Sokal vs Team Velocity

What to check before you choose

Both statements are the companies' own. What differs is the shape of the offer.

Team Velocity sells a platform with retailing built in, while Sokal describes an agency that uses its own analytics platform, so one may suit a group that wants one login and the other a store that wants hands-on creative work. Ask each for sites in your brand, who owns the domain and ad accounts, how reports tie spend to vehicles sold and what the contract term and exit terms are.

A fair test is to ask both to build the same month: the same budget, the same inventory and one campaign, then compare the plan, the creative and the report you would receive. Choose on evidence of results, not on the number of awards.

Check how each handles manufacturer programs. Both firms list many brands, so ask which co-op programs your manufacturer has approved them for, whether the approval covers websites, advertising or both, and how a campaign is reviewed for compliance before it runs.

Ask who at the agency will manage your account, how long that person has done it and how often you will meet. Turnover on the account is a common reason agencies disappoint.

Look at how each reports to the dealer. Ask both firms for the report a general manager receives each month, and check whether it shows vehicles sold, appointments and leads by source, or only impressions and clicks.

Ask who explains the report and how often you meet. Ask what happens when numbers fall: who diagnoses it, how quickly and what is changed.

A report that cannot lead to a decision is decoration.

Ask also about creative. Sokal describes in-house creative and branding, and Team Velocity describes automated advertising built from inventory.

Decide how much custom creative your store wants and how much automation. Ask each firm to show three ads for your brand and tell you who approved them.

Ask how quickly a new incentive appears in an ad.

Inside the shared categories, Sokal fields 2 named lines against it (Sokal CDP, Sokal Email Marketing); Team Velocity fields 3 named lines against it (Apollo, Digital Advertising, Automated Marketing).