The internet has changed everybody, including tire kickers. Tens of millions of people are researching their purchases online before they buy, and that certainly includes car buyers. So how are you supposed to turn these lookers into buyers? How do you convert mildly interested people into enthusiastic customers? Here are some ways to convert search traffic into real life buyers.

Make it easy for buyers to contact you.

Put your phone number — or one of your phone numbers — on every single page of your website. Eliminate any possible reason for customers to leave your website or your page. The internet may be taking over the world, but a large volume of people still want to pick up the phone and call. Make it easy for them.

Make it easy for you to contact your buyers.

The easiest way for you to get into direct contact with your website visitors is email, so find a way to get their email addresses. The best way to do this is to create some kind of good reason or incentive for them to give up their address — give a bonus or promise updates on your specials and sales. Then follow up and send them something right away.

Make it easy for buyers to find you.

Just because you know where your dealership is doesn’t mean anybody else does. Let’s face it, if your customers drove by your dealership on their way to work every day they probably would’ve stopped by instead of checking you out online. Put a map in your sidebar or put directions on a prominent page on your site.

Remember, people’s thoughts follow established neural pathways. If they start their relationship with your dealership thinking it’s an easy and pleasant experience, then that impression will remain throughout your relationship. Help by planting the easy seeds at the beginning and reap the rewards now and in the future.

According to a recent article in the London Turkish Gazette, London police have started to target street gangs who are selling their cars from the street itself. Apparently local residents are feeling intimidated and can’t find a place to park, leading authorities to crack down on the illegal automobile trade.

What does this have to do with your dealership?

When it comes to any kind of illegal activity, street gangs and organized crime are not known for targeting unprofitable niches. They’re getting their cars — their “dealerships”, as it were — right in people’s faces and hawking their wares for all to see.

Can your auto dealership learn from this?

Think about it. How many people in your surrounding area really know what you sell? Granted, they know you sell cars. Maybe they even know you sell Ford trucks. But do they know the benefits of your vehicles? Do they know your price points? Are you really exhausting all of the possible sales opportunities from your area customers, or are you relying on traditional methods of automobile marketing and advertising to do your work for you?

While nobody would advocate intimidating the neighbors and taking away places to park, it is worth taking some time to think about what you could be doing to get yourself, your salespeople, and your dealership on the front lines of the marketplace.

Some things to think about:

Are you asking for the sale?

Are you making it crystal clear what you sell and what it costs?

Are you carrying your business cards with you at all times?

Are you carrying your virtual business cards? Are you capitalizing on online sales and networking opportunities as a part of your brand strategy?

Fortunately for London residents, these particular salespeople are on their way to prison. But maybe we can all learn a lesson from what they were trying to do.

People are more likely to buy what they know and the fastest way to get to know a car is to drive one. Based on this idea, the auto rental company Avis did a study to find out the impact of automobile rentals on future car purchases.

Turns out if they rent the car, they’re more likely to buy the car.

The UK operations of Avis sent a survey to over 2,500 auto renters in the UK and Europe to find out what kind of an impact the rental experience and rental car had on future purchases. They found that 105 of the survey responders had already gone out and purchased the model of vehicle they’d rented at some point in the past. 44 percent of the UK drivers who participated in the survey were “slightly or much more likely” to add the model they’d rented to their short list of cars to consider.

When you consider that 48 percent of the respondents were set to buy a new vehicle in the next year, those are very big numbers.

What does this mean to auto manufacturers?

Well, despite the fact that the rental sector is deemed to be unprofitable in the short term, car manufacturers might be better off considering the lucrative “long tail” market. If you can create an enjoyable rental experience and potentially long term consumer loyalty, the cost of entering the rental market could be offset many times over.

The director of the Avis fleet says that the results of the survey were very positive. “We understand manufacturers have to control rental volumes more carefully, but this proves they could lose out on future sales, many to drivers who have never experienced their brand, if they do not keep up a presence in the rental arena.”

Vehicle sales have been stalling as the economy is trying to sort itself out and potential consumers are trying to hang on to their vehicles as long as possible. To combat this, dealerships and manufacturers have been getting creative in attempting to lure buyers to their shops.

In the latest in a string of various incentives Chrysler Corporation announced on Wednesday that it will be limiting the amount its customers will be paying for gasoline when they purchase selected new models.

The idea of incentives is not a new one to the automotive industry. First it was the $0 down 0% interest offers, followed by the employee discount offers. Some dealerships even offered “buy a new car, get a used car free” or Dell desktop computers with the purchase of a new vehicle. But with the price of gasoline increasing and with no signs of stopping, Chrysler thinks they’ve got the next big one.

“It’s something that’s unprecedented in the car business,” said Craig Stickler, general manager of Maxwell Taylor Chrysler. The news “was released night before last and we received probably between, in the neighborhood of 20 to 25 calls yesterday and the phones have been ringing off the hook,” said Stickler.

The plan is to offer purchasers of specific models a special credit card that allows them to purchase gasoline for $2.99 a gallon for regular or diesel fuel for a period of three years. If gas prices raise above the $2.99 per gallon mark during that time period, Chrysler will pay the difference.

Stickler predicts that this is a move that other manufacturers will follow, and Chrysler is already hinting that it will extend the offer beyond the June 2 deadline. Customers also seem to be interested. “I definitely would look into that. I tell you because you feel it at the pump now. You really do,” said Darwin Tanksley, one man feeling the fuel crunch.

Ready to get more buyers through your dealership doors? Check out new information about automotive search engine brand marketing and find out how to get them through Google.

In a sagging automotive industry, it’s easy to get dejected about the state of vehicle sales in America. Automotive dealerships can always find new ways to market their products, but some things seem just about impossible to sell. With gas prices at never before seen levels and an increase in consumer concern about the environment, what do you do with all of the sport utility vehicles and pick-up trucks hanging around the dealership?

According to a recent article in Forbes Magazine, the auto industry has an especially tough time with consumer shifts. It takes about four years for car companies to alter production schedules, and a lot of vehicles get made in those four years. Somebody has to sell them, and that somebody is your dealership.

So how do you sell the cars it seems like nobody wants?

“We all know the saying about one man’s trash being another man’s treasure, and you just need to find the man who treasures your trash,” says marketing professor John Zhang. Instead of just finding new customers, you have to start looking for different ones.

Traditional automotive marketing works in a market that’s operating traditionally. With the current market down-turn, traditional marketing initiatives don’t work as well. This is when you have to start getting creative.

Stephen Hoch, another marketing professor, says that you have to find a way to get around people’s natural objections. You need to “frame an offer to get rid of the objection.” In the case of SUVs, dealerships that are offering free gas deals to combat rising fuel prices are noticing improvements. It only works on people that aren’t buying because of gas prices, but it’s a start.

Zhang advises dealerships and marketing teams truly put themselves in the shoes of their customers.
Envision their objections and see what resources you have to remove them. Don’t be afraid to try new automotive marketing techniques and keep at it. You might be surprised by what works.

It’s no surprise that the auto industry is in a slump. Gas prices are high, most of America is mortgaged to the hilt, and consumers are finding there’s too much month left at the end of the money.

According to information from sales tracker Autodata, April vehicle sales showed surprising information. Despite the sluggish economy, passenger vehicle sales were up five percent. At the same time, sales of trucks and sport utility vehicles plummeted over 17 percent.

Automotive marketing experts suggest that this disparity in sales data results from consumer mind shifts. When the price of gasoline is through the roof, the better your cars are on gas, the more you’ll sell. US auto makers are sitting up and paying attention to this shift in customer focus.

Mark LaNeve, the VP of Sales, Service and Marketing for GM North America says, “Consumer preference is shifting and we’re shifting with it.”

Both GM and Ford are planning to cut back second quarter truck and SUV production as more and more customers are opting for smaller vehicles. George Pipas, a Ford sales analyst, says that people who bought F-150 pickup trucks as fashion accessories just a few years ago are now looking at sedans. “People who didn’t need the utility of pickup truck are trading them in.”

What does this mean to the average local auto dealership?

Whether you’re looking at your automotive marketing online, your radio slots, or your print publications, the important thing to focus on right now is fuel efficiency. This is the time to play up your vehicles that are great on gas, especially hybrids.

“It’s clear that gas prices are weighing heavily on car-buyers’ minds,” says Jesse Toprak of Edmunds.com. If you take the opportunity to highlight your vehicles with great fuel efficiency you have the chance to capitalize on this trend before your competitors and ride out the slump.

Are you interested in keeping your current car-buying customers while still reaching out to potential new customers? Do you want to do this while keeping costs down? In today’s economy, cutting costs is the name of the game for any business owner, especially automotive dealers. Here is how you can use your advertising budget, your satisfied customers and the Internet to reach out to new customers.

Sponsor a Video Contest
Imagine the impact on your bottom line if dozens of your satisfied customers created a YouTube video based on their pleasant experiences at your dealership. As nearly everybody has a video camera and a computer nowadays, customers can easily create a video and post it to the site. And it’s free! Offer a gas card or some other incentive for the winner of the best video, and you’ll be surprised how much publicity your dealership receives from such a simple request.

Share Experiences on Your Site
You’d be surprised how many people will create a blog or a video with a promise that you’ll link to it from your dealership’s website. They’ll appreciate the traffic they receive and the publicity, too. Simply ask your satisfied customers to create something on their websites that discusses their experiences at your facility, and be sure to include a link on your website. It doesn’t get much more inexpensive than that!

Stir Up Their Creativity
Ask existing customers to create a short, 50-word description of the car they bought from your automotive dealership. Ask them to allow you to put it on the inventory section of your website. Many customers will just enjoy knowing that you used their descriptions, but you can offer a small prize for their efforts.

If you want to keep your customers engaged with your dealership so they’ll come back when it’s time for a purchase, use a variety of methods that appeal to them. These three ideas utilize social media and online automotive marketing, but using other ways is important, too.

As an automotive dealer, you know it’s more difficult (and more costly) to find new customers than it is to keep existing ones. It’s simply not easy to bring new people to your dealership with so much competition in the automotive industry. That’s why it’s so important to keep your existing customers engaged with you and your facility as much as you can.

But how do you do that?

Many automotive dealers send out birthday cards and maintenance reminders to keep their names in their customers’ heads. But they are overlooking one major possibility: Internet marketing.

I’m not talking about using Internet marketing on your part to reach car-buying customers, though. I mean you can put a large amount of advertising for your business on your customers’ shoulders. With social media websites, YouTube and other popular online gathering places, your customers can spread the word about your dealership for you.

Think of it like this: The Internet is the new “word of mouth.” And any business owner knows that word of mouth is the best way to advertise. Unfortunately, unsatisfied customers are more likely to spread their dissatisfaction than satisfied customers are to spread their satisfaction with their experiences. Most satisfied customers won’t even take the time to post their pleasant experiences without any incentives.

If I’ve piqued your curiosity, come back on Wednesday to see how you can encourage and engage your existing customers to help promote your business by doing more than simply telling their friends.

If you ask customers what they want from the companies from whom they buy, you probably won’t be surprised by their responses. Studies show that Customers primarily want two things:

1. Competitive pricing, and
2. Auto Dealers to be transparent with information in a timely and professional manner

According to a recent study by Cobalt, Yahoo!, and Polk, the advent and advancement of the internet have made it possible for customers to demand this from all of the companies with whom they do business. No businesses are more affected by this than Car Dealerships. For most people, their vehicles are more expensive than anything they’ll ever buy but not live in, and saving money and hearing the truth are especially important in the car buying process.

The study reveals that the impact of a customer’s online brand marketing experience in the car buying process cannot be overstated. In every area of their lives, customers are going online to research, to learn, and even to shop, and the purchase of an automobile is no different.

The study found that one of the most crucial aspects of the online brand marketing process is responding to customer inquiries. People are spending an incredible sum of money on their car, and they’re bound to have questions. Customers are taking the dealer responses to their questions very seriously, and for good reason.

A recent article in Dealer magazine on the study says “simply initiating a response is not enough to build customer loyalty. Rather, dealers must respond as consumers request, factoring in content, speed and method of response, in order to increase the chance of selling a vehicle.” It should be obvious, but when a customer wants an email instead of a phone call, or they would prefer to be phoned before 5 o’clock, it makes sense to take heed and communicate with them in the manner they choose.

The concept of sharing experiences with personal networks is not a new one — we’re all familiar with one person telling two friends and those friends telling two more. Existing and potential customers now have access to methods of group communication previously inconceivable to marketing departments. With the rise of internet usage, those two friends are still being told, but they’re being told publicly and there are a whole lot more than two of them.

With forums, blogs, rating sites and social media becoming the fastest growing methods of information transfer, giving customers a professional and helpful experience is more vital than ever before. Automobile dealers have the opportunity to capitalize on good customer relationships and experience growth at exponential rates.

For decades, our car-buying decisions have been based primarily on what our friends tell us, what we read in consumer reports, and the advertising in radio and in television. But the buying world is changing across the board, virtualizing and socializing, and progressive dealerships are getting in to the action. A new survey by The Kelsey Group suggests a warm welcome by car dealers when it comes to today’s Web 2.0 marketing.

According to the survey, 62 percent of those dealers who responded planned to increase their online media spending this year, and 33 percent said they would be using social media, up from 15 percent. At the same time, only 8 percent of respondents said they would be cutting their online spending, as compared to 46 percent who will be cutting their spending in more traditional media outlets.

“These findings point to a significant disruption in the auto dealer advertising space,” says Neal Polachek, chief executive officer of The Kelsey Group. This isn’t your grandfather’s marketing campaign.

Whenever technology changes — whether it’s the newest gadget or the newest form of marketing –there is always a group of individuals and businesses who are quick to get involved. These early adopters who are more willing to try new things before the rest of the industry does have a chance at new and exciting success. The last few years have been groundbreaking in online technology and social media marketing, and other dealers are catching on after seeing the unprecedented success of their peers who have been quick to adopt the new technology.

There is a growing awareness among automobile dealers that online brand marketing is a vital piece of the marketing puzzle. This includes forms of Organic Search Marketing, Blog Marketing, and online Social Network Marketing. Buyers have not only turned to the Internet with shocking speed and in amazing numbers, but also they are demanding more from their suppliers, and automobile retailers are no exception. The smart dealers are getting on board, capitalizing on this new breed of web savvy customers.

There’s no doubt about it — the world has changed beyond recognition, and it continues to change every day. Dealers across the country and the globe have come to realize that online brand marketing and social media are powerful and cost-effective means for making customers more aware of what they have to offer. It’s an exciting time to be a car dealership, and the future is looking brighter and brighter every day.