All across the nation, people continue to discover the excitement and joy associated with spending an afternoon out on the open water, and as a result, marinas and boat dealerships continue to face stiff competition in the sales and service industry. The five tech tools listed below can help you stay one step ahead of your competitors and improve your overall profitability.
#1 – A Website (and Good Content)
In today’s high-tech day and age, if you don’t have a website, your business will undoubtedly suffer. Research has shown that over 85% of consumers will search the internet before making a purchase, and the larger the purchase, the more in-depth the research. A website is critical for making a good first impression, and through well-written content and attractive design, it also gives you the opportunity to show that you are an authority in your industry.
#2 – Online Live Chat
Boats are major purchases, and that means the people who are interested in buying from you will likely have questions. By offering online live chat – at least during normal business hours – you give your potential customers the ability to ask those questions without having to physically drive to your location. Better still, it means these potential buyers don’t have to pick up the phone and call. This is good news since about one-third of US consumers prefer text to voice calls.
#3 – A Platform for Personalized Videos
The biggest issue that boat dealers must overcome in order to generate sales and service orders is trust. Simply put, consumers have a hard time trusting any dealership and service center, be it an auto, RV, boat, or even ATV dealer. When you can personalize videos for your customers – especially in your boat service department – you can show customers why a certain repair is required. You can even use a video platform for personalizing boat tours for your long-distance customers, which is a phenomenal sales tool. When you go out of your way to be transparent with your customers, you are building trust with them in one of the most effective ways possible.
#4 – Business Text Messaging
As stated above, many of your customers will appreciate receiving a text message over a phone call, but this isn’t the only benefit associated with a business text messaging platform for your boat dealership. Communication between consumers and service providers is matter-of-fact and requires very little emotional interpretation, so text messaging is the perfect choice. Even better, when you communicate with customers and potential buyers via text, you have a written record of everything that was said. This is a great way to avoid misunderstandings or clarify mix-ups.
#5 – Marketing Automation
Last, but most certainly not least, marketing automation software may very well be one of the best things you can do for your business. With it, you can gather information about the people who might buy from you, then divide any potential leads into categories based on things like their buying habits, ages, locations, and more. With the right information, and with the help of the other tools listed on this page, you can eventually convert far more visitors into buyers.
Technology has come a long way in the last few decades, and experts believe that more and more consumers will rely on the internet and technology to help them make even the most important buying decisions. With the five tech tools listed above, you can ensure that your boat dealership gives the right people the right information at the right time – and that’s the recipe for success.
