As we say goodbye to the 90th NADA Convention and exposition, and begin to work through the pile of new ideas and products gathered from the weeklong networking event, are you energized and pumped about your prospects for 2007?

As we say goodbye to the 90th NADA Convention and exposition, and begin to work through the pile of new ideas and products gathered from the weeklong networking event, are you energized and pumped about your prospects for 2007? Well, you should be. With a continued emphasis on taking care of your customers and finding ways to differentiate your store from the relentless competition, one resounding theme at the show was inventory management-particularly marketing and distributing used vehicles and maximizing profitability. In fact, for many, the used car department remains central to staying in the black!

While walking the exhibit hall, attending workshops, and vendor press conferences, although there was still some of the same old, we believe there are some exciting new technologies and solutions emerging to help your dealership capture more customers and increase sales. In addition to the educational workshops, other notable events that occurred on the exhibit hall floor included the presence of retired Pittsburgh Steeler, Jerome Bettis at Dealertracks booth. He graciously posed for photos with fans and later attended Dealertracks special VIP event for dealers at the Studio 54 nightclub at the MGM Grand.

Whether you were excited to meet your Superbowl hero, or were hoping to win the 2007 Harley Davidson Yellow Pearl Softtail Motorcycle, sponsored by Dominion Enterprises and its four automotive subsidiaries: @utoRevenue, Dealerskins, Dealer Specialties, and XI Group, we believe the following vendors in the exhibit halls had valuable products and services to offer dealers.

@utoRevenue

Dominion Enterprises, exhibiting at NADA for the first time, gave away the Harley as part of its Come On and Take a Free Ride promotion. The yellow $22,000 Softail Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which took center stage in the Dominion Enterprises 90 x 50 exhibit space, brought thousands of NADA attendees to stop by for a look and filled the aisles as people watched the drawing and motorcycle giveaway. The booth and all the surrounding areas were packed for the contest drawing, said John M. Miller, General Manager of @utoRevenue. When the winner, J. J. Vigorito, president of Security Dodge in Amityville, N.Y., heard his name called, he was genuinely surprised and obviously ready right then and there to hop on his new Harley and drive it away. @utoRevenue offers a complete line of services including email, email collection, direct mail, voice messaging, eNewsletter, database cleansing, and online real time appointment scheduling.

Advent Resources, Inc.

Advent Resources, Inc. is one of the leading providers of high value point off sale software solutions for the automotive retail environment. The High Performance Sales System is an integrated software solution that automates the entire process of selling a vehicle-from customer relationship management and vehicle management to deal desking and F&-I. For more information on how you can put the Advent High Performance Sales System to work for you today, call 877-651-9034 or visit www.adventresources.com.

AutoMart.com

With over 1.3 million vehicles for sale, AutoMart.com is the largest dealer-exclusive automotive Website on the Internet. By capturing the power of eight million monthly Auto Mart Magazines and a dominating paid search marketing effort, AutoMart.com drives phone, Website, email and cutting-edge instant messaging leads to over 15,000 dealers nationwide. Theyre also the provider of Automercado.com, the first fully-translated, all-Spanish autos Website and magazine with a huge national reach into the Hispanic community.

Autosave

Autosave, the original 5-year/100,000 mile warranty program, has formed a strategic alliance with AppOne to get your retail deals financed instantly online! Autosave will show you how their program is used as a marketing tool that drives new customers to your dealership. They offer a multi-channel follow up system for repeat business that will increase your profit.

Autostar

For over 15 years, Autostar has been one of the premier providers of dealer management systems to auto dealers and finance companies nationwide. Autostar is a powerful and comprehensive software solution featuring a full-circle integration of F&-I, inventory management, buy here, pay here, related finance company, accounting, service and repair, and Websites. Multiple activities may be opened simultaneously.

AutoTrader.com

AutoTrader.com announced the results of a major retail transaction study that revealed the company is now facilitating more than $99 billion in annual sales. This accounts for 28% of the 43 million used vehicles sold yearly in the United States. AutoTrader.com now accounts for nearly one-third of the used vehicles sold in the industry, says Chip Perry, president and chief executive officer, AutoTrader.com. And since 41% of our prospects are consistently converted to an end sale, its clear our industry-leading inventory combined with our sites unique features and functionality provides our dealer customers with the most qualified car shoppers and actual vehicle sales.

BZ Results

Industry leader BZ Results, an ADP-owned technology/training company, builds some of the nations top eCRM dealers by leveraging the power of the Internet to find, sell, and keep more customers while increasing revenue, profits, and CSI. BZs marketing system includes tools and training for digital marketing, search engine, and email marketing, award-winning Websites, BDC, and CRM tools for new and used car sales, F&-I, service and parts. Dealers took advantage of free SEM analysis reports while viewing BZs Web feature Celebrity Host Virtual Tour Guides.

Call Command

CallCommand introduced its new onCommand Solution Set. The set which includes Voice, Text, Email, and Advanced Reporting &- Analytics, is designed to help dealers study their existing customer data base in detail, analyze the health and position of their dealership, and take the most effective actions to influence customer behavior. While nationwide light vehicle sales were 2.6 percent down for 2006, clients using CallCommands full lifecycle for over 1 year have experienced a 17 percent overall increase in sales and a 21 percent increase in service revenue.

Dealerskins

Dealerskins, a division of Dominion Dealer Solutions and a leading provider of Websites and advanced multimedia technology to the automotive industry, announced the launch of Autobahn, a next generation online inventory display tool designed from the car buyers perspective. Autobahn makes it faster and easier for dealership Website visitors to view more inventory, with fewer clicks and more search options. Visitors can rapidly filter through hundreds of inventory vehicles, find the exact car they seek, and submit a lead to the dealer. Dealerships that have incorporated Autobahn Inventory with their Dealerskins Websites, and search engine marketing and optimization tools, have seen visit to lead ratios as high as 8 percent, compared to the industry average of 2-3 percent.

DealerTrack

DealerTrack, Inc. announced the introduction of InventoryPro, a new inventory management solution for auto dealers. InventoryPro will leverage their valuable knowledge and expertise with analytical tools that manage inventory turnover through the use of dealers specific sales history, as well as market data. Resulting recommendations enable dealers to take control of their inventory and stock more of the vehicles that turn faster and generate higher gross profits, while quickly disposing of those that are less profitable. Additionally, InventoryPro will provide dealers with a broad range of tools to appraise and book out their inventory, integrating values from Manheim Market Report&trade- (MMR), N.A.D.A.®-, Black Book®- and Kelley Blue Book®-.

eBay Motors

eBay Motors announced the launch of eBay Motors Local Market--a new subscription-based service that enables automotive dealers to easily upload and list their entire used-car lot for one low price. The new service allows dealers to showcase their entire used-vehicle inventory including late model used-vehicles to customers within a 100-mile radius of the dealership.

eBay Motors Local Market is designed to help dealers engage the growing number of consumers migrating online to find their next vehicle, says Rob Chesney, senior director of eBay Motors. Todays consumers are demanding a one-stop automotive shopping experience that provides access to deep local inventory, the ability to negotiate price and the option of an in-person test drive.

Kelly Blue Book

Online advertising, Website leads, new and used vehicle inventory management-Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com have some of the most effective Internet products to help you sell more vehicles. With more than 12 million plus shoppers a month visiting kbb.com and the most trusted name in the industry for more than 80 years, Kelley Blue Book continues to help dealers drive business in 2007.

Letizia Ad Team

Letizia Ad Team, a full-service advertising agency, has been helping dealerships since the 1970s. Twenty professionals, many on-hand at NADA, specialize in radio, TV, newspaper, direct mail, and outdoor advertising. Representing 25 dealers in eight states with a commitment to service, the agency has its own broadcast production facilities, offering dealers the highest quality TV, at the lowest prices. A team of artists, media buyers, and account service experts assure results for our many dealers. Letizia had over 600 dealers from all around the world stop by their booth.

MenuVantage

MenuVantage announced the release of ServiceMenu. ThisWeb-baseddynamic sales tool integrates with major DMS providers for a seamless service transaction and gives auto dealerships an easy, affordable way to increase product sales in the service drive.ServiceMenu provides an electronic lookup enabling service writers to accurately rate service contracts and other valuable F&-I and service related products and present these products to every customer in the service drive. For example, service advisors will be able to offer packages with items such as a 15000 mile service coupled with a service contract. Using ServiceMenu service writers can present customized menu presentations to each customer by simply clicking on an existing repair order.

OVE.com

What makes OVE.com a better way to buy wholesale inventory? For starters, you can look for inventory 24/7, without ever leaving your dealership. They pride themselves on having the largest selection of wholesale vehicles anywhere, so you will always be able to locate the inventory you need. In addition, with your own dedicated sales rep, you can get help every step of the way. Plus, OVE.com stands behind every transaction to make sure you can always buy with confidence.

Passtime USA

PassTime introduced the latest technology in their line of payment assurance solutions, PassTime Elite. PassTime has been providing payment solutions to thousands of lenders in the finance industry that dramatically improve customer payment performance by reducing default and repossession risks. Elite, the latest evolution in high tech payment solutions, offers auto dealers highly advanced flexibility and upgrade options. PassTime serves more than 3,500 customers resulting in excess of 500,000 devices on the road.

ProMax Online

ProMax Online is a fully integrated Web-based software solution for F&-I, leasing, special finance, BDC, inventory management and sales management reports. They also provide direct mail, Internet leads, credit hotlines and Website hosting.

RouteOne

RouteOne LLC announced that more than 2,600 dealers are now subscribed to autoValue&trade-, its used vehicle valuation tool, since the products launch in late November 2006. The autoValue bookout tool is currently integrated with values from the N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide®-. Implementation with other books is being planned. The sheer volume of dealer subscriptions in less than 60 days has told us that dealers are finding this product useful, and important to the success of their business, says Mike Jurecki, RouteOne CEO. autoValue allows our dealers to easily calculate used vehicle loan, retail and trade-in values from within the RouteOne credit application.

Sale-in-a-box

Sale-in-a-Box is a leading supplier of do-it-yourself sales events. These ready-to-go sales events make it easy to create a believable sale that excites salespeople and motivates customers to buy. Works every time because the right atmosphere changes everyone's attitude. They offer some of the least expensive, most effective ways to turn shoppers into buyers. Choose from 50 proven events at only $995 each. They also provide overnight and worldwide delivery. Order today, have an event tomorrow. And they guarantee their quality.

Turn-key Events

Turn-Key Events is one of the best Do-It-Yourself Sales Event Companys in the industry. They provide proven and cutting edge sales events to dealers that want a super sale without the staff! No teams, no commissions, just a desire to bring tons of quality traffic to your lot.Yes, we had many dealers sign up at the show and receive 42 Plasma TVs as well as Tag Heuer sunglasses. In fact, it worked so well we are continuing the offer through March. Many dealers are using the Plasma as a spiff for the top salesman during the event. Plus, in March we are marking down prices as a spiff for new customers.

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