Darkness has a profound effect on my sleep cycle and room darkening shades at a Paris hotel made that very clear.

While I have been in Paris I have been sleeping much longer than usual.   Part of the reason is that my schedule over the past month has been very hectic and this vacation included much needed rest.  But what was surprising was that I was sleeping till 12:00 noon which is my normal 6:00 am back in New Jersey.

Today is my last day here in Paris before I head to Rome so instead of closing off the room darken shades, I left them open when I went to bed.  Miraculously, I got up around 6:00 am and was actually well rested.  The morning daybreak had brought some great light into the room but not piercing sun in my eyes.

It occurred to me that at home we don’t have room darkening shades so the darkness has a profound effect on my sleep cycle.  It may seem elementary to you but it was shocking to see just how much longer I can sleep in the darkness.

The good news is that three days of late sleeping has refreshed my body.  I went running in Luxembourg Gardens three days in a row and run about 2.6 miles a day.  Yesterday I also walked about 5 miles so my legs are really getting into shape.  Paris has been a great experience and I have found the will power to avoid eating a loaf of french bread every day.

The harder part is next: Tuscany.  The pasta….well you know.

Here  are a few quick observations about Paris:

1. Many young people are smoking significantly more than in the US.
2. The ability to find vegetarian or vegan dishes is very hard.
3. The US dollar is stronger as compared to the Euro but food is still at NYC prices.
4. The  service levels at restaurants is strained by under staffing.
5. Buses were very easy to utilize but overcrowding is a buzz kill.
6. The food was wonderful, fresh and satisfying.

So, it has been 15 years since I was in Paris and I have a greater appreciation for this fine city.  I took a jog today in the Luxembourg Gardens and it was fantastic. The city was very clean and the people very accomodating.  Bravo Paris!

The Pasch Consulting Group just released their latest comprehensive Internet marketing package that includes their proven techniques to maximize a dealer’s online presence using effective Internet marketing and social media strategies. 

The PCG marketing package implements online marketing and brand messaging through social media platforms, websites, microsites, blogging, banner advertisements, pay per click advertising, video marketing and more. 

The PCG Automotive Digital Marketing package is attractively priced at $1,195 per month for a single dealership.  PCG marketing services are designed to enhance the existing digital marketing efforts within a dealership instead of hiring a full time marketing specialist.  PCG works seamlessly with traditional advertising agencies that service dealers since they do not offer offline media marketing solutions.

Dealers who seek to employ a qualified full time Internet Marketing Manager specialist can plan to spend upwards of $50,000 a year.  The PCG automotive digital marketing packages can help cut costs for dealers who can’t justify a full-time employee or who cannot find qualified automotive digital marketing professionals.  For a fraction of the price of a full time digital marketing specialist, car dealers gain the knowledge and expertise of working with PCG’s automotive marketing professionals.

According to Brian Pasch, CEO of Pasch Consulting, working with PCG specialists, dealers increase their bottom line by allowing their employees to focus on the day-to-day sales operations at the dealership.  “Critical tasks needed to maximize a dealer’s presence online are often put to side by employees who are too busy,” says Pasch.  “We can help them get a jump on the competition by performing these tasks while they focus on operations, sales, and in-house marketing.”

Brian Pasch, CEO of the Pasch Consulting Group, is a respected leader in Automotive Digital Marketing.  He is a noted speaker on the subject of Automotive SEO and digital marketing.

Brian will be one of the instructors at the 2010 Automotive Marketing Boot Camp scheduled for February 12, 2010 in Orlando.  The boot camp is scheduled conveniently one day prior to the official start of the2010 NADA convention so dealership employees can attend both events.

Car dealers interested in strengthening their internet marketing visibility should set up an appointment to speak with Brian Pasch if they are attending the NADA Convention in Orlando in February and cannot attend the Boot Camp.  Interested dealers can contact carrie@paschconsulting.com to schedule an appointment.

To learn more about the Automotive Marketing Boot Camp prior to 2010 NADA, visit http://www.automotivemarketingbootcamp.com/instructors/

Brian Pasch has been asked to be a guest speaker at the 7th Digital Dealer Conference to be held on November 1-3 in Nashville TN.  According to the Conference website, Brian is one of the top 5 returning speakers as rated by attendee scores from the last Digital Dealer Conference which was held in Las Vegas.

To register for the conference, visit the official website at: http://www.digitaldealerconference.com

This year Brian Pasch will be presenting a seminar entitled “Move Ahead of your Competitors with Content Based SEO Strategies”

Here is the outline of the seminar from the conference website.

By leveraging free and low-cost web publishing platforms, dealers can target any search phrases with effective content-based SEO strategies for Google page one dominance

Are you tired of your competitors ranking ahead of you in Google search results? Are your competitors surrounding you for key search phrases targeting your franchise brand, specific models and service/parts searches in your state? 

Brian Pasch will show attendees how to harness the marketing power of content-based SEO strategies. Learn how to create web articles that target any search phrase in you want high visibility in Google search. 

This session will give hands on examples during the seminar on how to utilize free and low-cost web publishing platforms the leverage your franchise news, special events and sales promotions to increase traffic to your web site. Write your way to better rankings, with more monthly unique visitors to increase your first party leads.  

The attraction of content based SEO strategies are that they deliver traffic and leads like an annuity. Unlike pay-per-click advertising, which stops when funding stops, content-based SEO techniques work day after day for your dealership once the content is published on the Internet. 

With dealerships watching their expenses and trying to do more with less advertising dollars, content SEO techniques will help you move ahead and stay ahead of your competition. While your competitors are asleep about this important marketing technique you should be burning the midnight oil. 

This seminar and handbook will give you the playbook and confidence to return to your dealership and make a difference immediately.

Brian Pasch, president of the Pasch Consulting Group is an 18-year veteran of the direct marketing industry. His company’s web sites are on Google page one nationally for search terms that include “Automotive SEO Consulting” and “Automotive SEO”.

Witnessing the redistribution of media budgets to Internet advertising in 2006, Pasch created an Internet marketing consulting practice. The Pasch Consulting Group has clients in a number of diverse industries and professions; automotive dealers, entertainment, financial services, manufacturing, medical, food service, real estate and consumer goods. Pasch is an avid writer on search engine optimization (SEO) and digital marketing strategies.
 

The CARS funding passed by a 60-37 vote but it had to overcome many attempts to kill the measure by adding amendments to the bill.

New Jersey consumers are encouraged to get out of shop for a new car as soon as possible. Dealers  in the Garden State have been blessed with heavy floor traffic and interest in the CARS program but the money will not last forever.

New Jersey Cash For Clunkers Checklist

New Jersey consumers are reminded to prepare for the CARS program requirements BEFORE going to a local car dealer.  Here are some steps that can save you time and aggravation.

1. Download the New Jersey Cash For Clunkers Checklist
2. Using this checklist, go to www.cars.gov and qualify your clunker.
3. Understand that if you don’t qualify, your local dealer cannot change the rules.
4. Review all factory rebates that may be added to your CARS credit. Check our list
5. Negoitate your best deal and keep in mind that you may not be able to drive away with your new car untill all your paperwork is approved by the government.

New Jersey Cash For Clunkers Dealers

New Jersey residents who would like a local dealer to contact them about their Cash for Clunkers reade-in should request a call by going to: www.cashforclunkersfacts.com and completing the dealer contact form.  A participating CARS dealer in New Jersey will contact you and help you with your questions and new car purchase.

Senate Coverage of CARS Vote on C-SPAN

Senator Richard Shelby says the Cash for Clunkers program is a “clunker”. He claims that many clunkers that were traded in would have been traded in normally without any stimulus needed.		Senator Johnny Isakson is an advocate for a Home Buyer Tax Credit plan to help stimulate the housing and real estate industry. Refers to Cash for Clunkers as a successful program and wants a similar plan for housing.
Senator Debbie Stabenow encouraged the Senate to continue the stimulus bill saying it is a tangible program that consumers can see and feel. She calls the bill a winner. She also asks that no ammendments be adopted which would derail the bill since House is out of session.		Senator Carl Levin urged the Senate not to add any ammendments to the House Bill which would put the death spike in the heart of the Cash for Clunkers Bill. He pointed out that many good amendements would have to be considered when the Senate returns in September.
Senator Jon Kyl wanted to introduce an amendment that would put the CARS program on hold to review spending and make sure deals that were submitted get paid. If the amendment was approved the CARS funding bill would be killed.		Senator Judd Greg claims that his amendment would make sure that the $2 billion in CARS funding debt is not passed to our children. If the Gregg amendment was approved the CARS $2 billion funding bill would have been killed for immediate future.
Senator Tom Coburn’s amendment proposed to give the clunkers to the poor and not to crush them. If his amendment was approved it would have killed the Cash for Clunkers spending bill since the amendment would require a House vote.		Senator David Vitter proposed an amendment on the TARP program which has nothing to do with the CARS program but any new amendments introduced today would kill the Cash for Clunkers funding measure.