Issue link: http://www.insightdigital.biz/i/140775
credits his family with spawning his business acumen. "My mom was very fiscally taught, and my dad was very entrepreneurial," he says. "I was exposed at that level, but otherwise, it was really trial and error." He used credit cards, savings and a small line of credit from U.S. Bank to fund his venture. "When we started out, it was not as competitive," Hoopman says. "And not everyone had a website." Now the field of providers has tripled, so it's a lot more competitive. Creating proprietary software has ultimately helped DealerFire succeed. "I think we're right on track; we're happy on all three sides – product, service and revenue," Hoopman says. While there are many platforms that allow dealers to build websites on the fly, Hoopman says they build from the ground up. He adds that DealerFire is one of the first original equipment manufacturers on Toyota's short list of preferred vendors, based on results from their represented dealers. "We are one of the few legitimate custom providers," Hoopman says. "A lot of our business focuses on helping the dealer as an entity." To that end, a team of writers, content developers, compliancy experts and account managers work behind the scenes – creating solid, effective content, ensuring manufacturer compliance, and providing dealers with analytics and other valuable marketing feedback. "There's a very sophisticated system of feeds," Hoopman says, which includes things like dealer inventory updates, often in real time. In addition, DealerFire is now gearing up its app development team. "Now the potential is in mobile," says Hoopman. When the automotive industry stumbled around 2007 and 2008, "everyone was forced to do more with The LOOKOUT Always keeping watch to save his business energy and money. On the web www.dealerfire.com less," Hoopman says. But ultimately, that downturn worked in DealerFire's favor. "There was a shift in digital advertising budgets," he says, with more dealers using some of their budgets for social media marketing and content development. "That money started to come to businesses like ours." With society "100 percent all in" digitally, as Hoopman believes, DealerFire remains progressive in its pitches to potential clients. And that's his advice for both automotive dealers as well as for others, like him, looking to launch their own business. "You've got to be ready to adjust your course, especially in technology. If you approach technology with, 'This is how we've done it in the past,' I think you get squashed." Every penny counts when it comes to operating costs. So, it pays to be on the lookout for Rebates and Programs from Focus on Energy and Wisconsin Public Service. They can improve your business's energy efficiency — and bottom line. Learn more at wisconsinpublicservice.com. It's Worth The Energy®! Connect with us on Twitter: @WPSforBiz w w w. i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m J u l y 2 013 • Insight | 41