It is no secret: we live in divided times. The headlines scream at us every day. Social media feeds are filled with arguments, hot takes, and tribal loyalty to one side or the other. People feel pressure to pick a side, plant a flag, and broadcast it to the world.

But here is the truth that business owners, sales professionals, and especially auto dealers cannot afford to forget: money is not red or blue. Money is green.

That is not just a catchy phrase. It is a business strategy.

Even Michael Jordan, a global icon who built one of the strongest personal brands in history, understood this. When asked why he did not take a public political stance, his reply was simple: “Republicans buy shoes too.” The point was not about politics. It was about protecting the brand. It was about recognizing that your audience is diverse when you are in business. If you want to win, you do not intentionally cut your customer base in half.

How Social Media Can Hurt Sales

In today’s digital-first world, your social media presence is part of your brand, whether you like it or not. That includes both your dealership and personal pages, because if a customer can connect you to your brand, your posts reflect back on the business.

Think of it this way:

• A customer shopping for a truck sees an excellent ad for your dealership.

• They click through, start looking at inventory, and then decide to check you out on Facebook.

• The first post they see is a political rant or a meme that clashes with their beliefs.

In an instant, they are no longer thinking about the truck. They are thinking about you, and not in a good way. Do you really want someone’s voting preference or day-to-day politics to be the reason they do not buy a vehicle from you?

Dealers have told us stories of salespeople who lost deals over a single Facebook post. It was not because the product was bad or the price was wrong. However, because the customer connected the salesperson’s online opinions with the dealership, they chose to spend their money elsewhere.

That is the hidden cost of mixing politics and business.

Your Brand Is Bigger Than Your Opinions

The best brands stand for values that unite, not divide. Reliability. Trust. Service. Value. Respect. These are the things that make people say, “I would buy from them again.”

When you allow polarizing subjects, politics, religion, or even heated social debates, to dominate your personal or professional feeds, you risk overshadowing the very qualities that make your dealership attractive. Customers do not come to you for political insight. They come to solve a problem: how to get into a vehicle that fits their needs and their budget.

Your job is to make that process simple, honest, and positive. Anything that distracts from that mission only makes your job harder.

The Case for a Social Media Posting Policy

This might also be the perfect moment to examine your internal practices. Does your employee handbook clearly state your social media posting policy?

If not, it is time to add one. A good policy should:

• Outline expectations for professional behavior online.

• Clarify what is acceptable and what is off-limits when posting about the dealership.

• Protect the brand from being tied to individual opinions.

• Help employees understand the impact their digital presence can have on sales.

A social media policy is not about limiting free speech. It is about setting boundaries that protect everyone: the dealership, the staff, and the customers. It focuses on selling cars and building relationships, not fueling arguments.

Business is already tough enough: inventory shortages, rising costs, and competition from big-box retailers. Dealers do not need another self-inflicted obstacle. Yet every time a salesperson or dealer decides to wade into politics publicly, they risk turning away half the market.

So remember this rule of thumb: if it divides, it does not belong in your brand. Keep your focus on what unites customers, the desire to find the right vehicle at the right price, from a dealership they can trust.

Because money does not ask who you voted for. Money does not care what party you belong to. Money does not choose sides.

Money is GREEN. Always remember that.

Big Time Principle #1: Reach

“Telling the Most People for the Least Amount of Money”

This week, we are launching a five-part series on the core marketing principles that guide everything we do at Big Time Advertising and Marketing. These are not buzzwords. They are proven truths that have helped dealers grow and thrive in real markets, with real challenges.

Here is the roadmap:

1. Reach – Telling the most people for the least amount of money.

2. Frequency – Why repetition is the key to recognition and sales.

3. Budget Set to Actual Sales – How to tie your spend directly to results.

4. Creative That Builds Brand and Urgency Equally – Crafting messages that stick and sell.

5. The Ultimate KPI: Cost Per Sold – The one number that truly matters.

We begin today with the first principle: REACH.

Why Reach Comes First

Here is the truth: if people do not know you exist, they cannot buy from you. Simple, but too often forgotten. At Big Time, we call it “Telling the most people for the least amount of money.”

Reach is not about vanity. It is about opportunity. The more people who know your name, the more sales conversations you will have. Less people means lost sales. More people means more sales. It really is that direct and straightforward.

The Trap of Over-Targeting

Modern advertising tools allow us to slice audiences into razor-thin segments. Used wisely, this can help. But when taken too far, it strangles growth. Dealers get caught chasing “perfect” customers while forgetting that most buyers do not come through lead forms at all.

The numbers tell the story: automotive's average online conversion rate is 3.7 percent. That means only about four of every one hundred web visitors ever submit a form or buy online. Even when you are performing well, such as ACC’s 7.51 percent conversion rate over the past one hundred eighty days, you are still missing the vast majority of people who interact with your brand.

And those people? They are often the ones picking up the phone and asking simple questions such as, “Do you have a 2021 Chevy Tahoe in stock?” or “What are your hours?” Those calls are real leads. But too often, they are rushed through, unlogged, or ignored because they do not look like “traditional” internet leads.

That is not a targeting problem. That is a fundamental sales process problem.

Growth Comes from Logging Everything

True growth comes from valuing every point of contact: the phone calls, the quick questions, the walk-ins, and the referrals from people who only know your name because they have seen your ads around town.

That is why broad reach is so important. The more people know who you are and what you do, the more seeds you plant. Referrals, recognition, and reputation are not from tight, narrow campaigns. They come from telling your story to as many people as possible and capturing every touchpoint when they engage.

And here is another truth: growth happens when you log everything, not just the leads you hope show up.

Growth or Retreat

There are only two types of businesses: those that are growing and thriving, and those that are retreating and shrinking. There is no middle ground. Standing still means you are falling behind while the market moves forward.

Which one is your dealership? The one expanding its reach, telling more people, and creating more opportunities? Or the one shrinking its audience, narrowing its focus, and quietly losing ground?

Always Tell More When You Can

Dealers who win understand this: reach builds familiarity, familiarity builds trust, and trust drives sales. Every impression is a chance to plant a seed, and while not every seed sprouts immediately, the more you plant, the bigger your harvest will be.

So the question is simple: Are you telling the most people you can, for the least amount of money?

Because that is where growth begins, and the rule of reach is as powerful as it is simple: always tell more when you can.

• Next week: Principle #2 – Frequency: Why repetition is the key to recognition and sales.

If you step back, these lessons connect to the same truth: growth comes from inclusion, not exclusion. The principle is the same whether it is avoiding politics on social media or widening your advertising reach. Do not shrink your audience,

expand it. Because money does not have sides, and sales do not come from silence.

Growth always belongs to the dealership that tells its story to the most people as often as possible, because money and momentum are always green.