There is a new Website feature on our Internet site, www.jkradvertising.com. It is a special “press” section which will contain JKR-specific content ranging from new hires to any references of JKR (the company itself) making the news. In the coming days you’ll see a number of articles appearing in this section, both old and new.
Simply check out the top menu bar at our Website and click on the “Press” icon. You’ll be taken to our all-new Website category, and you’ll be able to view all the stories of JKR news … or JKR making the news!
The preliminary numbers are out, and the forecast calls for high April new car sales. According to this article from Automotive News, new vehicle sales in the United States will finish at their highest April level in 10 years. Further, projections show the best four-month start overall since way back in 2001. Major prognosticators speculate a year-over-year increase between 5.2 and 6.1 percent, which would yield a return of about 17 million units, a number not seen since 2001.
Part of the high April new car sales is due directly to increased numbers in the light truck segment. Overall, sales of compact utilities are expected to rise about 11 percent, while sales of midsize utilities should go up 9.6 percent; and full-size pickups are projected to see a 6.3 percent jump. Conversely, midsize cars – usually a strong segment – are projected to fall 3.1 percent.
Of course, the low gas prices are helping persuade people to purchase a larger vehicle … and as long as the prices at the pump stay down, this is good news for auto dealers. Simply put, stronger truck sales mean better profit margins! It’s no wonder that JD Power, the nation’s leading independent research company, estimates that automotive transactions are on pace to set a new April record. Last year’s then-record transaction price was $29,948, while this year’s projection eclipses that number at $30,680.
How Were Your April New Car Sales?
How did your dealership do during April? Did you have big sales numbers? How about high profit margins? The fact is, you can have both; you don’t have to sacrifice one to get the other. There are a number of factors that ultimately determine an auto dealer’s profits, many of which you may not even be considering at the moment. JKR Automotive Advertising can show you what they are, and get you on the right path to success. Take the time to make one simple phone call that will change the direction of your dealership almost overnight. Get the wheels in motion today by calling Eric Tigner at (321) 397-0777.
JKR Advertising & Marketing is the top Tier III (local/dealer) automotive advertising agency in the United States for Pandora Internet Radio ad placement. We are a big believer in Pandora for two reasons: first, it is the top Internet Radio source; and second, Pandora offers the unique ability to target more specifically than analog radio – including age, location and gender. On Monday, April 27, JKR Partners Jeff Johnson, Richard Brauns, Steven Lorenzo and Jon Albert traveled to New York to meet with Pandora executives and visit their national headquarters.
The JKR Partners were welcomed to The Big Apple by Pandora executives Steven Kritzman, Senior Vice President of Sales; and Andy Lipset, Vice President of Local & National Broadcast. They were accompanied by Pandora’s Regional Sales Manager Josh Mustachi and Senior Sales Executive Mari Rivera.
Mustachi reports that it was a very beneficial visit for both JKR and Pandora. “Pandora values the relationships we’ve created in the marketplace, and to have the opportunity to host one of our largest clients in our offices is another layer to building our partnership with JKR Advertising & Marketing,” he said. “The JKR partners sat with our leaders to discuss the digital radio ecosystem, developments in our new product offerings, and strategic visions on yielding even higher ROI for their dealerships going forward.”
Johnson says it was time well-spent by the JKR partners. “It was very interesting to see things from the Pandora perspective, not only for the present … but also hearing about the new things they’re working on for the future to further enhance the great services they already have in place. We really enjoyed the trip, and they made us feel very welcome.”
Brauns is impressed with Pandora’s ability to provide a targeted intrusive media source. “No matter what happens in the future with conventional radio, Pandora will make sure our clients always have the ability to continue offering intrusive media, with unmatched reach and frequency because of the way it’s presented on the retailer’s terms rather than the customers’ terms,” he explained.
Lorenzo also came away with a greater appreciation of Pandora. “Visiting their New York location was a great experience for the JKR team,” he said. “From its prime location in Midtown, to the state-of-the-art facility, Pandora is poised for greatness with its Google-esque campus feel and mentality. More and more of our clients are depending on Pandora to reach their target audience. It was great meeting the Pandora team and hearing about their vision for things to come.”
Proactive advertising makes all the difference in the world. When you’re running your monthly advertisements – regardless of which media options you choose – you never really know for sure who happens to be in the market for a vehicle at that particular time. Wouldn’t it be great if you could just target the people who need a car and only advertise to them? Uh, no. Definitely not!
I know … trick question. But think about it: most American adults drive cars. And while you can’t say with certainty that they need a car today, you can say that over the course of time, these adults are going to need multiple vehicles. So even if they are not in the market for a car at the particular time your advertisement is run, you certainly want them to hear/see it. By doing so, you are laying the groundwork for a future purchase!
A car dealer should not be so shortsighted that he or she is only worried about today, ignoring proactive advertising. Tomorrow is equally as important, and if you are not dominating your market – saturating it with your dealership’s message – you are opening the doors for the dealer down the street to take tomorrow’s customers from you. If you meekly sit on the sidelines and watch it happen as tomorrow becomes today, your dealership will wind up short on foot traffic and sales – and then, you will be forced to be reactive instead of proactive; never a good place to be.
Results of Proactive Advertising
The people in your market need to hear your store’s message even before they want to hear it. That way, when they have an accident and need a new vehicle … or get that big promotion at work … or need a first car for a teenager … or whatever, they will think of your dealership. Why? Because you made the investment in tomorrow, knowing that soon, tomorrow will be today. That is proactive advertising at its best, and it will pay dividends for you down the road. Believe it.
Call Eric Tigner at (321) 397-0777, and he’ll happily explain how JKR Automotive Advertising makes its clients ready for tomorrows, while setting records for todays at the same time.
With significant growth comes significant new employment opportunities, and we are pleased to announce the hiring of three new Billing Coordinators! On the heels of JKR’s best year ever in 2014 – and our best first quarter ever in 2015 – we’ll be announcing the hiring of quite a few new employees in the coming weeks. So without further delay, let’s introduce you to our three new billing coordinators.
Our Three New Billing Coordinators
Sarah Pendleton: Prior to joining us at JKR, Sarah was an Accounting Clerk, Webmaster and Marketing Assistant for a retail store, where she worked for nearly three years. She’s enjoying her new environment at JKR, which is quite a change. “Coming from a small retail background, JKR is a very exciting workplace,” she says. “There’s always something new going on, and we’re constantly challenged to keep learning and growing with the company. The billing and accounting departments are the backbone of the company that makes the front end run seamlessly.”
Sarah graduated from UCF in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Technical Communications. She’s also a newlywed, having been married to her husband, Cory, last December. Together, the couple has “a clowder of cats.” (If you don’t know what that means, look it up!)
Christina Bowers: Christina’s unique background assists her in numerous ways as she interacts with all the “creative people” here at JKR. After spending her freshman year at USF in Tampa, she graduated from UCF with a major in Communications, Social & Behavioral Science, and a Minor in Nonprofit Management. See … what did we tell you; perfect, right! Prior to working at JKR, she gained experience working as the Director and Social Media Coordinator of a med spa.
“The billing department is very detail-oriented, and it requires great responsibility,” she says of her work. “It really reflects our reliability and reputation as a company.” When she’s not at work, Christina is training to be a yoga teacher. What would people be surprised to learn about her? “Three things,” she says. “I paint murals, I sing in a band, and I’m a cancer survivor!”
Trevor Brown: Trevor is a recent graduate of the University of Florida, and this is his first full-time job. However, he gained extensive experience at his college internships – with one being particularly helpful. “I interned at a company called Blezoo Promotional Products,” Trevor said. “I helped with new business development, creative strategies and campaign executions. I walked away from that internship knowing much more about entrepreneurship, start-ups and advertising in general.”
Trevor met his girlfriend, Kelsey, way back in 10th grade when they were still in high school. Since then they’ve gone to Europe on a six-month college study trip. They’ve even conquered the long-distance relationship thing, staying together even while graduating from different universities. Since graduation they’ve both moved back to Orlando, where they share custody of an “extremely hyper English Springer Spaniel” named Oscar.