With over 120,000 used car dealers nationwide, and used cars accounting for about half the market share in sales each year, purveyors of second-hand autos have a fierce amount of competition. Advertising is one way to stand out in a crowd, but first it is paramount to have all of one's ducks in a row. Know the Market It is necessary to know your market. Are you selling to soccer moms or CEOs? Are you dealing in convertibles or compacts? Family sedans may lack flash, but are typically in high demand. Trucks and vans, for the working class man, also have a broad appeal. Collectibles are a niche market with a finicky clientele, and sports vehicles are of a seasonal ilk, so unless you live in Florida, don't roll out your convertibles in the winter. Cleanliness Is Key As cleanliness is next to godliness, it is important to keep your wheeled wares looking prim and proper. Having an inspection report from a mechanic and a title to validate the odometer reading for your autos can keep customers from second guessing and move them along the purchasing process. Set a Price Obviously, the most competitive tool for used car dealers is pricing. Knowing what others are selling similar vehicles for is vital. Being that people want to haggle, a little wiggle room from $500 to $1,500 on a tag above what is needed to make a profit can be advantageous. Pricing an automobile for $9,995 may have an unquantifiable psychological effect whereas a sticker for an even $10,000 may lend some legitimacy. Advertise Online So it's time to put the word out. Where do you start? Print advertisement, though helpful, may not be your best option. In this digital age of cell phones and laptops, it is essential to have a website. If you can't do it yourself, you can hire a web designer. There are even some designers out there who specialize in developing sites for selling vehicles. There are many free online classifieds to be utilized, as well as some that aren't, but are still worth considering. The prospect of being able to negotiate has a particular allure. Using the words OBO or asking price when posting an ad can bring people to your doorstep. It is often said a picture is worth a thousand words. When selling a car, however, it may be worth more than that. Recent research shows that autos advertised online with a photograph are twice as likely to get a response. Multiple pictures are up to seven times as likely. In this brave new digital world, some companies offer systems that allow for the tracking of online traffic. Not only can vital info on potential customers be made available but also how they got to your site. Knowing whether they got there through a particular search engine or classified posting can aid in optimizing your online presence. Used car dealers today may have a lot more competition to deal with than those of yesteryear, but as the world grows figuratively smaller online, so do the possibilities expand outward. When considering used car dealers, Ypsilanti, MI residents visit Fischer Honda. Learn more about them at http://www.fischerhonda.com/service/index.htm.
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