It’s safe to say that most dealerships are seeking out the latest and greatest ways to optimize their dealership websites. After all, websites are now one of the primary ways dealerships are able to engage with consumers and capture leads.

Unfortunately, weaknesses have a tendency to present themselves with even the seemingly best optimization. Many website developers and dealers optimize their overall conversion strategy to heavily depend on engaging with a salesperson.

What this essentially means is that in order for a consumer to even attempt to do anything (check for price updates, special offers, trade-in estimate), they’ll need to agree to speak with a salesperson at your dealership.

For most consumers, the salesperson is often a deterrent. Think about it: there’s a lot of risk you won’t get a good salesperson, you have to be available enough to talk on the phone and you definitely have to wait, sometimes a long time, to get a response. The only time most consumers want to speak with a salesperson is when they’re about ready to buy or if those preconceptions have been removed. The mindset of most consumers is that if they’re speaking with a salesperson, they’re not engaging in useful discussion, but rather, just being sold to.

Why do you think websites like Amazon.com are so popular? Consumers can conduct whatever type of research their heart desires without having to talk to a single person. In fact, full purchases can be made without anyone’s assistance. Sites like Amazon.com are completely self-service. There are lots of great examples of digital only businesses that conduct all the necessary interactions with a website visitor without having to chat or talk live on the phone.

Now, let me make one thing perfectly clear: I am, by no means, saying that we should cut out the salesperson. Quite the opposite. When a consumer is ready to schedule a test drive or set up financing, a salesperson will (in most instances) be extremely instrumental in the process. What your website shouldn’t be doing is relying on salespeople. Instead of forcing a consumer to immediately talk to a salesperson after they’ve completed an experience, it should simply be an option.

If a consumer wants to speak to someone, they can select from the drop-down “I want to be contacted.” If not, they can leave the box unchecked and continue their research normally. Now, just because a consumer doesn’t want to speak with a salesperson immediately, doesn’t mean your website won’t be able to create a genuinely engaging experience.

By making a conversation with a salesperson optional, you're significantly relieving the pressure most consumers expect to experience with car salesman. It’s the basic principle of value for value on your site. Having someone try to “check for price updates” or “get a trade estimate” just be given a thank you page isn’t returning value in the way most consumers expect to get it online.

All that being said, what can your dealership do to optimize its website for higher engagement without forcing interactions between a salesperson and consumer? Here are some things you can do:

Make Sure Your Website Offers Instant Value

I’ve said it once and I honestly don’t mind saying it again: consumers are drawn to website experiences that offer immediate gratification. This is especially true when it comes to receiving something of value like: an on-the-spot trade appraisal, an options to instantly check for price updates or special offers. It also applies calculators, pre-qualifications and assessments.

There’s plenty of software and website providers available to help dealerships create website experiences offer this important information to prospective customers after they’ve submitted their information. In addition to making your site more engaging for consumers who are wanting access to such information, you get more detailed information about your consumer base.

Use Automated Technology to Respond

Another thing I recommend dealerships doing is leveraging automated technology to send information to individual dealership consumers who request specific information.

Now, let me provide more clarity once again — I am not, in any way, shape or form, promoting the use of autoresponders. I am absolutely against dealerships faking a real salesperson’s response in order to attempt engagement. It simply isn’t effective. Consumers know better and frankly, you know better too.

I do, however, advocate automation if it streamlines processes. For example: Let’s say you have a consumer requesting the warranty of a particular vehicle on your website. Because this consumer has indicated (on your website) that they want something specific, a form submission can trigger that warranty being emailed out immediately.

Instead of pressuring a consumer to engage with you via e-mail (basically having your website rely on a salesperson), your dealership’s website is simply giving them what they asked for. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Clear expectations are set and met when consumers receive what they requested from you. Even though your salespeople aren't engaging in a full-on dialogue with the consumer just yet, sending that email out with the documents they requested still buys you some influence.

You still have access to their information, but you’re not trying to sell them anything without their permission. It’s with these warranties and documents that you incentivize them to come back to you. This is especially helpful when you follow-up with them down the road.

There’s no real reason why your dealership can’t offer robust, high quality deliverables to consumers. And no, warranties aren’t the only things you can offer. Consumers appreciate newsletters, videos and even graphics to help them making better purchasing decisions. Why, the very site you’re on now (DrivingSales.com), sends out newsletters to readers who request them. It’s because of these newsletters that we continue to know who they are.

Your sales team still plays an integral role in how your dealership operates and succeeds. There’s no real question about that. The biggest issue that dealerships have encountered is that their role is often inserted into areas of your marketing that are primarily meant to be self-service. By providing value for value interactions on your site, you’ll actually increase the number of real conversations your sales staff have with consumers.  

While your website and your sales team can definitely work well together, you also need to realize that the folks visiting your website and the folks talking to your sales guys are in radically different stages of the purchasing funnel. As you continue to better optimize your website for higher engagement and lead submission, it’s important to keep these things in mind.