How to Compete with Larger Dealers
If your RV dealership is new, or smaller, you might be wondering how you can make your dealership look ‘bigger’ to compete with larger companies. There are over 2600 RV dealers in the US and roughly 500 in Canada, the majority of which are small to mid-sized, but the big dealerships can be tough to compete with. Often, online presence is what helps ‘level the playing field’ for smaller dealers, and can help you appear just as robust and competitive as your larger competition.
The Benefits of Appearing Bigger
Consumers often have more confidence in a larger company. Typically, larger companies are more established, they’ve been around for several years and may be perceived as being more trustworthy. After all, they must have done something right to get to that size, so bigger can automatically mean ‘better’ in a shopper’s mind.
What Do People Perceive Bigger Dealers to Have?
Big dealerships are often perceived to have more purchasing power (typically true), along with better deals and the best brands. Shoppers may not realize that smaller dealerships have access to the same top-quality brands and can have great deals too! The goal is to overcome those initial perceptions about smaller dealers and prompt consumers to find out what your dealership has to offer.
So, How Do Smaller Dealers Compete?
RVT has a few tips to help you increase your dealership’s online presence.
- Spruce up your website. A robust website is one way to make your dealership look larger.
• Include an ‘about us’ section. Make it about ‘us’ even if you’re a one-person dealership. Use this space to let people know all the unique things that make your dealership stand out from the competition.
• Keep the content on your site fresh. One great way to do that is to have a blog on your site that offers tips for owners.
• Make sure your site is mobile friendly. On average, about 60% of people use their phone or tablet to access sites, so make sure your site is responsive and will adjust to fit a variety of devices.
• Link to your social media accounts on your website. As you’ll see in the next point, your social media presence is important. - Have a strong social media presence. These days, presence on social media is key. Shoppers will use it as a source of information about your company, including reviews of your products and service. Keep in mind that you don’t want your social media feeds to sound like one big sales pitch. Be sure to share interesting news or tips with your followers, along with links to your blog posts, rather than posting solely about your inventory or current sales.
- Have professionally branded materials. If you don’t already have a logo, consider having one professionally designed. Your logo is used for all your branding and is vital from a recognition standpoint. Consistency in branding is essential. The same logo, fonts, and colors should be used in all of your branded material to help build recognition. Consider using a freelancer or graphic design student if budget is a concern. The cost savings over using an ad agency or a large design company could be substantial.
- Establish brand awareness. Top-of-mind awareness is important to create. It establishes you as a forerunner in buyers’ minds, prompting them to think of you first when they want to shop for an RV.
One simple and effective way to create brand awareness is through advertising your inventory and your services on trusted sites like RVT, where your target market is already gathering. RV shoppers trust RVT as an established source of ‘for sale’ listings and information. Beyond listing your units, RVT can help alert your buyers to sales at your dealership, your commitment to outstanding customer service, or your exceptional parts and service department through display advertising. Or help you to re-engage shoppers who have demonstrated interest in your units.
The more shoppers are exposed to your name and the merits of doing business with you,
the more you become a top-of-mind dealer for them.
Implementing these tips can help your business look bigger and help bring RV shoppers to your lot. Once you’ve connected with them, it’s how you treat them that will determine the ultimate success of your dealership. Solid reviews, word-of-mouth recommendations, and a good reputation for fair treatment, competitive pricing, and excellent after-sales service will keep consumers coming to your dealership—large or small.
Ready to set your dealership up for optimal exposure and views via the RVT marketplace?
Contact us today to request personalized, one-on-one consultation rvt.com/consult
