Regardless of how good a dealer’s marketing strategy is, if they can’t get consumers to take action… it’s all for nothing.
Marketing’s job is to produce leads and sales – anyone can drive traffic to a website. What separates the pros from the amateurs is how they get them into the sales funnel, where they build relationships, and how they offer superior value in advance and make a sale.
The top five things stated below explain what a dealer should do once a prospect visits their website or landing page to generate more selling opportunities.
5. Consider Audience Relevance
A dealer’s landing page must align with the marketing that got the consumer to this point in their marketing strategy.
If the final landing page and call-to-action (CTA) does not match what drove the audience to this point in the first place, they’ll turn their attention elsewhere.
In addition, a landing page that doesn’t align with previous marketing can cause confusion. The audience must know that they’re on the right track to gaining the offers that previous marketing has promised.
For example, if the dealer’s audience searches for Honda service near them, they would want their answer to align directly with the customer’s search – from the paid search ad to the landing page they’re sent to!
By aligning your landing pages with the rest of your marketing, you’ll reduce your visitors’ bounce rates and increase your quality scores. So, you’ll get more leads for less money!
4. Be Clear & Concise
The clearer a dealer’s message is, the better.
A dealer doesn’t want to overload the reader with information, just as they wouldn’t overload marketing.
They want to present the information necessary to car buyers as simply as possible and keep the writing just as compelling.
Remove any unnecessary information and only provide the information that a customer would need to know to gain the benefits the marketing has promised up to that point.
Keeping readers engaged is the key to a successful landing page and when writing to those readers, a dealer would want to avoid overloading them with unnecessary and a less-than-compelling copy.
This landing page is a great example. It clearly explains to the audience what they will gain and what they need to do in order to access the promised benefits.
If a visitor can’t figure out what is being offered in less than five seconds, they’ll bounce. Consider this with every landing page created and make sure the actions are clear.
3. Have Compelling Headlines
For every one person that reads the copy on a landing page, almost six additional people read the headline.
If your headline can’t effectively sell the offer, countless engagement opportunities and potential sales are being lost.
The only purpose of a headline is to grab the attention of a prospect or customer and convince them to continue reading or take action. Anyone who visits the landing page will determine whether to stay or go based on the headline – and this is done in 5 seconds or less.
A quick and simple way for dealers to take audit of their own pages is by doing this: Ask peers or friends if they can determine what is being offered in 5 seconds or less.
2. Have Clear Calls-to-Action
Rule number one with CTA: Don’t be passive! There is nothing wrong with asking someone to do something – even with brand advertising.
Dealers want to use actionable words and phrases to compel their audience to do what they want.
Tell a consumer what they want to do and make sure it’s focused on what’s in it for them – that’s all they care about.
Again–Keep it simple.
Consumers need to know how they should respond.
In the same way, it’s important to observe that where a dealer writes matters just as much as what they write.
Readers quickly move from reading to scanning and if a dealer’s marketing isn’t drawing their eyes to specific offers, incentives, and CTAs, it will be tossed aside and forgotten.
Keep your Call-to-Action buttons above the fold and consider mobile first! Make sure your CTA is within easy reach of your thumb.
Bounce rates increase when visitors need to scroll, so give them a chance to take action without scrolling – like the mobile-friendly landing page above.
1. Don’t Get Too Elaborate
The last thing a dealer wants is for their visitors to get overwhelmed by the process.
Consider removing the navigation on a page so the visitors aren’t distracted by navigation options. Otherwise, one runs the risk of people leaving a landing page without converting.
In addition, the more customers are moved from one landing page to the next – as they are completing CTA – the more distrust is created.
Make the process simple, clear, and linear.
Streamline the audience from a dealer’s marketing, to the landing page, to a “Thank-You” page, and avoid bouncing them around from one area to the next.
This will increase their confidence in the dealer’s process and, ultimately, deliver a better customer experience and higher conversions.
Lastly, dealers shouldn’t ask for more than they need. If they’re asking visitors to fill out a form, they shouldn’t be too demanding. The less that is asked for, the more conversions that will be gained.
If the plan is to follow up via email, just ask for a name and email! Less is more when it comes to forms.
There are endless assortments of tips, tricks, and tools for creating landing pages that convert, but these five secrets are the most practical, achievable, and effective.
