Opinion: What Happens When Dealers Finally Lose Control?

It’s a fact. For the first time since I have worked in the RV industry, dealers have lost control.

Never before have dealers been unable to control their new-unit inventory. Covid and supply-chain issues have stripped them of this ability.

This is new territory, and control does not appear to be coming back anytime soon. The reality is: You can gain control, you need to gain control, and I am going to show you how.

Having control helps you plan to meet overhead, implement growth plans and assess business metrics. Because most of us thought these issues would be resolved a year ago, dealers are becoming more uncomfortable. The simple truth is, dealers should have focused on acquiring used inventory and creating a steady inventory flow for the next 12 months. The only way to ensure a steady inventory is to buy used RVs from the public.

I know many of you dabbled in this area but you need to supersize your efforts by launching a strong campaign that creates leads to buy used RVs. Most dealers have never considered running a comprehensive campaign such as this. Others, however, have realized the need but have hesitated because they are unsure where to start.

Do not wait to begin a monthly “We Want to Buy Your Used RV” campaign. If you would like to attend your next 20 Group meeting as the dealer who gained inventory control and ensured continued profits and sales for the next 12 months, read on.

Regaining control involves three steps. The first step is simple but possibly uncomfortable to some: allocating a separate campaign budget. Do not take money from other marketing. Start a new marketing budget to develop leads that will turn into used RV purchases.

How much should you allocate? Begin with the profit from one used RV sale and build from there. My suggestion is at least $2,000 and up to $15,000, depending on your desired level of inventory control.

Here are the steps for your “We Want to Buy Your Used RV” campaign.

1. Improve your sales lead form. The form will be the hub of all your marketplace interactions. Almost every dealer form process is way too cumbersome. I recently saw a sales lead process that gave a consumer a price for his RV in 10 seconds, providing the dealer with a quick lead. Some dealers have garnered as many as 90 leads a month with the form. Email me and I will provide you with the name of the company that created the form.
2. Once you establish a consumer-friendly lead form, you want to deploy this link to all the no-cost media channels available to you.
3. Display the form on your homepage banner so users see it immediately when they visit your website. Do not hide the offer. Make it big, with the correct copy “Find Out How Much Your RV Is Worth.”
4. Depending on your website, place the banner or text on as many pages as possible—the number of places you find are unlimited.
5. Place the form on your Google My Business page. Here, you will get many impressions, so let the curiosity of your offer drive more opportunities for you. Everyone wants to know what their RV is worth.
6. Place the text or a button on the email signature of every employee in the business. The button should say “Find Out How Much Your RV Is Worth in 10 Seconds!” Real-estate agents execute this strategy, and it really does work. Make sure it is on everyone’s email signature.
7. Deploy biweekly emails using your in-house email list. These emails should display a big button as well. If you send out a newsletter, make the button prominent. Do the same for your sales emails. You never know who is ready to trade or sell. Next, consider at least one email per month offering to buy used RVs. You will gain leads if you provide consumers a quick and easy way to establish a vehicle price.
8. Allocate funds to the program.
9. The first thing to do is create a series of display ads for Google ad networks. You can target those interested in RVs by offering them a quote on their RV is worth. You want to use these ads to retarget visitors to your website.
10. Get aggressive with a Facebook campaign. The process is very inexpensive and enables you to reach many people. You are charged only if users click your ads. Someone clicking one of your ads greatly increases your chances of acquiring a lead.
11. c. Among the very effective ways to obtain used RVs is to buy your RV leads through conquest emails, which are emails sent to your competitors’ customers. Conquest lists are receiving more than 2% click-through rates. From personal experience, I find these lists consistently create numerous leads from people willing to sell their RVs. The average cost of a conquest email deployment is 3 cents per email.
12. The final step is a hidden gem. If you do a conquest email, request what is called a “hashed file” if you send out conquest emails. A hashed file is encrypted, making the data difficult to decode, but you can plug the file into your Facebook platform and match about 50% of the names in your conquest email list. This will allow you to target about 25,000 people each month with one of your ads. Once you get the hashed file, you own it. So you pay only if users click your ad and go to your form.

By now you should be getting my drift. Starting the campaign is a critical step to gaining inventory control.

How long will the new RV inventory issues continue? Who knows? I encourage you to strike hard while demand remains high. We do not know when business will slow down, or when some outside action will affect our entire business again.

You do not need to try something new, however. The plan will work and provide you with the inventory levels you need to manage your business.

Stop being a dealer who lays awake at night wondering when the next big shoe might drop, when the next big supply-chain issue might happen, or when the government might take actions affecting your business. Losing control of what you sell is not much fun.

You can now be among the dealers who pivot on the obstacles in front of them and take decisive action. Imagine a steady stream of used RV inventory hitting your lot every month.

I have been in this business for more than 35 years, like many of you. Though we have never seen such a lack of control, we have always found a path when encountering other challenges. This is just another one the top dealers will solve.

The question is, will you be among those top dealers?

Ron Wheeler is founder and principal at Wheeler Advertising. Ron has been a speaker at RVDA for more than 30 years and at NADA for more than 18 years. He has spoken on topics ranging from dealership branding to RV effectiveness, social media and digital marketing. He began his RV advertising career more than 30 years ago. Ron was RVDA Convention and Expo chairman for six years and also sat on the RV Hall of Fame board. His company works with RV dealers in more than 30 states and Canada.