The Dealer Playbook

Updated: 06 Mar 2025 • 648 episodes
www.thedealerplaybook.com

The Dealer Playbook is the top-rated podcast for automotive professionals who want to dominate the retail industry.  Hosted by Michael Cirillo, this show delivers expert interviews, proven strategies, and actionable insights to help you sell more cars, lead stronger teams, and grow thriving dealerships.  Whether you work in sales, service, F&I, marketing, or management, you’ll gain the tools and confidence to excel in a rapidly evolving market. Join thousands of listeners every week who trust The Dealer Playbook as their go-to resource for career growth and dealership success. Subscribe now and unlock the secrets to staying ahead in the fast-paced world of retail automotive.

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In this special episode, I pay tribute to my friend and industry icon, Jim "The Alpha Dawg" Ziegler.  If you’ve been in the car business for more than five minutes, you probably know his name—or at the very least, you’ve heard his unmistakable voice calling it like it is. Jim was one of a kind, and his impact on the in

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In this episode, my guest is John Dwyer—a marketing enigma known for crafting “way-outside-the-box” customer attraction strategies. John is the brains behind campaigns that have turned entire industries on their heads. He’s the guy who got Jerry Seinfeld out of retirement for an ad campaign (seriously, who does that?!)

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In this episode, my guest is Bradley Gelber—the digital media and content marketing mastermind at West Herr Auto Group, the largest privately-owned dealer group in New York. Now, let me ask you something… Does your dealership’s online presence actually stand out? Or are you just another brand blending into the endless

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In this episode, my guest is Chance Mayfield, founder of Carfluent - we sit down to talk about how dealerships can better connect with Spanish-speaking buyers, create a seamless customer experience, and ultimately drive more sales. Here’s the deal… The Spanish-speaking car market in the U.S. is MASSIVE yet it remains o

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In this episode, my guest is Brian Kramer, EVP of Dealer Growth & Success at Cars Commerce. Brian has a unique perspective—he’s got eyes on thousands of dealerships, millions of VDPs, and the real numbers behind what’s working (and what’s not). We dive into some game-changing insights about how dealers can stop guessin

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Tariffs. Chaos. Panic. The sky is falling! Or… is it? If you’ve been anywhere near the news lately, you’ve seen the headlines. “Tariffs are coming! Businesses are doomed!” And yeah, for a hot minute, it looked like we were in for a wild ride. But then—mid-recording, literally while the cameras were rolling—everything c

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