Just the Facts
A No-Frills Web Site Can Still Draw New Business, Enhance Your Image
"People buy lots of things online ®“ but not tires," I’ve heard some independent tire dealers say. But that doesn’t mean a Web site is of no use to a tire dealership.
On the contrary, a well maintained, informative Web site is an additional advertising and information vehicle that can attract new customers and retain steady ones ®“ even if you never sell a single tire online.
You don’t necessarily need glitz and glamour. A solid basic, general-purpose Web site can be a great tool for promoting your business.
Just consider all the possibilities. Through an informational site, you can offer any or all of the following: directions to your dealership and a map; tire safety tips; details about your tire and automotive service offerings; special promotions and printable coupons; warranty details; tire fitment guides; niche market offerings; service request instructions; job openings and employment applications; and much more.
Key to developing an effective Web presence is to start small, say the experts. Don’t expect to start selling tires and wheels over the Internet right away. Instead, simply design a few Web pages that function as an online brochure. At the least, consider an e-mail account, which allows you to communicate with customers, schedule appointments and answer questions.
Before you launch your tire business into cyberspace, first do some preparation. Pinpoint your reasons for creating a Web site. Do your competitors have Web sites? Do customers ask for your Web site address? Do you want to reduce overhead or increase sales by eventually selling online? Do you want to reach a new market segment, perhaps outside of your geographic area?
At its most basic level, an effective Web site needs to describe your business, and list your products and services and contact information. It’s a good idea to put this information together before you venture into online territory.
Consider including digital photos of your tire lines, store and shop area. Depending on the initial success of your basic Web site, you may later want to add features such as tire and wheel fitment guides, tire catalogs for all of your lines, service request forms, promotional coupons, and anything else you can dream up. The more unique ®“ not necessarily flashy ®“ options your site offers, the more your business will stand out from its competitors.
Also, make sure your business is listed on all of your tire suppliers’ Web sites under their Dealer Locator tools. Once you create a Web site, linking directly to your suppliers’ sites will send new customers your way.
Also, be sure to leverage any co-op programs offered by your suppliers. Most tire manufacturers can offer a basic Web page template via their Web site providers. You can use the template to create your own virtual showroom. Remember, however, that basic sites linked from your suppliers’ locator systems will only show the suppliers’ lines, not your entire product offering.
If you want a site that showcases all of your products, you’ll have to create your own site by hiring an outsourced provider or using one of your suppliers’ Web site providers.
Start by registering a domain name ®“ the www.yournamehere.com thing ®“ with a vendor such as Register.com. Then, find one partner to design your Web pages and another to host them.
It’s critically important, also, to advertise your site by putting your Web address on all of your marketing materials, business cards and letterhead.
Once you’ve tested the cyber waters with a basic, informational Web site, you may decide to start selling tires, wheels and accessories over the Internet and scheduling automotive service online.
In addition to accepting online orders, robust Web sites can also take job applications online, create customer databases, schedule appointments and offer interactive, online tire fitment guides.
But we’ll save the glitz and glamour for another day.
