You probably don’t need anyone to tell you that the good old days of used car dealerships are long gone. Tried and true sales tactics never go completely out of vogue, but you’re very likely not going to convince John and Jane Need-A-Vehicle to drive right off the lot as easily as you might have a couple of decades ago. These days, everyone is doing their research online. Your dealership, too, needs a strong web presence. Here are a few tips and techniques for improving your visibility online.
List Your Stock – With Photos!
No one is buying a used car sight unseen; that much is a given. But you do not necessarily need to trot the car out in front of them or give them a test drive to pique their interest. Having a well-organized, aesthetically pleasing record of the cars you have in stock – along with crisp photographs of the individual vehicles and a detailed list of their specifications – can be as powerful a sales tool as letting someone climb behind the wheel of a car. People often feel less pressure when shopping online, especially when considering a major purchase like a car, without feeling the eyes of a salesperson on them as they peruse. In addition to this, have all your dealership’s information – address, hours of operation, holiday schedule, pricing breakdown, contact info, etc. – readily available on your website, so that your customers walk into your dealership knowing what they want, ready to take a test drive. Make sure to leverage online presence further by partnering with online marketplaces that cooperate with dealers like Autovolo.co.uk .
Embrace Reviews – Even Negative Ones!
If you are just moving your used car dealership into the digital world, the possibility of anyone, at any time, being able to leave a bad review might seem stressful. It shouldn’t. Online reviews are a strong channel through which you can interact with your customers. Even negative reviews can be turned into positive and productive feedback. Take every review as an opportunity to learn and grow. If you are delivering the kind of buying experience your customers expect, then they are just as likely to write a positive review as a negative one. Embrace the feedback process and the good will outweigh the bad in no time.
Implement A Live Chat System
Let’s take a wild guess: you’re going to want to close up the dealership at some point and go home. You also probably do not want to be answering the phone at all hours of the night. But in our hustle and bustle world, consumers expect round-the-clock service. You need to have trained professionals on-call at any time of the day. There are online resources for that, too. The benefits of using dealer chat software include having knowledgeable experts on-hand 24/7 and an excellent resource for customer data collection. Oh, and not waking your partner up at 3 a.m.
Creating a strong web presence has never been more vital for car dealerships than it is today. Fortunately, it has also never been easier. There are a vast number of online resources for you to take advantage of. These are just a few. Couple a standout web presence with excellent, in-person customer service and your dealership’s success is sure to motor deep into the 21st century.
