Friday, June 29, 2012

The number one reason to drop/switch your specialty vehicle line.

I see it all the time, especially in viewing dealers websites from when I first started my research to now.  The dealer used to carry a specialty vehicle line, or I've seen instances where they've switched products.  I spoke to an Internet Manager a couple weeks ago that told me that they weren't ordering anymore of the product they carried.  I asked if they were switching products, and he said no, they were just dropping it.  He was clearly bummed about it, and I asked if he knew why they decided to drop the line?  His answer was one that I clearly related to, "cause management said so".  I thought what a shame, here's a sales guy who obviously likes the product, and is bummed about dumping it.  What I didn't tell him was that I knew why they were dropping it.  The number one reason a dealer drops/switches a specialty product line is simple...They aren't selling them!  The question is why?  I've worked for dealers as an Internet Manager where I was almost micro-managed to working for an owner that gave me free reign to do as I wish with the Internet Marketing.  I asked if he did any special with the vehicles as far as Internet Marketing, and he said, "No, the managers are "old school", and don't see the value of the internet.  They don't let me do much out of the ordinary things."
I've spoken to many Internet Managers, and manufacture reps specifically about the Internet Marketing of specialty vehicles.  If the product is "going over the curb", that dealer isn't dropping or switching products.  I created a marketing campaign at the dealership I worked for specifically for our Rocky Ridge products.  As the Internet Manager, I made it my mission to dominate the online space with our units, and we moved a lot of units!  The GM knew everything that I was doing, however it didn't get back to the owner.  When dealers complained to Rocky Ridge, it got back to the owner!  He quickly became aware of what I was doing.  One of the other ways he found out early, was we had two different customers at two separate locations looking to buy.  We were including shipping, with the GM approval to do it, and they both were trying to negotiate that.  As a result of what I did, I got abruptly fired.  The flip side is that, they were the first dealer that came on board.  Instead of working for one dealer/manufacturer line, I'm doing it for multiple dealer/manufacturers.
 As a dealer, you may have initial success with a product line, however putting them on your lot and website isn't going to get them "over the curb".  Conversionsforsale.com is committed to providing a platform where dealers and manufacturers can list their specialty vehicles.  Combined with our goal of getting them in-front of your end consumer!

Hand Slapped For Being Too Persistant?

    I've worked for an RV dealership, boat dealership, and an auto dealership in sales and as an Internet Manager.  One of the biggest things that managers would drill into our heads, especially at those beloved sales meetings, was follow-up.  Always, always be following up with the customer, we would be told, follow up until they "buy or die!"  Not in a literal sense on the dieing part, however until you know that they are no longer in the market for whatever your trying to sell them.  Someone would always ask the Manager, "what happens if they say I'm bugging them? or harassing them?"  The managers response would be, "You let me know if they complain, and I'll personally talk to them, however you will never be in trouble if that happens.  It means that you're doing your job, it's sales 101!"
      A few weeks ago I was taken a back by a response that I received from a company's President:  "You are driving us CRAZY!  You are calling our sales people, calling _____, emailing me and just plain bothering us"
      I was surprised, and wondered did I really do something wrong?  Is there such a thing as being too persistent?   I don't think so, especially when your intent is to genuinely provide a service that helps their business increase opportunities.  Am I being too persistent because I really want to cause a headache for you?  Maybe I'm being persistent because I know what the impact of what I'm doing is going to have on your business.  It can be either negative or positive, and I make no apologies whatsoever for the impact it has on anyone's business.  It could be that I'm seeing visitors coming to my site looking for your product, and your competitors product.  It could be that I'm also seeing the many "sold's" that are on my site that are your competitors product.   Buyers are looking, and whoever is providing them with the information they seek, will get their business.