 How effective are your Internet marketing efforts?
Are Your Online Marketing Efforts As Effective As They Should Be?
If you're not sure, it may be time to take a hard look at it. The reason? It is undeniable that today the Web plays a more vital role in used-car sales than do print ads. More than twice as many late-model used-vehicle buyers find the vehicle they purchase through the Internet than both newspaper and magazine classified ads combined, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Used Autoshopper.com Study SM.
Add to that, the phenomenon of the so-called Generation-Y. Typically, the twenty something and under population purchase used cars. The used-vehicle market will only increase as today’s younger buyers become a larger buying force in the market. Buyers under the age of 35 are more than four times as likely to be led to the vehicle they purchase by information found online than by print classified ads .
But many dealerships have holes in their used-car online marketing efforts. This is evident if you visit the average dealer’s website. Used-vehicle inventory on the average dealer's website is out of date; pictures are missing or are incomplete; and used-vehicle department sales staffs are not typically aware of Web-related activities.
At the very least, dealers should require their Internet managers have a process for uploading used-vehicle inventory online. This includes both the dealership website and classified sites such as AutoTrader.com, Cars.com, Vehix.com, UsedCars.com, and any other lead generating sites that the dealer is signed up with. Each vehicle should have approximately six to ten photos at a minimum. If your lead generating site allows for 27 or 32 pictures, then it only makes sense to include that many.
Successful Internet managers also suggest writing a short description of the vehicle, rather than relying on acronyms that many buyers may not understand. This helps to create an emotional attachment to it, and leaves the customer feeling better informed.
In my experience, I have found that it is also imperative to include a price and mileage with each and every vehicle. Online buyers are seeking information. The more information you can provide them, so that they can make an informed decision, the better. If you don’t provide this information, they will more likely buy from a dealership who did.
So take a step back and examine your online marketing efforts. Do all of your online vehicles have photos? Do they include at least 6-10 photos of each car? Is there SOLD inventory still being advertised on your sites? Are you adding custom descriptions for each vehicle? Chances are, if you are the "average" dealership, you have room for improvement. Start being above average and start selling more cars!
Jason Breck |