Mosinee, Wis. "In a few clicks, I can post a product just as easily as I can take it down when it's sold. Keeping our inventory up-to-date is es- sential to fostering customer engagement and driving online sales."
Be the local authority on all things OPE Educate and inform visitors, positioning your
dealership as a true OPE resource rather than "just another business that wants their money." • Feature Q&As, maintenance tips and any other educational information that helps the customer. • Pack the calendar of events with both sales
and fun events. • Update the news section with your dealer-
ship's latest accomplishments, new and pre- owned products, industry awards, not-for-profit initiatives and more — ideally with pictures and videos to foster your connection with the cus- tomer. Many dealerships often have bulletin boards and counter tops full of events and activities, but none of these are displayed on their website. Why shouldn't they, when millions of prospects are doing their shopping homework online every day? Every visitor is a potential sale or lead, and
every lead is a potential sale. Successful dealers — small and large — simplify their online sales and lead generation efforts and grow their busi- ness continuously by using a solid website solu- tion with integrated eCommerce, which is easy to use, customizable and cost-effective. The right solution increases qualified traffic, keeps visitors engaged, accelerates the buying cycle, and facilitates ongoing website updates. Wooing prospects with a powerful website and managing leads effectively throughout the buying process will position you as the dealer of choice when the time is right. Take a hard look at your website and ask yourself if it makes you want to click or skip.
Bob McCann, a 20-year sales education veteran, is the author of the nationally recog- nized e-business sales method known as TIPS (Traffic, Interactive Website, Process, Sales). As director of educa-
tion at ARI, McCann has developed proven e- business sales processes to support the company's growing list of dealer and manufacturer clients in the marine, RV, powersports and outdoor power equipment industries. McCann can be reached at (757) 217-3534 or mccann@arinet.com.
Multiple methods are used on Charlie's Hardware's homepage to find two keys sales drivers: inventory and parts.
OPE
Buchalla's blog keeps visitors engaged with product reviews, how-to posts on looking up OPE parts, lawn fertilizer tips, and more.
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