If you want to ensure you’re always ‘in the know’ with everything dealership-related, here are some valuable tips that will help you get, and ideally stay, at the top of your game.
Get across the latest industry news and trends
Here are a few of our suggestions:
- Follow the social media accounts of any prominent industry leaders, your key competitors, and any other industry influencers to see what they’re posting about.
- Monitor conversations happening on industry-related threads on community discussion websites like Reddit.
- Read newsletters and media releases published by professional industry associations both locally and globally, such as the Tractor and Machinery Association of Australia (TMA), Motor Trades Association of Australia (MTAA) or the Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA) in Australia, the MTA or Motor Industry Association (MIA) in New Zealand, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) in the United States, or CECRA, CLEPA and ACEA in Europe.
- Subscribe to trade publications. There are plenty of niche publications you can subscribe to that focus exclusively on reporting on everything from trucking and transportation, to earthmoving or agricultural machinery, motorcycles, 4x4s, mining and even buses and coaches!
Whatever channels you decide to tune into, make it part of your daily or weekly routine to check in on what’s happening so you never miss the latest updates.
Listen to what other industry experts are saying
If you’re not already into podcasts, it’s time to give them a try. With a quick search you’ll find plenty of podcasts produced by passionate industry experts who take deep dives into various topics relevant to the automotive and dealership industry.
Here are a few you might want to check out:
- Adding Fuel to the Hire – A careers and recruitment-focused podcast developed in-house by yours truly, Teamrecruit.
- Beyond the Wrench – Stories and insights from industry professionals to help you build a better dealership business.
- Service Drive Revolution – Strategies and tactics to help supercharge your service department.
- Dealership Digest – Tips and tricks for dealerships looking to enhance their digital marketing activity.
- dealership fiXit – Interviews with industry experts sharing their experience and advice for overcoming challenges in your dealership.
Podcasts are also relatively easy to fit into your schedule. Whether you choose to listen to them while you’re exercising, taking your lunch break, or commuting to and from work, do whatever works best for you!

Fill in any knowledge gaps
The environment we operate in is in a continual state of change, and as the industry evolves to suit, so does the demand for certain skills and knowledge. If you want to stay at the forefront and develop a competitive edge, you’ll need to start with some research. Browse through job advertisements to see what skills dealerships are looking for, then formulate a plan to build a skill set to match.
Start networking
- attend industry conferences and events where you can hear from, meet, and chat with other industry professionals
- visit industry expos to see the latest products and services on show and speak with business representatives
- become a member of industry professional associations or hook yourself into various industry groups where you’ll get the chance to connect with other like-minded people