Note the title of this article is why your dealership needs a website, not does. We went over this concept briefly in the past, but with the current digital landscape, the need for a dealership to have a website deserves to be expanded upon. The facts are in, and if you have a business in the year 2019 and you’re interested in growing your brand, you need to be online.
Your customers are online. Your competition is online. Everyone and their mother is spending more and more time online. If you don’t have a functioning website, the odds that it’s inevitably going to end up costing you dearly (and not just in terms of money) are fairly high. Your businesses image, reputation, and overall value can all be in jeopardy if you do not have a company website.
More than 55% of consumers will visit a company’s website before physically going to the storefront. 75% of people say that a website reflects on your businesses credibility. The consumers have spoken, your website is a direct reflection of who you are as a business.
More than that, if you don’t have a website, you’re essentially letting others define who you are as a business. That’s why it’s crucial to take control of your brand’s reputation and image with a functioning, well-designed website.
Common Rationale For Not Having A Website
Of course, some business owners still do not see the value in having a company website. There are a usually a few common objections to the idea.
My Customers Are Not Online
Odds are, this is just not true. Even the older generations are beginning to rely on websites to get information about a business. It’s not just the millennials who place importance on a company’s web presence. People of all ages are placing more importance on a company’s website.
Even more, with the baby boomers gradually aging out of the motorcycle game, dealerships are going to have to step up and start trying to appeal to the next generations of riders. These are riders who grew up in the age of the internet. They inherently place a great deal of importance on a company’s digital landscape.
If you neglect this area of your business, you’re going to be missing out on opportunities to connect with future motorcycle buyers. You’re essentially eliminating an entire group of consumers.
My Business Doesn’t Rely On Online Sales
This may be true, but getting sales is not the entire purpose of a website. A well-designed website is a resource for current and potential customers to learn about who you are as a company, as well as a way to brand your business.
We Don’t Have The Resources To Create A Website
Even if you don’t have a huge budget to allocate to a premier web designer, you can still get a functioning website without completely annihilating your budget. Website builders like Wix and SquareSpace allow users to create a website for very little cost. These site builders are fairly straightforward to use, and do not require a lot of coding experience.
Of course, there are advantages and disadvantages to going this route. In the long run, it will probably behoove you to invest more resources into your website’s design. However, if you don’t have the time or resources to do so at the present, creating a website yourself is much more preferable than not having one at all.
It Builds Trust With Your Customers
Put yourself in your customers’ shoes. How often do you google a product or service that you’re interested in before actually going out to see it in the flesh? What if you were interested in buying a motorcycle? Wouldn’t you want to do a little digging around online before making your way to the nearest dealership?
When someone decides that they want to purchase a motorcycle, odds are their next steps are going to be searching for the best places to buy one. That includes searching online for reviews and recommendations.
If you have a website, that is one of the best ways to provide potential customers with a window into your company. Let them look around your inventory, and read up on who you are as a company. This can be an opportunity to open up the lines of trust and communication between buyer and seller.
Opens The Lines Of Communication
Your website is often your customers’ first point of contact with your business. If you need to get in touch with a company, where is the first place you go to find their contact information? Probably Google.
Your customers are doing this exact same thing everyday. If your business is not online, you’re making it exponentially more difficult to get in touch with you. This lack of available information can be incredibly frustrating. Not having a website can cause potential customers to give up on your business before they ever set foot in your dealership.
Let The People Know Who You Are
Simply put, if you’re not telling your audience who you are, somebody else will. People care about what others are saying about your business online, and you should too. Take control of the narrative by establishing a solid web presence.
A sharp looking website is one of the best branding tools for a business. Customers want to hear your story, and your website is perhaps the most useful tool to let them in to who you are,what you offer, and why you do what you do.
Your Competition Is There
We don’t have to tell you that part of running a business involves keeping tabs on the competition. We can tell you that one of the best ways to get a leg up on them is to have a solid online presence.
If a would-be customer in your area is beginning their search for a new motorcycle, those first steps are more likely than not going to be totally digital. If your dealership doesn’t show up in their searches, and your competition’s website does, there goes a customer.
When this happens, your business is denied the opportunity to try to win them over. You don’t need an MBA to see that this is not exactly a strategy for long-term success. Not having a website puts you at a disadvantage almost instantly.
Your Customers Expect It
There’s no denying the fact that most customers want to see a company’s website before they decide to do business with them. According to one study, 30% of consumers won’t even consider doing business with you if your company does not have a website.Your customers don’t just want a website to go to, they expect it.
Having a website is the default for businesses in this day and age. If your dealership doesn’t have one, it’s going to make potential customers skeptical of your company right off the bat. Some may even assume that you have gone out of business if they can’t find your dealership online.
You Get The Chance To Show Off Your Motorcycles
At the end of the day, your motorcycles are your business. So why not take every opportunity to show them off to the world? Your dealership may have set hours, but a website can essentially be a 24/7 showroom!
Having your motorcycles online also gives customers the chance to browse your through your inventory beforehand. Thus giving them a chance to narrow down their focus when they finally do come through the doors, saving both the customers and your sales team valuable time!
Getting Your Business Online
If you need assistance with setting up or improving your website, we have your back! Check out our web design services. Give us a call at 866-899-2021 or send us a message at info@bikermarketing.com.
How has having a website affected your business? What would you say to a business owner who is just starting to consider setting up a website? We’d love to hear from you. If you have further insight on the importance of a website for your business, feel free to comment below.