Table of contents
How we vet every listicle
Every agency featured on Web Tonic passes our 84-point editorial review before a single listicle goes live. This is how we vet each pick:
Verified client outcomes: We require real case studies with measurable KPIs — revenue, ROAS, CPA, retention — tied to the exact category being ranked. No cherry-picked wins, no unverifiable numbers.
Independent reputation: We cross-check Clutch, Google, G2, and Trustpilot ratings, and screen for review-bombing or suspicious patterns. Only operators with a consistent, verifiable track record make the cut.
Beyond that, every listing goes through a quarterly re-audit. We check 84 criteria across 6 pillars to make sure it still holds up — here are some of the checks we run:
A marketing automation agency builds and runs the machinery that sends the right message without anyone pressing send: it implements or migrates the platform, connects it to the CRM and the website, designs the lifecycle and nurture flows, sets the scoring and routing rules that decide which contact reaches sales, and then reports on pipeline or repeat revenue rather than on email opens.
Every firm below was read on its own site, not on a directory profile. Nine external agencies publish automation, lifecycle or CRM platform work alongside automotive retail work in their own words, and nine of them publish a headquarters address across two countries.
What does a marketing automation agency do for dealerships and dealer groups?
It implements the platform, wires it to the CRM and the site, builds the lifecycle and nurture flows, sets scoring and routing, and reports on pipeline or repeat revenue. Nine external agencies here publish automotive retail automation work.
1. Web Tonic
About: Web Tonic runs automation as one system with the tracking, the CRM data and the pages behind it, so the flows, the events they fire on and the revenue report sit with one team. The same team owns the measurement the sequences are judged against.
Key Services: Growth Marketing, Paid Social, PPC, Meta Ads, SEO, Google Ads, Snapchat Ads, Amazon Ads, Reddit Ads, TikTok Ads, TikTok Shop, GEO-AEO, Webflow Design, Shopify Design, WordPress Design, UGC, Social Media Management, Pay Per Click Management, Marketing Analytics, Analytics Implementation & CDPs, Performance Branding, Performance 360° Audit, Programmatic Ads, OOH Ads, HR Marketing
Industries Served: eCommerce, SaaS, B2B, Construction Professionals, Home Services, SMEs, Health Spa & Wellness, Retail, Legal & Judicial Services, Food & Beverages, Pets, Fitness, Family & Children, Finance & Insurance, Travel, Non-Profits & Organizations, Furniture & Decoration
Notable Clients: WorldRemit, Jack & Jones, Ardene, L’Oréal, Sendwave, Nestlé, Airbnb. Serve Fortune 500 companies and smaller fast-paced startups.
Locations: HQ in San Francisco with notable offices in New York, Chicago, Miami, Toronto, Montreal, Dubai, Singapore, Sydney and more. Offices on five continents.
Pricing: Starting at USD $3,000 per month. Flexible and scalable plans at any time according to your enterprise needs. Book a call to learn more.
Great For: Mid-market to enterprise-level businesses requiring ongoing, on-tap growth and performance marketing services.
Website: Web Tonic
2. Setsail Marketing
About: Setsail Marketing is a full-service digital marketing agency providing omnichannel campaigns, marketing automation, and lifecycle workflows tailored for automotive dealers, ecommerce brands, and service shops. They implement tracking and automated follow-up systems to drive test drives, service bookings, and customer retention.
Key Services: Email and SMS Automation, Marketing Automation, Funnel Analytics, Lifecycle and Nurture Flow Design, CRM Integration and Data Hygiene, Segmentation, Digital Marketing Strategy
Industries Served: Automotive Dealerships and Dealer Groups, Ecommerce, Real Estate, Healthcare, Software
Notable Clients: GVA Brands, GIO Electric, Rosso Motors
Locations: Vancouver
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Not publicly stated
Website: Setsail Marketing
3. Leadige
About: Leadige is a full-service digital marketing agency offering tailored solutions across SEO, PPC, B2B marketing, and design services. They work with a range of businesses, including automotive sectors such as car dealerships and luxury automotive brands.
Key Services: SEO, PPC, B2B Marketing, Email Marketing, Web Development, Digital Marketing
Industries Served: Automotive, Legal
Notable Clients: No client publicly named on the firm's own site
Locations: Nyack, NY
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Not publicly stated
Website: Leadige
4. Element Three
About: Element Three is a full-service marketing agency specializing in B2B2X brands, manufacturers, and OEMs that sell through dealers, distributors, and multi-location networks. They modernize go-to-market strategies by providing integrated solutions including marketing automation, lead scoring, and audience segmentation.
Key Services: Marketing Automation & Personalization, Lead Nurturing & Scoring, Email Marketing, Analytics and Reporting, B2B2X Audience Segmentation
Industries Served: Automotive and Dealer Networks, Commercial Vehicles, Powersports, RV, Marine, Heavy Equipment Manufacturing
Notable Clients: Airstream
Locations: Carmel, Indiana
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Not publicly stated
Website: Element Three
5. Mediaforce
About: Mediaforce is a digital marketing and web design agency offering automated marketing services for automotive dealerships and other industries, including service reminders, appointment scheduling, and post-sale messaging. Operating since 1996, the agency provides integrated CRM and marketing automation setups to help businesses manage leads and client relationships.
Key Services: AI Marketing Automation, Email Marketing, Digital Marketing, Google Ads Management, Web Design and Optimization, SEO
Industries Served: Automotive, Manufacturing, Medical, Construction, Legal, Technology, eCommerce
Notable Clients: No client publicly named on the firm's own site
Locations: Ottawa
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Not publicly stated
Website: Mediaforce
6. 215 Marketing
About: 215 Marketing is a full-service performance marketing agency based in Philadelphia that helps service-based companies, franchises, and multi-location operators turn websites and CRM into qualified leads. The agency provides specialized digital marketing, CRM setup, and HubSpot implementation services with reporting tied directly to pipeline performance and return on investment.
Key Services: CRM setup and integration, HubSpot implementation, migration and optimization, Email marketing, Marketing automation, Lead generation programs, Performance analytics and reporting
Industries Served: Local Service, Healthcare, Childcare, Higher Education, B2B, Country Clubs, Coworking, Home Remodeling, Financial Advisors, Auto Repair
Notable Clients: FranNet, HawkGrips
Locations: Philadelphia, PA
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Not publicly stated
Website: 215 Marketing
7. Click Track Marketing
About: Click Track Marketing is a San Diego-based AI marketing agency specializing in AI-first web design, local SEO, and lead generation automation for local businesses. They build marketing systems to help brands manage tracking, follow-ups, and attribution.
Key Services: AI marketing, SEO and local SEO, Google Maps optimization, Paid advertising (Google, Meta), AI website development and design, Marketing automation systems, Visitor identification, Revenue attribution and tracking
Industries Served: Local service businesses, Professional practices, High-value e-commerce brands
Notable Clients: NetworkAware, United Water Restoration Group
Locations: San Diego, CA
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Not publicly stated
Website: Click Track Marketing
8. Vye
About: Vye is a strategic growth partner and HubSpot Platinum Solutions Partner specializing in CRM integrations, data migrations, marketing automation, and lifecycle revenue systems. They build custom workflows, manage platform onboarding, and align sales and marketing stacks to drive measurable business outcomes.
Key Services: Marketing automation, platform implementation and migration, lifecycle and nurture flow design, lead scoring and routing, CRM integration and data hygiene, email automation, segmentation, reporting on pipeline or retained revenue
Industries Served: Manufacturing, Pharmaceuticals, Education, Energy, Automotive, Consumer goods, Agriculture, Food/beverage, Technology, Nonprofit
Notable Clients: Dealer Specialties
Locations: St. Cloud, Minnesota
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Not publicly stated
Website: Vye
9. Tocobaga
About: Tocobaga is a ROI-focused, full-service lead generation marketing agency and small-to-medium business advisory headquartered in Ybor City, Tampa, Florida. They provide digital marketing, paid ads, SEO, website design, and marketing automation programs for various industries under flat-fee pricing models.
Key Services: Lead Generation Marketing, Paid Ads and PPC Management, SEO and AI Search Optimization, Website Design and Development, Branding and Rebrands, Content Creation, Email Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Marketing Strategy, Marketing Automation and AI, Online Reputation Management
Industries Served: Private Equity Portfolio Marketing, Venture Capital Marketing, Flat-Fee Law Firm Marketing, B2B SaaS Marketing, E-commerce Marketing, Manufacturing Marketing, Trucking and Logistics Marketing, Consulting Firm Marketing, Management Consultancy Marketing, Lobbying and Public Affairs Marketing, Professional Services Marketing, Dental and DSO Marketing
Notable Clients: No client publicly named on the firm's own site
Locations: Tampa
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Not publicly stated
Website: Tocobaga
10. LeadsFlex
About: LeadsFlex is a specialized automation and CRM agency focused on implementing GoHighLevel solutions, workflow automations, and multi-channel follow-up systems. They build custom funnels, CRM pipelines, and automated communication platforms to streamline business operations.
Key Services: GoHighLevel CRM setup and migration, workflow automations, email and SMS marketing campaigns, sales funnels and landing page development, AI voice and chat agents, third-party integrations
Industries Served: Automotive Dealerships, Agencies, Local Businesses, Professional Services
Notable Clients: No client publicly named on the firm's own site
Locations: Middletown
Pricing: Quote-based
Great For: Not publicly stated
Website: LeadsFlex
Quick Comparison Table
| Agency | Key Specialty | Starting Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Web Tonic | Full-Service Performance Marketing | USD $3,000/mo | Mid-market to Enterprise |
| 2. Setsail Marketing | Email and SMS Automation | Quote-based | Not publicly stated |
| 3. Leadige | SEO | Quote-based | Not publicly stated |
| 4. Element Three | Marketing Automation & Personalization | Quote-based | Not publicly stated |
| 5. Mediaforce | AI Marketing Automation | Quote-based | Not publicly stated |
| 6. 215 Marketing | CRM setup and integration | Quote-based | Not publicly stated |
| 7. Click Track Marketing | AI marketing | Quote-based | Not publicly stated |
| 8. Vye | Marketing automation | Quote-based | Not publicly stated |
| 9. Tocobaga | Lead Generation Marketing | Quote-based | Not publicly stated |
| 10. LeadsFlex | GoHighLevel CRM setup and migration | Quote-based | Not publicly stated |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a dealership automate beyond the lead alert?
The follow-up nobody has time for. That means test-drive and unsold-showroom sequences, service reminders tied to mileage or the last visit, equity and lease-end offers, and a handover to the rep with the vehicle of interest attached. Ask a candidate how it connected the CRM to the DMS, how long its follow-up ran, and whether it reported appointments set rather than emails sent.
Who owns the data when the manufacturer also runs campaigns?
You do, and it has to be stated. Dealer groups sit between factory programmes, co-op rules and their own CRM, so a build needs clear suppression between manufacturer sends and store sends, brand-compliant templates, and one record of the customer. Ask how the agency handled co-op approval, which sends it suppressed, and where the customer record lives when a rep leaves.
What does marketing automation work usually cost?
Fees arrive in three shapes: a one-off implementation or migration project, a monthly retainer to run and extend the programme, and the platform licence itself, which is billed by the vendor and rises with contact volume. The line buyers forget is data work, because flows only behave if the CRM records are clean. On this page not one external firm here prints a fee figure. Ask what the retainer includes each month and who pays the licence.
Which of these agencies name a client I can verify?
Five of the nine. Setsail Marketing names GVA Brands and GIO Electric, and Element Three names Airstream. The rest credit nobody on the pages we read, which is common when a build happens inside a client's own platform under a confidentiality clause. Ask instead for two programmes launched this year, which platform each ran on, what the flows were measured against, and a call with the marketer who signed the invoice. An agency that cannot arrange that call may be describing work it only advised on.
Who should own the platform, the data and the workflows?
You should, all three. Keep the automation and CRM subscriptions in your own company name with the agency invited as a user, keep the field definitions and conversion tracking documented on your side, and ask for the flow diagrams and email templates as exports you hold. An agency that owns the workspace owns every sequence your revenue now depends on.
Choosing a Marketing Automation Partner for Automotive Dealer Groups
All nine external agencies here publish automation, lifecycle or CRM platform work alongside automotive retail work on their own sites, which is a lower bar than a live programme in your category. Treat this as a shortlist to interrogate rather than a ranking.
Five credit a client you can check, and not one external firm here prints a fee figure. Compare what each firm actually owns: the platform build, the CRM integration, the flow copy and design, the scoring rules, and the reporting that ties a send to revenue.
Ask which flows went live last quarter, what triggered them, and what they were measured against. A firm answering with platforms, triggers, dates and the revenue line it reported is describing its own build instead of a case study it read.
Whoever wins the brief, keep the platform, the CRM, the field definitions and the exported workflows in your own name, because a programme you cannot audit is a supplier you cannot leave. If you would rather have marketing automation, the email programme and the data behind them run by one accountable team, read our latest analysis.
