Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/287259
April 2014 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 31 Exclusive Report wants to take credit for an increase in sales, but it's a team effort. All we can do as marketers is identify targets properly and remind them about the products and services that are offered. In the end, it's up to the dealer to make it happen." Websites: Rated Most Effective Dealers view websites as their most effective marketing tool. Fifty percent of respondents rate them as "very effective," compared to 38 percent for open houses, and 37 percent for search engine optimization. Ninety-eight percent of dealers surveyed use a website to tell their story. And more than half (56%) say they will be increasing their investment in the website in 2014. Dealers are moving beyond static websites. Bobcat of the Rockies, a Divi- sion of Berry Companies, plans to beta- test an auction service on its website through Equipment Web Services. "We see that used equipment is a driver of visitors to our website," said Patrick Kelleher, the dealer's sales manager. "If we take a used machine off our website and put it on an auction site, it takes views away from our site." Through an agreement with Proxibid, Equipment Web Services now offers e-commerce capability on dealer websites. Dealers can send their used inventory to BidTraderauc- tion.com, an online auction, while they continue to be marketed on the dealer's website. Now, buyers can purchase or make an offer directly off of the dealer's website. Titan Machinery is currently updating its website and plans to make it mobile-friendly. "People are doing their research using mobile technology," said Mike Hall, senior marketing manager. "They are not waiting for a magazine to come out. They are going to find their information in real time, and we have to be there." Hall's observations are confirmed in a study conducted by EDA among subscribers to Equipment World magazine. Forty-four percent of end-user respondents said the last time they purchased or rented from a new dealer they found them through an online search. Bobcat of the Rockies receives several requests for quotes from its website each week with traffic driven by organic search for used equipment. "What surprises us are the existing customers who contact us through the website instead of calling their sales guy," said Kelleher. Research conducted by CEB Marketing Leadership Council (in partnership with Google) found that B2B buyers progress nearly 60 percent through their decision process before engaging a sales rep. "People are trained to research products online. We are trying to tailor our marketing approach to those kinds of people," said Kelleher. For ADI Agency, which works specifically with heavy equipment and truck dealers, the most effective website isn't necessarily the most aesthetically pleasing. "An effective website is one that not only generates traffic but converts unknown visitors into leads," said Raj Julka, ADI managing partner. "The No. 1 objective is to generate quality leads to hand off to the salesperson." "A good website is all about the user experience and it takes a team that studies and specializes in the way Marketing Maze (continued on next page) 30_Marketing_feature_KP.indd 31 3/27/14 4:30 PM