How do you unleash the full potential of your commercial dealership and outmaneuver the relentless competition? Well, in today’s world, that doesn’t necessarily mean having a vast on-lot inventory for shoppers to choose from. Those days may never return. There are ways to attract commercial prospects other than maintaining a Yellowstone Park-sized herd of work trucks. Instead, look for growth by encouraging shoppers to engage with your product online.
Your ability to attract, engage, and ultimately convert fleeting prospects into loyal customers should be a top priority. Your dealership is now more than just a physical location where people can see your product and check out the competition. It’s also an online destination that attracts potential customers nationwide.
So, instead of asking when stocking levels will return to pre-pandemic levels, ask yourself these six questions to help your dealership survive and thrive in the digital age.

1) Does your dealership website maintain enough SEO content to rank well in online searches?
Ranking high for the kinds of vehicles your target market is searching for is critical in the modern world. You can’t engage and convert prospects until you’ve attracted them to your site. SEO-rich content is a tried and true tactic to improve visibility with internet search engines.

2) Does your website provide a “Garage” type option where shoppers can save vehicles they’re interested in?
This is a great way to foster engagement and inform a database. If you’ve shopped for anything online that allowed you to “save” the item of interest, you know what I’m talking about. You. Will. Return.

3) Does your website provide easy entry into the pre-order funnel?
Easing the path to pre-sales is critical to success in the new-normal supply chain. Easy steps on your website for shoppers to accomplish this will pay dividends in market-qualified leads.

4) Are you offering maintenance and repair services tailored to commercial customer needs?
Commercial customers need to get their vehicles repaired or serviced quickly and efficiently, so they can get back on the road. If you’re not offering these services, you’re missing out on opportunities to build relationships and close deals.

5) Are you integrating vehicle delivery into your value chain?
It’s common for commercial customers and their desired vehicles to be in different locales. A ready transportation option available and visible on your web pages is one of those positive CX experiences that encourage conversions.

6) Are you including financing options into your online mix?
Like the transportation issue, having a ready financing option available and visible on your web pages eases the path to conversion. Just ensure your option includes an organization with deep expertise in commercial vehicles.

We’ve just looked at six strategies to rev up shopper engagement on your website—vital for a commercial dealership to thrive in the 21st Century. The future of your dealership may very well depend on how well you master these techniques. So, buckle up and shift your online presence into high gear.