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!

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