Force Marketing

05/29/2026

Before you approve the next Q3 media plan, ask one better question:

Are we buying more attention, or are we doing more with the customers already moving through the store?

FTC pricing scrutiny has put advertised price, mandatory fees, and customer-facing claims back in focus. Fixed ops revenue is hitting records, but service retention is still under pressure. Ad spend remains heavy, and every rooftop is being asked to make the same dollar work harder.

This is not just a marketing question. It's an operating view question.

Your audience does not think in departments. They see the ad, the vehicle, the price, the payment, the service visit, the declined work, the follow-up, and the next offer as one relationship.

The stores that see that relationship clearly will have a different conversation heading into Q3.

Our whitepaper, The Value of Connecting the Full Customer Lifecycle, is built for dealer leaders who want that view before the next planning cycle gets locked.

Download it here:
https://www.forcemktg.com/whitepaper-clv-pma/

05/29/2026

How close is your dealership to the conversation shaping the next era of fair pricing, compliance, and customer trust?

On June 16, Senator Bernie Moreno and Force Marketing CEO John Fitzpatrick will speak together at CBT News’ Auto Leadership Summit: Fair Pricing & Compliance in Washington, D.C., sponsored by Force Marketing.

This invite-only summit brings dealer leaders, policy voices, and automotive advocates into the same room for a direct look at where pricing transparency, consumer disclosure, advertising standards, and dealership ex*****on are headed next.

Learn More:

CBT Auto Leadership Summit | Force Marketing CBT Auto Leadership Summit / Washington, D.C. The FTC is watching. Is your dealership ready? At this exclusive summit, you will gain access to an in-depth analysis of these rulings directly from elected officials and NADA automotive policy advocates. Exec...

05/28/2026

Every PMA has vehicles that need service now. The stores that can identify them, reach them, and match them back to revenue will own the next phase of fixed ops growth.

ATOM helps dealers activate service opportunities across retention, recalls, and conquest with managed outreach, VIN-level targeting, and DMS matchback reporting.

Case study results include a $517 avg RO, 65% customer-pay attachment, $29K+ in average monthly service revenue, and 7.9x average ROI.

Run a market count and see what service revenue is sitting in your PMA.

https://www.forcemktg.com/atom-fixed-ops-retention/

05/27/2026

The FTC’s ruling has moved fair pricing and compliance from the legal department into the daily dealership operating model.

On June 16 in Washington, D.C., Senator Bernie Moreno and Force Marketing CEO John Fitzpatrick will speak at CBT News’ Auto Leadership Summit: Fair Pricing & Compliance, a one-day leadership event built for dealers who want clarity before the second half of 2026 gets louder.

Force Marketing is proud to sponsor this conversation because dealers do not need more noise. They need a clearer path for pricing, advertising, compliance, customer trust, and growth.

If your dealership is serious about operating with more clarity in 2026, click here: https://bit.ly/43jmUbX

05/20/2026

Live from the NCM Fixed Ops Summit in Kansas City.

Eric Mercado just wrapped a packed session on unlocking the next stage of dealership growth.

The clear takeaway? This event is full of leaders ready to improve their retention metrics and customer pay RO growth in their service drive.

If you’re on the floor today, come find the Force Marketing team to keep the conversation going.

05/20/2026

Today is the day!

If you are at the NCM Fixed Ops Summit in Kansas City, it’s time to rethink your service drive strategy.

In just a few hours, Force Marketing CRO & Partner Eric Mercado takes the stage to tackle the industry’s 63% service defection problem head-on. Learn how to turn your leaking transactional funnel into a continuous growth flywheel.

TODAY, May 20 | 10:55–11:15 AM
Workshop: Fixed-Ops Funnel to Flywheel: Unlocking the Next Stage of Dealership Growth.

See you there!

https://bit.ly/49E0C80

05/18/2026

The NCM Fixed Ops Summit kicks off TODAY in Kansas City!

With 63% of customers defecting to independent repair shops after year 5, the traditional service retention funnel isn’t just leaking - it’s failing.

At Force Marketing and our Family of Brands, we believe in turning your leaking service drive into a continuous growth flywheel.

Catch our CRO & Partner, Eric Mercado:

Wednesday, May 20 @ 10:55 AM • Fixed-Ops Funnel to Flywheel: Unlocking the Next Stage of Dealership Growth.

See The Difference: https://bit.ly/49E0C80

05/13/2026

Automotive marketing is full of noise, but it’s short on proof.

We just launched our new Video Proof Library, built to show how Force connects market change to real dealership growth.

But beyond the tech and the data, there’s a core truth: “The secret sauce at Force Marketing and our family of brands is our people.” Our team is the engine that makes the intelligence work.

See the conversations and the strategy shaping our work in 2026: https://bit.ly/3RCrajP

05/11/2026

Next week, dealers and automotive industry leaders will gather in Kansas City for Fuel the Future – An NCM Fixed Ops Summit.

On Wednesday, May 20, from 10:55–11:15 AM, Eric Mercado, CRO / Partner at Force Marketing, will lead a workshop on:

Fixed-Ops Funnel to Flywheel: Unlocking the Next Stage of Dealership Growth

Currently, industry data continues to show pressure on service retention across every ownership window:

Customers under 2 years old: down from 72% to 54%
Customers 2–5 years old: down from 70% to 51%
Customers over 5 years old: down from 44% to 37%

That means many dealerships are only retaining roughly one out of three customers once the vehicle gets past five years of ownership. That is where the funnel breaks.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/49E0C80

05/08/2026

“Marketing is not an expense. It is an investment.” - That Line from John sums up today's marketing landscape.

If your Google budget is the same every month, what is that budget actually responding to?

John Fitzpatrick joined the Walk Around podcast for a practical conversation on dealer marketing, first-party data, fixed ops, AI, and why marketing should be managed like an investment.

Watch the Full Podcast:
https://www.forcemktg.com/john-walkaround-podcast/

05/05/2026

Dealers spend a lot of time and money trying to find the next customer, but in many cases the next opportunity is already in the service lane.

At Fuel the Future: NCM Fixed Ops Summit, Eric Mercado will lead a session on Fixed-Ops Funnel to Flywheel, focused on helping dealers turn service activity into a broader customer growth strategy.

This conversation will show how the fixed ops funnel becomes a growth flywheel when service signals are connected with Force’s AI-powered platform, automotive intelligence, and real dealership experience.

May 18-20, 2026
Kansas City Marriott Country Club Plaza

Experience The Difference: https://www.forcemktg.com/ncm-2026/