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Blog

3 min read

Why you should hire people outside of your industry

By GSM on 1/28/20 1:47 PM

Companies commonly hire for traditional diversity, but diversity of experience and thought are also important for success.

When they hear the term "diversity," most people think of gender or race – an understandable tendency, given the importance of both elements. Meanwhile, concepts like diversity of experience and diversity of industry are largely forgotten. 

Companies often ignore the need to recruit individuals who might come in and change the way they operate simply because they want to preserve the status quo. But organizations cannot grow unless they bring in diverse viewpoints that promote innovation, bring in fresh perspectives, and improve decision-making. Business leaders must think differently about how they fill gaps in their companies, particularly because research from the ManpowerGroup suggests 45% of employers can't find employees with the necessary skills. 

The world is always evolving, and a workforce that encompasses all aspects of diversity is what sets the most successful companies apart. 

Skills to pay the bills

When there's an opening on a team, it's common for most candidates to have the skills necessary for the job. If all things are equal, hiring managers default to whichever candidate has the most relevant industry knowledge and experience. After all, they might reason, that's the kind of thing you simply can't teach. 

Wrong. 

It's often more valuable to consider candidates who have innate and transferable skills learned over time, such as leadership, being an agent of change, having a passion for learning new things and being a quick learner. It's relatively easy to teach a stellar candidate the industry knowledge he or she needs to function in a role. It's far more challenging – and takes a lot longer – to bring someone on board who has industry experience but lacks the innate leadership skills necessary to drive change. 

People who are new to an industry aren't as likely to feel constrained by the standard practices to which everyone else adheres. They'll apply the lessons learned in their previous positions to their new sector, which can lead to surprising and impressive results. These candidates view everything from a fresh perspective and ask challenging questions to seek an understanding, which enables them to serve as catalysts for change. Industry disruption doesn't often come from within — it comes from outsiders who see a new way of tackling longstanding problems. 

Granted, there are some potential downsides to hiring someone from a completely different industry. The learning curve can be longer, for instance. A smooth and well-planned onboarding process can overcome this hurdle, enabling new hires to make connections and soak up critical industry information. 

It can also be more challenging to maintain long-term engagement. Once the initial thrill and novelty of a new industry wear off, some individuals lose interest in learning or stop seeking out opportunities to apply their diverse experiences in different ways. 

It's also quite possible that existing employees will resent outsiders coming in and saying they're doing things wrong. Longtime employees may become more resistant to change, or they may shun newcomers and marginalize their ideas. It's important that current team members understand newcomers are not threats and that change isn't indicative of failure on anyone's part. 

How to hire (successfully) outside your industry

Interested in going beyond your comfort zone and hiring people outside your industry? The following tips can get you started.

To read our tips on hiring the best candidates outside of your industry, please view the complete article on Business.com: Why You Should Hire People From Outside Your Industry

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3 min read

Why dealers need a mobile-first digital strategy

By GSM on 1/20/20 12:55 PM

Look around your dealership. What are your customers doing? Presumably, the majority of them are glued to their phones – checking social media, browsing the internet, or reading the news. Some may even be sending out a quick text or ending a call while still in the service drive.

As a matter of fact, 53% of the customers at your dealership are comparing prices for vehicles at other dealerships, and 40% are finding prices for your vehicles on their smartphones1. Not to mention, 25% of all automotive searches are parts, service, and maintenance related2. What does this mean? It means dealers need a strong mobile and digital strategy to show up for parts, service, and new car searches.

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2 min read

5 Ways to Increase Digital Ad Engagement

By GSM on 1/15/20 3:22 PM

Digital ads are everywhere, but how often do we engage with them? Figuring out how to increase digital ad engagement is the key to generating qualified leads without wasting money on dead end clicks. While digital ad styles continue to change, here are five current ways to increase digital ad engagement:

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7 min read

The Top Five Marketing Trends of 2019 - What Worked and What Didn't

By GSM on 1/6/20 3:20 PM

A 2019 Marketing 'Look Back'

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4 min read

Why New Doesn't Always Mean Better for Auto Industry Marketers

By GSM on 12/12/19 10:51 AM

Global advertising spend is expected to exceed half a trillion dollars for the fourth year in a row, and American brands are once again fueling that growth. The main difference this year is that U.S. companies are expected to spend more on digital advertising than traditional media, with digital predicted to account for 54.2% of total advertising.

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4 min read

Keeping Customers Coming Back Post-Purchase

By GSM on 11/12/19 10:45 AM

In the aftermath of a big purchase, customers want to feel confident about the value they’re getting. This means they still need service, support, information and more from the dealership.

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2 min read

[Webinar]: The Biggest Area of Growth for Automotive

By GSM on 10/25/19 10:05 AM

What's 'wrong' with the Paid Search example below? Hint: compare the search query "chevrolet silverado tires" with the search results.

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6 min read

3 Ways to Turn Casual Customers Into Brand Ambassadors

By GSM on 8/14/19 9:09 AM

For marketers, one challenge remains paramount: getting your message to stand out from the noise that consumers encounter daily. As brands continue to flood the market with their own unique messaging, marketing regulations are working to keep the public from growing weary.

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4 min read

Think Outside the Inbox (Part 3 of 3)

By GSM on 4/9/19 9:10 AM

Welcome back to GSM’s three-part series on email deliverability. In Part 1, we covered 'Who' should receive your email campaigns while Part 2 discussed 'How' an email makes it to the right inbox - from send to receive. Now, it’s time to take a closer look at 'What' should be included in your email to help it get opened and land in subscribers' inboxes.

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4 min read

Think Outside The Inbox (Part 2 of 3)

By GSM on 4/4/19 9:48 AM

In part one of our email deliverability series, we covered the basics of 'Who' should receive your email campaigns. For part two, GSM will take a deeper-dive into 'How' an email travels from send to receive -and everything in between.

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