Exposure Excellence: Leveraging Data to Boost RV Sales This Season

Exposure Excellence: Leveraging Data to Boost RV Sales This Season

by | Feb 19, 2024 | RV Dealer Tips, RV Dealership Sales

Many dealers are currently overstocked with new, non-current models or used units and need to make room for fresh inventory. Sound like you? Or maybe you have the latest models, but want to attract more buyers. No matter which category your dealership falls into, this article offers some tips and strategies to help.

Harness Consumer Demand Data to Elevate Your Inventory’s Exposure

Understanding what consumers are in the market for and aligning your inventory advertising to that demand is essential to increasing engagement and sales opportunities. At RVT, we conduct comprehensive data analysis of RV shoppers searching on our marketplace to provide you with valuable consumer search information that can help guide your advertising decisions. For instance:

The most-searched RV classes in the 2023 season on RVT.com were:

  • Class A
  • Travel Trailer
  • Class C

In 2023, over one-third of our shoppers searched for Class A motorhomes, followed by 24% interested in travel trailers. Class C is next with 15% of the searches. Fifth Wheels, Toy Haulers, Pop-Ups, and other classes make up the remaining 26% of searches.  

The top-searched brands on RVT in the 2023 season were:

  • Newmar
  • Winnebago
  • Tiffin
  • Prevost
  • Airstream

Understanding these trends can help you to prioritize which inventory to support with enhanced advertising to capture more views of your matching inventory. RVT’s suite of enhancements such as featured listings, dynamic remarketing, display advertising, and placing your units in our auto-notify emails will boost your visibility, targeting precisely the consumers who are searching for particular brands and in specific geographic areas.

Even if your dealership doesn’t sell the brands or classes that are generating higher levels of interest on RVT, hyper-targeted advertising such as targeted social remarketing, dynamic remarketing, and dynamic super leaderboard ads can be extremely effective at introducing different units into that market of consumer searches and increase your dealership’s chances of gaining market share.

Understand Your Dealership’s Competitive Position

Identifying your competitors and gathering information about them, such as their operating area, products, pricing, and promotional tactics will help you identify your dealership’s strengths and weaknesses. 

Consider:

  • Their geographic reach in comparison to yours.
  • The types and brands of RVs they carry, as well as the products and services they offer. How do you compare?
  • The marketing tactics they employ to engage with RV shoppers. Are yours similar?
  • Their social media presence. Which strategies are they employing to engage their audience? How do yours compare?
  • Their pricing structure. Keep an eye on their listings and advertising on RVT to help you get a feel for their inventory and pricing.
  • Their target market. Is it exactly the same? What are their differentiators? What are your advantages?
  • The size of their organization. How many staff? How many units?
  • Their professional reputation. Take a look at consumer reviews on their website, social media, and Google and compare them to your own.  

Performing a regular competitive analysis and harnessing the power of consumer data puts your dealership in a strong competitive position, helping you increase leads and ultimately, your sales.

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

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How to Keep Buyers Coming Back—Even in the Off Season

How to Keep Buyers Coming Back—Even in the Off Season

by | Oct 31, 2023 | Engaging Buyers in the Off-Season, RV Dealer Tips

If you’re in one of the many states and provinces heading into the off season, you may be wondering how you can keep customers engaged, even when the weather turns cold. In part one of a three-part series, RVT is sharing some tips to help attract RVers in the slower seasons.

Re-engaging previous buyers and attracting new ones by showcasing a well-stocked parts and accessories department is a great way to bring customers back to your dealership. According to a recent RVIA survey, around 90% of RV buyers indicated that at least one type of improvement is needed on their RV post sale. Don’t miss out on these after-market customers. Popular areas of improvement include plumbing, sanitation, and solar packages.

So, what will motivate RVers to come back to your dealership for parts and accessories?

  • Make It Simple: A well-organized parts department in your brick-and-mortar store makes it easy for shoppers to find what they’re looking for. Keep the area tidy, make sure prices are clearly labeled, and have staff standing by to help customers find what they need. Consider highlighting timely areas like winterization or spring start up as the seasons change.
  • Keep Bestselling Items in Stock: Immediate availability of RV parts and accessories is essential for most shoppers. Make sure you’re well stocked with the most popular items. Take a look at last year’s sales data to identify your dealership’s most purchased products/parts & accessories to prepare for seasonal demand.

  • Have a Solid Shipping, Returns, and Exchange Policy: Do you offer free shipping with online orders? Are returns and exchanges hassle-free? Shoppers tend to lean toward stores with good return policies and complimentary shipping.
  • Offer Competitive Pricing: RVers shop everywhere for parts and accessories, including online. Like other consumers, they want the best price and will compare a variety of sites and locations to get it. Check out your competition, including Amazon, and make sure your prices are in line with the pricing elsewhere. Offer the lowest price you can.
  • Emphasize Your Expertise: Drive more business to your brick and mortar store by emphasizing one-on-one attention and expert knowledge. Many RVers are first-timers and aren’t sure what they’re looking for. Assurance that they can get quality parts and service from your dealership will help keep them coming back—and recommending your dealership to family and friends.
  • Create Awareness: Make sure RVers know you sell parts, services, and accessories. Do you stock items they won’t find at your competitors? Do you offer winterizing, spring tune ups, or other services? Now is the time to let them know. RVers are looking for a prompt, reliable service department. Too often you hear horror stories from RVers who had a terrible experience with a dealership’s service department. Be the exception. Excellent customer care and a timely turnaround will increase positive brand awareness for your dealership, including coveted word-of-mouth advertising.

  • Increase Your Marketing in the Off Season: While it may seem counter-intuitive, don’t reduce your marketing budget in the off season. Many of your competitors will, so now is an ideal time to increase your presence and let RVers know about the excellent parts, accessories, and services you offer. RVT can help you create a high-impact brand awareness strategy to keep you top of mind.

Providing expert knowledge, a wide variety of parts and accessories, competitive pricing, and a reliable service department will help build a long term customer base that seeks out your dealership year round.

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

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