Social media has quickly become a major part of how dealerships connect with consumers, but JC Prats (aka The Good GM) uses it for more than just selling cars. The Executive General Manager at Starling Automotive has built a following by showing the realities of dealership life, addressing industry issues and sharing lessons with both consumers and automotive professionals.
On today’s CBT Live segment, Prats discusses how his individual social media presence evolved into an organization-wide initiative across Starling Automotives. Rather than creating content solely for volume, he focuses on what truly matters to consumers and industry professionals. Today, he creates around four to five videos weekly for both personal and dealership channels, supported by a newly hired marketing team and an expanded strategy across additional store locations.
Additionally, Prats leverages social media to highlight dealership operations and turn everyday scenarios into valuable training lessons for the broader industry. Driven by a commitment to transparency, customer satisfaction, and ethical business practices, he aims to elevate the public image of automotive retail. This ethos translates directly to the showroom floor, as shown when he backed out of a transaction and fully refunded a buyer who later realized the vehicle exceeded his financial means.
Prats says social media has helped his dealership reach customers and employees far beyond its immediate market. His Stewart, Florida, dealership became the top Buick GMC store in its district after previously being the worst-performing store, and he says the dealership has been named dealer of the year three consecutive times and was on track for a fourth. With the help of social media, he has attracted customers from outside the local area and people interested in working for the dealership.
