Fintstones or Jetsons?

Innovation. Internet. Selling more cars.  That's the focus of Over The Curb so what better topic than past or future? The OEM’s are focused on it. Your customers are more savvy about it. Most importantly your bottom line depends on it.

Lets start with the future.  The younger generation considers the Internet in almost everything they do including buying cars, and everyone else is right on their heels (my grandmother has a Facebook account!). 

The new model for the progressive, successful car dealership of the future is a stong Virtual Showroom with a thriving Internet sales business. 

JD Power reported 90% of new and used vehicle buyers shop online first, before they ever submit a lead or call or visit a dealership.  In the same study they reported that dealerships are only committing 10% of their sales staff to Internet sales

All you have to do is watch the behavior of shoppers over the last 5 years.  Let's just look at everyday shopping, or holiday shopping.  Over 50% increases in all types of merchandise for online sales over the last 3 years.  I'll bet you buy online (computers, electronics, shoes, clothes, furniture, books).  Look at the success of companies like Zappos, Amazon, eBay.  You can have some of that success, you should!

You probably walk your lot everyday, or drive the main road and look at your street presence but do you do the same with your web presence? 

When is the last time you walked your virtual lot?  Not just the main page, read the descriptions on your listings; are they inviting? Enticing? Do they create the emotion you need to get a buyer excited?  And what about the photos; are there more than 12?  More than 25?  There should be 40 or 50, your online shoppers need to see everything. Trust, everything.  You wouldn't park your cars on the lot so a buyer couldn't open the doors or the trunk, or sit in the car would you?

Put yourself in the shoes of one of your online customers, take a good look at your virtual showroom.  Here's a few of the basics to look for;

• Easy navigation on the home page
• Real photos of your inventory, not stock photos - distinguish yourself
• Compelling descriptions, not a standard vin decoder type list
• Use the "About Us" section to talk up your dealership, photos of staff, awards, customer testimonials, etc.
• Easy to find; payment calculators, credit application, shipping quotes
• Consider trying new "hot" technology like video test drives and live chat.

Above all RESPOND to your customers quickly, there's a lot of competition out there online and studies show customers will buy from the first dealership to answer all their questions.

As for the past, we know what that is - it's in the past.  Time to move on to the next phase of car sales for the future.

So are you a Flintstone or a Jetson? We say strap on your jet pack and let’s get selling!