"What's your web site address?" More and more dealership receptionists are hearing that question from callers. Recently, a receptionist at a dealer client of our ad agency told me she receives an average of three calls a day asking for the dealership's web site address. Increasingly, customers are discovering that dealer web sites can shorten the time-consuming shopping process by providing useful information prior to physical visits and test drives. In fact, many savvy dealerships are discovering new opportunities to build relationships with customers and actually deliver a vehicle without ever receiving a visit to the dealership. To the delight of dealers, many Web shoppers are looking for more than just the lowest price. In fact, Internet information may actually be helping to boost margins in some sectors!
What are shoppers looking for on the Internet? Clear, concise, easy-to-find information. Pictures. Specifications. Competitive comparisons. Dealership location, inventory, hours. Many shoppers are simply looking for an alternative shopping opportunity to fit a hectic lifestyle.
What are shoppers NOT looking for? Gimmicks. Confusion. Sites that take forever to load and require complicated navigation to acquire basic information and information unrelated to the purchase, lease, or service of vehicles.
In a recent Internet "chat room" session with about 15 potential car buyers, we read some interesting comments. One visitor said she spent several minutes on a local dealer's web site trying to find the physical address and directions. Another said he "blew off" sites that took too long to load, comparing the experience to being put "on hold" for too long. Still another chat room visitor said some of the car dealer sites she had visited provided less information than a yellow pages ad in the phone book.
Apparently, the most successful dealers on the Internet are getting the message. Some are in third and fourth generation re-designs of their web sites to simplify and speed up the information stream. One of the most successful dealers I spoke with prior to writing this article (selling over 150 vehicles a month directly from the Internet) told me that the dealership has engineered the site to emulate the experience a customer would receive if they were visiting the store or calling on the phone.
On this dealership's web site "home page," visitors receive a thank-you for the visit and a brief description of the dealership's product line and philosophy. The dealership's address, phone, and fax numbers are clearly listed on the home page along with a "fast-response" button. If a shopper does not want to spend time navigating through 15 different "pages" of information, they can click the fast-response button that opens a screen gathering basic information such as name, phone number, best time to call, and information desired. The dealership promises a call-back within 60 minutes after the information is submitted.
This highly successful site (at least in terms of sales conversion) lacks "glitz." There are no background graphics to insure compatibility with all browsers. The easy-to-read typeface is set against a light-colored background and is easily read in virtually any light and contrast condition. All pages on the site are designed to be cleanly printed should the shopper wish to do so. (And there's a note on each page to that effect.) While this dealer has decided not to advertise price on his site, there is a clear explanation of the dealership's discount pricing policy. Presently, four employees answer all Internet inquiries. They are trained to provide shoppers with any information requested, as though the customer were actually in the dealership. Yes, that includes a price quote over the phone, by email, or by fax. While the web site's email is checked at intervals throughout the day, the "fast-response" button triggers a pager enabling a salesperson to respond via email, fax, or phone within minutes.
Most of the dealers I talk to with a high number of sales from the Internet say they are selling approximately 15% to 20% of the overall leads from their sites. How are these leads and site visits generated? Although many leads are generated by "brokerage" links, the most successful sales sites are generating the majority of business leads on the Web from "direct hits" acquired through advertising. That is, customers typing in the dealership's URL on the browser, rather than referrals from third parties or links from other sites.
Here are a few additional ideas:
Consider offering a special value to your shoppers in exchange for information that will allow you to contact them via email for promotions and offers. DO NOT put a customer on your email address list, even if they provide you with their email address, unless you ask their permission first.
If you do not have a web site yet, be sure your URL is at least as easy to remember as the phone number you advertise. The best web site address might be your dealership's name. You might also consider using your physical address or 800 telephone number, such as www.1800Smithmotors.com. If you already have a web site address and you would like to choose one less confusing, your Web designer service can link the old Web address to your new name so customers can find you by typing in either name. You can conduct a free search for a web site address by going to www.internic.com.
You can spend a lot of money on monthly charges for links from other sites to your address, but you might find your money is better spent tagging radio and television spots with your Web address and making sure it is an integral part of your company logo. You also might discover other non-competitive businesses in your community that are willing to "trade links" with you (a link on their site to yours and vice versa.) Be sure all of your employees know your web site address in case a customer asks.
Be sure the company that hosts your web site has a monitoring service that allows you to track and record all of your leads so you can measure the effectiveness of cross-promoting the site on other media. One of the best monitoring services is available at www.hitometer.com. The cost is very reasonable, about $5 a month, and it gives you a complete analysis, emailed to you weekly, of information on visitors to your site.
Lastly, but most importantly, remember that the Internet is just one more way to make it easy for your potential customers to get information about your company. Make your site as user friendly as possible, and be sure to keep your information updated. Outdated or inaccurate information on the Web is a total turn-off to savvy computer shoppers.
Jim Boldebook is President of Creative Broadcast Concepts (CBC), an advertising/marketing agency working with some of America's most successful dealerships. If you have specific questions or require more information about this subject, please check the appropriate box on the reader response form on page 3. jboldebook@dealeronline.com