Proudly serving the industry for which it was named for more than 50 years, Outdoor Power Equipment provides dealers who sell and service outdoor power equipment with valuable information to succeed in a competitive market.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/726432
Are you ROBO ready? Converting online shoppers into in-store buyers ONLINE DIRECTORIES & REVIEW SITES Online business directories and review sites, like Google My Business, Yellow Pages and Yelp, give your customers a space to quickly fi nd information and voice their opinions about your dealership — the good and the bad. All of this information is out there for new shoppers to read, and there are a few easy steps that you can take to ensure they're working in your favor. ■ Whether you use a directory management program like ARI Premium Directory Management or manage your listings manually, be sure to catalog all of the places your business is listed online. ■ Mark your calendar to check your listings once a month to ensure your dealership information is accurate and up to date. One wrong phone number on a directory listing can cost you a sale! ■ Take the time to respond to your customers' reviews — whether good, bad or ugly — to show potential customers that you really value their opinions. For good reviews, a simple "Thank you" and an invitation to come back soon is enough. For bad reviews, offer a sincere apology, make an offer to resolve the issue, and then take the conversation offl ine by giving the customer a phone number or email address to contact directly. SOCIAL MEDIA Social media has a lot of power over shoppers' purchasing decisions. In fact, 36 percent of shoppers said their interactions with a company on social media has led them to buy more from that company. 1 To get the most out of your social media presence, keep the following tips in mind: ■ Be aware of where your audience is spending their time online. If not many of your customers use certain social media platforms, don't invest your time in them. Instead, focus on the platforms that are popular with your customers. ■ Consider running social media ads to raise awareness for your business. Facebook has an ■ BY COLLEEN MALLOY Your customers are doing more research than ever to guarantee they're picking the right product and outdoor power equipment dealership to fi t their needs before making a purchase with you. They're looking at your online presence and visiting your website before they set foot in your store, and the process doesn't stop there! While they're browsing inventory at your brick-and- mortar location, many shoppers continue to research products and compare prices using smartphones. So, what can you do to engage these ROBO (research online, buy offl ine) shoppers? Ensuring you're providing the answers to their questions at each step of their research process will help you convert them from prospects to customers when they're ready to buy. Research online For most shoppers, the fi rst step in picking an OPE dealer happens online. There are a handful of places that potential customers might look to learn more about your dealership, and each one can strongly infl uence whether they decide to work with you. bad reviews, offer a sincere apology, make an offer to resolve the issue, and then take the conversation offl ine by giving the customer a phone number SOCIAL MEDIA Social media has a lot of power over shoppers' purchasing decisions. In fact, 36 percent of shoppers said their interactions with a company on social media has led them to buy more from that company. To get the most out of your social media presence, keep the following tips in mind: audience is spending their time online. If not many of your customers use certain social media platforms, don't invest your time in them. Instead, focus on the platforms that are popular with your customers. media ads to raise awareness for your business. Facebook has an happens online. There are a handful of places that IMAGE ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/URFINGUSS FEATURE STORY | Website Solutions 28 OCTOBER 2016 OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com