA South Editorial
AAA PROGRAMS
Many AAA programs are running
promotions to drive more traffic to their
Car Buying Service. Examples include:
• AAA Mid-Atlantic is piloting the ‘Test Drive and Save’
Program, designed to encourage Members to visit their
Certified Dealer to test drive the car that best meets their
needs. Members who test drive at a Certified Dealer are
eligible to receive a $25 gift card.
• AAA South has a 2-page editorial launching in the Going
Places magazine distributed to 2.6 million households
• AAA Southern New England is doing a Memorial Day
email blast to 1.8 million Members
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Take Control of the Wheel
with the AAA Auto Buying Program
By Stephen M. Wheeler
Buying a new car can be a stressful
experience. Even when you know
exactly what you want, the negotiation
and haggling over options and pricing
can stifle even the most enthusiastic
shopper. But it doesn’t have to be that
way. The AAA Auto Buying Program
has two new tools that put the power—
and dare we say, fun?—back into your
hands while you save time and money.
Accessible from AAA.com/AutoBuying
or your Apple iPhone, they make
buying a new car easier and more
transparent than ever.
SAVINGS
CERTIFICATE
1. Research your car at
AAA.com/AutoBuying
The first step is researching
your car. Even if you’ve got a
good idea of what you want,
there are still trim lines, options and colors to choose
from. The AAA Auto Buying
Program has all that and
more. You can easily select
makes, models and options,
plus compare different vehicle
choices, learn about available
incentives, check crash safety
ratings, read AAA reviews, view
picture galleries and more.
2. Learn what others paid
3. Print a golden ticket
The AAA Auto Buying Program is
powered by TrueCar price reporting. Available with national,
regional and local data, TrueCar
reveals what others have paid for
cars with the same features as
the one you have chosen. Plotted as quadrants on a bell curve,
TrueCar shows the manufacturer’s
suggested retail price (MSRP),
the market average, the factory
invoice and the dealer cost. Everything is transparent, so you’ll know
instantly if the Estimated Price
you were quoted is a fair price.
Once you’ve got “the one” in
mind, you’re ready to locate a
certified dealer. Submit your request online, and the dealer will
contact you to arrange a convenient meeting time. While online,
print out your AAA Member
Savings Certificate, then take
it with you to the dealer. The
report is like a golden ticket; it
lists your Estimated Price along
with the dealer’s and representative’s names. Your golden ticket
ensures a hassle-free car buying
experience.
AAA Email Campaign
TrueCar Dealer Newsletter: Q2 2013
INSURANCE COMPANIES
Allstate Car Buying Service
We continue to make inroads with insurance channel
partners who value TrueCar Certified Dealers for their
commitment to a no-hassle car buying experience.
Highlights include:
• GEICO billing inserts to millions of GEICO policyholders
• Allstate Affinity & Total Loss dedicated email to
400,000+ Texas policyholders
• Exciting optimizations to our Total Loss platform
so more high-quality total loss customers contact
Certified Dealers
GECIO Billing Insert
GEICO Total Loss Car Buying Service
EMPLOYEE PURCHASE PROGRAMS
TrueCar-powered Employee Purchase Programs continue to gain traction with leading employers and
Fortune 500 companies including Disney, Coca-Cola, Walmart, Boeing, Macy’s, IBM, Home Depot,
Delta, Wells Fargo, and GE. Sales volume is up 200% nationwide (versus Q4 2012) due to increased
marketing efforts.
TRUECAR.COM
In addition to partner-specific marketing,
TrueCar continues to conduct marketing campaigns to
promote Certified Dealers.
We are airing our TV commercials, “The Right Price” and
“Smart Consumer”, reinforcing TrueCar as the source
of transparent pricing information and highlighting the
Guaranteed Savings offered at Certified Dealers. In February,
we launched a new testimonial-focused TV campaign, where
actual TrueCar.com users explain how TrueCar Certified
Dealers deliver a great car buying experience.
Page 3
Watch TrueCar TV Commercials at www.TrueCar.com/Dealer
TrueCar Dealer Newsletter: Q2 2013
Training & Webinar Schedule
TrueCar conducts Dealer training – at no cost – for new and existing TrueCar Dealers.
These training sessions are designed to give you a full understanding of how the TrueCar service works, allowing you to
better leverage your status as a TrueCar Certified Dealer into improved close rates and sales volume.
We will also hold custom training sessions when and where you need it. Contact your Account Manager at 866.480.1313 for
more information or to register for the sessions below.
Q2 2013 MARKET MEETINGS
DATE
Q2 2013 DEALER WEBINARS
DATE
San Diego, CA
4/10/2013
Understanding and Maximizing the
TrueCar Customer Experience
4/9/2013
San Antonio, TX
4/17/2013
4/16/2013
Fairfax, VA
5/8/2013
Maximizing Sales Using the
TrueCar Dealer Portal
4/18/2013
Orlando, FL
5/8/2013
Best Practices of Successful
TrueCar Dealers: Email & Getting
Customers to Respond
Cerritos, CA
5/9/2013
Using the TrueCar Create Offer Tool
to Improve Close Rates
5/7/2013
Teaneck, NJ
5/14/2013
Welcome to TrueCar: An Introduction for
New Certified Dealers
5/9/2013
Houston, TX
5/15/2013
(AR, CO, KS, MD, NE, OR, TX, VA, WA only)
Federal Way, WA
6/11/2013
Best Practices of Successful
TrueCar Dealers: Effective Phone
and Text Techniques
5/14/2013
Mesa, AZ
6/11/2013
Coral Gables, FL
(All states except AR, CO, KS, MD, NE, OR, TX, VA, WA)
and
5/16/2013
6/11/2013
6/12/2013
Welcome to TrueCar: An Introduction
for New Certified Dealers
(All States except AR, CO, KS, MD, NE, OR, TX, VA, WA)
Atlanta, GA
6/17/2013
6/18/2013
Austin, TX
6/19/2013
Best Practices of Successful
TrueCar Dealers: Overcoming
Customer Objections
Chicago, IL
6/19/2013
Best Practices of Successful
TrueCar Dealers: Providing a Seamless
In-Store Experience
and
6/20/2013
6/11/2013
and
6/13/2013
Industry Update
TrueCar will be attending the following Conferences in Q2 2013. We look forward to seeing you there!
Q2 2013 CONFERENCES
April 14-15
Miami
Automotive Leadership Roundtable & Awards Event
April 21-22
New York
DrivingSales Presidents Club
May 7-9
Orlando
Digital Dealer 14 Conference & Exposition
June 23-27
Las Vegas
National Independent Automobile Dealers Association Convention & Expo
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