We hope everyone had a wonderful and save Thanksgiving Holiday! Check out Gibson's once again AWESOME numbers from the past three month's Modern Technologies Automotive Sales report for the state of Florida!!
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Gibson Truck World's Monthly News & Events Letter
Sign up here to be included in Gibson Truck World's Monthly News and Events Letter!
Here is our November 2011 Issue.
http://eepurl.com/g98iw
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Gibson Truck World is on the Cover of AutoSuccess Magazine!
Gibson Truck World is on the Cover of AutoSuccess Magazine!
When it comes to inventory marketing best practices, Gibson Truck World in Sanford, Florida has so many, we had to omit several from this article to fit this space. With sales
topping 1,800 units annually, 65 employees, and $7 million in inventory on 14 acres, Gibson is the largest used truck dealership in the world and ranks No. 18 of independent dealers in the U.S.*
Impressive, to be sure, but what’s more impressive is how they sustain these numbers. The biggest clue lies in the fact that a whopping 60 percent of their sales result from referrals and repeat customers.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Over 25,000 Flooded Trucks end up on other Dealership’s Front Lines!
Over 25,000 Flooded Trucks end up on other Dealership’s Front Lines!
A water-logged vehicle will not last long and will likely be forever plagued with problems that will require COSTLY repairs, IF they can be fixed at all.
FACT - many car buyers will never even question whether the used vehicle they are considering to buy may have had flood damage. While some flooded vehicles have their titles marked as salvaged, MANY uninsured vehicles end up slipping through the cracks and are deceptively reconditioned to look as though they were never flooded. This is especially easy when the average truck buyer does not know to carefully inspect the components that would indicate water damage. Computer systems and electrical mechanisms of your truck are connected by a vast series of wires. After a vehicle has been submerged in water for any length of time, moisture gets trapped in and over time, will slowly rust the wiring causing major malfunctions. This failure will seriously risk the safety of anyone in the vehicle and could affect the fuel system, steering, brakes and airbags just to name a few. This complex series of wires is very difficult and expensive to replace so often times a dishonest seller will simply cover the wires with new carpet and turn a blind eye.
Don’t let your next truck be a ticking time bomb! We at Gibson Truck World thoroughly inspect each certified truck for flood damage!
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Gibson Truck World Featured in Auto Dealer Monthly Magazine
Gibson Truck World was Featured in the August issue of Auto Dealer Monthly Magazine!
"Every truck has a name and is considered an individual at Gibson Truck
World.Even the owner, Yves Belanger, has a special name. He is called
the King of Trucks, and he has earned his title as the largest used
truck dealer in Florida. His 14-acre dealership sells about 150 units
per month using a variety of advertising strategies— including naming
and giving personalities to trucks. About 15 years ago, Belanger
started selling vehicles in Canada and later moved to Florida to begin
wholesaling vehicles in Orlando. Six months later, he moved to
Longwood, Fla. and began selling 35 units per month from a small
retail lot. He has worked his way up to maintaining his current
$7-million facility in Sanford, Fla., which opened in 1995. The
dealership has 65 employees, about half of whom work in service and
parts. “It runs like a truck factory,” Belanger said. The dealership
was recognized as a Top 50 AutoTrader.com Dealer in 2009 and 2010, and
this year, it ranked 18th in the Auto Dealer Monthly Independent
Retailer Awards. The marketing department of such a large sales
operation consists of just two people, with much involvement from
Belanger and a rather large monthly advertising budget. Belanger,
along with Marketing Director Angela Stockman, uses social media,
radio, television, magazines, a website, billboards and good old
word-of-mouth to advertise the dealership. Even with new media
opportunities, Belanger said, “You can’t reinvent the wheel,” and
credits 50 percent of his business to customers referred by word of
mouth. Belanger is proud to advertise his company, saying, “It’s
beautiful the way we operate.” Advertising content usually promotes
their one-year bumper-to-bumper warranty and 15-day return policy. “If
you take a truck home and then you’re scared you’re going to scrape
the sides of the drive-through, you can bring it right back,” he said.
“Some dealers are afraid to do this, but I am the warranty company
here. I take from my own pocket when
something goes wrong.” The dealership also promotes their one-year
free maintenance policy and boasts the lowest prices around. If a
customer can find the same vehicle at a better price, they will
receive $1,000. “I tell customers to show me a truck that’s cheaper. I
haven’t paid [a customer] the $1,000 in 10 years,” Belanger said. The
message is consistent in their advertising—the lowest prices with
great quality. “We don’t give away free trips to Hawaii, and we don’t
have sales,” he said. Stockman has worked at the dealership for two
years and helped revolutionize the website and online presence, among
other tasks. “The website wasn’t nearly what it is now. We redid it
all. Before [I came to work here], they were still doing mostly print
ads,” she said. She works daily on new media and more traditional
advertising efforts, and Belanger approves daily updates and changes
to the dealership’s Facebook and Twitter pages. Posts from the
dealership include information on unique vehicles on the lot,
testimonials from new buyers and promotional information related to
the dealership’s sponsored animal rescue group, Save Our Florida Pets.
The dealership also builds rapport through general posts to the
community, such as this post on Memorial Day weekend: “A hero is
someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than
oneself. To the brave men and women who have fought to keep our
country free, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts! We are proud
to be American!” Stockman said this community building is “just normal
practice for me.” She explained that when people become Facebook fans
of a business, they don’t do it to be bombarded by product promotions.
“We try to keep people engaged on the Facebook page and interested in
what we’re saying. It’s not really [an] advertising tool for me, with
the exception of [posting] really nice units; it’s more to keep people
thinking about Gibson and keep in back of their mind.” Comedian Larry
the Cable Guy, who did all of the dealership’s promotions in the late
1990s, was recently in town filming his television show “Only in
America” when he decided to participate in a dealership-sponsored
mud-racing event on camera. The event, which was in May 2011, was held
at Bandit Mud Racing in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. Stockman said, “It’s a
fun community event, and we do similar, smaller events throughout the
year.” Recently, when a customer bought a truck, he said he learned
about the dealership by Larry the Cable Guy’s radio advertising. The
50 percent of sales that are not referrals come from a combination of
traditional and digital media. The dealership advertises on two area
radio stations, one country music station and one rock music station.
A local radio personality at the rock station hosts a talk show in the
mornings in which he reviews trucks he drives from the dealership. “He
switches trucks out every couple weeks, and talks about the current
monster truck he’s driving. He also talks about us throughout the show
and records 60-second spots that change every two weeks,” Stockman
said. “They discuss a lot of events. He has contests, and he brought a
truck to the lot and listeners brought things to run over.” Stockman
said that the ads they play on the country music channel are much
different in their phrasing. “It’s geared more toward country
listeners. They have a sense of community and are very family-based,”
she said. This translates into advertisements promoting safety and the
best deals for your family. In addition to radio ads, the dealership
has an infomercial running on two area television stations. Stockman
said, “A lot of people watched it. It played for nearly four years,
and we just took it down and are in the process of making a new one.”
Print magazine and billboard advertising accounts for about 10 sales
per month of the 150 units sold and takes about $10,000 of the
$100,000 budget. “AutoTrader.com gets a huge part of the budget, and
the rest is spread out between television, radio and Google’s
pay-per-click campaign,” Stockman said. The print advertising efforts
include magazines such as Commercial Truck, Trailer and Equipment
Trader; Horse ‘N Tack; and Sport Horse. People who own horses need
trucks, making those niche magazines a great place for the dealership
to advertise. Much of Stockman’s daily efforts go toward maintaining
the dealership website, which Belanger designed. It remains successful
with 90,000 visits per month. The dealership posts 30 or more photos
per vehicle and video walk-arounds of each vehicle, which are also
posted on YouTube. Stockman estimated about 35 percent of her Web
traffic is organic, 15 percent is direct (meaning people typed the
site’s URL into the Web browser), 15 percent is pay-per-click, and 35
percent is referred from other sites such as AutoTrader.com, Cars.com,
Facebook, and radio websites. All vehicles are also posted on
Craigslist, which has led to 30 sales since January 2011. Gibson Truck
World has sold internationally to over 15 countries, including Sweden,
France, Italy, the Virgin Islands, Greece, New Zealand, and more.
Fifty units monthly are sent out-of-state and 20 of those are to
customers who have never set foot in the dealership, thanks to a
strong online presence. The website also has a chat feature, which
Stockman says works well for a widespread audience because “the
third-party company that we hire to do it chats until midnight.” The
dealership management gets a copy of every single chat, which usually
involves finance questions, or customers looking for a specific
vehicle. The dealership’s website has more than the typical
cookie-cutter dealer site. It does offer much of the same information
on things like inventory, financing, directions, etc., but it is also
meant to educate customers through a “Disaster Prevention” section.
This includes truck-buying tips as well as a “Rejected Trucks” page
showing pictures and explanations of vehicles that Belanger purchased
at auction that were later rejected due to failing the required
135-point inspection and sent back to the auction. This educational
portion of the website is part of what he calls “drawing the line
between right and wrong” to build trust with customers. It’s important
to sell them quality vehicles. “The last thing I need is someone
coming in on a busy Saturday and yelling ‘You never told me…’ in the
showroom.” As the website states under each listed vehicle, “An
educated consumer is our best customer.” The website also incorporates
a little personality in online vehicle descriptions. Vehicles are
sometimes named (beyond their make and model), and their “personality
traits” are identified. “My wife [named] one of our 50 monster trucks
Berta,” Belanger said. Vehicle descriptions are sometimes written as
if the vehicle is speaking to the customer. For example, the
description of a 2008 Ford F350 Lariat Crew Cab Dually Powerstroke
Diesel 4-by-4 read: “I am over $6,000 BELOW Blue Book value so you
won’t have to worry about money management problems with me, riding on
six brand new tires we can bolster each others’ egos with my power
moon roof and your razor-shap driving maneuvers, my dual power heated
leather seating will give you complete and utter comfort, together we
can have many adventures …” Of these unique descriptions, Stockman
said, “It helps us stand out a little bit and we really treat every
single truck as an individual … Considering we have over 50 monster
trucks, you can’t help but get a little creative sometimes.”To track
advertising success, every truck buyer fills out a sheet that explains
how they heard about the dealership. “Nine out of 10 have been on our
website,” Belanger said. He said honesty is the best policy when
creating advertising. “People are educated nowadays. You click on a
button and go to another dealer… you can see easily if one is $2,000
more expensive. It’s the easiest thing in the world … You cannot fool
people.” Stockman said that having upper management involved in the
advertising process is helpful. “Everyone is very involved in others’
positions.” She added, “We all have each other’s backs. It makes sense
to have everyone go over each others’ work.” Belanger, who works seven
days a week, approves every advertisement. In the end, he said
word-ofmouth advertising is the most productive, so much so that all
his employees always have “a ton of business cards in their pockets.”
Like the owner, they are “extremely proud” of the business." Written by Alexandra Barlow
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Gibson Truck World Buys Trucks!
We at Gibson Truck World will buy your truck even if you don't buy ours!! Call 407-321-0660 or fill out our form online!
Friday, August 19, 2011
Gibson Truck World Used Ford, Dodge, Chevrolet & GMC Trucks!
Gibson Truck World ranked #18 out of 37,717 Independent Dealers in the entire United States by Auto Dealer Monthly Magazine!
Check out our inventory online at
New arrivals daily. Ford, Chevrolet, Dodge, GMC trucks and Jeeps!
Also check out our ebay store!
3455 South Orlando Drive Sanford, FL 32773
The King Of Trucks!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Gibson Truck World ranked #18 out of 37,717 Independent Dealers in the entire United States!
Gibson Truck World ranked #18 out of 37,717 Independent Dealers in the entire United States!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Gibson Truck World and Larry the Cable Guy at Bandit Mud Racing on May 20, 2011!
Gibson Truck World and Larry the Cable Guy at Bandit Mud Racing
May 20, 2011!
On Friday May 20th, 2011 Gibson Truck World and Bandit Mud Racing hosted the History Channel's show Only In America with Larry the Cable Guy! Gibson's marketing team Angela Stockman and Devon Belanger were on site while Larry was filming.
Larry signed our Git-R-Done at Gibson Truck World shirts!
Larry asked us to say Git-R-Done for the camera!
Watch out Hollywood - here come the Git-R-Done Girls!
Larry announces the races above the gibsontruckworld.com banner!
Bandit Mud Racing sponsored by Gibson Truck World!
Devon and Angie next to the Mudup.com truck purchased at Gibson Truck World!
We had a great time at the event! Thanks Larry, Bandit Mud Racing and Gibson Truck World!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Gibson Truck World works very closely with Save Our Florida Pets!
A portion of the proceeds of every truck purchased at Gibson Truck World will go to the rescue and rehabilitation of dogs, cats and horses. Gibson Truck World works very closely with Save Our Florida Pets - a dog and cat rescue and Horses In Harmony - A Horse Rescue, Rehabilitation and Training Facility both located in Central Florida. When you purchase a Gibson Truck World Certified truck, we will make a donation to rescue lovable dogs and cats out of a local "quick kill shelter" and give them a second chance at life! With your new Gibson Truck you get peace of mind that you made the BEST truck buying decision for your family's safety and you saved a life in the process! Thank you! Here are a couple of our "kids" that need home ASAP!
Carla is super special and one of my favorites. She is 5-7 years old? She is already spayed. She is a gentle, loving, sweet girl. She is totally lost and devastated right now, we feel like she was in a loving home for a long time and cannot understand why she ended up scheduled to be euthanized on 4 November 2010. She is a couch potato companion. What she lacks in looks, she makes up for in a huge heart and kind, gentle, loving spirit. This girl is so desperate for her own person to adore. Carla needs an adult home where she is the only dog (or she will tolerate cats). She does not like loud noises, she is nervous of very young children and larger or high energy dogs. She jsut wants to snuggle with you, watch movies all day and be your personal protector. She is housebroken and does not chew! She is up to date on her vaccinations, heartworm, flea preventative and wormer. Her adoption fee is only $35 to a loving, permanent home. Please email us for adoption application to onefitbrit@aol.com! Autumn has blossomed, I took video of her playing with Tango yesterday. She has put on weight and has the body of a well-fed lab (!!), she now approaches me, sits down
This girl will rip your heart out - she has been through hell and back. She was pulled from a kill shelter where she had a litter of pups (although Autumn is just a pup herself).She was so unbelievably traumatized and terrified yet has never shown one ounce of aggression in her.She is just the most sweet and gentle little angel. She was skin and bones. She could not walk as she was so terrified. Under the loving care of our team (and the help of our other gentle and nurturing female rescues, Lisa and Megan), Autumn has blossomed by the day. Autumn is up to date on ALL vaccinations, she is heartworm negative, up to date on heartworm and flea preventative and wormer. She will be spayed asap. This gorgeous young girl is available for adoption to a wonderful family that will understand the horror she has been through and can nurture her, cherish her and love her for the rest of her years. She needs to be in a quiet and extremely loving home in order to have her trust and confidence restored. She will only respond to reward based training. Autumn's photo album. Email onefitbrit@aol.com for application.
Tango is just fabulous - a great family dog. Neutered, vaccinated, happy, house-broken, higher energy, extremely loving and just a great dog. VIDEO LINK
Tango is an 15 month old black mouth cur male. He was rescued from the kill shelter along with his family, Cash and Sammy, when all three were scheduled to be euthanized. His previous owner did not do these dogs justice (in fact, he did everything wrong - did not train, did not vaccinate, did not neuter and dumped them at a shelter to die - and they were almost euthanized). Tango has so much love to brighten your world, and would love some tlc in return. Tango was in a foster home for several months and his foster Mom says he did doing great. He appears to be housebroken and has not had a single accident in the house! He was very shy and insecure at first, but now happily plays/wrestles and even eats from the same food bowl as her 110lb Geman Shepherd! He is just a total sweetheart. Tango is neutered! Tango's adoption fee is $85 which covers just some of his medical expenses to date. Tango plays very well with the other rescue dogs at our facility. He is a higher energy dog that would do fabulous with an active family, or a family with an equally high energy dog that loves to play - or a dog trainer who enjoys working with this intelligent and active breed. Tango is very affectionate and thrives on attention. He is a medium sized dog and weighs approximately 50lbs.
Please email us for adoption application to onefitbrit@aol.com!
Thanks!
Angie & Devon
Save Our Florida Pets WEBSITE
List your rescue pet or search for other available pets on extendedpaws!
You can also follow us on Facebook!
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
A Message from Denis Burns, GM Gibson Truck World
Denis Burns here General Manager of Gibson Truck World with a little insider information for you. Did you know that we reject around 8-10 trucks each week? Once a potential Gibson Certified truck makes it to our lot, it is given a full 135 point inspection, diagnostic tests and frame damage check using a tram gauge. If the truck passes all the tests, it will be Certified with our 12 Month Bumper to Bumper Warranty, 12 Months Free Maintenance and 15 day return policy. But if it DOESN'T pass the tests, that truck get REJECTED and returned. Rejected trucks have big issues like being involved in a major accident, have frame damage or flood damage. Beware of other dealers that will turn around, buy the Gibson Rejected trucks and place them on their lot for sale NOT serviced! Right now another local dealer has TWO REJECTED Gibson trucks advertised as “absolutely flawless inside and out”. Can you imagine?? Listen, Check out our disaster prevention page at gibsontruckworld.com for more info and remember Gibson is the only REAL largest used truck super store, so don’t be fooled by a cheap imitation!
I also wanted to clue you in on a little secret, there are A LOT of questions you should ask before you buy your next used truck. Questions like, is there a catalytic converter, has the truck been scanned by the computer, has the transmission been tested? Answers to these can SAVE YOU THOUSANDS! We at Gibson Truck World answer all of these questions and more with the shop bills to prove it! Take a tour of Gibson’s 25 bay DISASTER PREVENTION CENTER and you’ll see the highest quality used trucks in the industry. Gibson Truck World is so confident in the fact that we have the lowest price – we will pay you $1,000 if you can find a better truck for less! Plus Gibson works closely with Save Our Florida Pets animal rescue. A portion of proceeds of every truck sold goes to the rescue and rehabilitation of these animals. Check out the King Of Trucks TODAY because when it comes to dollars and sense, a Gibson Certified truck is the winner hands down!
Do you know we sell THOUSANDS of trucks to satisfied customers each year? And of those thousands, over half are repeat and referral customers. Over half! That really says it all. People trust Gibson so much that they come back over and over again AND they bring their friends with them! Gibson believes an educated consumer is their best customer! What other dealer out there will encourage you to do your research BEFORE you buy? If you evaluate Gibson’s quality, service & integrity against other dealers you’ll see there is no comparison. We have the best truck at the lowest price, period.
Let me tell you a little bit about our incredible Disaster Prevention Center. Did you realize that we have 25 bays in our top-notch service department with 6 technicians, one alignment specialist, one tire specialist, one shop manager, one shop foreman, 3 parts & service writers, and one service advisor all making sure that YOU get the highest quality trucks at the lowest price available!! We will even PAY YOU $1000 if you find a better truck for less! If you evaluate Gibson’s quality, service & integrity against other dealers out there you’ll see there is no comparison. It's awesome to come here and see all of the 50 gallon drum containers overflowing with hundreds of worn out tie rods, ball joints, rotors, and thousands of brake pads that have been removed and replaced with new ones to ensure that the safety and security of your family is their top priority. Look guys, I can make this real easy for you, go to gibsontruckworld.com and check out the hundreds of trucks we have available, SAVE YOURSELF THOUSANDS of dollars and know that you made the BEST truck buying decision PERIOD!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Tips On Purchasing A Quality Pre-owned Truck
There are too many fly by night dealerships claiming they sell the best quality truck in the Nation. Don't be fooled by imitators, we are the "King Of Trucks" for a reason. Every Gibson Certified truck receives 135 point inspection and EVERYTHING gets repaired. We are dedicated to providing excellent customer service and guarantee the best price. If you are skeptical feel free and shop around then stop by and ask one of our friendly and knowledgeable Truck Specialist how you can receive your $1000.
Please do yourself a favor and watch this video before you look for your next truck. It just may save the lives of you and your family.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Top 10 Television Pickup Trucks, Part 2 - PickupTrucks.com News
What truks are in your top 10?
Top 10 Television Pickup Trucks, Part 2 - PickupTrucks.com News
Gibson Truck World has almost 300 trucks to choose from!
www.gibsontruckworld.com
Top 10 Television Pickup Trucks, Part 2 - PickupTrucks.com News
Gibson Truck World has almost 300 trucks to choose from!
www.gibsontruckworld.com
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