Posted on Wed, Apr 25, 2012 @ 11:26 AM
Courtesy of Insignia’s Guest Blogger: Author Jason Lancaster is an SEO consultant at Spork Marketing as well as the editor of TundraHeadquarters.com, a popular Toyota Tundra enthusiast website.
In the days before Google, when you wanted to find out what kind of auto accessories people might be interested in purchasing from your shop, you could:
All of these methods have value – especially testing – but the fact is that Google offers some excellent and free tools for figuring out what kinds of accessories your customer might want to buy. While I'll describe the tools in detail in my next post, lets start with some data.
Based on numbers from March 2012, the 5 most searched types of auto accessories in the United States are probably:
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Interior accessories including floor mats and seat covers – There were nearly 50,000 searches for the term “car seat covers” last month.
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Racks and carriers, such as roof racks, cargo carriers, bike racks, ski/snowboard racks, etc.
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Performance parts, such as programmers and chips, air intakes, and exhaust systems, with exhaust systems being very popular.
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License plate frames – There were more than 22,000 searches for this exact term in March, not including more specific searches for exact types of license plate frames
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Custom wheels
Now I say that these are “probably” the 5 most searched types of auto accessories because different customers search for different accessories depending on what they drive. A compact car owner is more likely to search for cargo racks than a full-size truck owner, while a full-size truck owner is more likely to search for an exhaust system than a compact car owner.
Put another way, I say “probably” because this kind of search data doesn't really mean much until you can apply it to your customers. Fortunately, it's pretty simple to gather this kind of data on your own. To find out what accessories you can sell based on what people are searching for be sure to read Part II of this article next week!
Insignia Group, the leading provider of accessories sales systems and training has helped dealers maximize profits for over 10 years. Supporting 20+ brands and dealerships nationwide, we help our customers establish and grow their Accessories Profit Center. Call 888-579-4458 to learn more or schedule a demo.
Posted on Tue, Apr 17, 2012 @ 10:26 AM
Courtesy of Insignia’s guest blogger: Kurtis Smith of the K-method Group
Back in my home country of Jamaica, at certain times of the year the caterpillars would go through the evolution process where they would conceal themselves in cocoons to be transformed into beautiful butterflies. During the final stage of this process, they would break the tip of the cocoon and squeeze themselves through a tiny hole and fly away. One year my friends and I found some dead on the ground because they were not able to pull themselves out of their shells. So, in our misguided attempt to help those we saw struggling, we made the holes larger to make it easier for them to get out. What we did not realize is that by squeezing themselves through the tiny hole, it removes fluid from their wings, which is the critical last step in their development process and necessary for them to fly. By us intervening, we condemned all those that we helped by stopping their development and they became food for the ants.
With that being said, many dealership professionals and business owners today are no different and will continue to suffer a similar fate as the butterfly, because they were released from the development process way too soon. They never learned how to hunt and gather business; they erroneously see themselves as victors and victims during good and bad economic times which are external factors of which they have no control. They have not evolved from the sit-and-wait mentality and approach to doing business, so they still believe that their success or failure is directly linked to the amount prospects walking through the door on a monthly basis. They fail to see their role as an impact player capable of building, maintaining and managing their own book of business, so they wait.
As professionals, sooner or later we all arrive at that fork in the road where we have to either stop kidding ourselves regarding the results that we are getting and how we are getting them in order to move on to the next level or accept the fact that we are done growing and this is as good as it gets! The facts are these; we are either winning or losing. We are either advancing or in a constant state of retreat. This type of acknowledgement or internal discussion only takes place when we can finally arrive at the ‘do not kid myself day’. If you have not had this discussion as of yet, don’t worry, it is on its way and your day is coming. Which brings me to the question that we all must answer when we arrive at that unforgettable day; are you willing to change in order to become the person you are meant to be or are you going to remain professionally incomplete? Are you satisfied knowing that there is another level of excellence and competence that continues to elude you or are you willing to commit to ‘CANI -Constant And Never Ending Improvement’ to become who you are meant to be?
The good news is that this question has no wrong or right answer because the answer only matters to you. The industry or the company you work for may have released you too soon from your personal developmental process but unlike a butterfly, you can reenter your cocoon at any time and complete the transformation process. The information is out there to teach you whatever it is that you need to learn in order to take your game to the next level so there is absolutely no excuse to live a life less than you deserve except by choice.
To learn more about the Core Competencies and how your business can benefit from a structured approach to personnel development lets connect on:
www.kmethod.com
K-Method blog
Insignia Group, the leading provider of accessories sales systems and training has helped dealers maximize profits for over 10 years. Supporting 20+ brands and dealerships nationwide, we help our customers establish and grow their Accessories Profit Center. Call 888-579-4458 to learn more or schedule a demo.
Posted on Wed, Apr 11, 2012 @ 08:14 AM
If you are a dealership selling wheel and tire accessories you know they are the driving force of the personalization business. Just like the fashion industry, car and truck personalization trends change fast and often. It’s the best way for a customer to get a look different from every other factory model. Accordy to USAtoday.com, Ryan Friedlinghaus, founder of West Coast Customs, a Corona, Calif., customizing operation says, "wheels is always the first question" for customers looking to personalize vehicles, even if they lack the cash for a complete rebuild.
OFF ROAD WHEEL TRENDS
- Steel Wheels: They are strong but light weight (17 in) lighter wheels are more budget friendly and steel wheels are strong enough to carry speed off-road.
- Carbon Fiber: These tend to be strong and light weight for better fuel efficiency.
PASSENGER CAR AND TRUCK WHEEL ACCESSORY TRENDS
- Painted Wheels with window designs: Customers can get creative with their favorite colors.
- Flat and mono Black machined faced Wheels: For customers that desire a cleaner sleeker look.
- Forged rotary and Forged Spin Wheels: extremely strong but lightweight alloy. Fits well with Hondas, Chevrolet Camaros, Ford Mustangs and more.
- PVD Wheels: Physical vapor deposit or vacuum chrome are favorites among customers who endure salty winters because they hold up better than chrome under those conditions.
- Hellaflush Wheels: These are popular among the street racing fans.
TIRE ACCESSORY TRENDS
- Eco Tires:The cost of all natural rubber has decreased. And orange oil tires have increased grip and reduced roll resistance. This is a great option for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
- LRR tires: Low roll resistance tires are great for better fuel efficiency. They also fit well on the smaller SUVs and CUVs that more people are purchasing.
- Wheel / Tire Packages: More retailers are offering the wheel/tire kits as a convenience to customers. When a customer chooses the wheel accessory the proper tire is automatically selected to come with it.
Insignia Group, the leading provider of accessories sales systems and training has helped dealers maximize profits for over 10 years. Supporting 20+ brands and dealerships nationwide, we help our customers establish and grow their Accessories Profit Center. Call 888-579-4458 to learn more or schedule a demo.
Posted on Mon, Apr 09, 2012 @ 12:26 PM
Did you know that Insignia’s technology used to sell accessories in dealerships works on the iPad and tablet technologies. As many of our dealership customers move to provide more mobile sales tools to their staff, Insignia supports this by providing our automotive accessories sales tools on multiple platforms. Insignia understands current technology as well as how dealerships sell automotive accessories. Through the iPad and tablet your sales team is provided with the management of automotive accessories sales allowing them to sell accessories online without sitting down at a desktop computer. Check out this quick video to see how Insignia's technology provides easy automotive accessories sales on the iPad!
Insignia Group, the leading provider of accessories sales systems and training has helped dealers maximize profits for over 10 years. Supporting 20+ brands and dealerships nationwide, we help our customers establish and grow their Accessories Profit Center. Call 888-579-4458 to learn more or schedule a demo.