When it comes to car shopping, it’s pretty safe to assume that consumers experience the most frustration, confusion and doubt during the research phase. Unlike those who are fully prepared to sign on the dotted line, consumers in the early shopping phases face a myriad of different questions and options: What type of car do I want? What brand of car do I want? What payments can I afford? Can I even afford to upgrade at this time? And the list goes on...

One thing I’ve noticed throughout my automotive career (as both a dealer and a marketer) is that many dealerships miss out on opportunities to help their consumers and provide useful resources that would help them answer some of their questions they have before they’re even asked. In this day and age, consumers aren’t necessarily asking the questions as soon as they come to mind — they’re turning to smartphones and laptops and visiting different websites with the hope of getting the info they need. When consumers turn on a device hoping to get more information, we call these “micro-moments.”

In case you’re unfamiliar, “micro-moments” are, according to Google, "when people reflexively turn to a device—increasingly a smartphone—to act on a need to learn something, do something, discover something, watch something, or buy something. They are intent-rich moments when decisions are made and preferences shaped.” In other words, they’re getting on their smartphones, going onto your website and looking for answers to the questions they’ve finally come up with. If your website doesn’t have the answers your consumers are looking for, they’re going to visit another dealership’s website. Period.

As technology continues to flourish and auto dealer software becomes even more advanced, and frankly amazing, your dealership can no longer make excuses about not being able to offer consumers a comprehensive experience on its website. Because consumers typically ask a number of the same types of questions and have many of the same concerns, you can use this to your advantage and win those “micro-moments,” those moments when consumers hop on their smartphone or laptop to get answers.

By being able to help consumers make important decisions, your dealership stands a far better chance of earning their business — especially during the ever-vulnerable research phase. So, what can dealerships do to help win those micro-moments?  Here are some of the common questions your dealership can help consumers answer!

What Body Style is Right For Me?

One of the first, and most common questions, consumers ask themselves during the research phase of their car shopping journey is “what body style is right for me?” This is an important question because the car needs to (or at least should) reflect a consumer’s lifestyle. The choice might seem obvious, but it really isn’t. While an SUV is seemingly more than sufficient for a family of 4, mom or dad might find themselves wanting to shuttle several kids to and from soccer games. Since that’s the case, a minivan would probably be the best option.

Again, the choice might SEEM obvious; but sometimes consumers aren’t thinking about the “what-ifs,” and the minor details that could ultimately have a larger impact on their lifestyle. Most consumers have an idea of what they want, but they need confidence to make the right decision.

Your dealership can help build this consumer confidence by providing resources that help them come to a conclusion — for when those micro-moments eventually occur. One suggestion would be to integrate an assessment onto your dealership’s website — one that obviously tells the consumer what body style is best for their lifestyle. Once a consumer has gone through the assessment on your website, you can then place a call-to-action on the results page that leads them further down the purchasing funnel (think “view inventory of this body style” or something similar). If they click on the call-to-action in that results page, or they progress to another part of your website, you’ll know that you’ve won that micro-moment.

Should I Buy New or Used?

“Should I buy new or used?” It’s another extremely common questions that consumers often ask themselves prior to visiting your dealership’s website. Most of the time, this obviously has a lot to do with cost. Consumers are trying to figure out “what gets me the better deal? Buying new or used” If you’re like most dealerships, you probably have content on your website that cites the pros and cons of buying new, and the pros and cons of buying used.

One way you can win this particular micro-moment is by making this undoubtedly useful content even more engaging. Turn those “pros and cons” pieces into a questionnaire that assesses a consumer’s lifestyle and provides a recommendation based on the answers provided. Again, providing consumers with a solid recommendation enhances their trust and allows them to move further down the purchasing funnel. Once they get their “purchase recommendation,” add a call-to-action that takes them to the most appropriate VDP’s — one for new or one for used.

Should I Lease or Finance?

Just like the previous scenario, you probably have a section on your website (or a blog post) that states the benefits of leasing, as well as the benefits of financing. The cool thing about this question is that there are a multitude of ways to go about winning this particular micro-moment. Aside from a questionnaire that assesses your lifestyle (which is a perfectly acceptable option), you can also integrate a calculator that provides a highly realistic suggestion based on information that consumers put in.

Factors like down payment, household income, desired monthly payment, and even credit history, can give consumers are more realistic assessment than even a lifestyle assessment could. And because the results would be realistic, it can give consumers the confidence they need to go about searching a for a vehicle that suits them perfectly.

Purchasing a car is a HUGE investment for most families. By providing consumers with the resources they need to make an informed decision, you give them reason to trust your dealership and move forward with an actual purchase. Car buyers will look high and low for all the information they can before making such a big investment — on every auto publication, on every dealership website, and on every type of forum. Choosing the right vehicle (and the right dealership) is a tough decision — so why wouldn’t you put in the extra effort and make it easier for them?