Unfortunately, the showroom traffic you’re looking for is a thing of the past and it won’t be returning unless the internet crashes. You’re not going to get your traditional shopper in the showroom or on the lot like you did 10 or 15 years ago. I’m sorry, but it just won’t happen. You can blame your good friend, the internet. Yes, once again the internet is at fault.

Before you join a support group for internet haters, let me offer some perspective and encouragement you should find helpful.

Showroom traffic is a virtual matter more than a physical one. I may have lost a few of you with that statement, so let me break it down.

If you’re a dealer, reading this article, there’s a 99% chance you have a website. Your website as you may or may not have heard before is a “virtual showroom.” You have “showroom traffic” by the hundreds or thousands every month. What are they doing in your virtual showroom? How should you accommodate this information hungry shopper? Why does your website exist? The virtual showroom experience has to build the bridge to the actual showroom. If it doesn’t, you’ll suffer a painful steady decline that you may not recover from.

Here are some tips to encourage and help you:

• Look at your website reports and know how many visitors you have every month. When you’re paying attention to this showroom, you’ll be able to see the ups and downs and have a better sense of your needs to drive more traffic. There are plenty of methods to drive more “virtual showroom” traffic, but you should know if it’s necessary.
• Pay close attention to the experience you provide to your “virtual showroom” visitors. Anything that complicates or compromises a fast, informative, easy to use website needs to be removed or replaced. Know why your customers come to your “virtual showroom” in the first place and meet their need. Your visitors can buy almost any product online including options, additional warranties, insurances and shipping. Can they do that on your website?
• Accept the fact that sales is a numbers game. Only a certain number of cars, trucks and SUV’s are going to be sold in your neck of the woods today, this week, this month and this year. Your old showroom traffic found their way into your “virtual showroom” because it’s easier, convenient and they’re trying to avoid the stereo typical car sales experience.
• You can’t afford to wait for the good old days to come back. My dad was influenced by print advertising and the television and it worked to get him into the dealership. I can’t remember the last time print advertising or the television influenced me to buy anything. The internet on the other hand has been giving me the path to hassle free research and information for a good ten years and when the “virtual showrooms” I visit meet my needs… I do business.