THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS - may/june2019

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THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS - may/june2019
may/june2019
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS - may/june2019
2019 C-HR SHOWN IN
                                                                                                               SILVER KNOCKOUT METALLIC

may/june2019
2        And the Award Goes to…
         A salute to this year’s President’s Cabinet
                                                                     9      Heaven Sent
                                                                            When a dealer principal donated a sales voucher
         Award winners.                                                     to his local church, he had no idea the impact it
                                                                            would have on one mother’s life.

3        Dealer Doings
         North Bakersfield Toyota steps in to help a family
         devastated by house fire, Toyota Vallejo feeds
                                                                    11      2020 Highlander
                                                                            An updated and upgraded Highlander is unveiled
         the hungry and Rick McGill’s Airport Toyota                        in New York.
         makes a big donation to help find a cure for
         breast cancer.
                                                                  13        Happy Trails
                                                                            Meet the dealer associate taking his sales pitch

6        Millennial Magnet (pictured above)
         The C-HR is finding its footing with a younger set
                                                                            out of the showroom and into the great wide open.

         of drivers, even outpacing the RAV4 in sales growth.

E D I T O R I A L         S T A F F               toyotatoday.com
                                                  Published six times per year for Toyota dealers and dealership personnel
Sr. Manager        Scott DeYager
                                                  by the Corporate Communications Division of Toyota Motor North America.
Manager            Lisa Yamada                    Copyright ©2019 by Toyota Motor North America. Contents may be reprinted
                                                  with permission. All rights reserved.
Editor             Kristen Orsborn                Address magazine inquiries to:
                                                  Kristen Orsborn
Writers            Dan Miller                     TEL: 469.344.8427 EMAIL: toyota_today@toyota.com
                   Dan Nied                       For customer inquiries, please contact
                                                  the Toyota Customer Experience Center:
Design             AkinsParker
                                                  TEL: 800.331.4331

                                                  For product and company information:
                                                  WEB: toyota.com TEL: 800.GO.TOYOTA
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS - may/june2019
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE
2018 PRESIDENT’S CABINET
AWARD WINNERS!
The President’s Cabinet Award is Toyota’s most prestigious dealer honor.
Only 12 dealerships are recognized each year. Dealers are chosen for
their sales performance, customer satisfaction and operational excellence.

               Headquarter Toyota                Earnhardt Toyota
                   Hialeah, Florida                  Mesa, Arizona

                  Tustin Toyota                   Stadium Toyota
                   Tustin, California                Tampa, Florida

           Temecula Valley Toyota                  Hamer Toyota
                 Temecula, California            Mission Hills, California

                  Longo Toyota                   Camelback Toyota
                 El Monte, California               Phoenix, Arizona

         John Elway’s Crown Toyota               Cavender Toyota
                  Ontario, California              San Antonio, Texas

               Toyota Escondido           Auto Nation Toyota Winter Park
                 Escondido, California             Winter Park, Florida

may/june2019                                                                 2
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS - may/june2019
DEALER DOINGS:

North Bakersfield Toyota
When a Fire Orphaned Five Children, This California Dealership
Quickly Stepped in to Help
by   Dan Miller

                                                                                     CARE PACKAGE
                                                                                     Here’s a small sample
                                                                                     of the items collected
                                                                                     by North Bakersfield
                                                                                     Toyota. People in the
                                                                                     community as well as
                                                                                     dealership employees
                                                                                     joined forces to fill the
                                                                                     beds of three Tacomas.

Tragedy and heartache are the stock and trade of           the children might need. The store also leveraged
the daily news. But some stories are so deeply tragic,     its relationships with local media outlets to help
they compel people — like the employees at North           spread the word. And many of its employees lent a
Bakersfield Toyota — to act.                               hand, contributing items as well as putting out a call
      Such was the case in February when a mother          to their friends and family via their personal social
lost her life trying to rescue her five children from a    media channels.
fire in their central California home. Four years before       Within 10 days, North Bakersfield Toyota had
that, Kristina Stratton’s husband and the father of
                                                           collected enough bedding, clothes, shoes and other
three of her children died of cancer. So the kids,
                                                           necessities to fill three Tacomas. They delivered
who’d managed to break a window and escape from
                                                           the goods, along with a monetary donation, to the
the top floor of the house, suddenly became orphans.
                                                           family’s church.
      “My wife, Hela, heard about it the morning it
                                                               “They were extremely grateful,” says Ayyoub.
happened and called me at the dealership,” says
                                                           “They actually ended up with more than they could
Sales Manager Amir Ayyoub. “She said, ‘I know
you guys are active in the community. Isn’t there          use, so they donated the rest to other people in need.

something you could do to help?’”                              “Mostly we just wanted to let these kids know
      So Ayyoub conferred with North Bakersfield           that they were not alone, that this community is here
Toyota’s management team and a plan quickly                to support them. It was incredibly heartening to see
emerged: The dealership would serve as a drop-off          that something so good could come out of something
location for people who were moved to donate items         so terrible.”

3                                                                                                        toyotatoday
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS - may/june2019
DEALER DOINGS:

Toyota Vallejo
Bay Area Dealer Makes News with Annual Newspaper Christmas Card Donation
by   Dan Nied

For Toyota Vallejo, investing in their hometown isn’t
just a way to bring potential customers.
      “I don’t know if it really helps our business or not,
says Dave Johnston, the dealership’s general manager.
“It’s about doing the right thing. We survive and thrive
because of this community and it’s just the right thing
to give back.”
      When the California dealership was looking for
the best way to reinvest in the community, there was
an overwhelming amount of options. Enter the Vallejo
Times-Herald, the city’s journalistic stalwart since 1922.
Each year the newspaper runs the Times-Herald
                                                               CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
Christmas Card, collecting donations from citizens and
                                                               Toyota Vallejo Dealer Principal Jeff Wilson, left,
local businesses to distribute to the area’s less fortunate.   and General Manager Dave Johnston have
                                                               spearheaded $50,000 in donations to the
      Over the last 10 years, Toyota Vallejo and Dealer
                                                               Vallejo Times-Herald Christmas Card over the
Principal Jeff Wilson have donated $2,500 per year —           last 10 years.

or $5,000 when factoring in Toyota’s Dealer Match
Program.
      That $50,000 makes them the leading donor to
the Times-Herald Christmas Card.
      For a city like Vallejo, this kind of donation makes
a difference. “The program provides food and shelter
for the people in our community who are less fortunate,
especially over the holiday season.” Johnston says of
the Christmas Card donation. “The Times-Herald has
made the Christmas card bigger than life. Hopefully
our donation has encouraged others to contribute as
well. It’s become a powerhouse to do some good in
the community.”
      And Toyota’s willingness to help dealers donate          COMMUNITY CARE
makes a big difference, too.                                   Among the charities the Vallejo Times-Herald
                                                               Christmas Card helps is Faith Food Fridays,
      “Toyota understands the value of giving back,”           founded by Benjamin Buggs (above).
Johnston says. “The Dealer Match Program challenges
                                                               Photos courtesy of the Vallejo Times-Herald
us to participate and it really does make an impact.
It's been a win for us and the community.”

may/june2019                                                                                                        4
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS - may/june2019
DEALER DOINGS:

Rick McGill’s Airport Toyota
Tennessee Dealership Donates Thousands of Dollars to Breast Cancer Research
by   Tiffany R. Jansen

                                                                                           THIRD TIME’S
                                                                                           A CHARM
                                                                                           Rick McGill’s
                                                                                           Airport Toyota Sales
                                                                                           Manager Peter
                                                                                           Renzulli Jr. (center-
                                                                                           right) presents Dr.
                                                                                           John L. Bell, director
                                                                                           of the Breast Health
                                                                                           Outreach Program
                                                                                           at the University of
                                                                                           Tennessee Medical
                                                                                           Center Cancer
                                                                                           Institute (center-
                                                                                           left) with its third
                                                                                           $10,000 check in
                                                                                           three years.

More than 9,000 women in the East Tennessee                 work, live, shop, worship and gather,” said Dr. John L.
region have been given access to breast cancer              Bell, director of the Breast Health Outreach Program.
screenings, thanks to generous donations from Rick              “We all know someone who has been affected
McGill’s Airport Toyota of Alcoa, Tennessee.                by cancer,” said Rick McGill’s Airport Toyota Sales

      Over the last three years, Rick McGill’s Toyota       Manager Peter Renzulli Jr. “So, we are honored to
                                                            make a contribution toward fighting cancer in East
has donated a total of $30,000 to the Breast Health
                                                            Tennessee with the help of Toyota and our customers.”
Outreach Program (BHOP) at the University of
                                                                Renzulli said that several members of the
Tennessee Medical Center Cancer Institute. In addition
                                                            dealership’s family or their loved ones have dealt with
to free screenings from their mobile mammography
                                                            cancer in one form or another over the years. So, when
unit, BHOP provides free breast health education
                                                            they heard about BHOP and its mission, they knew
classes; explaining the importance of early detection,
                                                            right away that they wanted to be involved.
sharing updates to screening guidelines and teaching
                                                                This is the third consecutive year Rick McGill’s
the warning signs of breast cancer.                         Toyota has gifted $10,000 to BHOP, and Renzulli says
      BHOP’s mobile unit enables the organization to        it’s a tradition they plan to continue.
deliver screenings and education to women who may               “We are grateful for their continued partnership and
not be able to otherwise afford or obtain access to them.   commitment to save and improve the lives of women in
Everything is “delivered six days a week on our mobile      our region,” said Dr. Bell. “Without their support, these
mammography unit in the communities where women             services would not have been possible.”

5                                                                                                           toyotatoday
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS - may/june2019
MILLENNIAL MAGNET
    Now in its third year, the stylish C-HR is attracting new customers to Toyota,
                   while also helping retain those already in the fold
                                                 by   Dan Miller

Pop quiz: Which Toyota vehicle posted the biggest             The Right Vehicle at the Right Time
                                                                   Enter Toyota Motor North America’s Compact
increase in unit sales between 2017 and 2018, RAV4
or C-HR? Hint: This is a trick question.                      Utility Vehicle/Van marketing experts: Product
     That’s because, while RAV4 is Toyota’s best-             Marketing and Strategy Analyst Erin Doughty and
selling vehicle and the auto industry’s top-selling non-      Vehicle Marketing and Communications Manager
pickup truck, the upstart C-HR actually outpaced              Kathi Jenkins.
the venerable RAV4 in terms of sales growth.                       “Part of C-HR’s success has to do with the
     The numbers don’t lie. Toyota sold 23,887 more           fact that the entry-level CUV segment is the fastest
C-HRs last year than it did the year before while             growing in the market, and it’s unlikely to slow
RAV4 was up 19,576 units during the same time                 down any time soon,” says Doughty. “Less than a
period. The daily sales rate growth is even more              year after we introduced C-HR, Nissan introduced
striking: RAV4 was up 4.5 percent in 2018, while              the Kicks and Hyundai introduced the Kona. The
C-HR jumped by a whopping 92 percent.                         Honda HR-V, our strongest competitor, was already
     Now, all of the above does come with an asterisk.        on the market.
C-HR made its debut in April of 2017. So it was only               “…the entry-level CUV segment is
on sale for nine months in its first “year” compared
with the full 12 months of 2018.
                                                                    the fastest growing in the market,
     Still, something’s going on here that deserves a               and it’s unlikely to slow down any
deeper dive.                                                        time soon…”            | continued on page 7

may/june2019                                                                                                         6
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS - may/june2019
| continued from page 6

And there are several new and updated models
coming through 2022, including hybrid and plug-in
versions. It’s important we do everything we can to
maintain our share.”
     The results to date suggest C-HR (which stands
for Coupe-High Rider) has what it takes to more
than hold its own. Here are five specific reasons why:
• Unique and distinctive styling
     Jenkins says that when C-HR was little more
     than an idea, TMC President Akio Toyoda
     challenged his designers to “push the boundaries.”   CAN YOU HANDLE IT?
    And they kind of did. Eye-catching styling            These rear door handles are just one of many creative design
                                                          features that set C-HR apart in the hotly contested entry-level
     elements such as a coupe-like profile, hidden rear   CUV segment.
     door handles and dual-color paint schemes set
     C-HR apart from every other vehicle in Toyota’s
     lineup, not to mention the competition’s. In
     many ways, it’s the company’s first product to be
     developed with millennials primarily in mind.
    And it shows.
• Complimentary Entune 3.0 subscription
    With Toyota’s infotainment system displayed
     on an in-dash eight-inch screen, C-HR owners
     can talk to Siri, stream music, make phone
     calls, check the weather and traffic, make
     dinner reservations, find and compare fuel
     prices and more.
• Standard Apple CarPlay® integration                     COMMAND CENTER
    With this feature, added with the launch of the       The C-HR’s thoughtfully designed instrument panel puts key
    2019 model year C-HR last summer, iPhone              controls within easy reach and useful information in clear view.

     users can access their favorite apps via the
     touchscreen. That helps make such activities
     easier and safer.
• Standard Toyota Safety Sense P
    Toyota’s bundle of innovative active safety
     features helps protect the C-HR’s driver and
     passengers from harm. The 2019 model takes
     this one step further with the addition of a
     backup camera that transmits its image to the
     in-dash screen.
• A surprisingly high level of comfort
     Many customers gravitate to a CUV for its
     combination of SUV ride height and passenger
                                                          SMART PHONE ENABLED
     car handling. The current C-HR delivers on
                                                          iPhone users can access their favorite apps via the C-HR’s
     both fronts and adds dual-zone climate control,      eight-inch touchscreen.
     available heated seats and available driver’s seat
     power lumbar support.

7                                                                                                   toyotatoday
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS - may/june2019
An All-Digital Ad Campaign                                            Marketing is honing in on this segment,
     Compared with the more off-road-minded                      spending much of its advertising dollars on an
RAV4, C-HR’s unique package of styling and                       all-digital campaign that plays up C-HR’s fun
features is appealing to a customer base that’s                  infotainment features.
younger, less likely to be married, more likely to be                 The sales results suggest it’s working. Beyond
a woman and less likely to have children. It’s also              the numbers, C-HR is attracting new customers to
attracting a highly diverse population of buyers.                Toyota while also helping to retain those who are
Some 31 percent of its owners are Hispanic.                      already part of the brand family.
                                                                      “C-HR gives us a compelling offering to
    Beyond the numbers, C-HR                                     Corolla owners who are looking to transition to
                                                                 a CUV without stealing sales from RAV4,” says
    is attracting new customers                                  Jenkins. “In fact, 60 percent of C-HR buyers were
                                                                 already Toyota owners. It’s very important that we
    to Toyota while also helping                                 hold on to those people as they progress to different
    to retain those who are already                              stages in their lives.”
                                                                      As such, in the spirit of kaizen, look for Toyota
    part of the brand family…                                    to continue to find new ways to keep C-HR fresh and
    look for Toyota to continue to                               relevant to its more urban and wired customer base.
                                                                 Stay still in this segment and you risk falling behind.
    find new ways to keep C-HR                                        “C-HR is off to a great start, but it has a long
                                                                 way to go to realize its full potential,” says Doughty.
    fresh and relevant to its more
                                                                “We’re excited to see the impact it will have on our
    urban and wired customer base.                               business in the months and years ahead.”

      ONE COLOR DOESN’T FIT ALL
      C-HR customers can opt for a distinctive two-tone exterior paint treatment.

may/june2019                                                                                                           8
THE MAGAZINE FOR TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS - may/june2019
HER SMILE SAYS IT ALL
                                                                                   Christine Curtin says she’s never even won
                                                                                   a scratch off lottery ticket. So naturally, she
                                                                                   was shocked to win a $35,000 voucher to
                                                                                   Pat Lobb’s Toyota of McKinney at her local
                                                                                   church festival. She used the voucher to
                                                                                   purchase a 2018 Highlander.

HeavenSent
How a dealer’s charitable gift changed a woman’s life                   by   Alexa Conomos

The gift of giving can be truly life changing.           brought the dealership international acclaim, Lobb
Just ask Christine Curtin.                               simply says, “It was just the right thing to do.”
      The single mother of three children learned that        So, when Mogollon approached Lobb with
firsthand when she won a $35,000 voucher to Pat Lobb’s   Father Rudy’s request, it was a no-brainer. Lobb made
Toyota of McKinney at her church’s annual festival.      a $35,000 donation in the form a voucher redeemable
      “I never win two dollars off my lotto tickets,”    at the dealership — greater than St. Francis has ever
Curtin says. “So, when I bought those two $20            seen in its 40 years of cultural celebrations.
raffle tickets as a donation, I just thought I was            “It made my wife and I feel so good. We wanted
doing my part for our church. I mean, how did            the winner to use that money however they needed
this even happen?”                                       to take care of their car needs,” Lobb says. “And we
      It started with a simple phone call to the         knew that dollar amount would ensure a tremendous
dealership. Dealer Principal Pat Lobb and his wife       success for the festival even before it started.”
Sharon are also devoted parishioners of St. Francis           On weekends preceding the celebration,
of Assisi Catholic Church and regularly advertise        Mogollon faithfully displayed Toyota vehicles to
in the church bulletin.                                  promote the raffle. And it worked. In 2018, the
      “Father Rudy (Garcia) asked me if Mr. Lobb         church raised a record $140,270 compared to
might consider making a donation to the church’s         $8,139 five years ago. And unlike previous festivals,
annual fall festival raffle,” Leasing Manager George     thousands of visitors attended.
Mogollon says. “Mr. Lobb is fierce about helping              Among the revelers, Curtin and two of her
others, so I told him I’d ask.”                          children: 14-year-old Casey and 11-year-old Isabella.
      Lobb already had a strong track record of giving   She adopted the biological siblings in 2016. But
back. He built his green dealership in 2005 using 75     when the raffle winner was announced, she had
percent recycled materials. Although the initiative      already left the festival.

9                                                                                                       toyotatoday
“It’s incredible. When you impact                        It’s been a game changer for the single mom.
                                                                    Curtin used the voucher to purchase a much-needed
                 the life of just one person, it has
                                                                    second vehicle. And her children give their new
                 the power to effect positive change                Highlander rave reviews.
                 in our society as a whole. Pat’s gift                   “They love the bucket seats, the room, the
                 pulled our community together in a                 comfort. You have no idea as a single parent how
                                                                    much mileage you rack up just getting the kids
                 powerful way.”                                     around town. So, this has just been an incredible gift.”
                                                                         Father Rudy says Lobb’s donation is also a
                “I got a text that Father Rudy wanted to call me,
                                                                    confirmation of how the goodness of humanity can
            Curtin says. “And my first thought was to say to my
                                                                    create an enduring footprint.
            son, ‘What did you do?’”
                                                                         “It’s incredible. When you impact the life of
                In reality, Father Rudy and a joyful Lobb
            couldn’t wait to share the incredible news.             just one person, it has the power to effect positive
                “It was like, wow, this was the hand of God         change in our society as a whole. Pat’s gift pulled
            making this choice because it could have been           our community together in a powerful way.”
            anyone here today winning this raffle,” Lobb says.           To such praise, Lobb will only accept the role
           “But it was a parishioner. It was Christine.”            of a humble facilitator. He insists Mogollon, Father
                Curtin also fondly recalls that pivotal moment.     Rudy and his congregation did the heavy lifting.
                “I was like, ‘No way!’ I think I accidentally       But with a laugh, he also hints, “We’ll probably
            cursed in front of my priest! But it was all just so    do something else for the fall festival next year. So,
            unbelievable!”                                          Father Rudy, stay tuned!”

GIVING BACK                                                               SPREADING GOODNESS
Toyota of McKinney dealer principal Pat Lobb (left) pictured with         Father Rudy Garcia of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church,
his wife Sharon and Father Rudy Garcia of St. Francis of Assisi           pictured at his church’s annual festival with Frisco, Texas,
Catholic Church. The Lobbs donated a sales voucher to the                 Mayor Pro Tem Shona Huffman. He says Lobb’s gift is
church’s annual fall festival raffle.                                     confirmation of how the goodness of humanity can create
                                                                          an enduring footprint.

            may/june2019                                                                                                     10
2020
HIGHLANDER

Eighteen years after it “changed the game” with the first iteration of its
family-friendly SUV, Toyota returns to the New York International Auto Show
to change it again by Dan Miller

Eighteen years after it “changed the game” with               “Eighteen years ago, on this very stage, we made
the first iteration of its family-friendly SUV, Toyota   a world premiere that changed the game,” said Jack
returns to the New York International Auto Show          Hollis, group vice president and general manager of
to change it again.                                      the Toyota Division. “Today, we’re changing it again.”
     In 2001, Toyota grabbed headlines at the New             The all-new 2020 Highlander retains its core
York International Auto Show when it introduced          strengths of quality, durability, reliability and safety.
the very first Highlander — a mid-size SUV that          But those are just table stakes in this fiercely
departed from the truck-based vehicles of the time       competitive segment.
in favor of unibody construction and a four-wheel             So, to set itself apart, the latest iteration
                                                         introduces a dramatic new design direction that
independent suspension.
                                                         exudes more power and sophistication. Call this
     Guess you could say they were on to something.
                                                         Highlander the strong, athletic type with a sculpted
     Nearly two decades later, such family-friendly
                                                         shape, chiseled lines, aggressive stance and modern
SUVs are red hot. Automakers, including Toyota,
                                                         attitude. This can be seen in such details as a more
can’t seem to crank them out fast enough. The            refined front grille, premium projector headlamps
current Highlander has been the top-selling retail       and — on the Limited and Platinum grades —
model in the segment since 2016 and is coming            the model’s first-ever 20-inch alloy wheels.
off its best sales year ever. It’s kept the momentum          The new Highlander gained 2.36 inches in
going in 2019, posting its best February sales ever.     overall length, expanding the already ample cargo
     If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Right?             area to a maximum of 40.6 cubic feet and increasing
     Guess again. In April, Toyota returned to the       the distance between the second- and third-row seats
Jacob Javits Convention Center to unveil the             for more passenger comfort. Yet it’s just three inches
fourth-generation Highlander.                            longer than the Camry, so it’s still easy to maneuver.

11                                                                                                   toyotatoday
UNDER THE HOOD
     This balance between competing concerns is due
in part to the new TNGA platform that gave Toyota
the opportunity to rebuild the Highlander from the
ground up. Thanks to its lower center of gravity and
more extensive use of high-strength steel, Toyota’s
engineers were able to fine-tune the front strut and
rear multi-link suspension tuning for optimal agility
yet also deliver a smoother and quieter ride.
     Customers will have a choice of two powertrains:
a smooth 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine that can produce
up to 295 horsepower or the next-generation Toyota
Hybrid System that, between its gasoline engine and
electric motors, can generate 240 horsepower.
     Those who opt for the gas model will enjoy the
benefits of Toyota’s innovative D-4S Injection system,
Dual Variable Valve Timing with intelligence and
Direct Shift 8-speed automatic transmission. Stop
and Start Engine System is also part of the package.
It shuts off the engine when the vehicle comes to a
complete stop and then instantly restarts it when
the driver lifts their foot off the brake pedal, making
the Highlander quieter and more fuel efficient.
     Highlander Hybrid buyers, meanwhile, will be
able to choose between a 2WD or AWD drivetrain.
They’ll also appreciate an EPA-estimated 34 mpg in
combined city/highway driving — an 18 percent
improvement over the current model. And its smaller,
more efficient and faster-charging battery pack now fits
under the rear seats, so it doesn’t constrain passenger or
cargo space.

IN THE CABIN
    The all-new Highlander also ups the ante when it              And did someone ask about safety? The new
 comes to the passenger experience, with such perks as:      Highlander’s answer to that question is Toyota Safety
  • Apple CarPlay®, Android Auto, Alexa In-Car               Sense 2.0, standard on all grades. This suite of active
    compatibility, Waze, SiriusXM, Wi-Fi connectivity        safety technologies includes:
    through AT&T standard across all grades                  • Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection
  • Toyota Safety Connect with a one-year trial              • Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control
    subscription standard across all grades
                                                             • Lane Departure Alert with Steering Assist
  • Toyota Service and Remote Connect on LE grades
                                                             • Automatic High Beam
    and above
                                                             • Lane Tracing Assist
  • Dynamic Navigation and a largest-in-segment
    12.3-inch screen available on Limited grade and          • Road Sign Assist
    standard on Platinum                                          The only downside? Everyone will have to
  • A 1,200-watt, 11-speaker JBL Premium Audio               wait until winter to get their hands on the 2020
    System standard on Limited and Platinum                  Highlander. The first V6 models will arrive at
•   Plenty of USB charging ports and available               dealerships in December, followed by the hybrid
    Qi wireless charging                                     in February 2020.

may/june2019                                                                                                      12
Dealer finds sales success off the beaten path                  by   Kristen Orsborn

Nick Fisher, Pre-Owned Sales Manager at Koch 33
Toyota in Easton, Pennsylvania, is always looking
for innovative ways to sell vehicles. And, honestly,
an excuse to get outside.
     Last fall, he found it — dozens of miles away
from the Koch 33 showroom, in fact.
     He partnered with the group behind the popular
Team 4Runner Instagram account — dedicated to the
aftermarket 4Runner community and lifestyle —
to host the T4R Experience PA off-road trail and
camp event.
     “There are so many Toyota super fans on social
media,” Fisher says. “And they’re incredibly brand loyal.
I wanted to find a way to leverage that into sales.”
                                                            Pitching In
     For Fisher, an off-road trail and camp event was
                                                            Apart from off-roading and camping, participants also spent time
a no-brainer.
                                                            cleaning up their campsites. Koch 33 Toyota General Manager
     “Our location in Pennsylvania gives customers an       Tom Koch, above, helped out and got his hands dirty, too.
opportunity to truly explore their surroundings, given
our proximity to the beautiful outdoors,” Fisher says.

13                                                                                                  toyotatoday
“A model like 4Runner is built to expand your reach                   Attendees met in a nearby Walmart parking
 and unlock a world you never knew existed. So, it               lot, which may seem unusual. But in fact, that’s
 made perfect sense to create that kind of experience            where the trailhead is located. And for Fisher, it
 for our customers.”                                             was actually a selling point.
      The event was open to all Koch 33 customers, free               “This is where the appeal of owning a Toyota
 of charge, with the intention of inspiring adventure            4x4 comes to light,” Fisher says. “You can literally
 and community among current and potential Toyota                go from everyday life to the true, great outdoors
 enthusiasts. More than 80 people signed up.
                                                                 in a quick shift to 4x4. It’s an opportunity to get
      The T4R Experience PA event was held on a
                                                                 the family out, drop the cell phones and explore.”
 massive tract of land spanning 20,000 acres and
                                                                      Fisher considers the event a total success,
 650 miles of mapped trails. The landowner, Famous
                                                                 and says the dealership saw an immediate return
 Reading Outdoors, offered the property free of charge
 in exchange for a commitment to clean up the trails.            on investment.
      “That spirit of giving back and leaving things                  “Honestly, we saw immediate results. We sold
 better than you found them is really at the heart and           a 4Runner to an attendee just two days later,” he
 soul of the off-road community,” Fisher says. “Each             says. “It’s hard to argue with results like that. But
 and every attendee was happy to oblige. Each vehicle            bottom line, this is about creating bonds with our
 had full trash bags, pickup beds and rooftop racks              customers. We aren’t just selling cars. We’re selling
 loaded to the max.”                                             a lifestyle.”

       Power in Numbers
       Koch 33 Toyota sales consultant Nick Fisher didn’t know what kind of turnout to expect while organizing the
       T4R Experience PA off-road and camp event. More than 80 customers signed up, and Fisher said the response
       was overwhelmingly positive.

may/june2019                                                                                                         14
The Greater Than Ever Corolla
                                                                                   With available 18-inch machined alloy wheels1 and standard
                                                                                   LED headlights, you’ve got style for days — or nights that
                                                                                   turn into early mornings. Let’s Go Places.

Prototype shown with options. 1Performance tires are expected to experience greater tire wear than conventional tires. Tire life may be less than 24,000 miles, depending
upon driving conditions. ©2019 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
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