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Let’s Go Fishing
Written by Gene Wada
06/28/07
To be a successful fly fisherman you must have a strong understanding of how to approach the fish, choose the right fly for
the conditions, and be able to present that fly in a manner the fish find appealing, natural, and convincing enough to bite.
Getting customers to strike is similar. It’s all in the presentation. First, you need to show them something that will peak their
interest. Second, let buyers know that you are there to help them and provide them with the information they need to make
an informed decision; and third, build and maintain trust between your dealership and the potential buyer.
Always make sure you post actual vehicle photos on your Website. With online advertising, just like Internet dating, a
picture is worth a thousand words. Think about it. Would you be more likely to go out on a date with someone that has
posted a photo or someone that has no photo at all? The answer is obvious…with a photo. The same logic applies to
selling vehicles over the Internet.
Recent studies have shown that it’s not just used vehicle inventory that needs actual photos. Multiple photos of the actual
new inventory on the Internet have increased sales among dealerships employing this technique. Invest in quality inventory
marketing tools and update your online inventory to a third-party retailer or your Website provider automatically each night.
With automation comes peace of mind, elimination of duplicate entries, and more time to sell cars.
Along with photos, it is essential to provide potential buyers with as much information online as possible. Today’s online
consumer expects services like trade-in estimators and payment calculators on your Website.
Other options such as the display of third-party values for your used inventory can also help convince customers to buy
from you instead of the competition. A 2007 J.D. Power and Associates study shows that seven out of 10 online vehicle
shoppers are more likely to buy from a dealership that displays third-party values along with their used vehicle inventory.
Using a third-party name that is well known and relied upon by the dealer and the consumer, builds trust in the mind of the
buyer. Customers rely on third-party values as a guide to how much they can expect to pay for a used vehicle. If the dealer
and the consumer are both working with the same vehicle values and numbers, the consumer is more likely to trust the
dealer.
These are just some of the tools you can have in your tackle box for closing that sale. Now go catch that fish!
Gene Wada is the product development manager of the hardware/software solutions group at Kelley Blue Book.
Wada is responsible for the overall supervision of product development for KARPOWER products and the newly
launched KARPOWER Online. Wada can be reached at 949-268-3018 or by email ewada@kbb.com.
Last Updated ( 06/29/07 )
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