CREATING AN INTERNET CULTURE AT YOUR DEALERSHIP PG 4

Transcription

1 CREATING AN INTERNET CULTURE AT YOUR DEALERSHIP PG 4

2 CREATING AN INTERNET CULTURE AT YOUR DEALERSHIP Merchandising Online A. Photos B. Seller s Comments C. Promotions & Special Offers D. Merchandising Your Dealership E. Video F. Pricing To receive your copy of the complete Online Marketing Handbook, please contact your AutoTrader.com Advertising Consultant. QUESTIONS? Call: (800) Or visit: AutoTrader.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. AutoTrader.com is a registered trademark of TPI Holdings, Inc. used under exclusive license. PG 3

3 MERCHANDISING ONLINE The goal of automotive Internet marketing is not to sell cars online it s to get potential customers to see your car, come into your dealership, and ultimately purchase a vehicle. To get consumers to move forward through this process, your online presentation must create value in the minds of shoppers. Essentially, you re telling potential customers why they should choose you. The online merchandising tactics presented in this chapter are best practices that can be implemented on your dealership website as well as with your inventory listings on third-party, independent websites like AutoTrader.com. If you don t have a dealership website, these tactics still apply for dealers whose main source of Internet marketing is through AutoTrader.com or another independent website. On the next page, we ll show you the anatomy of a Vehicle Details Page (VDP) from AutoTrader.com and from a dealership website. Use these diagrams as a visual aid as you move through the Merchandising Online chapter. It will help you understand and visualize each topic within the context of the full VDP. PG 1

4 ANATOMY OF A THIRD-PARTY VEHICLE DETAILS PAGE (VDP) Price Watch Video Link The Virtual Walk-Around Contact Information Map And Directions Special Offers Link Tell The Car s Story Dealership Why Buy From Us Include Specials PG 2

5 ANATOMY OF A DEALERSHIP VEHICLE DETAILS PAGE (VDP) Dealership Information Contact Information Price The Virtual Walk-Around Watch Video Link Tell The Car s Story Shopping Tools Dealership Map And Directions PG 3

6 MERCHANDISING ONLINE THIRD-PARTY VEHICLE DETAILS PAGE (VDP) Variety of angles and shots The Virtual Walk-Around PHOTOS, PHOTOS AND MORE PHOTOS. Great photos can motivate customers to stop, look, and ultimately buy your vehicles. Use multiple photos to give a virtual walk-around of the vehicle and help sell the features to potential shoppers. In fact, listings with photos perform significantly better than listings without photos. More specifically: Having a single photo will more than double your click-through rate (increase of approximately %).* Each additional photo will increase your click-through rate by approximately 5%.* Incremental increases continue up to 27 photos.* Here s a tip about your photos: Show a variety of interior and exterior shots and angles within the first nine photos to ensure that shoppers get a virtual walk-around in the photo thumbnails as soon as they arrive at the VDP. Your Camera Pick a good digital camera that takes high-quality pictures. You don t have to spend a lot of money to get a good camera. The Location Choose a nice location with minimal distractions, a neutral background and good lighting. Avoid dark shade or direct sunlight. Photo Composition The car you re taking a picture of should be the only one in the photo don t take pictures of the car when it s still in the inventory line. Photo Subject Include photos of the actual car you are selling (new and used) to build value and interest. Never use a stock photo of the car. Capture as much detail as possible in each photo, like the odometer reading and tire tread, for example. Change camera settings for up-close, detailed shots. Make sure your photos are up-to-date. For example, don t show a car on a snowy lot when it s the middle of the summer. *AutoTrader.com site statistics, 2009 PG 4

7 THE VIRTUAL WALK-AROUND EXTERIOR ANGLE EXTERIOR DRIVER SIDE EXTERIOR PASSENGER SIDE DASHBOARD CENTER CONSOLE ELECTRONICS REAR INTERIOR DRIVER INTERIOR REAR PASSENGER INTERIOR TIRE TREAD ODOMETER READING UNDER THE HOOD EXTERIOR FRONT EXTERIOR BACK EXTERIOR BACK DRIVER SIDE PG 5

8 MERCHANDISING ONLINE THIRD-PARTY VEHICLE DETAILS PAGE (VDP) Tell The Car s Story USE VEHICLE COMMENTS TO SELL, SELL, SELL Forget what you learned about writing newspaper listings. You re not paying for each word anymore, so now you have the opportunity to tell each car s story. Take time to provide vehicle descriptions that make a shopper want to come in and take a test drive. Just keep in mind that you ll want to make your most powerful comments about the vehicle upfront to entice customers to click-through to the Vehicle Details Page. On the Search Results Page, only the first few sentences of your vehicle description show up, so choose the best comments first to help your vehicle stand out from the crowd. Descriptive Features Don t just list a car s features. Give specific details that allow shoppers to see, touch, feel and experience the vehicle. For example, instead of A/C say ice-cold air conditioning, or instead of saying auto say smooth-shifting automatic transmission. Reliability Shoppers want to know a car is reliable, so include information about free vehicle history reports, maintenance records and warranties. Customer Focus Focus on how a vehicle or the dealership can meet a customer s needs. Offer Incentives Create a sense of urgency so shoppers act now. Don t Forget Why Buy From Us? Comments Include messages that make your dealership more appealing and tells shoppers why they should buy from you. Strong Call-to-Action Always include a strong call-to-action that tells the shopper what to do next. Don t forget to include a name and a number. DON T USE ALL CAPS. It makes your ad hard to read, and the points you want to highlight will get lost in the copy. PG 6

9 TELL THE CAR S STORY DESCRIPTIVE FEATURES RELIABILITY CUSTOMER FOCUS Ice-cold air conditioning. Smooth-shifting automatic transmission. Gets great gas mileageup to 35 mpg. For just a few dollars a month, you can add a 3-year / 36k extended warranty! Comes with a 5-year / 60k manufacturer s warranty! Free Vehicle History Report. Room for eight. Back seat folds down for extra storage makes a great family car! Special financing available! OFFER INCENTIVES WHY BUY FROM US STRONG CALL-TO-ACTION Free oil changes for a year if you buy this weekend! Only valid for the first 50 callers. Cash Back Offer Expires Month, Day, Year! Built on the principles of providing genuine caring and personal service. We offer a full range of automotive services from sales to service and accessories and finance and insurance. Pick up the phone and call Howard today at Print this ad for an additional $200 off your purchase. PG 7

10 MERCHANDISING ONLINE THIRD-PARTY VEHICLE DETAILS PAGE (VDP) Include Specials Link to Current Offers Include Specials Legal Disclaimer HIGHLIGHT YOUR PROMOTIONS AND SPECIAL OFFERS Shoppers are looking for the best deal on the car they want. Influence their decisions by letting them know about your special offers and incentives. You can do this on your own website, on social networking sites, and on third-party independent sites. Use banner ads, dedicated sections of your website, and video to advertise your special offers and promotions such as rebates or special financing. Bring Them to Your Door Use your specials to grab attention and bring shoppers into the dealership. Convert Them From Used to New Highlighting low lease payments with special offers can help convert used car shoppers to new car shoppers. Embrace the Season Create timely, relevant offers that tie into holidays, the seasons, tax time, and more. VENDOR TIP Make sure you are regularly spotchecking inventory listings on your website and vendor sites to ensure all information is accurate. Look at phone numbers and contact information especially, as well as other things like price for consistency. PG 8

11 VEHICLE SPECIALS PAGE THIRD-PARTY DEALER VEHICLE SPECIALS PAGE Embrace the Season Convert Shoppers from Used to New Reinforce Your Brand Legal Disclaimer Bring Them To Your Door DEALERSHIP VEHICLE SPECIALS PAGE Dedicated Specials Section of Website Convert Shoppers from Used to New Legal Disclaimer PG 9

12 MERCHANDISING ONLINE THIRD-PARTY VEHICLE DETAILS PAGE (VDP) Contact Information Why Buy From Us Demonstrate Customer Focus DON T JUST MERCHANDISE YOUR INVENTORY, MERCHANDISE YOUR DEALERSHIP Your online image and reputation must create value in the minds of shoppers. Essentially, you re telling potential customers why they should choose you. Here are some guidelines to help you effectively merchandise your dealership online. Use Customer Testimonials Let other customers tell your potential customers what a great experience they had at your dealership. Get quotes from your satisfied customers and ask if you can use them on your website and in your advertising. Tout Your Experience It s as simple as saying Celebrating 30 Years! in your copy. If you ve won special awards for community service, customer service, manufacturer awards, etc., then say so! Demonstrate Your Customer Focus For example, Built on the principles of providing genuine caring and personal service, or You ll have a dedicated sales consultant to give you personal attention. Showcase Special Dealership Features Use video and photos to highlight your dealership amenities. For example, if you ve got a state-of-the-art customer waiting room or even a playroom for customers children, then show them! PG 10

13 WHY BUY FROM US? Contact Information THIRD-PARTY DEALER INFORMATION PAGE Demonstrate Customer Focus Showcase Special Dealership Features Why Buy from Us? Comments Tout Your Experience DEALERSHIP HOME PAGE Dedicated Contact Numbers Link to map and driving directions Friendly Welcome Talk about Customer Focus and Answer the Question Why Buy from Us? Customer Testimonials PG 11

14 MERCHANDISING ONLINE THIRD-PARTY VEHICLE DETAILS PAGE (VDP) Watch Video Link VIDEO BRINGS YOUR VEHICLES TO LIFE Video is one of the best ways to make a car stand out and let shoppers really see the vehicle they are interested in. With video, you can even start up the engine to bring the car to life. Your video doesn t have to be studio-production quality you can even do it yourself. Show the Actual Car Show shoppers the actual car you are selling, even if it is a new vehicle. The 360 Walk-Around Do a complete video walk-around of the car, including under the hood. Start the engine, turn on the radio, open the doors, etc. Just the Highlights Limit your videos to 1 to 2 minutes. Shoppers have short attention spans and may otherwise lose interest. Tell Your Story Use video as an opportunity to tell your story. Show customers you are a dealership they should do business with. Don t Just Tell Them Show Them Highlight your service department, amenities, customer testimonials, and more. A video tour lets you build a strong image in the mind of the customer. PG 12

15 MERCHANDISING ONLINE THIRD-PARTY VEHICLE DETAILS PAGE (VDP) Price INCLUDE THE PRICE Listings with no price can turn shoppers off because they may automatically think a vehicle costs too much. In fact, listings with a price receive 580% more clicks on the Search Results Page and 650% more on the Vehicle Details Page than listings without a price.* Shoppers aren t always looking for the lowest price just a fair one so follow these tips when pricing your vehicles: Do Your Homework Research the price of your vehicle in your market. Use the market comparison report in AutoTrader.com for Dealers. Price Competitively Based on Your Market In the comments section, clearly explain premium features that make a vehicle worth any extra cost (manufacturer certified, leather seats, satellite radio, etc.). Price Consistently Use the same price for each vehicle through all forms of advertising. Provide Options With Your Price Alleviate shoppers fears that they can t afford a vehicle by promoting special programs offered by the dealership, including special financing options, cash-back incentives, and leasing programs. *AutoTrader.com site statistics, 2009 PG 13

16 CREATING AN INTERNET CULTURE AT YOUR DEALERSHIP PG 3