Pub. 1 2019-20 Issue 3

Pub. Year 1 2019-2020 Issue 3 21 WVA DA Get your MOTOR RUNNING and your dealership too WEST VIRGINIA | OHIO | PENNSYLVANIA 800.452.3003 | actcpas.com Help in leading your dealership down the secure financial highway The Arnett Carbis Toothman team is ready to deliver class-leading services to auto dealerships throughout the region. As the 103rd top CPA firm in the United States, our professionals are authorities on the constant changes facing dealerships of all sizes. • Serving new and used dealer operations • Single and multi-facility operations • Experienced with franchise regulations • Equipped to assist in financial strategies Understand that no plan will be perfect. All require on- the-fly content adaptations to address ever-changing news, policies and crisis circumstances. So stay flexible on the messaging. But it is vital to have the core frame - work, tools and technology ready to roll out rapidly. Be trigger-ready. Time Is Trust We all saw how fast this COVID-19 crisis blew up. When the crud is flying at the fan, there’s no time for the usual meetings and rounds of approvals prior to production and dispatch. Being one of the first out there in the market with a meaningful message also serves to keep you first in minds and hearts … not to mention in future decisions on consumer spending preferences. Whether your mar - ket has a multimillion population or a handful of hamlets, it’s still a neighborhood. Neighbors talk (especially with today’s social media channels) and have strong memories. They don’t quickly forget about the caring words, advice and perhaps some financial latitude offered promptly by a foul weather friend. Time may be money when the sun is shining, but in a crisis: time is trust. Showcase Your ONLINE Products Nobody likes a business that exploits emergency situa - tions. But let’s face it, during times of homebound isola - tion, you can make a lot of local lives better if more cus - tomers (and prospects) had your online sales services at their fingertips. So don’t be shy about marketing them. In your communications — traditional print and broadcast, or tightly-targeted digital media — frame the appeal by the fact that “You finally have enough time to learn how easy it is to shop online with us ... so let’s do it!” Clinging to paper transactions is often motivated by fear of change. Even the biggest technophobes will see the wisdom of 24/7 access once they get past their underlying apprehen - sions and give it a shot. To mollify resistance points, stress the fact that it’s eas - ier than many folks initially thought, given your simple step-by-step sign-on pathway — there’s no rush, no “tim - ing out” and no chance of personal embarrassment. To convey the ease of your online inventory review, inquiry process and phone connections to a knowledgeable, em - powered sales rep, do a simple video that shows them the step-by-step process. Hopefully, you have such a process and it is streamlined without any of the “gotchas” that red- flag online visitors quickly. Online visitors are TVcentric to begin with, so don’t ignore video power. It doesn’t have to be a Francis Ford Coppola production. Just a straightfor - ward three or four step walk-through of your online expe - rience. Scroll a number at the bottom of the screen that they can call (during regular business hours) for friendly human help from your own online advocate. If you don’t have one, get one … even if it’s you. A little hand-holding is an incredibly powerful opportunity to start a conversation and customer relationships.