by Terry MacCauley - Posted 9 hours ago
There is something about Christmas Eve that invites reflection. The pace slows just enough to take a breath. Showrooms are quieter. Phones ring a little less. Even the most driven dealers find a moment to look back before looking ahead.
And while the season brings lights, family gatherings, and a well-earned pause, it also brings a familiar thought that echoes through dealerships everywhere.
How do we make next year better?
For most dealers, the answer is simple and universal.
More leads in 2026.
Not just more activity. Not just more clicks. More real opportunities. More customers who show up ready to have a conversation. More people raise their hands and say they are interested.
If wishes alone made that happen, every dealership would start January with a packed showroom. But Christmas has a way of reminding us that the things worth having usually require intention, planning, and follow through.
There is a comforting belief in this business that January somehow resets everything. New year, new budget, new results.
In reality, January reveals what was already put in motion.
Dealers who experience a strong lead flow early in the year are rarely lucky. They are prepared. Their messaging is already clear. Their advertising systems are already aligned. Their brand already lives in the mind of the buyer before they ever click a button.
The dealers who struggle often do not struggle because they are doing nothing. They struggle because too many things are disconnected. Ads point one way. Websites point to another. Sales teams wait on leads that were never properly warmed up.
More leads do not come from wishing harder. They come from building a better path for the customer to follow.
When a dealer says they want more leads, what they usually mean is something deeper.
They want more people who understand their value before they arrive.
They want fewer price shoppers and more problem solvers.
They want customers who trust the dealership enough to engage, not just browse.
That kind of lead is not created solely at the bottom of the funnel. It is built over time through consistent exposure, straightforward storytelling, and a creative that actually feels human.
Buyers do not wake up one morning and decide to purchase a vehicle without influence. They are shaped by what they see, hear, and remember. The dealerships that win are the ones that understand this and market accordingly.
If dealers were honest about what they want heading into 2026, the wish list would look less like a line item budget and more like a strategy.
They want messaging that sounds like them, not like every other store in the market.
They want a creative that stops the scroll and makes someone feel something.
They want marketing channels working together instead of competing for credit.
They want consistency instead of constant resets.
Most of all, they want confidence that the money being spent is building something, not just buying short-term attention.
The irony is that many dealerships already have access to these things. What they lack is alignment. The ability to step back, look at the whole picture, and make decisions that serve the long game instead of chasing the next quick fix.
The holidays are not a time to panic about numbers. This is a time to reflect honestly.
🎁 What worked this year?
🎁 What did not?
🎁 Where was momentum built?
🎁 Where opportunities were missed?
The strongest dealers use this pause wisely. They clean up what is broken. They refine what is working. They enter the new year with clarity instead of chaos.
They understand that when everyone else waits for January to start thinking, starting now becomes a competitive advantage.
One of the most overlooked advantages in this business is having a partner who looks at marketing every single day, not just when results dip.
Dealers wear a lot of hats. Marketing often becomes reactive because it has to compete with inventory, staffing, lending, and operations. That is understandable.
The difference in 2026 will come down to who has a plan and who is still chasing one.
The dealers who stay ahead will be the ones who are willing to step back, ask better questions, and build systems that support growth instead of constantly putting out fires.
If there is one idea worth sitting with this Christmas, it is this.
Growth does not come from spending less or yelling louder. It comes from being clearer, more intentional, and more connected to how real customers actually make decisions.
More leads in 2026 will not come from a single campaign or platform. They will come from building trust before the click, relevance before the form, and consistency before the sale.
Enjoy the holiday. Enjoy the quiet. Enjoy the time with family and friends.
Then, when the decorations come down and the calendar turns, remember that the best gifts in this business are rarely wrapped.
They are built.
Merry Christmas from all of us at Big Time Advertising and Marketing.
- by Terry MacCauley, Founder & CEO
One of the biggest advantages dealers will have in 2026 is motion. Get Best Used Cars websites powered by DaraCoreAI bring your inventory to life with motion-based visuals that instantly grab attention in the consumer scroll. When your vehicles move, stand out, and feel dynamic, shoppers stop, look, and engage.
Paired directly with inventory feed ads, this creates a seamless experience from ad to website that feels modern, intentional, and built for how people actually browse today.
Just as important, everything loads fast. Really fast. Clean code, lightweight builds, and smart AI-driven structure mean no WordPress, no lag, no frustration, and no lost shoppers. Motion without speed is noise. Motion with speed is conversion.
As you think about the year ahead, it may be time to give your dealership the gift of a new website in 2026, one designed to turn attention into action. 🎁
