Episode 3 – Dustin Schuler, Director of Marketing at Bud Clary Auto Group

🎙️ Dustin Schuler, Director of Marketing at Bud Clary Auto Group

Podcast: The 100 Marketers Project

Hosts: Andrew Street (DealerOMG), Matthew Davis (TradePending)

In this episode, we sit down with Dustin Schuler, who climbed the ranks from dealership intern to Director of Marketing for Bud Clary Auto Group—now overseeing marketing across 14 franchise dealerships, government fleet centers, and retail stores. Dustin shares his journey, the strategies driving their success in used car acquisition, and how his team balances grassroots community branding with the ever-present demand for leads.

We dive into his approach to leveraging AI tools like Microsoft Power Automate, ChatGPT, and Google’s VO3 to streamline workflows, personalize campaigns, and cut production costs. Dustin also offers a behind-the-scenes look at building a marketing tech stack, managing a hybrid team, and keeping every profit center aligned.

If you want real-world insights on dealership growth, creative marketing, and staying ahead in a tech-driven auto market, this conversation delivers.

⏱️ Timestamps:

• 00:04 – Show intro & mission
• 00:09 – Hosts introduce the podcast & automotive marketing focus
• 00:15 – Host introductions
• 00:17 – Why this podcast exists
• 00:22 – Sharing insights for retail auto marketers
• 00:30 – Dustin’s career journey: intern → Marketing Director
• 00:34 – Managing multiple dealerships & staff
• 00:39 – Fleet, retail, and group responsibilities
• 00:45 – Using AI and leading a hybrid team
• 00:51 – Organizing profit centers & processes
• 01:16 – Guest introduction: Dustin Schuler
• 01:20 – Overview of Bud Clary Auto Group (14 franchises)
• 01:24 – Breakdown of fleet, retail, and service operations
• 02:29 – Leveraging video content & past resources
• 05:10 – Strategies in used car acquisition
• 07:40 – Grassroots community branding vs lead generation
• 10:05 – Building a marketing tech stack
• 13:15 – Microsoft Power Automate for workflow automation
• 15:45 – Using ChatGPT in dealership marketing
• 18:20 – Google’s VO3 for personalization & cost savings
• 21:05 – Managing and motivating a hybrid marketing team
• 23:30 – Keeping profit centers aligned across the group
• 26:55 – AI’s evolution in automotive marketing
• 27:47 – Challenges and skepticism around AI adoption
• 28:20 – Connecting with peers in marketing & AI
• 29:30 – Closing thoughts & takeaways

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