How to Track Consumer Behavior and Leverage What You Learn

If your dealership is able to take advantage of the right tools, you can easily tell which consumers are in the car-buying market and what vehicles they’re searching for. This knowledge, however, means your employees’ approach is key in making sure they attract potential customers instead of scaring them off.

Why Your Approach Could Turn Consumers Off

Many consumers don’t know why, but they do know that every time they reach out, their phone blows up with sales calls or they start receiving emails containing information about exactly the products they’ve been looking for—even though they haven’t communicated that information directly to you. Since your dealership may be able to gain insight into the consumer journey without individual shoppers handing the specifics to you, it’s important to approach the situation correctly and delicately in order to bring potential customers to your dealership instead of sending them running in the opposite direction. In order to approach your target consumers in a strategic manner, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Check for social network connections. If someone at your dealership or a friend of a friend knows the consumer you’re targeting, make that connection. Get in contact with your connection and use that contact to reach out to your consumer target, referencing your mutual connection.

Check for previous business. If your consumer target has visited the dealership for service, send a message with a deal for the service previously received along with a subtle image of sales or deals on several vehicles—one of which includes the vehicle he or she is interested in. If the consumer target previously bought a car through your dealership, simply check in and offer up potential monthly payment price differences that would make a different vehicle a possibility.

Send a generic email. Don’t be pushy or too straightforward, but instead, if there are no social connections or previous business deals between your dealership and the target consumer, try a generic email for an event or current deals that may reference and include vehicles of interest to the consumer. By creating a generic email or list of vehicles, it’s not obvious you know exactly what consumers have been searching, and they won’t be overly cautious about how you acquired the information when they didn’t provide it to you.

Avoid over-calling. Generally, the last thing modern consumers want to deal with is a call from someone trying to sell them something. They’d rather offer up an excuse and cut ties afterwards, which is bad for your dealership. Finding other creative, noninvasive ways to get in touch and plant the seed is a much more profitable path for dealerships to pursue if they are looking to gain a customer or bring back a previous customer in today’s market.

When you’re executing a creative approach to obtaining consumer information that hasn’t been specifically handed over to you, it’s much easier to get a positive and interested response when you avoid coming on too strong. You’ll end up scaring off consumers when they have no clue how you obtained, for example, the exact make, model, and year of the vehicles they’re looking to purchase.

The image used in this post was provided by freedigitalphotos.net.

How to Track Consumer Behavior and Leverage What You Learn

If your dealership is able to take advantage of the right tools, you can easily tell which consumers are in the car-buying market and what vehicles they’re searching for. This knowledge, however, means your employees’ approach is key in making sure they attract potential customers instead of scaring them off.

Why Your Approach Could Turn Consumers Off

Many consumers don’t know why, but they do know that every time they reach out, their phone blows up with sales calls or they start receiving emails containing information about exactly the products they’ve been looking for—even though they haven’t communicated that information directly to you. Since your dealership may be able to gain insight into the consumer journey without individual shoppers handing the specifics to you, it’s important to approach the situation correctly and delicately in order to bring potential customers to your dealership instead of sending them running in the opposite direction. In order to approach your target consumers in a strategic manner, here are some tips to keep in mind:

Check for social network connections. If someone at your dealership or a friend of a friend knows the consumer you’re targeting, make that connection. Get in contact with your connection and use that contact to reach out to your consumer target, referencing your mutual connection.

Check for previous business. If your consumer target has visited the dealership for service, send a message with a deal for the service previously received along with a subtle image of sales or deals on several vehicles—one of which includes the vehicle he or she is interested in. If the consumer target previously bought a car through your dealership, simply check in and offer up potential monthly payment price differences that would make a different vehicle a possibility.

Send a generic email. Don’t be pushy or too straightforward, but instead, if there are no social connections or previous business deals between your dealership and the target consumer, try a generic email for an event or current deals that may reference and include vehicles of interest to the consumer. By creating a generic email or list of vehicles, it’s not obvious you know exactly what consumers have been searching, and they won’t be overly cautious about how you acquired the information when they didn’t provide it to you.

Avoid over-calling. Generally, the last thing modern consumers want to deal with is a call from someone trying to sell them something. They’d rather offer up an excuse and cut ties afterwards, which is bad for your dealership. Finding other creative, noninvasive ways to get in touch and plant the seed is a much more profitable path for dealerships to pursue if they are looking to gain a customer or bring back a previous customer in today’s market.

When you’re executing a creative approach to obtaining consumer information that hasn’t been specifically handed over to you, it’s much easier to get a positive and interested response when you avoid coming on too strong. You’ll end up scaring off consumers when they have no clue how you obtained, for example, the exact make, model, and year of the vehicles they’re looking to purchase.

The image used in this post was provided by freedigitalphotos.net.

News for the Week of November 16

Pinterest Visual Search Launched

Pinterest lovers, rejoice!  The new visual search has launched, which means users can now search for items that appear in pins simply by tapping the built-in search tool and zooming in on objects of interest.  From that point, Pinterest will show pins just like the objects that have been selected, including the product name and where it can be purchased.  Available on mobile and web, Pinterest is expecting users to have a blast with this latest tool as they shop their way around their favorite social site.  Dealerships, continue to establish your presence on Pinterest as a way of broadening your audience and reaching new and unique consumers.  With 100 million monthly users, this popular social networking site will help you gain traction when you post quality content that links directly back to your own site.

Facebook Local Marketing Tools

Facebook has announced the launch of two new tools for local marketers, making it easier for businesses with more than one location to create individual ads for each store.  These tools offer insights regarding consumer groups near their stores, enabling them to more effectively connect.  The newest tools come in an effort to make ads more locally relevant for individual locations.  Businesses using Locations for Pages can now use information from each page to add a variety of ad copy, links, and call-to-action buttons in order to localize ads for each store.  Additionally, Page Insights offers a new tab containing information about people near a particular store, allowing businesses to better understand individual consumer needs.  Advertisers will also be able to see the percentage of people who have seen their ads, giving them insights as to advertising effectiveness.  Dealerships, keep an eye on Facebook’s latest marketing tools and stay on top of the best ways to connect with the communities surrounding your individual locations.  If you have multiple rooftops, these new tools could be exactly what you’re looking for when it comes to personalizing your messages to reach individual areas with unique ad messages.

Instagram Partners Program

Advertisers of all sizes are welcoming the Instagram Partners program, a way for advertisers to find the technology partners they need in order to see the best results.  Their partners offer specialties designed to complement Instagram’s marketing tools and simplify business challenges.  This program kicks off with a group of 40 global partners and focuses on the three key areas of expertise: ad tech, community management, and content marketing.  As the program continues to grow, Instagram looks forward to expanding to even more specialties.  For dealerships active in online social circles, stay focused on Instagram for a fun way to connect with your audience.  Consider trying something new like showing off specific vehicle features via Instagram to garner interest in specific vehicles on your lot.

New Features for Periscope

Periscope introduced brand-new features for iOS and Android, an updated Global Map and Skip Ahead on replays.  The original Global Map showed live broadcasts with no replays and was limited to 250 broadcasts; now, the updated version of Global Map allows users to zoom, reload broadcasts from a particular region, and it includes replays from the last 24 hours.  It also displays red dots to indicate live broadcasts and blue dots to indicate replays for an easily-read overview of what has recently happened.   The Skip Ahead function allows users to skip to a portion of a replay they most want to view, rather than rewatching an entire video.  Users can also choose to seek through an entire video to quickly get an overview of the content simply by pressing down in replay and dragging left and right to change the seek speed.  Dealerships using Periscope for a more interactive user experience will continue to enjoy the app’s features and updates.  Reach a broader audience by changing up your content.  Consider providing vehicle-specific information to consumers who are in-market or providing live feeds directly from your service department with tips for the winter months.

Facebook Notify App

Facebook continues to deliver, and its newest tool is the Notify app.  Providing timely notifications about things users are interested in, Notify gets information from user sources and delivers relevant updates.  Notify has a broad list of stations users can select to indicate their interests, and stations can be updated by users at any time.  Once stations are selected, notifications will publish through the stations based on user Facebook profiles, and users can check updates right on their lock screens.  If interested, they can then choose full articles simply by swiping or tapping.  Notifications can be shared via text, email, Facebook, and other social networks—directly from user lock screens.  Currently available for iPhone, Facebook is looking at opportunities to expand the Notify app.  Dealerships, continue to use Facebook and other social media networks to interact and socially listen to your consumers.  The Notify app offers a great opportunity to follow trending stories and find quality content to view and share with your local audience.

Tip of the Week—Social Listening Is a Big Deal

You already know the importance of being active and showing a strong presence on social media, and you’re probably working pretty hard to churn out quality content on a regular basis.  But it’s also important to take time to ensure you’re truly interacting with your audience.  It’s a lot like a complicated juggling act.  At the same time you’re providing great content that educates, informs, and keeps a diverse audience interested in your brand, it’s essential you keep your eyes and ears open.  Be aware of what consumers are saying about you, about other brands, about products in the marketplace in general.  Only by getting a good read on your audience will you be able to connect with them and create the meaningful relationships that are necessary to build your brand.  Check out the things online listening can do for your dealership and your brand:

• You’ll get ahead of consumer complaints.  Before an issue even has a chance to go viral, you’ll be there, ready to interact with consumers who may have experienced problems—and you can offer solutions that will both benefit them and show potential future customers that your business is trustworthy.
• You’ll gain insights about your own brand.  By listening to what people have to say about your dealership online, you’ll get a good idea of what’s working and what could use some tweaking.  Your presence and interaction show consumers you truly care about what’s being said, and that lends credibility to your cause.
• You’ll make new friends.  By interacting and listening to what’s going on with your consumers, you’ll get pulled into their online social circles, and you’ll soon find your dealership’s list of acquaintances growing as well.
• You’ll boost your authenticity.  By being online and listening, interacting, and chatting with consumers, you’ll quickly humanize your brand.  Consumers will start to see the people behind the business, which makes it much easier to create relationships.
• You’ll be first on the scene.  When shoppers have questions about vehicles or services, you’ll have a better opportunity to answer their questions in real-time, giving you a leg up on the competition.  Social listening will keep you in the right place at the right time.

Several reasons to focus on your online listening skills exist–all of them focused directly on enhancing the credibility and trustworthiness of your dealership.  It may seem like a daunting task because the social media space is crowded, but once you carve out your space, you’ll find your consumers want to interact with you and appreciate the fact that you’re willing and eager to listen to their opinions.  It won’t take long to build an active community of online contributors who are a valued asset to your dealership’s brand.

The image used in this post was provided by freedigitalphotos.net.

News for the Week of November 16

Pinterest Visual Search Launched

Pinterest lovers, rejoice!  The new visual search has launched, which means users can now search for items that appear in pins simply by tapping the built-in search tool and zooming in on objects of interest.  From that point, Pinterest will show pins just like the objects that have been selected, including the product name and where it can be purchased.  Available on mobile and web, Pinterest is expecting users to have a blast with this latest tool as they shop their way around their favorite social site.  Dealerships, continue to establish your presence on Pinterest as a way of broadening your audience and reaching new and unique consumers.  With 100 million monthly users, this popular social networking site will help you gain traction when you post quality content that links directly back to your own site.

Facebook Local Marketing Tools

Facebook has announced the launch of two new tools for local marketers, making it easier for businesses with more than one location to create individual ads for each store.  These tools offer insights regarding consumer groups near their stores, enabling them to more effectively connect.  The newest tools come in an effort to make ads more locally relevant for individual locations.  Businesses using Locations for Pages can now use information from each page to add a variety of ad copy, links, and call-to-action buttons in order to localize ads for each store.  Additionally, Page Insights offers a new tab containing information about people near a particular store, allowing businesses to better understand individual consumer needs.  Advertisers will also be able to see the percentage of people who have seen their ads, giving them insights as to advertising effectiveness.  Dealerships, keep an eye on Facebook’s latest marketing tools and stay on top of the best ways to connect with the communities surrounding your individual locations.  If you have multiple rooftops, these new tools could be exactly what you’re looking for when it comes to personalizing your messages to reach individual areas with unique ad messages.

Instagram Partners Program

Advertisers of all sizes are welcoming the Instagram Partners program, a way for advertisers to find the technology partners they need in order to see the best results.  Their partners offer specialties designed to complement Instagram’s marketing tools and simplify business challenges.  This program kicks off with a group of 40 global partners and focuses on the three key areas of expertise: ad tech, community management, and content marketing.  As the program continues to grow, Instagram looks forward to expanding to even more specialties.  For dealerships active in online social circles, stay focused on Instagram for a fun way to connect with your audience.  Consider trying something new like showing off specific vehicle features via Instagram to garner interest in specific vehicles on your lot.

New Features for Periscope

Periscope introduced brand-new features for iOS and Android, an updated Global Map and Skip Ahead on replays.  The original Global Map showed live broadcasts with no replays and was limited to 250 broadcasts; now, the updated version of Global Map allows users to zoom, reload broadcasts from a particular region, and it includes replays from the last 24 hours.  It also displays red dots to indicate live broadcasts and blue dots to indicate replays for an easily-read overview of what has recently happened.   The Skip Ahead function allows users to skip to a portion of a replay they most want to view, rather than rewatching an entire video.  Users can also choose to seek through an entire video to quickly get an overview of the content simply by pressing down in replay and dragging left and right to change the seek speed.  Dealerships using Periscope for a more interactive user experience will continue to enjoy the app’s features and updates.  Reach a broader audience by changing up your content.  Consider providing vehicle-specific information to consumers who are in-market or providing live feeds directly from your service department with tips for the winter months.

Facebook Notify App

Facebook continues to deliver, and its newest tool is the Notify app.  Providing timely notifications about things users are interested in, Notify gets information from user sources and delivers relevant updates.  Notify has a broad list of stations users can select to indicate their interests, and stations can be updated by users at any time.  Once stations are selected, notifications will publish through the stations based on user Facebook profiles, and users can check updates right on their lock screens.  If interested, they can then choose full articles simply by swiping or tapping.  Notifications can be shared via text, email, Facebook, and other social networks—directly from user lock screens.  Currently available for iPhone, Facebook is looking at opportunities to expand the Notify app.  Dealerships, continue to use Facebook and other social media networks to interact and socially listen to your consumers.  The Notify app offers a great opportunity to follow trending stories and find quality content to view and share with your local audience.

Tip of the Week—Social Listening Is a Big Deal

You already know the importance of being active and showing a strong presence on social media, and you’re probably working pretty hard to churn out quality content on a regular basis.  But it’s also important to take time to ensure you’re truly interacting with your audience.  It’s a lot like a complicated juggling act.  At the same time you’re providing great content that educates, informs, and keeps a diverse audience interested in your brand, it’s essential you keep your eyes and ears open.  Be aware of what consumers are saying about you, about other brands, about products in the marketplace in general.  Only by getting a good read on your audience will you be able to connect with them and create the meaningful relationships that are necessary to build your brand.  Check out the things online listening can do for your dealership and your brand:

• You’ll get ahead of consumer complaints.  Before an issue even has a chance to go viral, you’ll be there, ready to interact with consumers who may have experienced problems—and you can offer solutions that will both benefit them and show potential future customers that your business is trustworthy.
• You’ll gain insights about your own brand.  By listening to what people have to say about your dealership online, you’ll get a good idea of what’s working and what could use some tweaking.  Your presence and interaction show consumers you truly care about what’s being said, and that lends credibility to your cause.
• You’ll make new friends.  By interacting and listening to what’s going on with your consumers, you’ll get pulled into their online social circles, and you’ll soon find your dealership’s list of acquaintances growing as well.
• You’ll boost your authenticity.  By being online and listening, interacting, and chatting with consumers, you’ll quickly humanize your brand.  Consumers will start to see the people behind the business, which makes it much easier to create relationships.
• You’ll be first on the scene.  When shoppers have questions about vehicles or services, you’ll have a better opportunity to answer their questions in real-time, giving you a leg up on the competition.  Social listening will keep you in the right place at the right time.

Several reasons to focus on your online listening skills exist–all of them focused directly on enhancing the credibility and trustworthiness of your dealership.  It may seem like a daunting task because the social media space is crowded, but once you carve out your space, you’ll find your consumers want to interact with you and appreciate the fact that you’re willing and eager to listen to their opinions.  It won’t take long to build an active community of online contributors who are a valued asset to your dealership’s brand.

The image used in this post was provided by freedigitalphotos.net.

Knowledge is Power​

Today’s consumers are more educated than ever, and that plays an enormous role in how they interact with your dealership and what they expect when they set foot onto your showroom floor. It’s important your dealers are prepared to interact with a generation that has access to endless information online and prefers utilizing it by researching their options before coming to visit you.

Working with Knowledgeable Consumers to Provide the Customer Experience They Want

In 2015, the consumers really are who’s setting the pace for dealerships, and businesses in general. First, it’s important that your dealership understands how consumers are educating themselves:

• 91% of consumers are using a personal computer or laptop, and 80% of consumers use their mobile devices to search the internet.
• 42% of consumers use their mobile device to do automotive research.
• 97% of consumers use the internet for vehicle research.
• 95% of the millennial generation uses the internet to shop for cars.
• 70% of millennials end up purchasing the same make/model they had in mind—from research done beforehand—when they first visited the dealership.
• 70% of a buyer’s journey is complete before they even reach out to you.
• 63% of shoppers use their mobile devices for research while shopping on an auto lot.

Next, your dealership’s way of handling the educated consumer is key in how a consumer will react to you and if a consumer will become your customer. AutoTrader.com’s Vice President of Research and Market Intelligence, Isabelle Helms, says, “Since the majority of millennials are decided on which vehicle they want to purchase by the time they get to the dealership, the opportunity for dealers and OEMs to influence their purchase decisions is online—where millennials spend the majority of their shopping time.” Therefore, focusing on reaching out to your consumers while they’re in the research stage and before they head into your dealership is just as important as how you address educated consumers once they’re on the showroom floor.

Work Smarter Not Harder

Several tactics that appeal to the modern, educated consumer can benefit your dealership and ensure you’re able to influence them and provide them with helpful information before they hit your showroom floor:

Use intelligent advertising. Because the majority of your consumers are already online providing data, your dealership has the ability to send personalized messages and target specific personas better than ever. Learn the ins and outs of intelligent advertising, and be ready to implement it within your dealership.

Provide a constant stream of useful content. Today’s consumers want knowledge available at their fingertips and value reliability. By providing content that’s useful to your specific audience and consistently posting according to a schedule your audience can rely on, your dealership will gain attention, trust, and customers.

Avoid advertising throughout the majority of your content. When consumers sense a sales pitch in your content, it will generally cause them to stop reading and stop clicking altogether. Make sure the information you’re providing via your content on social media and online platforms is focused primarily around providing information and not advertising to consumers. Instead, it’s always a better idea to end a blog post or informational content with a call to action that can solve the problem you’re addressing in your content.

Your employees’ interactions with consumers once they arrive at your dealership are just as important in solidifying new customers and representing your brand in a positive light. Positive interactions and attentiveness will keep customers returning and referring:

Be authentic. The final statistic listed in the bulleted list above is worth repeating: 63% of shoppers use their mobile devices for research while shopping on an auto lot. This is because modern consumers would much rather participate in unenjoyable tasks such as doing taxes, giving up sex for a month, or going to the DMV than bargain with a dealer. Consumers often have the misconception that all dealers are dishonest, and it’s important to be open, authentic, and honest from the first interaction with a potential customer to end that stigma, gain trust, and turn someone who’s “just looking” into a buying customer.

Be haggle-free. Nine out of 10 consumers would be more likely to purchase a vehicle if there was a set price they felt good about, rather than having to haggle. This tactic goes hand-in-hand with a dealership being authentic from the start. Once consumers set foot onto your lot, they want to experience authenticity, whether that be via dealers or prices.

Offer explanation. We know modern and educated consumers want knowledge. Offer them insights, talk with them, and provide all the options. It’s important not to leave out certain pieces of information or use leading tactics because often modern consumers have done enough research to know what’s going on or to know what questions to ask. It’s much easier for a customer to feel at ease and trust a dealer when they’re providing the answers without the customer having to ask or feeling like bits of information are being left out.

Don’t be pushy. Customers often value a dealer that’s made themselves known and available but don’t want to be pressured into a decision. Being too pushy can often cause a potential customer to come up with a reason to leave instead of car shopping on your lot. In other words, after your initial approach, give a car shopper space but remain within an available distance and offer helpful, honest advice when it’s needed. It’s also important to realize that even if your customer doesn’t choose the option you favor or believe is best, as long as you’ve provided all the information and pointed out the specifics you believe are important, don’t push it.

To make sure that your dealership is providing the best experience to the modern, educated consumer and gaining more customers, it’s important to know what works best with consumers both before they head into your dealership and after they’ve arrived. As long as you know the majority of car shoppers are now doing all of their research beforehand, it can also ensure your dealership knows how and why to reach out to consumers online during the research stage and also give you the assurance that you have the best approach toward consumers once they’ve arrived at your dealership.

The image used in this post was provided by freedigitalphotos.net.

Knowledge is Power​

Today’s consumers are more educated than ever, and that plays an enormous role in how they interact with your dealership and what they expect when they set foot onto your showroom floor. It’s important your dealers are prepared to interact with a generation that has access to endless information online and prefers utilizing it by researching their options before coming to visit you.

Working with Knowledgeable Consumers to Provide the Customer Experience They Want

In 2015, the consumers really are who’s setting the pace for dealerships, and businesses in general. First, it’s important that your dealership understands how consumers are educating themselves:

• 91% of consumers are using a personal computer or laptop, and 80% of consumers use their mobile devices to search the internet.
• 42% of consumers use their mobile device to do automotive research.
• 97% of consumers use the internet for vehicle research.
• 95% of the millennial generation uses the internet to shop for cars.
• 70% of millennials end up purchasing the same make/model they had in mind—from research done beforehand—when they first visited the dealership.
• 70% of a buyer’s journey is complete before they even reach out to you.
• 63% of shoppers use their mobile devices for research while shopping on an auto lot.

Next, your dealership’s way of handling the educated consumer is key in how a consumer will react to you and if a consumer will become your customer. AutoTrader.com’s Vice President of Research and Market Intelligence, Isabelle Helms, says, “Since the majority of millennials are decided on which vehicle they want to purchase by the time they get to the dealership, the opportunity for dealers and OEMs to influence their purchase decisions is online—where millennials spend the majority of their shopping time.” Therefore, focusing on reaching out to your consumers while they’re in the research stage and before they head into your dealership is just as important as how you address educated consumers once they’re on the showroom floor.

Work Smarter Not Harder

Several tactics that appeal to the modern, educated consumer can benefit your dealership and ensure you’re able to influence them and provide them with helpful information before they hit your showroom floor:

Use intelligent advertising. Because the majority of your consumers are already online providing data, your dealership has the ability to send personalized messages and target specific personas better than ever. Learn the ins and outs of intelligent advertising, and be ready to implement it within your dealership.

Provide a constant stream of useful content. Today’s consumers want knowledge available at their fingertips and value reliability. By providing content that’s useful to your specific audience and consistently posting according to a schedule your audience can rely on, your dealership will gain attention, trust, and customers.

Avoid advertising throughout the majority of your content. When consumers sense a sales pitch in your content, it will generally cause them to stop reading and stop clicking altogether. Make sure the information you’re providing via your content on social media and online platforms is focused primarily around providing information and not advertising to consumers. Instead, it’s always a better idea to end a blog post or informational content with a call to action that can solve the problem you’re addressing in your content.

Your employees’ interactions with consumers once they arrive at your dealership are just as important in solidifying new customers and representing your brand in a positive light. Positive interactions and attentiveness will keep customers returning and referring:

Be authentic. The final statistic listed in the bulleted list above is worth repeating: 63% of shoppers use their mobile devices for research while shopping on an auto lot. This is because modern consumers would much rather participate in unenjoyable tasks such as doing taxes, giving up sex for a month, or going to the DMV than bargain with a dealer. Consumers often have the misconception that all dealers are dishonest, and it’s important to be open, authentic, and honest from the first interaction with a potential customer to end that stigma, gain trust, and turn someone who’s “just looking” into a buying customer.

Be haggle-free. Nine out of 10 consumers would be more likely to purchase a vehicle if there was a set price they felt good about, rather than having to haggle. This tactic goes hand-in-hand with a dealership being authentic from the start. Once consumers set foot onto your lot, they want to experience authenticity, whether that be via dealers or prices.

Offer explanation. We know modern and educated consumers want knowledge. Offer them insights, talk with them, and provide all the options. It’s important not to leave out certain pieces of information or use leading tactics because often modern consumers have done enough research to know what’s going on or to know what questions to ask. It’s much easier for a customer to feel at ease and trust a dealer when they’re providing the answers without the customer having to ask or feeling like bits of information are being left out.

Don’t be pushy. Customers often value a dealer that’s made themselves known and available but don’t want to be pressured into a decision. Being too pushy can often cause a potential customer to come up with a reason to leave instead of car shopping on your lot. In other words, after your initial approach, give a car shopper space but remain within an available distance and offer helpful, honest advice when it’s needed. It’s also important to realize that even if your customer doesn’t choose the option you favor or believe is best, as long as you’ve provided all the information and pointed out the specifics you believe are important, don’t push it.

To make sure that your dealership is providing the best experience to the modern, educated consumer and gaining more customers, it’s important to know what works best with consumers both before they head into your dealership and after they’ve arrived. As long as you know the majority of car shoppers are now doing all of their research beforehand, it can also ensure your dealership knows how and why to reach out to consumers online during the research stage and also give you the assurance that you have the best approach toward consumers once they’ve arrived at your dealership.

The image used in this post was provided by freedigitalphotos.net.

Why Used is Better than New 

According to Santander Consumer USA, used cars are expected to outsell new cars nearly 2 to 1 this year, making it more important than ever for dealerships and sales professionals to understand what’s driving this trend and how to work with shoppers as they try to find the best vehicles for their particular needs. Used-car shoppers have unique needs that drive them to your dealership, and in order to win their trust and convince them to buy from you, you’ll need to show them you’re able to offer what they’re looking for in a way that makes them feel positive about their purchasing choices.

The Used-Car Decision

It’s not surprising consumers often wander toward the shiny new cars on your lot first, but the price tag and payments that go along with new vehicles can be daunting—and more than many shoppers can handle. This fact alone has many shoppers turning to quality used vehicles, and if your dealership handles a large selection of used cars, you’ll want to know how to best connect with your customers. Used-car sellers have to combat a predetermined reputation that has been built over years. Shoppers often square off against these professionals and assume they are about to be swindled, tricked, or taken advantage of simply because of the nature of the business, and it’s up to your dealership to tear down these walls. Everything matters—from the very first moment of customer contact to the final signing of paperwork to follow-up and vehicle maintenance. When your reputation is on the line, customer perception of your dealership and the service that’s provided is essential.

Earning Trust Is Key

There are several things your dealership professionals can do from the beginning to earn customer trust and ensure used-car shoppers feel comfortable. Consider some of the following to get you started:

Focus on great communication. Take the time to talk—and truly listen—to shoppers in order to understand their needs. Are they shopping out of necessity? Do they want to upgrade for space, mileage improvements, or safety reasons? Often, shoppers feel like they are not heard, and instead feel like salespeople are simply trying to push product on them. By actively listening and working to meet their needs, you’ll have a better chance at a sale, and you’ll be earning trust in the process.

Focus on your relationship. It’s important to let your customers know you’re there for them. While it’s tempting to jump immediately into selling-mode, take a few minutes to get to know your customers and what they’re all about. When you’re able to find some common ground, you’ll be able to create a rapport with them that places you in a role of trusted advisor, rather than salesperson.

Focus on the value you offer, rather than what you sell. As professionals who are in the business of selling, this can be a difficult task, however, by doing this, you’ll end up with more sales in the long run. By sharing the ways your dealership can help shoppers, it will be easier for them to see themselves aligning with you for a purchase. Be sure to show the beyond-the-sale benefits of buying from you, like quick oil changes, maintenance reminders, certified technicians, and anything else that makes you stand out from the crowd.

Focus on a great experience. Many used-car buyers have gone through a car-buying experience before, and it’s likely they have unpleasant stories to share. This is your chance to change their perception of the industry as a whole by providing the best overall buying experience possible. Think about the things you often hear, especially when it comes to used-car purchases, and consider ways you can change the customer perception:

• If shoppers are stressed about budget or credit scores, be open and honest with them before you go to the finance manager. Remember, a long wait could signal to them they aren’t qualified to buy, so be sure to check back with them frequently and let them know what’s going on.
• Reiterate value in used cars. Most customers are proud to be able to make a value purchase, however, they will be embarrassed if they are made to feel cheap. By choosing words that reinforce their value-conscious decisions, you’ll be more likely to gain their favor throughout the transaction.
• Get to the bottom line as quickly as possible. Everyone wants to get the best deal, and we know you have to make a profit, too. In today’s hurry-up-and-get-things-done world, most shoppers want to settle on a price and move on to the next step as soon as they can. Customers will appreciate it when you are able to land on a number and help them move forward with the process quickly.

Focus on building your credibility. Ditch the bad rep that seems to accompany used car sales for good by doing things like providing great information for your customers, a reliable website with links to outside resources, and updated content that educates rather than pushes consumers to buy. When you lessen the pressure and offer avenues that allow shoppers to explore their options and learn about what’s offered, you’ll be seen as a facilitator and someone they want to turn to when it’s time to purchase. It’s tough to gain trust and credibility in a market that’s both crowded and slightly suspicious of car dealerships, so it’s important to gain your footing early in the customer/salesperson relationship and then maintain it every step of the way. Remember, your customers walk into your dealership with something specific in mind, and if you listen to their needs, work to assuage their fears and insecurities about the buying process, and offer them what they’re looking for, they’ll likely realize you’re on the same team and see you as an ally throughout their purchasing journey.

The image used in this post was provided by freedigitalphotos.net.

Why Used is Better than New 

According to Santander Consumer USA, used cars are expected to outsell new cars nearly 2 to 1 this year, making it more important than ever for dealerships and sales professionals to understand what’s driving this trend and how to work with shoppers as they try to find the best vehicles for their particular needs. Used-car shoppers have unique needs that drive them to your dealership, and in order to win their trust and convince them to buy from you, you’ll need to show them you’re able to offer what they’re looking for in a way that makes them feel positive about their purchasing choices.

The Used-Car Decision

It’s not surprising consumers often wander toward the shiny new cars on your lot first, but the price tag and payments that go along with new vehicles can be daunting—and more than many shoppers can handle. This fact alone has many shoppers turning to quality used vehicles, and if your dealership handles a large selection of used cars, you’ll want to know how to best connect with your customers. Used-car sellers have to combat a predetermined reputation that has been built over years. Shoppers often square off against these professionals and assume they are about to be swindled, tricked, or taken advantage of simply because of the nature of the business, and it’s up to your dealership to tear down these walls. Everything matters—from the very first moment of customer contact to the final signing of paperwork to follow-up and vehicle maintenance. When your reputation is on the line, customer perception of your dealership and the service that’s provided is essential.

Earning Trust Is Key

There are several things your dealership professionals can do from the beginning to earn customer trust and ensure used-car shoppers feel comfortable. Consider some of the following to get you started:

Focus on great communication. Take the time to talk—and truly listen—to shoppers in order to understand their needs. Are they shopping out of necessity? Do they want to upgrade for space, mileage improvements, or safety reasons? Often, shoppers feel like they are not heard, and instead feel like salespeople are simply trying to push product on them. By actively listening and working to meet their needs, you’ll have a better chance at a sale, and you’ll be earning trust in the process.

Focus on your relationship. It’s important to let your customers know you’re there for them. While it’s tempting to jump immediately into selling-mode, take a few minutes to get to know your customers and what they’re all about. When you’re able to find some common ground, you’ll be able to create a rapport with them that places you in a role of trusted advisor, rather than salesperson.

Focus on the value you offer, rather than what you sell. As professionals who are in the business of selling, this can be a difficult task, however, by doing this, you’ll end up with more sales in the long run. By sharing the ways your dealership can help shoppers, it will be easier for them to see themselves aligning with you for a purchase. Be sure to show the beyond-the-sale benefits of buying from you, like quick oil changes, maintenance reminders, certified technicians, and anything else that makes you stand out from the crowd.

Focus on a great experience. Many used-car buyers have gone through a car-buying experience before, and it’s likely they have unpleasant stories to share. This is your chance to change their perception of the industry as a whole by providing the best overall buying experience possible. Think about the things you often hear, especially when it comes to used-car purchases, and consider ways you can change the customer perception:

• If shoppers are stressed about budget or credit scores, be open and honest with them before you go to the finance manager. Remember, a long wait could signal to them they aren’t qualified to buy, so be sure to check back with them frequently and let them know what’s going on.
• Reiterate value in used cars. Most customers are proud to be able to make a value purchase, however, they will be embarrassed if they are made to feel cheap. By choosing words that reinforce their value-conscious decisions, you’ll be more likely to gain their favor throughout the transaction.
• Get to the bottom line as quickly as possible. Everyone wants to get the best deal, and we know you have to make a profit, too. In today’s hurry-up-and-get-things-done world, most shoppers want to settle on a price and move on to the next step as soon as they can. Customers will appreciate it when you are able to land on a number and help them move forward with the process quickly.

Focus on building your credibility. Ditch the bad rep that seems to accompany used car sales for good by doing things like providing great information for your customers, a reliable website with links to outside resources, and updated content that educates rather than pushes consumers to buy. When you lessen the pressure and offer avenues that allow shoppers to explore their options and learn about what’s offered, you’ll be seen as a facilitator and someone they want to turn to when it’s time to purchase. It’s tough to gain trust and credibility in a market that’s both crowded and slightly suspicious of car dealerships, so it’s important to gain your footing early in the customer/salesperson relationship and then maintain it every step of the way. Remember, your customers walk into your dealership with something specific in mind, and if you listen to their needs, work to assuage their fears and insecurities about the buying process, and offer them what they’re looking for, they’ll likely realize you’re on the same team and see you as an ally throughout their purchasing journey.

The image used in this post was provided by freedigitalphotos.net.

Bridging the Cross-Device Gap

For consumers, the car shopping journey has morphed into an online, cross-device journey. Now that you’re able to appeal to consumers who are taking the cross-device journey to purchase their vehicles, it’s important to continue that momentum by bridging the gap and pulling more consumers into your dealership. As discussed in Part I, it’s important to make your dealership’s online presence available to consumers by:

• Being accessible on all devices, mobile or otherwise.
• Reaching consumers before they reach you.
• Knowing who’s still car shopping.
• Keeping content flowing consistently.
• Interacting.
• Being available online.

So, What's the Next Step? 

After you've made yourself available and now that your dealership has gained the attention of those on their online, cross-device car-shopping journeys, how do you bring them onto your auto lot? Four sure-fire ways to ensure cross-device car shoppers will end up on your lot on the last leg of their car-buying journeys are:

1. Take advantage of customer personas. Once you’ve made your dealership accessible, efficient, and noticeable online, it’s important you begin the process of targeting your specific customer persona via the part of the car-buying journey he or she is currently in. If you’re able to target and market to your potential customer correctly, you should easily be able to get him or her into your dealership and close the deal.
2. Respond and research. If your potential customer has taken a bite and responded or noticed your dealership, it’s vital you’re responding as quickly as possible with clear, correct, and influential results and information. This includes doing some research and finding/responding to concerns and reviews of other customers, as to not negatively influence or scare away potential customers.
3. Greet your customers in a way that gives them a reason to trust you. Often, consumers would rather do mundane tasks like go to the dentist or give up sex than interact with a dealership salesperson. They’d rather research on their phones than ask a salesperson a question. For these reasons, it’s very important to crush the dealership stereotype and make your presence useful, honest, and inviting. Ask yourself what customers are looking for elsewhere and offer it to them at your location.
4. Embrace the changes so many other dealerships resist. In the modern car-shopping world, people are going to participate in showrooming—they’re going to whip out their devices and do research—so instead of fighting them, join them. Have sales professionals with tablets ready to compare and sync with car shoppers, offer honest feedback and advice, and give customers a reason to notice you and see why your offer is better than everyone else’s.

Although times may be a'changin', there are still clear, simple steps your business can take to stay ahead of the game and ensure yours is the dealership shoppers walk into to end their cross-device car-shopping journeys.

The second image used in this post was provided by freedigitalphotos.net.

Bridging the Cross-Device Gap

For consumers, the car shopping journey has morphed into an online, cross-device journey. Now that you’re able to appeal to consumers who are taking the cross-device journey to purchase their vehicles, it’s important to continue that momentum by bridging the gap and pulling more consumers into your dealership. As discussed in Part I, it’s important to make your dealership’s online presence available to consumers by:

• Being accessible on all devices, mobile or otherwise.
• Reaching consumers before they reach you.
• Knowing who’s still car shopping.
• Keeping content flowing consistently.
• Interacting.
• Being available online.

So, What's the Next Step? 

After you've made yourself available and now that your dealership has gained the attention of those on their online, cross-device car-shopping journeys, how do you bring them onto your auto lot? Four sure-fire ways to ensure cross-device car shoppers will end up on your lot on the last leg of their car-buying journeys are:

1. Take advantage of customer personas. Once you’ve made your dealership accessible, efficient, and noticeable online, it’s important you begin the process of targeting your specific customer persona via the part of the car-buying journey he or she is currently in. If you’re able to target and market to your potential customer correctly, you should easily be able to get him or her into your dealership and close the deal.
2. Respond and research. If your potential customer has taken a bite and responded or noticed your dealership, it’s vital you’re responding as quickly as possible with clear, correct, and influential results and information. This includes doing some research and finding/responding to concerns and reviews of other customers, as to not negatively influence or scare away potential customers.
3. Greet your customers in a way that gives them a reason to trust you. Often, consumers would rather do mundane tasks like go to the dentist or give up sex than interact with a dealership salesperson. They’d rather research on their phones than ask a salesperson a question. For these reasons, it’s very important to crush the dealership stereotype and make your presence useful, honest, and inviting. Ask yourself what customers are looking for elsewhere and offer it to them at your location.
4. Embrace the changes so many other dealerships resist. In the modern car-shopping world, people are going to participate in showrooming—they’re going to whip out their devices and do research—so instead of fighting them, join them. Have sales professionals with tablets ready to compare and sync with car shoppers, offer honest feedback and advice, and give customers a reason to notice you and see why your offer is better than everyone else’s.

Although times may be a'changin', there are still clear, simple steps your business can take to stay ahead of the game and ensure yours is the dealership shoppers walk into to end their cross-device car-shopping journeys.

The second image used in this post was provided by freedigitalphotos.net.