Embrace new digital technologies and strategies, dealers were told
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Kijiji’s DealerTalkX dropped some knowledge on dealers recently in Toronto, with most of it focused on disruption and digital strategies.
One of the core messages that came from the event was that dealers need to evolve their digital strategies while dealing with the rapid pace of change.
Jon Montgomery, gold medal Olympian and host of The Amazing Race Canada, kicked off the event with an inspiring talk about how hockey great Theoren Fleury was his inspiration to dream of life beyond the borders of his small hometown in Manitoba.
Montgomery encouraged dealers to always be open to the next opportunity, but with calculated risks. While Montgomery did that by hurtling headfirst down an ice track at 130 km/h, disrupting the automotive business can be a bumpy ride of its own.
“When we need self-confidence most is when things are hard,” he said. Celebrating the small victories at the beginning of any new challenge is critical to keep going, said Montgomery.
Jason Lucas of Kingston Nissan, who attended his fourth DealerTalkX event, is doing just that. He said that in addition to “validating what you’re already doing,” the event provides takeaways his team can use right away.
Canadian auto dealer attended a number of breakout sessions, which were categorized as “executive” or “sales and marketing.”
New research unveiled
One of the highlights of the event was the latest research from Kijiji on both dealers and buyers.
Mark Baltazar, Vice-President of BrandSpark International, said a new study by Kijiji found half of dealers agree that customer’s access to information is a good thing. He shared five key takeaways with dealers, which included:
- Be optimistic and innovative.
- Adopt new technology.
- Take a look at your sales process and staff. See if your sales process needs shaking up.
- Network with your fellow dealers to share insights on what works.
- Put your customers at the centre of your strategy.
On the buyer side, Susan Seto, Vice-President, Market Strategy at Environics Research Group, shared what her team and Kijiji learned about buyer motivation in Ontario.
Ontario buyers stood out with their interest in researching vehicles. About 32 per cent are doing research online, found the study.
Seto zoomed in on two key markets: women and millennials, sharing a few “best bets” to engage them.
Get the most out of your sales force
Other speakers spoke about social media, data and analytics, and the event wrapped up with tips from sales expert Kevin Graff, author of “Selling with Passion” and co-author of “Winning Retail.”
Graff told dealers how they can tap into their sales potential by identifying and setting proper targets and goals for staff, along with a well structured performance bonus structure.
He added that it’s important that managers review and share results with their team constantly and invest in them with ongoing training.
It was clear that dealers are ready to disrupt their sales and marketing strategies, and are hungry for insights that will help them do it successfully.
DealerTalkX also held similar events in Montreal and in Calgary.
