Julie Kimes has worked in the automotive industry for over 30 years, holding various roles from porter to marketing director. As a successful female leader, she has had to work harder to prove herself. She believes in having a well-executed plan for everything, including how to outsell male counterparts. Her presentation emphasizes having a plan to evaluate opportunities, solve issues through strategic mapping, explain goals to teams, and monitor results. She provides an example of how tracking gender data identified an opportunity to better appeal to female customers through specific changes.

1. Welcome
Marketing “Outside of the Box”
Julie Kimes
Marketing Director
O’Daniel Automotive Group – Fort Wayne, I
ndiana

2. I started in the industry in 1983.
Positions held:
Porter, Detail, Parts, Accounts Receivable, Warranty Clerk
, Sales,
Finance Manger, Special Finance Manger, Satellite Store
Manger, Buyer,
Wholesaler, and General Sales Manger.
Currently, I am the Director of Marketing for the
O’Daniel Automotive Group.
About Me

3. Being a successful female in automotive sales has taught me you need to work twice as
hard and you need a well-executed plan to reach the top.
I had a mental plan for every customer when I sold cars, including the customers that
asked, “Could you get me a sales person?”, when I greeted them.
I had a plan how I was going to outsell my counter parts. I have a plan for just about
everything in my life.
Being a female in automotive for over 30 years, you can’t imagine how many people
thought and still think females know nothing about cars, or the car business.
Have A Plan

5. Evaluate and Identify opportunities…
What Are you tracking? Where can you improve?

6. Solve- How are you going to solve?
Have your strategy mapped. How are you
going to improve a segment? How will you
get your team on board? What will success
look like? How will you measure results?
Connect all of the dots and create a
realistic plan.
Shooting from the hip in the car business is a
common trait, but rarely effective

7. Explain
Based on my own experience, “It’s my way
or the highway approach” is not effective.
You need to communicate with your team
exactly what is expected from them, why,
and how. Share what success will look like
and how it will be measured. Share
progress with your team constantly.
Accept Resistance! However, it is imperative
you have buy in from your team.

8. Monitor Results
If you can’t measure it, you can’t
improve it. I have yet to find ONE item
that can’t be monitored in our industry.
It is only a lack of initiative. Always
look for ways to improve.

9. Example - Your Biggest
Opportunities

10. ARE YOU TRACKING YOUR DATA BY GENDER
If your not start now
Are you tracking gender
You need to be! This is a big opportunity for most
dealerships!

11. Don’t stop with sales - Include Service

12. Example
Identified - In 2012 we were missing an opportunity with females.
Solution - Our plan included partnering with Ask Patty who provided
training, support, social content and marketing ideas. We made
changes at our dealership to make it easier for females to do
business with us. We updated our waiting room, created a nice play
area, offered refreshments, and offered free pick up and delivery (for
service) For our sales teams, we had monthly contest and changed
our advertising strategy to appeal to females.
Explain - We conveyed the opportunity to become female Friendly to
our team and what was required from them.
Monitor - We track the results on a monthly basis and share SO OUR
TEAMS CAN SEE THE RESULTS.

13. Do it appeal to you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNFPyhpr
Olk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr9Z15Pl
VCs
Does this really work?

14. Marketing Full Circle
1. Provides content for Social and Web
2. Drives customers to our websites
3. Provides measurable revenue

15. Marketing Changes
Our Monday Markdown list
now has over 10,000 people.

16. Marketing Changes

17. Marketing Changes

18. Marketing Changes

19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXCsUco
J-18
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWqMCKr
PDbY
Marketing Changes

20. Start Something BIG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v
=L1liJvHCzs0

21. Questions