Melissa Z. Clark has officially been announced as the new Chief Executive Officer of Sokal, one of the largest automotive advertising agencies in the country. This announcement comes after Mark Sokal, the former CEO, took a role on the Board of Directors. On today’s show, Clark and anchor Jim Fitzpatrick discuss the new appointment and her outlook on automotive advertising today.
Clark begins the conversation by discussing what Sokal is and what sets them apart from the competition. Sokal is a full-service marketing agency that specializes in digital automotive advertising. What makes them different Clark says, is learning from former CEO Mark Sokal’s years of experience and wealth of knowledge. As Clark says, Sokal wants to be your partner, not your vendor.
With Sokal offering an array of services, Clark says, she wanted to be the ‘one call’ kind of business. Sokal decided a long time ago, that they want to be of service for everyone and everything. Clark adds that now is the time for car dealers to differentiate themselves from the competition with an advanced audience strategy. Car dealers have to make sure they’re putting their brand out to the right audience.
When asked if car dealers should turn off their advertising due to inventory shortages or other uncertain market conditions, Clark says that is not the right move to make. Even though inventory is low, consumers are still buying in droves. She also says, she’s a huge believer in keeping your name out there, because you want to be the first person on a customer’s mind when they are looking to purchase a vehicle.
Clark is a big advocate for providing customers with multiple purchasing options. As a website provider, or for anyone in the automotive space, you’re giving customers the option to shop for a vehicle the way they want to. Having digital retailing tools as an option is just as important too.
Clark ends the conversation by stating what she wants people to know about Sokal. She says Sokal is a huge team with over 150 employees and she wants to make sure everything continues running smoothly. She also wants their partners, OEMs, and vendors to realize they are a big player and they are willing to go that extra mile for customer support and service. They always want the best for the car dealer.
Did you enjoy this interview with Melissa Clark? Please share your thoughts, comments, or questions regarding this topic by submitting a letter to the editor here, or connect with us at newsroom@cbtnews.com.
Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date or catch-up on all of our podcasts on demand.
While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe to our email newsletter for all the latest auto industry news from CBT News.
