When you think of a sign, especially an outdoor sign, the most important aspect of it is to grab your attention — almost like a magnet pulling you forward. The more recognized the name, the more people will be attracted to your dealership. Manufacturers invest millions of dollars each year to “brand” their name into the minds of customers. They do this so that customers will feel secure knowing that when they purchase a product, they are investing their money in a company, and a dealership, that has been and will continue to be around for decades into the future.
Signs serve three main functions:
1) They inform people of the brands you carry and who you are.
2) They encourage people to stop in, buy your products, and to ask for help in parts, service or sales.
3) They engage people in the products you carry.
One important piece of signage that is often overlooked is pricing. While most dealers feel that putting a price on their equipment gives the competition an advantage, you will discover that the opposite is true.
Many of your customers look at your equipment when you are not there – on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. By posting the Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price on your equipment, you help your customers prequalify themselves for what they want and can afford. You also need to make sure to add a line on your price tag that reads, “Ask us about our special pricing”. By adding this, you are communicating to the customer that you have flexibility in your suggested prices.
Your showroom is a showcase for both current and potential new customers. Take time today to visually walk through, look at the signage in your dealership from a “customer’s perspective” and re-evaluate what you currently have in place. Invest time, and maybe a few dollars, into improving what you have so that your signage informs, encourages and engages your customers.
Vanessa Clements
Dealer Development Team- Dealer Toolbox Management
