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The vast world of aftermarket can seem like an intimidating experiment for dealers. But, when you are establishing your accessories program that features aftermarket products you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Insignia Group and many of our dealers and partners have years of experience and advice that can get you started on the right path. Insignia Group’s guest blogger Ray McGowan shares a few tips on establishing a successful aftermarket accessories program.

The internet has changed the business of car buying so much. Consumers rely heavily on the information and tools found online to assist them in the buying process. A customer could compare pricing, look up features, trade in an old car and purchase a new one without leaving their home until it’s time to pick up their purchase. Because of this you want to make sure potential buyers can access your site easily anywhere and anytime. Here are four tips to make your dealership site more accessible.

1. Mobilize your website:
According to gomonews.com, car buyers are shopping mobile. 25% of iPhone and Android users plan to buy a car within the next 12 months. 78% of those people say they will use their mobile device to shop for their new car. Catering to smart phone users can help you capture these car buyers online. There are tons of tools out there to help you create a mobile version of your site. Some are free. Creating a mobile version of your site allows prospects to easily access it on their smartphone or PDA.

2. Link to your OEM:
A study done by NADA University revealed that in the month before a vehicle purchase, OEM website visits double to 52%. Most major car brand websites are mobilized. Prospects like to use these sites to check out accessories and options available for their potential purchase. Of those surveyed data shows that the “build your own” vehicle tool is the most used among OEM visitors at 43% and “offers” were the second highest at 39%. Your dealership could easily capture those leads if you are linked to the OEM site. When potential buyers click on the “offers” section it brings up dealerships in their area that have special offers. To increase your appeal to buyers, advertise offers that promote accessories and vehicle customization.

3. Dealership Mobile Apps:
There is indeed an App for everything. And, there is good reason. Apps are the ultimate mobile friendly setup for your loyal returning customers or potential repeat customer. An App for your dealership is a constant direct line of communication to your most loyal customers. Customerdealershipapps.com offers allows you to “put your dealership in your customers pockets”. They do this by offering a web application that your customers can download on their smart phone. The app gives them access to your inventory, parts, services and accessories departments.  This easy accessibility will encourage them to use your fixed operations as well as shop your inventory.

4.    QR Codes:
When these little black and white boxes started popping up on mail, flyers, and billboards everywhere, we thought printers worldwide had gone mad. But what happened was marketers and advertisers got smart. According to a study conducted by Google, 95% of smartphone users use their phones to look up local information. Of those, 61% placed a call, 59% visited in-person, and 44% made a purchase.  Make sure you place QR codes on your marketing materials so that prospects can quickly access your site.

“The will to win is worthless if you do not have the will to prepare.” - Thane Yost

Imagine walking into a department store and there were no clothes on any of the mannequins. The perfume clerk has no samples. The video game department has not one game set up for kids to interact with. The only thing you see are salespeople walking around empty-handed asking, “Can I help you?” It’s absurd, right? People want what they see.  So it’s up to you to show them what you want them to buy. The same thing applies to your dealership. When a prospect walks into your dealership make sure you are prepared with plenty to show and interact with. This gets them excited about purchasing from you. Here are three things a good sales consultant should be armed with to draw their customers in and keep them engaged in the buying process.

Pre-loaded vehicles:

The range of vehicle accessories in the automotive aftermarket industry today is nothing less than staggering.  From the simple embellishments like better floor mats and car covers to complete sparkling chrome makeovers and everything in between, there are gizmos and attachments to make virtually any car or truck carry more things, move a little faster, last a little longer, and look a little better. 

In the shuffle of all these accessories, sometimes we forget who's holding the purse strings of most vehicle purchases in North America:  women.  Females make the purchase decisions in an increasing majority of North American households, and many times they are making the accessory decisions, as well.  Are you effectively marketing your own accessories to women?  Here's a list of five tips you can use to make your automotive accessories more attractive to the female consumer.

1. Avoid the Hard Sell

Women take their time to make a purchase decision – much longer than men, and they're far more likely to do business with a company that gives her the time and space she needs to think over her purchase decision.  Make yourself available, even give her your contact number, patiently and honestly answer her questions, and then give her some breathing room before you ask for the sale.  Chances are good she isn't going to buy on her first visit, but if you make her feel comfortable and avoid pressuring her, when she does decide to buy,  she'll be back.

2. Find Simple Solutions 

Today's woman is a mother, wife, homemaker, professional, and CFO for her family.  She is always on the go, and doesn't always have time for “some assembly required” projects.  When showing her options, choose accessories that are easy to install and utilize.  “Step one, and done” is the ticket for today's female consumer.  If she wants a project, she'll tell you.

3. Go the Distance

In today's world, most women aren't looking to be in a new car every few years.  Her car is her family's home on the road, and she means to get all the value she can from her investment.  Accessories that preserve vehicle longevity will appeal to the thrifty mom looking to take her vehicle well into six digits.

4. Built for Comfort

Remember, the female consumer wears many hats, and logs a lot of miles. Between shuttling kids to school and extracurriculars, driving herself to and from work, running errands, not to mention just taking a trip for fun, she spends a lot of time in the car.  Accessories aiming to make that time more comfortable, convenient, or otherwise more pleasant are the way to go, particularly those that are aimed specifically to females.  Now, we're not talking about the pink steering wheel cover or headlight eyelashes.  Purse holders, back seat entertainment systems, and other such conveniences make her time behind the wheel a little less stressful, and that's what it's all about.

5. Think Green

This may be the most important of all the tips.  When I talk to women across the country about what they want to see in a new car, fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness are almost always the top of the list.  Items that speak to that need will resonate powerfully among women.  Items made with eco-friendly materials, goods that bolster aerodynamics and boost fuel efficiency, and high tech add-ons like GPS systems will be very appealing to women when presented in the context of a greener driving experience.

Courtesy of Insignia's Guest Blogger Jody DeVere, CEO of AskPatty.com Inc.

 

Every successful sales organization uses word tracks, sometimes called sales scripts. Talking off the cuff is chaotic, and may lead to a “Tommy Boy”-esque presentation of awkwardness. Strategic word tracks train new employees to sell with confidence. They can aid in transitions and overcome objections that might otherwise derail a sale. Insignia Group has years of experience with a multitude of dealerships covering nearly every brand. From mega-dealer groups to small family-owned stores, the need for word tracks is common in all stores. Over the years, this best practice tip has been refined by trial and error. Dealerships that bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars in accessory sales use sales scripts every day. Insignia Group alone has dealerships doing a million dollars or more, a year, by selling accessories at the point of sale. 

With every cul-de-sac lit up like Rockefeller Center, millions of sales papers advertising $3 dollar flat screen TVs at Wal-Mart (slight exaggeration), and ginormous inflatable snowmen in every mall parking lot, consumers are distracted.

Ever wonder why they spend so much energy creating those elaborate holiday window displays every year? It’s because it grabs the consumer’s attention, draws them into the store, and leads them to purchase merchandise. With a well pre-loaded vehicle, you can do the same thing. Here are ten tips for creating an eye catching vehicle worthy of a show.

1. Wheel Kits: A nice set of wheels on any car will grab attention. But, this is particularly important for prospects interested in purchasing trucks like the Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Silverado , and Ford F-150.

With the passing of legendary World Heavy Weight Champion boxer Joe Frazier, it leaves me thinking about what it really means to be a champion.  Smokin Joe Frazier, Big George, and The Greatest dominated a major American sport. But, that’s not all they did.  They were cultural icons and powerful businessmen. When establishing your accessories program in your dealership, you are going to need a champion to lead and keep the program going. But, who do you choose?

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 take one of several approaches. Ultimately you are attempting to learn more about the customers personal needs, wants and desires. This information will add benefit in your qualifying questions. So what were some of those methods?

• Survey your customers

• Rely upon sales data from suppliers and distributors

• Test different accessories and see what sells

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:

1. Interior accessories including floor mats and seat covers – There were nearly 50,000 searches for the term “car seat covers” last month.

2. Racks and carriers, such as roof racks, cargo carriers, bike racks, ski/snowboard racks, etc.

3. Performance parts, such as programmers and chips, air intakes, and exhaust systems, with exhaust systems being very popular.

4. 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

5. 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!

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.

Everyone is familiar with them.  We rely on them daily for all sorts of information, communication and social sharing. Even the latest release (4s) provides a personal assistant! Mine even has a nickname.

Are you familiar with the book “If you give a moose a muffin?”

Insignia was a proud sponsor of the “Voice of the Female Consumer”, as Women Certified announced their Top Dealerships for outstanding customer experience in USA Today’s March 7, 2012 issue. Many Insignia accessory system customers made the list and we just want to say congratulations!

• Hank Graff Chevrolet:  Davison, MI
• Jon Lancaster Toyota:  Madison, WI
• Fitzgerald Toyota:  Gaithersburg, MD
• Darcars Toyota:  Frederick MD
• Longo Lexus: El Monte, CA
• Longo Toyota: El Monte, CA