Automotive News - September 23, 2019 - Best Practices Supplement - A47

SEPTEMBER 23, 2019 | 47
FRANKLIN SUSSEX AUTO MALL, SUSSEX, N.J.

DESTINATION DEALERSHIPS
Events help N.J. stores
bolster brand recognition,
become fun places to shop
Published in Automotive News Aug. 26, 2019

Ken Wysocky

autonews@crain.com

t's a 100-mile drive from the rural burg of
Sussex, N.J., to the popular beaches along
the Atlantic shore. But in July and August,
residents of the town can tap in to their inner beach bum and enjoy a free barbecue - no
long drive required - at Franklin Sussex Auto
Mall's annual Beach Party Savings Bash.
The event, which features a sand beach in
front of the dealership, is one of many themed
promotional events developed by Bill
Snouffer, general manager. His goal: Differentiate the dealership from competitors, bolster
brand recognition and establish the dealership as a destination.
"Originally, we developed these events to promote sales," Snouffer said. "But as they became
more like community events, we changed the
premise to bringing recognition to the dealership - more branding than anything else."
Snouffer aims to make the car-buying experience entertaining and create a reputation for
the dealership as a good place to do business.
The promotions spur sales increases at the
store, which sells Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram
vehicles. It's one of six stores operated in New Jersey by Nielsen Automotive Group and owned by
Eric Nielsen. The six stores together sell about
750 new and 250 used vehicles per month.
The Franklin Sussex store, which sells about
200 new and used vehicles a month, sold 260
vehicles last August during the beach bash,
said Snouffer, who has been with the Nielsen
group for 40 years and also manages the other
five stores. That was a 30 percent increase over
a typical month.

'Best months'
"July and August usually are our two best
months," he said.
The themed events started about 20 years ago,
and all six stores hold them. The Sussex store is
ground zero for Snouffer's creativity.
A Wheel of Savings event held throughout the
year uses a 12-foot-diameter spinning wheel
modeled after the game show "Wheel of Fortune." Customers who buy a car give the wheel a
whirl for prizes, from $100 restaurant gift cards

service will take off their shoes and spend some
time in the sand or enjoy a burger while waiting
for financing. It keeps kids entertained, too."
The event features free cookouts on Fridays
and Saturdays, which have become so popular
that "half the town" shows up to enjoy burgers,
hot dogs, snacks and beverages, he said. (Sussex's population is about 2,000 people.)

$15,000 cost

General Manager Bill Snouffer, shown in
costume, is the creative force behind Franklin
Sussex Auto Mall's themed events.

to big-screen TVs. The wheel breaks down for
transport to the group's other stores.
The dealership also holds a big Halloween
party, with a costume contest in which the top
prize is an all-expenses-paid trip for four to Universal Studios. It hosts a March Madness basketball event that features a wood basketball
court on the showroom floor. Vehicle buyers
can shoot free throws for prizes.
For sheer longevity, it's tough to top the twomonth beach bash, which transforms the
property in front of the dealership into a sand
beach, 60 feet long and 15 feet wide, replete
with palm trees and beach chairs.
"We're one of the farthest car dealerships from
the Jersey shore, so we decided to bring the shore
to the people in Sussex," Snouffer said. "Sometimes customers that wait for their cars during
Splashy themed sales events at
Franklin Sussex Auto Mall draw in
customers and make the New Jersey
dealership a fun car-buying destination.

The beach bash costs the dealership about
$15,000. And while he declined to provide exact
numbers, Snouffer said the group spends tens of
thousands of dollars a year on the special events
at all stores. He works closely with a radio station
to promote the events, both paying for ads and
receiving free on-air mentions.
Some events have gone a bit sideways. A
beach party at another store drew the ire of town
officials. "We had to take up all the sand within a
week after we put it down," Snouffer said. A
monster truck event once attracted several
thousand people to the auto mall, causing severe traffic congestion. "We weren't allowed to
do that one again," he said.
Another time, Snouffer hung a pickup from a
crane about 150 feet in the air, near the major
highway by the dealership. "The town didn't like
that, either, so we had to get rid of it," he said.
The takeaway from those incidents? Check
local rules and regulations and consult with
officials before big events, Snouffer said.
Minor missteps aside, the promotions have effectively branded the rural dealership as a regional destination.
"We've created a lot of consideration from consumers in the marketplace because so many of
our events are community-based," Snouffer said.
Next up? A free concert set for September at
Nielsen Dodge-Chrysler-Jeep-Ram in East Hanover, N.J., featuring Ace Frehley, lead guitarist
for the rock band Kiss. "And yes," Snouffer said,
"we do have the required permit." a

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