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Welcome to The Breakdown, an analysis of auto retail’s top trends, moves, and insights—in under 5 minutes.
Not every store has a TikTok star.
And not every GM wants to be one.
But in 2025, every dealer serious about selling cars is getting serious about social media.
And the choice usually comes down to budget, bandwidth, and how much control they want over the final product.
It’s not a perfect science, but here are three real-world strategies actually moving the needle for operators—straight from the ground floor…
Approach #1: Transforming current staff into content creators and brand ambassadors.
At Cavender Auto Group, Eric Barbosa rolled out a daily cadence built to turn social media into a sales lever: 50–20–10–2–1 (50 calls, 20 texts or videos, 10 social posts, 2 appointments, 1 car sold per day).
But the system isn't just about raw output. It's split across three tracks:
Posts to Facebook Marketplace and local groups to move inventory fast
Creative content for employees who want to build personal brands
Shared content from Cavender's main pages to reinforce messaging
The goal is daily social engagement. Whether that's answering DMs, posting walkarounds, or staying top of the feed.
But this only works if leadership sets the tone. In a previous role, Barbosa posted 300 times a month himself—not to go viral, but for leads in a 4,000-person town.
✅ Pros:
No extra headcount required
Culture-first approach that prioritizes local brand awareness
Real sales lift: Cavender grew from 1,200 to 1,750+ units
❌ Cons:
Uneven adoption with legacy staff
Requires constant coaching
Content quality varies rep to rep
See how AI is turning data into service appointments
Voice AI is saving dealers time and growing revenue.
Intelligent, AI-powered receptionist to ensure every call is answered and expertly managed, 24/7
Reducing time spent on phones for service managers and advisors by 60%
Calls and appointments are logged in the DMS automatically
Why Kenect? Our AI wasn’t born yesterday. Auto dealers have been trusting our AI to optimize service department operations since 2021. And yes, it actually works.
Many dealers are now skipping the internal build completely and partnering with full-service agencies (such as Nomad Content Studio, a CDG Partner) that handle everything from strategy development and filming to editing, posting, and performance tracking.
Dealers spend some time on camera, and the content agency turns it into 10-14 polished posts per week across all platforms.
Alex Lawrence, owner of EV Auto, tried the DIY route first (solo iPhone videos for years). Then he hired a content manager. Then he added an agency.
"Working with Nomad has been an absolute game-changer," he told me. "I have sold millions of dollars worth of vehicles off social media leads. We sold 5 cars Monday off of TikTok leads alone."
@evautoalex Putting the Hummer EV's climbing ability to the test! Can this beast make it up the ditch? #towtruck #steepangle #heavyload #offroad #vehi... See more
His team now handles hundreds of daily inbound messages and hiring has exploded at his stores just to manage the volume.
Paragon Honda’s Brian Benstock uses the same approach, but sees it beyond lead generation.
“I think this is the least expensive it's ever been to reach millions and millions of people,” he told me.
He's also noticed an unexpected side effect: salespeople who get comfortable on camera become better at face-to-face interactions with customers. The skills transfer directly—better eye contact, clearer communication, and more confident body language.
✅ Pros:
Professional execution without internal headcount
Proven conversion playbooks
Doubles as employee retention tool (personal brand building)
National reach
❌ Cons:
Requires staff buy-in
Still needs consistent on-camera participation
Approach #3: Building a dedicated content team inside the dealership.
Other dealers are finding internal talent who get the vision, and letting them build the store’s media brand from scratch.
Nathanael Greklek, who started as a delivery specialist at Mohawk Honda, pitched a video-first strategy to leadership, and now runs corporate branding across multiple rooftops. His team creates content for 12 pieces per day per platform (following Gary Vaynerchuk's playbook), spanning TikTok, YouTube, OTT advertising, and traditional media.
"Instead of spending $10,000 a month on billboards," Greklek says, "put it into someone who can post daily.
His operation has grown from iPhone videos (I’m noticing a patten here lol) to a three-person content team that handles everything in-house—commercials, graphics, OTT ads, website content. They've co-created "The Dealership," a viral video series that's reaches millions and even featured GM CEO Mary Barra.
The measurable impact? Eliminating monthly agency fees for commercials, graphics, and OTT production.
✅ Pros:
100% control over brand and creative
Long-term consistency and local relevance
Eliminates monthly commercial production costs
❌ Cons:
Results build slowly
Risk if tied to one person
Requires internal support across departments
It's true—there’s no single “right” way to run social in 2025.
The difference is in the execution. And in a world where customer acquisition costs keep rising and brand trust keeps falling, organic social media reach is becoming the backbone of a modern retail strategy.
It builds distribution without paying for eyeballs, and encourages loyalty before a customer ever walks in.
Because when people, processes, and platforms are all aligned, dealers do more than just sell cars. They build brands that compound exponentially.
How important is social media in the car buying/selling process?
Missed Wednesday’s episode of Daily Dealer Live?
Stellantis names new CEO, Ford Batterygate, and more.
This episode is brought to you by: Lotlinx
Featuring:
Jeff Ramsey, CMO, Ourisman Automotive Group
Mike Kelly, GM, Bourne's Auto Center
With a special appearance by:
Kerri Wise, CMO, Lotlinx
Beyond the buzzwords—the top tech dealers are leaning into
Stream now on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple. And shout out to Copart and Toma for making this episode possible!
Why dealers aren’t flinching—what’s driving the buy-sell frenzy
Stream now on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple. And shout out to DLRdmv and Mia for making this episode possible!
Three opportunities hitting the CDG Job Board right now:
Hoffman Auto Group: CFO (Connecticut)
Mark Jacobson Toyota: Pre-owned Sales Director (North Carolina)
Reliance Motor Credit: Dealer Relationship Manager (Pennsylvania)
Looking to hire? Add your roles today—it’s 100% free.
Did you enjoy this edition of The Breakdown newsletter?
Thanks for reading. See you on the next edition…
—Car Dealership Guy
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