Word of mouth used to be the most sought after advice when it is time to seek a dealership to buy a new car. The advice of a friend or family member was much more powerful than any advertisement that a dealership can put on TV or the radio. Now word of mouth endorsements have a prominent place online in the form of reviews. No longer are word of mouth recommendations relegated to close friends and family. Now more than ever, it is easier for consumers to go online and find out how other consumers feel about a dealership and their products. That's why it is so important for dealerships to respond to the reviews their consumers post. Just like they would thank a consumer in person for positive responses and remedy negative situations, dealers must manage their reputations online.
Being Present on Review Sites
Before dealers can respond to their customers, they must make sure that they are present on review sites. This is especially important considering 69% of consumers looking to purchase a vehicle will read comments about a dealership, according to Yahoo. Sites like Yelp, G+Places, Dealerrater.com, YP.com and Superpages are all major sites that all dealerships should have their information on. It is through these sites that consumers will post their comments or reviews about a particular dealership.
Dealerships should also encourage consumers to post reviews online about their dealership. According to the same study done by Yahoo mentioned above, 86% of reviews about dealers were positive. Recommendations from fellow consumers resonate much more with potential consumers researching a dealership than a dealer or salesman's recommendation. This positive word of mouth endorsement online can go a long way for a dealership trying to attract new consumers.
Being Present on Review Sites
Before dealers can respond to their customers, they must make sure that they are present on review sites. This is especially important considering 69% of consumers looking to purchase a vehicle will read comments about a dealership, according to Yahoo. Sites like Yelp, G+Places, Dealerrater.com, YP.com and Superpages are all major sites that all dealerships should have their information on. It is through these sites that consumers will post their comments or reviews about a particular dealership.
Dealerships should also encourage consumers to post reviews online about their dealership. According to the same study done by Yahoo mentioned above, 86% of reviews about dealers were positive. Recommendations from fellow consumers resonate much more with potential consumers researching a dealership than a dealer or salesman's recommendation. This positive word of mouth endorsement online can go a long way for a dealership trying to attract new consumers.