The RV industry has always been an interesting one. On one hand, it’s an incredibly traditional industry that targets a mostly aging population of buyers. On the other hand, 2018 marked one of the top three years for the industry, with over 483,000 shipments made across the U.S. This incredible growth has been buoyed in large part by a surprise upstart buying group: Millennials. Attracting both aging and Millennial buyers requires more creative approach.
More than 88% of consumers look online for reviews and ratings of a product or service before making a purchase decision. For Millennial buyers, this number is even higher as more and more younger buyers research large purchases online. The growth of online review sites have made a serious economic impact as well, with customers spending an average of 31% more on products with high online reviews.
How to grow revenue with online reviews
There are, however, plenty of potential consumers who are thinking about investing in an RV but just need a nudge in the right direction. Online reviews are a great way to influence potential buyers while differentiating your dealership from the competition. RV dealerships can take control of online customer reviews to increase new business and revenue by:
- Engaging with customers to post positive reviews. While your team can’t actually write the reviews yourselves, you can deliver amazing customer experiences that inspire 5-star online reviews. After all, increasing a company’s online rating by just one star can increase new business by up to 9 percent.
- Looking for recent consumers to leave new reviews. 73 percent of shoppers only focus on reviews that have been posted in the last three months. For RV dealers and other retailers that rely on infrequent, high-dollar sales, this means that each customer review counts. Think about texting your customers with a link to leave a review as soon as they’ve left your store while their service experience is still top-of-mind.
- Reading and responding to every review. Modern shoppers look for owner responses to online reviews – whether they’re positive or negative – as signs of integrity and transparency. 30 percent of shoppers even make purchase decisions based on brand responses to online reviews. Think of responding to reviews as a great way to engage with your online community.
RV dealerships are in an age of incredible opportunity. The RV marketplace is only going to become more digital-driven and competitive as brands look to attract a new Millennial audience. By taking control of online reviews and proactively working to increase your brand’s online presence, your RV dealership can come out on top.
You can learn more about optimizing online reviews here.
KENECT is a business texting and reputation management platform built specifically for dealers. Kenect’s platform is designed to help you save time in service & parts, enhance customer experience, capture more inbound leads, and generate 5-Star Reviews on Google and Facebook. Call 888-972-7422 or email info@kenect.com for more details.