Right now, automotive dealerships across the globe are seeking ways to sell more vehicles in a market that appears to be on the upswing.  2012 will see a majority of dealerships dedicating more resources to their Internet business in order to take advantage of seemingly limitless growth of the Internet marketplace.

“Over the last two years more dealers have come round to realizing the power of the web and its ability to generate genuine income opportunities,” said Tim Smith of GForces, the specialist web software agency for the UK car retailing sector, in a recent article on MotorTrader.com.

To generate these income opportunities, automotive dealers need to make sure that they have the best dealership website possible.

What makes one dealership website better than another?  Is it the ease with which automotive shoppers are able to navigate it?  Or is it about the depth of inventory listed?  The truth is that there are many subtle details, tools and features that come together to make a dealership’s website great.

Burn SEO lists indexed inventory, social media integration, enhanced lead capture forms, a modern look and in-depth SEO as top 5 things every car dealer website needs to succeed.  Further, a blog titled Smart and Resourceful Dealers Sell More Cars by AutoXloo states that a great dealership website has:

• An active, engaging blog
• Pictures, video introductions, complete contact information of sales staff
• Detailed information about vehicles
• Customer testimonials
• Search friendly, relevant content
• Information to help car buyers make decisions
• Use of Online Tools
• Engagement, Call To Action, Conversion

All of these aspects mesh to make a highly effective dealership website, yet it’s the last two bullet points that make all the difference.

Even if an automotive dealer’s website is easily found through search and provides visitors all the information they seek, a lack of visitor engagement opportunities and focused calls to action will result in site abandonment without conversion.  And, as all dealers know, conversion is the goal.  Website traffic is great, but converting leads is what sells cars.

Out of the many online tools to improve lead conversion, dealership live chat has proven to be the most effective.

“Websites that offer visitors the chance to converse in real-time, by phone or on-screen, are proven to convert up to four times as many leads, thanks largely to the speed with which customers can have questions answered,” said Smith.  “You need to be able to talk with potential customers immediately these days.  Any delay or unanswered questions about a car, part, accessory, or service will lead to people clicking away from your site faster than you might think.”

Automotive live chat transforms your website from a static billboard into your digital showroom, complete with virtual sales associates that personally guide visitors through your online sales process.

Dealer chat meets and greets each of your website visitors, offers opportunities for instant answers to visitor questions, calls visitors to action, captures visitor contact info and converts your visitors into high-quality leads.  Could you ask for anything more?

Motor Trader reports that less than ¼ of the Top 200 dealers it ranks in the UK use automotive live chat.  Progressive dealers realize that every website visitor has the potential to convert into a lead and they are using live chat to boost their conversion.

What are you waiting for?

Find out how automotive live chat can double the leads generated from your website.

Double your website leads today!