BOHEMIA, N.Y., Nov 15, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The holiday season could be a tough time in terms of sales for many used car dealerships due to tighter consumer budgets, holiday travel and inclement weather. The holidays are a joyful time of year, but it's also a time when used car sales may taper off. This guide has three strategies to help you overcome your sales woes during the holiday season.
First, analyze your website traffic.
According to JD Power and Associates, "81 percent of Internet shoppers in 2010 indicated they visited a dealership site" when shopping for used cars online. Therefore, you need to analyze your website statistics to clearly understand how the 81 percent of consumers who shop online feel about your inventory.
Unlike other data that may indicate market value on used cars, analyzing your website can provide valuable information for your used cars in your inventory.
Identify which cars are getting the most views and then ask yourself:
-- Am I getting emails, calls, appointments and showroom visits for these cars?
-- Am I seeing buying signals for these cars?
Vehicles with high views but show little customer intent to buy are as much a concern as cars that are getting no views at all.
Next, refine your inventory.
Utilize your data to quickly take action; don't ignore what your customers are telling you.
Discuss every car in your inventory with your team:
-- Price -- Is it the right price for your customers?
-- Presentation -- how does it look inside and out? Would you buy it?
-- Elimination -- Is it just not right for your dealership?
Finally, market your inventory effectively.
Having the right cars for your dealership is only half the battle. By marketing and advertising your inventory effectively, you'll be able to move your used cars in even the most stagnant market.
According to Google Adwords, the term "used cars" is searched online an estimated 11 million times a month. And that's only one term! As a result, Google Adwords should be used every month at your dealership as one of your main forms of advertising. With this many potential customers searching Google for used cars, you need to entice customers to come to you rather than your competitors.
Ken DellaPorta, CEO of Nexteppe, believes more online traffic is generated when attaching monthly payments to your specific used car inventory. "Our research shows that click-through rates more than double on ads that market individual vehicles with sample monthly payments compared to those without," said DellaPorta.
For example, a Google search for used Hyundai cars turned up one ad that has a listing for a Hyundai Sonata that said "buy one today for as low as $10,995 or finance for $121 per month," while another listing for a Hyundai Sonata only said there were plenty in stock. Customers who shop online will click on the first ad approximately double the time.
Used car shoppers also want vehicle photos, but ugly scenery, leaves, snow and debris can impact buying decisions. Nothing should distract buyers from the quality of used cars being featured, which has lead dealers to investing in expensive photo studies or more cost effective solutions like ProSHOTS. Don't lose a customer to a competitor that might have better photos than you do but not necessarily better cars.
Nexteppe's ProSHOTS offers high quality photos without the need for a large staff and expensive equipment. Debris is easily removed, and dealers have their choice of professionally designed backdrops that can include your dealership.
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