Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Monday, August 23, 2010
An Interview with Aaron Smith By Chris Brogan
An Interview with Aaron Smith
August 23, 2010 · http://www.chrisbrogan.com/?p=6040">View Comments
I bought a 2010 Chevy Camaro SS from Aaron Smith of Motorphilia. Here’s an interview I did with Aaron surrounding the experience.
Chris Brogan: What led to the start of Motorphilia instead of an asphalt dealership?
Aaron Smith: I started Motorphilia after seeing how corrupt the car dealer market is and how it baffles me that as much as people love cars, they (for the most part) hate going to auto dealerships to buy cars. I’m wanting to end this and I’m trying to change the way car deals work for everyone.
We actually are still technically a “brick and mortar” dealership and we have a location in Georgetown, TX where we store and shoot our cars in a larger aircraft hangar. We are actually licensed and bonded in the State of Texas as an independent auto dealership and initially, we started off as a spin-off from a local BMW dealer’s eBay store which I started back in late 2002.
The store did very well and I became on of eBaymotors’ top sellers and as a result of being involved with this, I was able to put together processes that streamlined the whole online purchasing experience for customers.
After establishing a good relation with the people of eBaymotors, I was invited to help write a law that would allow car deals on the internet to be moved outside of “brick and mortar” dealerships in Texas in April 2007 and 4 days after this law was passed, I started Motorphilia and sent in my letter of resignation to the BMW dealer I was working with for the past 5 years and made an offer to buy out all of their equipment and rights to their eBay store.
Another one of my good clients offered to let me rent his aircraft hangar about 20 miles outside of Austin and we were set to go . . .
Once we were licensed about 2 months later, I took everything I saved and invested it into a floor plan that allowed me to get $150,000 credit to buy cars and then Motorphilia was opened for business.
About a year after being opened, I realized that eBay was dying and I decided to start moving away from using this as our main sales venue and I realized that what eBay initially offered as a way for people to find trust worthy sellers, but there was a new medium to establish trust with people online. That was through social media and through developing real relationships with people and, essentially, bringing small-town business to the internet.
Now I’ve made a commitment to continually find ways to connect with people and focus on the establishment of solid relationship building and, also, providing valuable and credible information about cars to our clients and make Motorphilia the most trusted source for automotive information and the simplest method for people to find the right car while saving time, money, and dealership hassles.
In the end, I want for people to experience buyer’s glee -like yourself.
That’s what warms my heart and makes doing this everyday worth it to me and it’s our goal to scale out soon and help more people and change the was that the car business works across the United States, and hopefully business, in general.
We’ll see.
How many cars are you processing right now on a good month?
18 to 20. We really can’t handle much more than this right now. We’re currently working on scaling out so that we can do more and we’re considering opening up to select investors so that we can increases our buying power.
What do you do to instill trust in people remotely? I mean, we met once, and I’ve ridden around Austin with you once, but what about sight unseen? How do you convince people to mail you big checks?
People don’t want to be sold –well not the people I work with. I’ve found people like information and transparency. We’re about helping people make good choices, not convincing them to buy something they don’t want.
I think one thing that people like about Motorphilia vs traditional dealers is that because of the way our business model works, we have no commitment to ant one piece of inventory or brand.
For an example, as with you, I didn’t have to try to convince you that you could like another color or an automatic transmission with your Camaro. I just pulled up my options with the auction network and found want you wanted in a couple different areas and then selected the best one to meet what you were looking for and established pricing based upon the market averages and I got it for you once I got the ok from you.
There was no pitch, I just gave you the facts, and we worked extra hard on the backend to verify the accuracy of the information that was given to you.
This is how I am with all of my clients though. For me, credibility is critical.
As for why people give us big checks? I don’t know. I’ve been doing this for almost 10 years and it’s not too hard for people to talk to someone who has worked with me.
I guess one other element that helps is that we’re not into people making rash decisions or letting them act on impulse. We want to help people take their time and I think when you do this, people realize that you’re not just trying to sell them some metal, but you really do care. Does that make sense?
I also think the Facebook element helps because people see what we’re upto on a regular basis and who we’re helping. For me, it’s not so much a marketing thing though as way to celebrate helping someone.
I mean, Meg and I were just so happy when you got your car. That made our day and to see that you are enjoying it, is wonderful!
How do you think dealerships are going to change in the next few years?
Dealerships are no longer needed in the traditional sense, they are just distribution points with bloated overhead and egos to match: That’s it. I believe the future of this business is set in creating a system that helps people make good choices and doesn’t scare them into thinking they need to buy a new car all of the time. I see a service that matches people who are selling with people who are looking and it assures credibility by people’s relationships already being established and working off referrals. On the new car side, dealerships should scale down with a few sample cars and allow people to order and have the cars dropped off at their house. As foe trades, they become part of this network where people are helping each other out. I believe in something more alive and organic being possible – if that makes any sense.
I’ve actually been working on the concept of setting up remote Motorphilia locations where people can place their orders, but I’m still teetering on the idea if it’s good or not at this point.
What are you doing to market that others haven’t quite figured out?
I believe it’s been the fact that I’ve been doing this on faith and the growing belief that more than looking at balance sheets, it’s looking at people and caring for then and continually looking at ways to help others have easier and fuller lives that we’re finding our niche. Chris, we really do give a damn about you and all of our clients.
We are profitable, by the way, and we’re getting considerably stronger financially every single month, but this is not our focus.
One reason why I’ve never wanted to take on financial partners or investors at this point is that I could care less about getting rich doing this and I care far more knowing that we helped someone have a little bit better life today and that we helped someone make a good choice that we saved them money and allowed them some more time on what really mattered most:living their life.
This is also the cross roads where I see us right now, in how do we grow? This is the next question I’m trying to answer.
Aaron Smith is the man behind Motorphilia. I recently bought a car from Aaron’s company, and this interview came out of me wanting to document the experience, plus tell dealerships why I went with a virtual dealership in Texas over my local choices.
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Buy a Car Off the Internet? (@ChrisBrogan's experience buying from @motorphilia)
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The other day, I bought a 2010 Camaro SS off the Internet. More specifically, I bought it from Aaron Smith of Motorphilia. They have an interesting business model. But how I got on Aaron’s radar is every bit as interesting a story as the fact that I bought this car, without kicking the tires. And I have some ideas for car dealerships and others who want to understand how a $40,000 product can be sold virtually (oh – and thanks to Aaron Smith’s efforts, I didn’t pay $40K for the car: he found me a great deal).
It Started With a Blog Post
A few weeks back, I wrote a post about how car dealership websites suck. I was frustrated, because I wanted to comparison shop and found that the dealerships within 50 miles of me (and there are many) all had horrible websites with really difficult navigation, and a lack of useful information. Worse still, they weren’t exactly doing much to bring me in for a visit. But I’ll get back to that. First, just realize that I wrote this post.
The post populated on Facebook. Aaron Smith from Motorphilia saw the note in his stream and dropped me a line (FOUR MINUTES AFTER THE POST WENT LIVE). He said, “Hey, saw you were looking for a new Camaro. I found a few you might want to hear about. Interested?”
Lesson #1: The people who LISTEN for business beat the people waiting around for business to find them.
Actually, it Started a Year Before All This
In April 2009, I visited GM headquarters. I got to drive a Cadillac CTS and a CTS-V, but then I got to play with the Camaro RS (the littler engine version of the SS). It wasn’t even out on the market yet. I felt amazingly blessed.
I should put an aside in to say that I’m not much of a car guy, really. Or I wasn’t. I’ve never owned a “cool” car. I’ve owned all (but one) GM cars since I stared driving, though, so it wasn’t much of a stretch to get interested in a Camaro. And why? Because the newer model looks like the Batmobile, and I’m a Batman kinda guy. (Okay, I know someone will say the Corvette is more like the Batmobile, but they’re like an entirely different tribe of people, Vette types, and that’s not my thing.)
But Buying A Car Off the Internet?
I admit that it’s a little weird to buy a car off the Internet. If I hadn’t met Aaron a few times in person (he even gave me a ride around Austin in a Prowler), I might have been a bit less likely to trust a website-based car sale. But, again, when you read Motorphilia’s business model, it feels like they’re the kind of relationship you want to have.
If I didn’t know Aaron, I’d recommend that he put a few pictures of himself and/or his staff on the site. We relate to pictures. In fact, there’s a lot of “we” language on the site, and normally, without any sense of who “we” is, that’s a potential turnoff. However, and here’s the next big lesson:
Lesson: Aaron Smith’s @motorphilia efforts in social media are warm, friendly, and always on.
Aaron and team know the value of social media. He’s active on Facebook, on Twitter, on their blog, and in several other locations, as well. It’s the exact opposite of the mainstream local dealership model. Instead of waiting for people to show up for test drives (and/or sending out flyers and other dead tree products and local commercials), Aaron’s team invests time and effort into human-based connections that they hope to translate into sales.
Trust and Buying Something Sight Unseen
I admit that looking at photos of a car that I intend to buy is like moving into a house that you’ve only seen remotely. It’s spooky. It’s not how things are done. I further admit that I am a bit strange, in that I buy many things off the Internet, so I’m not your typical mainstream buyer. Finally, I will cop to the admission that I knew that if something went wrong, that I’d raise holy hell about it, and that felt like a great insurance policy. But since I dared to do it, I can vouch for the service.
It Requires a Bit of Awareness and Conviction
I already knew that I wanted a Camaro. I already knew the rough price of the car I wanted. I knew that I didn’t want to haggle (my last five cars were Saturns because they sales method is: ‘here’s the price, no matter who you are.’ And all of this really suited the buying scenario of an online purchase. There may or may not have been negotiating room in the price, but I’ve got to be honest: Aaron found me a car that was $4500 less expensive than the three I’d found within 20 miles from my house (and the one he found me had tons fewer miles – only 1100).
If you needed lots of test drives, or if you wanted to really negotiate and do a lot of hand-holding and tire-kicking, then online obviously wouldn’t be a good fit. Also, I can’t advocate taking up a dealership’s time on test driving, only to buy somewhere else. That wouldn’t be the right thing to do.
What Does This Say for Dealerships, Though?
Local car dealerships find themselves in a potential bind. What used to be a sure thing is now far from it. Many car manufacturers had to thin out their dealership relationships over the last few years. Local print and TV media have been decimated making it harder to get a local dealership’s ads seen. Location and proximity help keep some customers at hand, but it clearly didn’t work for me. Will the rest of the Netflix generation feel that way, too?
And if local dealerships keep avoiding the social web, how many more buyers like me will they miss?
Since writing the first post over a month ago, I never once heard from a dealership within 100 miles of me. I heard from one other online dealership, but that’s it. So, no one from the local world claimed my $40,000. It went to Texas.
Obviously, we won’t all just buy on the net. We won’t all forego test drives. We wont have such an affinity for a product that we’ll buy it without a lot of comparison shopping. But there are signals here to consider, and there are opportunities to grow. What follows are a few potential takeaways, and then a couple of videos I shot with thoughts about the car.
Takeaways for Car Dealerships
- Make your sites more mobile-friendly. Flash doesn’t cut it in the smartphone era.
- Add listening tools to your marketing efforts.
- Have a social presence, so you can respond and invite in potential buyers.
- Work with the manufacturers’ social media people, like Christopher Barger at GM and Scott Monty at Ford (and your manufacturers of choice).
- Look for alternatives to the current business models, as sales won’t rush up on gimmicks and discounts alone.
- Consider the after-sale. I just bought a Camaro SS. Do you doubt that I’m prime for aftermarket and/or related offers? Heck, I couldn’t even find my tripometer reset until this afternoon. I’d be a perfect candidate to build a deeper relationship with, and you’d have a sales funnel extension.
- Equip your buyers with social extenders. People don’t buy cars fast enough for you to build a single relationship. Seek the referral, and the share. Not one local dealership had a Facebook Like button next to each make/model.
The rest, I’ll let you figure out. Or, you can work with me. I might even have some experience in this field. : )
Now, the Videos
I’ve never been much of a car person. I’m not one for spending lots of money. I’m definitely not one for spending money on myself (unless it’s for business materials). I bought the car because I won’t benefit from a cool car when I’m 70. I bought it because I haven’t really celebrated my last several years’ hard work in any tangible way. I bought it because I wanted my own Batmobile. Here are a few videos related to the experience:
On buying a car through Motorphilia:
(apologies for my hair. It was still wet.)My first night drive in the Camaro:
Thoughts on Buying a 2010 Chevy Camaro SS:
Thanks for indulging me. It was quite an experience, and I’ve been dying to tell the story, but had to wait until the car arrived, and/or until all the bits lined up. I haven’t ever had a second car for my family, so this will also open up some opportunities in logistics. And hey, it’s a darned fun car to drive.
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via chrisbrogan.com
Click the links for his videos!
Friday, August 20, 2010
2009 smart Fortwo Passion...I think it likes you! Drives like a Ferrari Rollerskate, parks like a motorcycle.
At $11,900, this zippy downtown machine is ready to move in with you!
I have more info...call me at 903-245-1880
2008 BMW 3 Series 335i Sedan. Take control of the road in this baby! :P
If this belongs in your garage, call me at 903-245-1880. I'd love to chat with you! :)
2010 Honda Insight EX for sale! Almost 600 miles per 10 gallon tank? Yes please!
It's for sale at MOTORPHILIA right now for $17,900. Yum!
Call me for details! 903-245-1880
New Dress A Day | 365 Days. 365 New Outfits. 365 Dollars....This is BRILLIANT Idea! I wanna try! :)
So I guess I should have saved my United flight attendant dress from Day 250 to wear today, eh? Note to self, make sure that the seat back is always in the full and upright position before landing and don’t dare to unbuckle the seat belt before we’re at the gates!
I got a little gussied up today with my dress of choice. Gold, glam, gorge is where I’m headed!
Day 255 - Before
My favorite part of the dress was the gorgeous beaded and rhinestoned collar. I absolutely loved it. The only ish was that it wasn’t sitting flat and was flappin’ all over the place.
It's literally doing the Charleston!
After my upside down test, I felt it would be a good idea to keep it close to my bod. (I didn’t want anything loose in the aisles!)
Hand stitching that collar down!
I grabbed a needle, got some white thread and began to stitch.
After my collar was done, the hiking up process came next!
Hello soon-to-be cocktail dress!
A little trim here, a little pinning there…
New hem here we come!
…and my dress was almost complete! I sewed down my raw edges, took in the bust just a smidge…
New hem and tightened bust? Woo hoo!
…and then trimmed off a little piece to wrap around my waist.
Quick trim for a matching belt!
My gold brocade dress was ready for the public!
Day 255 - After
What I loved most was that my puppy was reminiscent of a certain Blair Waldorf ensemble featured in last season’s Gossip Girl premiere.
Blair!!
The only difference, well scratch that, there are two differences. The first difference…I’m without a Chuck Bass on my arm. The second difference…my dress is not Burberry and did not cost over $1500!!
Blair's Burberry Belted Brocade
I mean, I have to say that they’re both super chic, but now I have a little more room on my Amex for some Tuesday night cocktails.
Mmmmm...
Spotted, M going solo without S and B downtown drinking scotch under the dim lighting of the Varnish. “Prohibition never stood a chance against exhibition. It’s human nature to be free. And no matter how long you try to be good, you can’t keep a bad girl down.”
You know you love me. xoxo Gossip Girl
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
2001 Land Cruiser, leather, Navigation, 157k, and really well cared for. Listed for $14,700
If you have questions, or want to see it, please call me at 903-245-1880!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Last few shots...we've been working all night to shoot @motorphilia cars with @polaroidmike, @meeksdoteric, @motorphilia, and me, @atastefortea!
Motorphilia is a labor of love, and sometimes it requires a bit of extra time an effort.
Last night we didn't get to our studio until 10:30 PM, and then we washed, detailed, and shot our latest additions to the Motorphilia cars for sale...and just now got finished at 8 AM.
We will be posting a 2008 BMW 325i, a 2009 SMART car "Passion" edition, and a 2010 Honda Insight for sale in the next few days...if any of these cars interest you, I'd love to tell you more about them! ;)
Have a great Sunday everyone, I'm going to sleep!
Making a 2010 Honda Insight beautiful for it's photoshoot! About to post this one for sale!
Call me at 903-245-1880 for pricing! It's under 20k! (Our prices will make you smile...and there's no pressure! I know you're curious!)
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Validation - I just watched this 16 minute film, and it made my night!
via youtube.com
Get ready to adopt a silly grin for the rest of the evening! (Thanks @meeksdoteric for showing this to me...I think you're great!)
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Mike Strout's pictures will make you laugh, think, and most of all, fall in love with the art of photography (Now with added pictures)
My Brother, Mike Strout is featured on page 32 of BSCENE Magazine. Check him out! - http://www.bscenemag.com/magazines/JA10/index.html
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Click to view largeDownload this gallery (ZIP, 1331 KB)Download full size (46 KB)
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Click to view largeDownload this gallery (ZIP, 2095 KB)Download full size (66 KB)Check out his website - http://riotphoto.com/
Find him on Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/PolaroidMike
Peek at his Fan Page - http://www.facebook.com/PolaroidMike
The man is brilliant, and you should be his friend. His pictures will make you laugh, think, and most of all, fall in love with the art of photography.
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