The Significance of the Customer Journey in the Lawnmower & Tractor Industry on Customer Loyalty
Within the vast realm of lawnmowers and tractors, the customer journey plays a pivotal role in shaping success. Beyond the mere act of mowing lawns or tilling fields, it is the experience customers encounter that truly matters and builds customer loyalty. In this article, we delve into the transformative nature of the customer journey, examining how dealerships can identify and address pain points, ultimately cultivating unwavering customer loyalty. Join us as we embark on a journey to revolutionize the way customers engage with the lawnmower and tractor industry.
Unveiling Pain Points: Understanding Their Impact on Customer Satisfaction
Every customer journey encounters its fair share of challenges. From the confusion surrounding product selection to cumbersome purchase processes, these pain points significantly impact customer experiences. We explore these obstacles and their potential to erode customer loyalty, highlighting the importance of recognizing and overcoming them to build enduring relationships with customers.
The Role of Dealerships: Resolving Customer Pain Points for Enhanced Customer Loyalty
In this dynamic landscape, dealerships emerge as key players in elevating the customer journey. With their deep industry knowledge and commitment to customer satisfaction, dealerships are uniquely positioned to address pain points head-on. We delve into the crucial role they play in streamlining processes, providing exceptional service, and nurturing customer loyalty through their expertise and dedication.
Join us on this journey of transforming the customer experience in the lawnmower and tractor industry. As we navigate the terrain of pain points and the role of dealerships in resolving them, we uncover strategies and insights that lead to enhanced customer loyalty. Let us explore how this revolutionized customer journey can pave the way for increased sales and a thriving business in an era of economic challenges.
Identifying Pain Points Along the Customer Journey
Pain Point #1: Lack of Product Knowledge and Guidance: Navigating the Green Maze
Example: Customers struggling to understand which lawnmower or tractor model suits their needs
Problem: Many customers find themselves adrift amidst a vast array of lawnmower and tractor models, unsure of which one is the ideal fit for their specific needs. This lack of product knowledge and guidance leads to frustration and delays in the decision-making process.
Creative Solution: Virtual Reality (VR) or Augmented Reality (AR) Simulations for an Immersive Experience
Imagine a world where customers can step into a virtual realm, experiencing the power, maneuverability, and features of different lawnmower and tractor models firsthand. VR or AR simulations provide an immersive and interactive experience that helps customers make informed decisions, allowing them to visualize their green machines in action before making a purchase.
Pain Point #2: Purchase Processes: Untangling the Paperwork Knots
Example: Customers frustrated by complicated paperwork and lengthy purchase procedures
Problem: The purchase process can often feel like a convoluted journey through paperwork purgatory. Customers encounter a barrage of forms, contracts, and agreements, leading to confusion and delays in completing their transactions.
Creative Solution: Digital Transformation and Streamlined Online Portals
Seamless Sailing: Embrace the Digital Wave for Effortless Purchases
By embracing digital transformation, dealerships can offer customers a streamlined purchase experience. Online portals equipped with user-friendly interfaces, digital signatures, and document management systems simplify the paperwork process, allowing customers to navigate the transaction journey with ease and efficiency.
Pain Point #3: Lack of Reliable Maintenance Support: Taming the Troublesome Tractors
Example: Customers facing challenges in finding trustworthy and efficient repair and maintenance services
Description: When tractors throw a tantrum, customers need reliable and efficient repair and maintenance services. However, the lack of accessible and dependable options often leaves them feeling stranded and frustrated.
Creative Solution: Mobile Repair Services and On-Demand Assistance
Tractor Whisperers on Wheels: Mobile Repair Services at Your Doorstep
Introducing a fleet of mobile repair units that provide on-demand assistance for customers’ tractor troubles. With skilled technicians equipped with the necessary tools and knowledge, customers can have their tractors repaired or serviced conveniently at their location, eliminating the hassles of transportation, and minimizing downtime.
Remember, a smooth customer journey starts with identifying and resolving pain points. By implementing innovative solutions such as VR/AR simulations, streamlined online portals, and mobile repair services, dealerships can tackle these challenges head-on, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty in the lawnmower and tractor industry.
Pain Point #4: Inadequate Customer Communication: Bridging the Gap
Example: Lack of timely updates on product availability or delivery status
Description: Picture a frustrated customer eagerly awaiting the arrival of their new lawnmower or tractor, only to be left in the dark about its availability or delivery status. Inadequate communication creates uncertainty and dissatisfaction, diminishing the overall customer experience.
Stay in the Loop: Real-Time Updates at Your Fingertips
To address this pain point, dealerships can implement a personalized communication system that keeps customers informed throughout the entire purchasing and delivery process. By leveraging SMS or email notifications, customers receive real-time updates on product availability, order confirmations, estimated delivery times, and even live tracking information. This proactive approach enhances transparency and provides customers with peace of mind, knowing that they are well-informed every step of the way.
By revolutionizing customer communication through personalized SMS or email notifications with real-time updates and delivery tracking, dealerships can bridge the gap between customers and their purchased lawnmowers or tractors. This streamlined approach ensures customers feel valued and engaged, leading to enhanced satisfaction and loyalty in their journey with the dealership.
Streamlining the Purchase Journey: Simplifying the Path to Ownership
Providing Online Product Configurators and Comparison Tools
Customize Your Green Companion: Online Tools for Tailored Choices
Description: Imagine a seamless online experience where customers can effortlessly explore different lawnmower or tractor options, customize features, and compare models side by side. By offering intuitive product configurators and comparison tools on their website, dealerships empower customers to make informed decisions at their convenience. This streamlines the purchase journey, eliminating guesswork and ensuring that customers find the perfect green companion for their needs.
Offering Flexible Financing Options and Incentives for Customers
Finance Your Dreams: Unlocking Pathways to Ownership
Description: Recognizing that purchasing a lawnmower or tractor is a significant investment, dealerships can enhance the customer journey by providing flexible financing options. This includes low-interest financing plans, leasing options, or installment payment programs tailored to suit various budgets and preferences. In addition, offering incentives such as exclusive discounts, extended warranties, or value-added services can further entice customers, making the purchase journey more rewarding and appealing.
By streamlining the purchase journey through online product configurators, comparison tools, flexible financing options, and customer incentives, dealerships create a frictionless and enjoyable experience for customers. This not only simplifies the decision-making process but also increases the likelihood of conversions, leading to boosted sales and customer satisfaction.
Elevating After-Sales Support: Building Relationships Beyond the Purchase
Providing Comprehensive Product Training and Guides
Master Your Green Machine: Unlocking the Secrets to Optimal Performance
Description: To enhance the customer journey, dealerships can go beyond the sale by providing comprehensive product training and guides. This includes informative videos, user manuals, and workshops that educate customers on proper maintenance, troubleshooting, and optimizing the performance of their lawnmowers or tractors. By empowering customers with knowledge, dealerships foster long-term relationships and create brand advocates who appreciate the value of their green machines.
Offering Timely and Reliable Customer Support
Support at Your Fingertips: Resolving Queries with Ease
Description: Prompt and reliable customer support is crucial in enhancing the customer journey. Dealerships can ensure customer satisfaction by establishing dedicated support channels, such as phone helplines or online chat services, staffed with knowledgeable and responsive representatives. This enables customers to seek assistance, resolve queries, and receive timely solutions whenever they encounter issues with their lawnmowers or tractors. Prompt support reinforces trust and strengthens the bond between customers and the dealership.
By elevating after-sales support through comprehensive product training, guides, and reliable customer support, dealerships create a positive post-purchase experience. This not only ensures customers are equipped to maximize the potential of their green machines but also builds long-term loyalty, generating repeat business and positive word-of-mouth recommendations.
By prioritizing the streamlining of the purchase journey and elevating after-sales support, dealerships can enhance the overall customer journey in the lawnmower and tractor industry. These efforts not only lead to increased sales but also cultivate lasting customer loyalty, positioning dealerships as trusted partners in the green revolution.
Building a Customer-Centric Support System: Putting Customers First
Creating a Dedicated Customer Service Team for Prompt and Knowledgeable Assistance
Your Support Dream Team: Personalized Assistance at Your Service
Description: Dealerships can establish a dedicated customer service team comprising knowledgeable and friendly representatives who are readily available to assist customers. These customer service professionals should possess in-depth product knowledge and excellent communication skills to address customer inquiries, provide troubleshooting guidance, and offer personalized assistance promptly. By prioritizing customer satisfaction and quick issue resolution, dealerships can build a reputation for exceptional support.
Implementing a Loyalty Program with Exclusive Benefits for Repeat Customers
Loyalty Rewarded: Unlocking Exclusive Perks for Our Valued Customers
Description: Recognizing the importance of repeat customers, dealerships can implement a loyalty program that offers exclusive benefits and rewards. These may include discounted maintenance services, priority scheduling, early access to new product releases, or special promotions tailored specifically for loyal customers. By showing appreciation and providing added value, dealerships not only incentivize repeat purchases but also foster a sense of belonging and loyalty among their customer base.
By prioritizing a customer-centric support system, dealerships demonstrate their commitment to putting customers first. With a dedicated customer service team and an enticing loyalty program, dealerships ensure that customers receive prompt and knowledgeable assistance, as well as enjoy exclusive benefits for their continued support.
Harnessing the Power of Positive Word-of-Mouth: Amplifying the Customer Journey
Description: Dealerships can actively encourage customers to leave online reviews and testimonials about their positive experiences. This can be done through follow-up emails, social media engagement, or personalized requests. Positive reviews and testimonials act as powerful social proof, influencing prospective customers and building trust in the dealership’s brand and customer service. By leveraging the voice of satisfied customers, dealerships can amplify the positive impact of the customer journey.
Engaging in Community Outreach and Partnerships
Green Champions Unite: Collaborating for a Greener Future
Description: Engaging in community outreach and forming partnerships with local organizations or events related to lawn care or agriculture can boost visibility and generate positive word-of-mouth. By participating in industry trade shows, hosting educational workshops, or supporting community initiatives, dealerships can position themselves as active contributors to the green community. This fosters goodwill and strengthens the dealership’s reputation, leading to increased brand recognition and customer referrals.
By building a customer-centric support system and harnessing the power of positive word-of-mouth, dealerships can create a virtuous cycle that enhances the overall customer journey. Prompt and knowledgeable assistance, coupled with exclusive benefits for loyal customers, not only strengthens customer loyalty but also generates positive reviews and referrals, further fueling sales and growth in the lawnmower and tractor industry.
Leveraging Technology to Captivate the Next Generation
Leveraging Technology for a Seamless Experience: Embracing Innovation
Developing a User-Friendly Mobile App for Product Browsing and Purchasing
Power in Your Hands: Explore and Purchase with Ease
Description: In the age of smartphones, dealerships can enhance the customer journey by developing a user-friendly mobile app. This app serves as a one-stop destination for customers to browse through the lawnmower and tractor inventory, access detailed product information, and make purchases conveniently from their mobile devices. With intuitive navigation, personalized recommendations, and secure payment options, the mobile app provides a seamless and hassle-free shopping experience, empowering customers to find and acquire their desired green machines with ease.
Instant Assistance, Always On: Chatbots for Your Every Query
Description: To cater to customers’ need for immediate support and guidance, dealerships can deploy chatbots on their website and mobile app. These AI-powered virtual assistants are available round-the-clock, providing instant responses to common queries, product recommendations, and troubleshooting assistance. Chatbots can help customers navigate the website, answer frequently asked questions, and even initiate the purchase process. By leveraging chatbots, dealerships enhance customer satisfaction by delivering timely and efficient support, even outside regular business hours.
By embracing technology and leveraging innovative solutions such as a user-friendly mobile app for product browsing and purchasing, as well as chatbots for instant customer support and guidance, dealerships can revolutionize the customer journey. These technological advancements provide customers with convenient access to information, streamlined interactions, and prompt assistance, ultimately enhancing their overall experience and fostering long-term loyalty.
Analyzing Customer Data for Personalized Experiences
Implementing Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems
Unleashing the Power of Personalization: CRM for Tailored Experiences
Description: Dealerships can implement Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to collect and analyze customer data, allowing for personalized experiences. By capturing customer preferences, purchase history, and engagement patterns, dealerships gain valuable insights to tailor their marketing efforts and customer interactions. This data-driven approach enables dealerships to deliver targeted promotions, personalized recommendations, and proactive customer support, fostering deeper connections and enhancing the overall customer journey.
Utilizing Predictive Analytics for Anticipating Customer Needs
Stay One Step Ahead: Predictive Analytics for Enhanced Experiences
Description: By utilizing predictive analytics, dealerships can analyze customer data and trends to anticipate future needs and preferences. This enables proactive engagement with customers, offering relevant product suggestions, maintenance reminders, or timely promotions aligned with their interests. By staying one step ahead and addressing customer needs before they arise, dealerships showcase their dedication to customer satisfaction, creating a personalized and memorable customer journey.
By leveraging customer data through CRM systems and utilizing predictive analytics, dealerships can unlock the power of personalization. This data-driven approach enables them to offer tailored experiences, anticipate customer needs, and build strong, long-lasting relationships. The result is a customer journey that exceeds expectations, fosters loyalty, and drives increased sales in the lawnmower and tractor industry.
Sending Personalized Follow-Up Emails to Gather Feedback and Address Concerns
Your Voice Matters: Personalized Feedback for Continuous Improvement
Description: Dealerships can demonstrate their commitment to customer satisfaction by sending personalized follow-up emails after a purchase. These emails provide an opportunity for customers to share their feedback, experiences, and any concerns they may have encountered. By actively seeking customer input and promptly addressing any issues, dealerships show that they value their customers’ opinions and are dedicated to continuous improvement. This personalized approach strengthens the customer-dealership relationship and enhances the overall customer journey.
Offering Maintenance Tips and Reminders to Keep Customers Engaged
Beyond the Purchase: Unlocking the Secrets to Longevity
Description: To keep customers engaged and ensure they derive maximum value from their lawnmowers or tractors, dealerships can provide regular maintenance tips and reminders. These can be delivered through email newsletters, blog posts, or even through a dedicated section on the dealership’s website or mobile app. By offering valuable insights on proper maintenance routines, seasonal upkeep, and troubleshooting advice, dealerships empower customers to keep their green machines in optimal condition. This ongoing support and engagement reinforce the dealership’s expertise and commitment to customer success.
By investing in post-purchase engagement strategies such as personalized follow-up emails and offering maintenance tips and reminders, dealerships demonstrate their dedication to nurturing relationships beyond the initial sale. This proactive approach not only gathers valuable feedback but also keeps customers engaged, educated, and satisfied, leading to increased loyalty and advocacy.
Capitalizing on Social Media Engagement and Online Communities
Join the Green Movement: Connect, Share and Engage
Description: Dealerships can harness the power of social media platforms to create an active online presence. By regularly posting engaging content, sharing product updates, and offering helpful tips, dealerships can connect with their customer base on a more personal level. This social media presence encourages customers to actively engage, share their experiences, and seek advice from the dealership and other customers. By fostering a sense of community, dealerships can create a supportive and interactive space where customers feel valued and connected.
Building Online Communities and Forums
The Green Hub: Connect with Fellow Enthusiasts
Description: Dealerships can establish online communities or forums dedicated to lawnmower and tractor enthusiasts. These platforms provide customers with a space to connect, share their experiences, seek advice, and discuss topics related to lawn care and maintenance. By facilitating these online communities, dealerships not only strengthen their brand presence but also foster a sense of belonging among customers. This encourages knowledge-sharing, fosters relationships, and creates a positive word-of-mouth ecosystem.
By capitalizing on social media engagement and building online communities, dealerships can extend the customer journey beyond individual interactions. These platforms allow for ongoing engagement, knowledge-sharing, and relationship-building, ultimately leading to increased customer loyalty and advocacy.
By investing in post-purchase engagement, capitalizing on social media engagement and online communities, dealerships demonstrate their commitment to nurturing long-term relationships with customers. This holistic approach creates a seamless customer journey that extends beyond the initial sale, resulting in increased customer loyalty, positive word-of-mouth, and sustained business growth in the lawnmower and tractor industry.
The Power of Word-of-Mouth Marketing in the Lawnmower and Tractor Industry: Amplifying the Green Revolution
Word-of-Mouth as a Significant Influencer in the Industry
Spreading the Green Buzz: Word-of-Mouth Reigns Supreme
Description: In the lawnmower and tractor industry, word-of-mouth marketing holds immense power as a significant influencer. When customers have positive experiences with a dealership, they become natural advocates, sharing their satisfaction and recommendations with friends, family, and colleagues. These personal endorsements carry substantial weight, as people trust the opinions and experiences of their peers. Dealerships that recognize the impact of word-of-mouth marketing can harness its potential to amplify their brand and drive increased sales.
Encouraging Customer Referrals through Incentives and Referral Programs
Sharing is Caring: Unlock Exclusive Rewards with Customer Referrals
Description: Dealerships can actively encourage customer referrals by implementing incentives and referral programs. By offering rewards, discounts, or exclusive benefits to customers who refer new customers, dealerships create a win-win situation. Satisfied customers are motivated to share their positive experiences, while potential customers receive a trusted recommendation. Referral programs not only stimulate organic growth but also strengthen customer loyalty and engagement. The power of word-of-mouth marketing, coupled with incentives, becomes a powerful tool for expanding the customer base.
Utilizing Online Reviews and Testimonials to Build Trust and Credibility
Building Trust, One Review at a Time: Online Testimonials Speak Volumes
Description: In the digital era, online reviews and testimonials play a crucial role in building trust and credibility for dealerships. Positive reviews act as social proof, assuring prospective customers of the dealership’s reliability and exceptional customer service. Dealerships can actively encourage customers to leave reviews and testimonials on platforms such as Google, Yelp, or their website. By showcasing a collection of authentic and positive reviews, dealerships can significantly influence the decision-making process of potential customers, further enhancing their reputation and attracting new business.
By recognizing the significance of word-of-mouth marketing in the lawnmower and tractor industry, dealerships can leverage its power to drive growth and success. By encouraging customer referrals through incentives and referral programs, as well as utilizing online reviews and testimonials to build trust and credibility, dealerships create a positive word-of-mouth ecosystem that propels their brand forward and establishes them as a trusted authority in the industry.
Word-of-mouth marketing holds immense power in the lawnmower and tractor industry. Dealerships that actively cultivate and harness the potential of word-of-mouth can tap into a network of satisfied customers who become their brand ambassadors. Through customer referrals, incentives, and online reviews, dealerships amplify their reputation, foster trust, and drive increased sales in the competitive landscape of the lawnmower and tractor industry.
Cultivating Unwavering Customer Loyalty: The Path to Success in the Lawnmower and Tractor Industry
Paving the Way to Lasting Connections and Prosperity
In the dynamic world of lawnmowers and tractors, dealerships face the exciting challenge of navigating the customer journey to cultivate unwavering loyalty. By understanding and addressing the pain points customers encounter, dealerships can revolutionize the way they engage with their audience, driving increased sales and long-term success even in times of economic distress. Throughout this journey, we have explored the importance of customer journeys, identified common pain points, and offered creative solutions to overcome them.
From the initial step of assisting customers in choosing the right lawnmower or tractor model through innovative solutions like virtual reality simulations, to streamlining purchase processes with electronic signatures and automated document handling, dealerships can provide a seamless and convenient experience. Effective customer communication through personalized SMS or email notifications, real-time updates, and delivery tracking ensures that customers feel informed and valued at every stage.
Enhancing the customer journey not only leads to satisfied customers but also serves as a catalyst for increased sales. By streamlining the purchase journey with online product configurators, comparison tools, and flexible financing options, dealerships empower customers to make informed decisions and drive them towards completing their purchase. Additionally, building a customer-centric support system with dedicated customer service teams and implementing loyalty programs further reinforces customer satisfaction and encourages repeat business.
Leveraging technology plays a pivotal role in shaping the customer’s journey. The development of user-friendly mobile apps for browsing and purchasing provides customers with the convenience of accessing information and making purchases anytime, anywhere. Chatbots offer instant support and guidance, ensuring that customers’ queries are addressed promptly and efficiently.
Furthermore, investing in post-purchase engagement through personalized follow-up emails, maintenance tips, and reminders allows dealerships to nurture relationships beyond the sale. By actively seeking feedback, addressing concerns, and providing ongoing support, dealerships create a lasting bond with their customers, fostering loyalty and advocacy.
In the lawnmower and tractor industry, word-of-mouth marketing holds tremendous power. Encouraging customer referrals through incentives and referral programs, as well as utilizing online reviews and testimonials, allows dealerships to build trust, credibility, and expand their customer base through positive endorsements.
As we conclude our journey through the customer experience in the lawnmower and tractor industry, it becomes evident that a customer-centric approach, supported by technological advancements and strategic initiatives, is key to cultivating unwavering customer loyalty. By consistently exceeding customer expectations, dealerships can establish themselves as trusted partners and leaders in the industry. The path to lasting connections and prosperity lies in recognizing and addressing customer pain points, enhancing the customer journey, and embracing the influential power of word-of-mouth marketing.
So, green-thumbed adventurers, armed with these insights and strategies, embark on your quest to conquer customer pain points, and foster unwavering loyalty. By embracing innovation, nurturing relationships, and harnessing the power of word-of-mouth marketing, you are well on your way to success in the ever-growing landscape of lawnmowers and tractors.
Geofencing: The Ultimate Local Business Marketing Tool
Geofencing is an extremely effective method of marketing that can help get more local customers through your door. It works by targeting people by their proximity to your business and sending them special offers to help get them in the door.
Mobile marketing is taken to the next level with Geofencing. A virtual boundary is setup around your dealership using GPS, Beacons & Radio Frequency Identifiers. It can help to grow your customer-base and strengthen your brand identity over time. Geofencing allows you to target internet-enabled devices within a specific geographic area. Customers who enter the geofenced area receive notifications about your brand’s current offers, limited-time promotions, and events where they can engage with your company. Geofencing is a great way to reach out to potential customers and increase brand awareness.
Does Geofencing Benefit My Customer?
In contrast, geofencing offers a plethora of opportunity for mobile users. Interactive shopping & Pick-up reminders, home security, garage door openers, automatic coffee pots and limited time offers to your favorite restaurants are just a few of the benefits. Geofencing can help consumers find new businesses or try new places they may never have known about otherwise.
Benefits of Geofencing for your Dealership
Increase Local Sales:Search Engine Optimization focuses on increasing your rankings on search engines, and the benefits of ranking in the top 3 are quite clear. 54.4% of all clicks on searches are on the top 3 results. Geofencing is a relatively new way to improve your local performance. By sending push notifications to customers within your defined geographic area, you can increase your sales.
Provide Personalization to Your Customer Base: The data that you collect during your geofencing campaigns is of immense value. It will allow you to better personalize your offerings by giving you insight into the demographics of the local population. It also tells you what type of offers interest them and get them in your store. You can use purchase history to determine the products that your local customers prefer and adjust your promotions accordingly.
Connect Your Brand with the Customers Most Likely to do Business with You: Many companies sell their products and services online as well as in the store. Outdoor Power Equipment Dealers do most of their large business in their stores versus online. You already know your local customers are the backbone of your business. A Geofencing strategy can cultivate a strong local following that you can expand over time.
Cheap and Effective: Most companies already utilize Google Adwords, you already have all you need to create an effective geofencing campaign. Google allows you to set location-based parameters for your paid ads and business listings at no extra cost.
Understand Offline Behavior: Understanding how your customers behave offline can give you important insights into how to better advertise to them and give your brand a competitive edge. Brands can use this data to understand how often their customers visit the neighborhoods where their stores are located, how long they stay in those areas, and what kinds of activities they engage in while they’re there. All of this information can help create a more customized and relevant advertising experience for your customers.
Crush Your Competitor: You can apply geofencing technology to your competitor’s as well. Create a geofence around their location so that when a customer gets close to their store, they receive an ad or promotion from your business! You are able to persuade them from visiting the competitor and visit your business instead. This is a fantastic way to drive foot traffic to your business.
Immediate Impact: Geofences are a powerful tool for getting people to take action when they’re in the perfect location to do so. By sending out messages automatically as soon as someone crosses a geofence, businesses can capitalize on the fact that most people only take a few minutes to read messages after they receive them. This makes geofences an ideal way to get people to do something while they’re still in the same general area.
Increased Transparency in Measuring Campaign Success Rates: Marketers can use geofences to measure the effectiveness of their campaigns by combining advertising with data collection. For example, they can create advertising geofences to count how many people entered the areas where they are serving digital ads or were exposed to a physical advertisement (such as a billboard). Then they can create visit attribution geofences around the businesses they are advertising to measure how many people entered stores.
Increase Your Online Presence: In addition to creating targeted marketing campaigns, companies can also use geofence-based advertising to increase online customer engagement. By setting up geofences around their stores (or even just in strategic locations nearby), they can notify people who enter the area of where to find their website or social media accounts. This can prompt people to go online for more information, news, and even discounts from the company. Customers can also go on social media to ask questions or provide feedback, helping the company improve its products and services.
Future Outlook
When it comes to providing a satisfying digital marketing experience, one of the most important things you can do is cater your messaging to your audience’s real-time needs by offering discounts and promotions related to their physical location. By tailoring your call to action to consumers’ interests and needs, you’re much more likely to boost acquisition and retention rates, build loyalty, and increase affinity with your brand.
As AI develops more and the market continues to change, it will become increasingly important to be as personalized as possible in your messaging in order to stand out in a crowded marketplace. It is very easy to implement geofencing into your digital marketing strategy. The experts at Dealers Digital can help you determine your target audience and manage your cooperative advertising dollars while implementing geofencing as a part of your strategy. Want to learn more? Contact Us.
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Supercharge Your Dealership’s Email Marketing Strategy
Email Marketing can be daunting! What strategy to use, how to format it. Where to find and how to build your email list. Where to come up with content, the list goes on and on. Although it may be a little scary, email marketing is one of the best ways to connect with and build relationships with customers as well as push them through the marketing funnel. It is key to have a strong strategy in place or you can waste a lot of time creating content that people wont open or not have subscribers to send your emails to.
What Makes Email Marketing Worth the Time and Effort?
Think about how many emails you read and send in a day? Chances are, it’s more than one. There are more than 4 billion daily email users. That is a lot of emails! On average, email has an ROI of $36 for every dollar spent – higher than any other channel. With 50% of people buy from marketing emails at least once per month. So, if you’re not using email to market your business, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity!
Components of an Explosive Email Strategy
It is important that you follow a process rather than just skipping ahead to creating content to ensure that you hit all your marks and create a successful strategy.
Set Goals and Success Metrics: You will need to create goals for what you are trying to accomplish with your email marketing strategy. Use SMART goals. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time sensitive. An example of a SMART goal is; By the end of the quarter, you want a 5% higher click-through rate on your emails. It is also important to decide which metrics you will use to determine success or failure. In the example above, your click through rate would be your Key Performance Indicator or Metric.
Target Market Research: You will need to research your target audience. You want to gain as much information as you can about them. The more you know the better you will be able to understand your target audience, and ultimately, create the type of content they will care about.
Review Previous Years End of Year Data: Using insights from this data, you can figure out which are your most effective email tactics. Your year end data will also show where your customers were engaged across all channels. By taking a look at the whole picture, you can keep yourself from having to start from scratch, or make the same mistakes.
Segment Your List: This is a vital part of a winning email marketing campaign. This is where you start personalizing based on each clients need. Segments allow you to send more personalized messages, and you meet your customers at different points along their journey. This can increase your open rate, help you to become more authoritative and improve your lead nurturing efforts.
Start with Federal Holidays and Important Business Dates: For each of your key dates, you will need to decide how far in advance you need to start marketing for it. This will give you a good start and make sure that you are hitting important events your customer’s lives.
Grow Your Email List
A growth plan for your email marketing is essential to success. Growing your email list allows you to have a greater reach with your marketing efforts. There are many ways to grow your email list. For example, you can offer an incentive for signing up for your emails, like a coupon or access to exclusive content. This will motivate people to give you their email address because they will be getting something valuable in return.
A well-designed landing page on your website that is dedicated to driving email signups is a great way to increase your list. You can use social media platforms and PPC ads to boost traffic to your signup page. Another variation of this is to add a pop-up to your website. This way, when a customer is browsing your site, the pop-up will appear and request their email. They must then interact with the box to remove it, which in turn can help motivate people to sign up for your email list!
Create Killer Content
The last thing that you want to do is over promise and under deliver. You must provide content that your subscribers want to see, or they won’t be your subscribers for long! Utilizing your target market research, you know more about what your customers like and do, so you can create your content, centered on what your ideal audience cares about.
It is also extremely important to be consistent. Your audience will get used to seeing your dealership’s name and logo. This helps to keep you top of mind when your audience needs a product or service you offer and increases the likelihood they will use your dealership.
Choose a Platform That Best Suits Your Needs
There are many email marketing platforms out there, as well as many all in one marketing platforms as well. A few favorites are MailChimp, Constant Contact and DealerAmp.
Mailchimp– with both free and paid options. Mailchimp gives insights into ways to get more opens, clicks and sales. The free option allows use of free email templates and is relatively user friendly.
Constant Contact– They offer a free trial, however there is not a usable free option after the free trial. There base plan starts at$9.99 a month and includes email templates. Sign-up forms and Posting to social media. Constant contact is a little more user friendly, but that does come at a price.
DealerAmp– is built specifically for Outdoor Power Equipment Dealerships. It is a one stop marketing automation and messaging platform that takes your dealership marketing to the next level. DealerAmp manages your dealership’s follow up, two-way texting, sales pipeline, scheduling, social media, email marketing, and so much more. This software is packed with features specific to the green industry and will replace all your current marketing tools with just one platform. Schedule a Demo to learn more!
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This article originally appeared in the September edition of OPE Business.
Promoting Your Inventory (For Free) on Google
It is no secret that all OPE dealers have been affected in way or another by inventory shortages this year. Every dealer I have spoken to has spoken at length about the long-term implications of the disruption in the supply chain. But what about the inventory you DO still have on your showroom floor? The cupboard hasn’t been left completely bare, it’s just the shift we are seeing is that customers who may have been looking for a lower end model, might be more easily upsold to a more robust machine. So how do you make consumers aware of the models you do have available?
When the pandemic hit, online retailers were obviously in a much better position to serve customers than physical retailers who don’t have online stores, further widening the gap between online and offline retail. Outdoor equipment dealers should have been more insulated from this because most manufacturers don’t allow whole goods to be sold online. Yes, I know that there are a handful of online stores that are selling zero turn mowers on the web, shipped directly to your door, regardless of OEM rules and regulations. But for those of you who play by the rules, you are left to figure out how to compete in the online space. Enter Google.
Last year, in response to the pandemic, Google announced a program that largely flew under the radar that allows physical merchants to use Google Merchant Center to carve out a presence in search results normally reserved for shopping ads that shows local inventory available for pickup at a local store. This program was aimed at leveling the playing field for local merchants who could offer the one thing the online retailers cannot – the instant gratification of same day local pickup. So, when someone searches for a specific model like a Cub Cadet XT2, the search results at the top of the page will show shopping ads for local retailers that carry that model or models like it. Local consumers will now be driven to your storefront, instead of to an online store. According to Google, a shopping 76% of people who conduct a local search on their smartphone visit a physical store within 24 hours and 28% of those visits result in a purchase. Clearly, the dealers that make the effort to optimize their local presence, will reap the benefits.
It takes a little technical know-how to get set up in Merchant Center so that your on-hand inventory is consistently accurate, but once you are set up, the process can be automated so it is truly a set it and forget it marketing tactic.
Adding products to Google My Business
I’ve spoken at length in the past about the important of Google My Business because it’s the single most important (and free) tool that you can use to promote your business. If it’s been a while since you’ve logged into your Google My Business profile, you may not have noticed that there is now a Products section where you can add equipment directly to your profile.
This is a more manual process, but with a few clicks to upload a product image, add a product name and description, you can create an entire online catalog directly with your GMB profile. Adding rich data like this not only increases your exposure to local shoppers, but it helps the overall visibility of your profile.
You can also manage your profile directly from the GMB app on your smartphone, making it easy to add products, directly from your showroom floor, including used equipment or hard to find parts. These products can be categorized by make, model or type and they do not expire so ongoing maintenance of this section of your profile is minimal.
Google has done an admirable job of attempting to champion small and medium businesses in their struggle to compete against larger companies with seemingly unending resources. Google My Business and free local inventory ads are specifically designed to put local businesses on even footing with large chains and big box stores by providing customers with local shopping options. All you have to do is take advantage of the tools available to you.
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Brett Morris is the owner of Dealers Digital, a digital marketing agency for outdoor power equipment dealers and dealerAMP, a marketing automation platform for the OPE industry. He can grease all the fittings on a Woods Batwing in under 7 minutes.
This article originally appeared in the March edition of OPE Business
When we signed our very first OPE dealership as a client in 2014, the owner asked us to audit what they were spending online and analyze all of the tools they had bought into. So, we went through will all the awkward conversations to terminate deals with folks like the Yellow Pages and every side deal they had signed with multiple local media outlets.
Over the years I’ve met dozens of dealers who consistently tell me the same thing:
“I know I should be more proactive in promoting my business, but there just aren’t enough hours in the day and I don’t have time to learn how to use all of these new tools.”
Most dealers are inundated daily with sales reps and promises of new, flashy technology and how it’s going to change the way they do business. Except it hasn’t. Because technology is only as good as the people you have using it and the quality of the data you have to feed it. But this may finally be the year where technology and utility meet.
When email started to become prominent in the late 90s, it was supposed to kill the telephone (it didn’t) and when social media took off in the mid 2000’s, it was going to kill email (it didn’t) and when everyone got a website, it was going to kill newspapers (well, this one is basically true).
The point is, that instead of emerging technologies replacing each other, they’ve all become blended into a toolkit that work best when you use them together, rather than independently of one other. So, in the past where you just had newspaper, television, radio and billboards to deal with, now you have thousands of tools and channels to utilize for your business, each purporting to make your life easier, but only if you can figure out how to make them all live in harmony.
Enter marketing automation.
Marketing automation isn’t a new concept by any means. The idea has been around for many years with large software companies selling the dream of completely automated customer journeys that just churn out leads and close sales. The problem is that it took a lot of work to set up, even more to maintain and didn’t account for the nuances that every small business inherently had, not to mention that the price point of traditional enterprise software was a massive barrier to entry for small businesses. But as technology goes, tools have matured and in 2021 it’s much easier to make those pieces fit.
Here are the major components you’ll need in order to start putting those pieces together. You can expect to hear a lot more about the pieces that make up this marketing automation toolkit in 2021:
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Software: Most dealerships have a Dealership Management System that houses all of your key contacts, your inventory and more. All good business owners know that the cost of acquiring a new customer is much higher than maintaining an existing one. In fact, 50% of sales from existing customers when using marketing automation, vs. just 30% without. For example, setting up a program that sends a message to a customer at regular service intervals after they’ve purchased a new piece of a equipment is an easy, hands-off reminder to the customer that results in a consistent stream of booked service appointments. Does your DMS have a built in CRM? If not, it’s time to make this your first step.
Business Texting & Messaging: Business texting is one of the most quickly adopted technologies for small businesses in the last ten years. In fact, 78% of US consumers say that receiving a text message is the fastest way to reach them for important services updates and over 90% of text messages are read within the first three minutes. Texting also gives you hours of your day back by eliminating the need to call on customers for service reminders or parts inquiries. By combining marketing automation and business texting, you can notify a day’s worth of contacts with the click of a button and free your employees to get back to other tasks.
Chat Bots: Chat bots are expected to help reduce business costs by up to $8 billion by the year 2022. Why? Because with the power of artificial intelligence, chat bots can now answer the vast majority of the mundane questions you answer over and over again in your dealership. Plus, when added to your marketing automation plan, you can now interact with a potential customer in a meaningful way even without a live agent. For those customers that are searching for equipment at 2am, it gives you a way to collect some basic information in a conversational manner vs expecting the customer to complete an online form to get a quote because they know there is no immediate gratification for their query. In fact 64% of the public likes chatbots because they can deliver a 24-hour service, 7 days a week. When paired with marketing automation, you can collect the user’s information and automatically route that to the appropriate person in your dealership to handle their query so there are no more bottlenecks in your operation.
At a minimum, dealerships now have access to affordable tools to help maintain ongoing conversations with existing customers. But how can you take the next step and use automation technology to help you acquire new customers? For that, it’s important that you have an understanding of the marketing funnel to see where your customers are coming from and where they are in their buying journey. All of these tools are design to save you time and nurture customers down a conversion path that you simply can’t do manually.
With marketing automation we are finally seeing technology and affordability uniting to make your life easier, just a few years later than we were promised.
Dealers Digital owns and operates dealerAMP, an alternative to Kenect, Podium, Birdeye and DP360. If you’d like to learn more about how dealerAMP can help your business save time and money with an integrated business texting, reputation management and CRM platform, schedule a demo.
