Business View Magazine | September 2022

199 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 9, ISSUE 9 KEAT ING AUTO GROUP communities. While Keating Auto Group is a growing organization, the fact that each dealership is managed individually gives it an advantage. “We benefit from economies of scale at a macro level that help us financially but we are still very focused on local communities,” Ben says. General managers at each dealership have the opportunity to purchase an equity ownership share, which gives them more of a financial stake in the health of the company as a whole. This incentivizes all leaders in the auto group to support each other. Ben explains: “Our main job (leading the auto group) is to help our general managers and the leadership of each dealership solve problems. We encourage and motivate them and ensure they have the training needed to be successful.” The caring culture of Keating Auto Group exists at each dealership. Locally, the GMs recognize they have the tools they need from the larger organization to build a better business, whether it is the ability to hire the sales and service staff they need, the use of high-tech operating systems, or the ability to secure needed vehicle supply. “With the move toward consolidation nationally we try to walk the line of having the best of both worlds in providing the best local service while maintaining a healthy financial bottom-line,” Ben says. Partnerships help growth Of course, no business can do it alone. Ben acknowledges he has been supported by partners in every Texas community where dealerships are located. While countless other business owners, suppliers, advertising partners, etc. have played a role in Keating Auto Group’s growth, two that stand out are Don Whitaker, Keating Auto Group CFO, who oversees all financial matters. Ben has known Whitaker since they attended elementary school together. He also highlighted the Group’s COO, Steven Attribution Is Killing Your Strategy Marketers who over-index on grabbing the quick dollar versus investing in building their brand are doing themselves a disservice. Brands too often commit a fatal blunder by focusing too intensely on a return on advertising spend (ROAS) model for all media dollars, which looks at value from only low-funnel efforts. Don’t get me wrong: you absolutely should measure your ROI from digital marketing and have a large majority of your budget tied to performance efforts, but marketing goes far beyond attributing every incoming dollar. Digital marketing has no single solution. By ignoring the need for building brand and consumer mindshare through a full-funnel approach, a brand will never extend market share adequately and create brand affinity among its TAM (total addressable market). To drive long-term growth and success, marketers must invest in brand equity by claiming a prominent presence in customers’ minds. No shortcuts exist for guiding the customer’s journey and building the right brand experience. A marketer can effectively build brand and market share while lowering the overall acquisition cost. As an experienced marketer, if your instinct tells you something, go for it, even if you can’t measure an immediate ROAS. Don’t let attribution kill your strategy. ...... For more information, please visit our website www.maxconnect.com