Complete Marketing Autonomy In Just 3 Months With Dick Hannah Dealerships

    Dick Hannah Dealerships, a large multi-location automotive group in the Pacific Northwest, partnered with 1406 Consulting to modernize their marketing operations and unify customer data across multiple locations. Through a comprehensive HubSpot implementation combined with Treasure Data CDP integration, the dealership group eliminated data silos, resolved critical email deliverability issues, and built an automated, multi-channel marketing engine.

    The Challenge

    Business Context

    Dick Hannah Dealerships was operating with fragmented marketing systems and outdated processes. Marketing teams toggled between multiple platforms to update customer records, email campaigns were landing in spam folders, and there was no unified view of customer data across the organization.

    FIVE KEY PAIN POINTS

    01. Fragmented Marketing Systems and Data Silos
    Disconnected tools included a CDP, external non-HubSpot forms, and siloed email marketing that created data gaps and prevented unified campaign execution or reporting.

    02. High Email Bounce Rates, Poor Sender Reputation, Deliverability Issues
    Inconsistent, image-heavy email templates and invalidated contact data led to email deliverability issues, including high spam reports, bounce rates of 94% in Gmail, and reputation damage.

    03. Inefficient, Manual Campaign Processes
    Marketing operations lacked structure with inconsistent naming, lack of asset organization, and no campaign calendar — slowing launch timelines and team velocity.

    04. Lack of Integration Between Consumer Data Platform, HubSpot, & Direct Mail
    Treasure Data CDP and PostGrid weren't fully integrated with HubSpot, leading to broken syncs, attribution blind spots, and missed cross-channel opportunities.

    05. Limited In-House HubSpot Expertise
    Teams lacked role-specific training, documentation, and confidence — limiting their ability to manage workflows, segmentation, and reporting post-implementation.

    Client Perspective

    "We had to toggle between three platforms just to update a customer record. Our email campaigns were getting lost in spam, and we couldn't track ROI across channels." — Sean McKannay, CIO & Digital Marketing Director, Dick Hannah Dealerships


    Project Objectives

    Primary Goals

    • Resolve email deliverability issues and restore sender reputation
    • Launch targeted, automated drip campaigns using first-party data
    • Integrate HubSpot with dealership CDP for daily, automated data sync
    • Enable multi-channel marketing (email, direct mail, SMS) from a unified platform

    Secondary Goals

    • Improve reporting accuracy and campaign attribution
    • Streamline campaign creation and approval workflows
    • Enhance user adoption and internal marketing team capabilities

    Our Approach: Five Core Solutions

    1. Complete Portal Audit
    We audited 40+ assets in HubSpot — including emails, workflows, and lists — to identify deliverability issues and clean outdated or invalid data. We flagged thousands of undeliverable bounced contacts, mapped all workflows and integrations, and restored CRM integrity. This created a clean foundation for segmentation, automation, and reporting.

    2. Custom Configuration
    We created HubSpot properties aligned to Consumer Data Platform field mapping, built 5 modular drag-and-drop email templates with 13 brand variants, and set up campaign workflows. This enabled scalable, brand-consistent launches and more effective segmentation.

    3. System Integration
    We integrated HubSpot with the CDP, Kickbox (email validation), PostGrid (direct mail), and ad platforms — centralizing data and powering more accurate, multi-channel attribution.

    4. Process Improvements
    We consolidated 50+ email templates into 5 modular formats, automated list suppression logic, and streamlined the approvals workflow from 3 steps to just 1. We also launched shared dashboards to remove internal process bottlenecks, increase campaign velocity, and give teams clearer performance visibility.

    5. Training & Support
    We led tailored training sessions, delivered role-specific documentation, and scoped next-phase priorities — empowering internal teams to confidently manage HubSpot and scale marketing efforts with less dependency on external support.

    The Results

    1406 Consulting delivered a customized, deeply integrated CRM solution — one built for the complexities of a dealership group with multiple rooftops and data sources. By combining technical expertise with real-world campaign execution, 1406 empowered the internal marketing team to scale, measure, and own their digital transformation.

    Efficiency Gains

    • Campaign launch time cut from weeks to days
    • 17,000+ bad contacts removed, restoring sender reputation
    • Manual list cleanup & approval delays eliminated

    Performance Impact

    • 37.5% more emails delivered (from 72% to 99.37%)
    • 160% increase in open rates
    • 97.9% decrease in email bounces
    • 7.8% click-through rate on automated campaigns

    Strategic Alignment

    • Single source of truth for all departments
    • Campaigns are more targeted, measurable, and effective
    • The dealership group is positioned as a digital leader in automotive retail

    Key Metrics Summary

    • Email Bounce Rate: From 94% to under 20%
    • Invalid Contacts Suppressed: 17,000+
    • New Contacts Validated & Onboarded: 14,000+
    • Automated Campaigns Built: 26+
    • Direct Mail Integration: Now fully automated
    • Daily Data Sync (CDP to HubSpot): Established
    • Approval Workflow Steps: Reduced from 3+ to 1

    DHD Testimonial

     

    Why This Matters

    The unified HubSpot + Consumer Data Platform solution enabled Dick Hannah Dealerships to centralize marketing efforts and boost operational performance.

    By transforming from siloed systems to an integrated, automated platform, the dealership group now operates with a single source of truth, faster campaign deployment, and measurable results across all channels.

     

    Ready to Transform Your Marketing Operations?

    Dick Hannah Dealerships went from fragmented systems and failing email deliverability to a unified, scalable marketing engine in just 12 weeks. Your organization can achieve similar results.

    Contact 1406 Consulting today to learn how we can help you unify your customer data, restore sender reputation, automate campaigns, and build a scalable foundation for future growth.
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    As the largest family-owned auto group in the area, we feel a responsibility to ensure that you receive the quality experience you expect and deserve from a car dealership. From sales and service to body repair and insurance, you’ll find everything you need right in one place.

    With thousands of cars, fourteen new-car brands and dozens of used car brands, Dick Hannah is one nice place to buy a car.

    Included with every new vehicle we sell is a Lifetime Limited Warranty. Used cars come with our Peace of Mind Pre-owned Promise and a 5-day Exchange Policy.

    You may find a similar car elsewhere, but it won't come with the nice experience you'll find only at Dick Hannah. Believe in nice.

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