The Importance of Employee Appreciation

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s a great time to reflect on what you’re thankful for this season. Friends, family, health are top of the list for most - and rightfully so - but we think your hardworking employees should also be included on this list as well. Your employees are the life of your business, big or small, and it’s important to make sure they feel valued. Employee appreciation is crucial in the workplace, and while we think it’s an amazing idea to honor your employees during the upcoming holiday season, it’s also important to keep that momentum going year-round. So, we’ll give you insights into why employee appreciation is so important and few ideas on how to show your team your gratitude. 

First off, why is employee appreciation so important?

Employee appreciation is important for a multitude of reasons, but one simple point stands out to us - happy people translate into happy employees. It may sound obvious, but when you facilitate a positive and productive working environment employees feel valued, safe, and motivated. According to a survey by Recruiter Box, the number one reason most Americans leave their jobs is that they don’t feel appreciated. The same survey said, organizations with effective recognition programs have 31% lower voluntary turnover than organizations with ineffective programs. Does your team have a program in place? If not, you could start small and build upon your ideas. Below, we’ll show you a few easy ways to recognize employees year-round.

Public Praise - Everyone loves a deserved pat on the back, and praising your employees publicly provides a motivational boost to the entire dealership. This could be as simple as sending a company-wide email saying job well done or you can highlight the employee’s efforts at a staff meeting. A modern take on this idea is shouting out your team on your dealership’s social media page or website thanking them for their hard work.

Provide Fun Benefits - If employees are doing exceptional work, they should be rewarded. Providing bonus benefits to employees has the power to keep up morale and will ideally motivate your team to work harder in the long run. Hosting a team lunch or happy hour, providing a paid day off, or giving gift cards are just a few ideas on how to show employees your appreciation. Feel free to get creative with your ideas, after all, you know your employees best.

Get the Whole Team Involved - Letting team members recognize each other is a great way to increase employee appreciation in the workplace. Try asking employees to nominate their peers for employee of the month, or set up a board somewhere in the dealership where fellow coworkers can recognize other team members. It’s always great to hear from the boss, but getting peers to come together allows greater involvement in your recognition program.

Make Small Dealership Updates - If financially possible, making a few simple upgrades to your dealership can go a long way for employees. There’s no need for a full remodel, but adding a new state of the art coffee maker, or updating your break room can be a real motivational boost for your employees. Creating a dedicated space for your employees to gather and relax shows your team that you care about their well being and enjoyment at work.

These are just a few ideas to get you started, and if you haven’t started an employee appreciation program at your dealership, we encourage you to start small and see what works for best for your employees. Once you figure out what helps to motivate your team, you can build on that as time goes on.

Winnebago Debuts New Products at Open House

It's getting to be a habit. Last year, Winnebago used the industry Open House in Elkhart to launch the sleek new Horizon and the ground-breaking 4WD Revel adventure van, as well as the Class A Intent and Minnie Plus fifth-wheel.

This year, Winnebago repeated the feat, revealing five more new products at the dealer-only event.

The motorhome side saw the launch of the all-new Class C Vita and Porto, as well as the return of a storied nameplate, the Class A gas Adventurer. At the same time, Winnebago Towables debuted the Micro Minnie fifth wheel and the Spyder toy hauler.

Vita

Porto

The Vita and Porto are compact Class C diesels built on Mercedes-Benz Sprinter chassis. Each of the two floorplans features best-in-class galley, storage, solar power, and holding tank capacity. Also notable: the new SuperShell Sleeper Deck, which is quieter, lighter and stronger than typical cab-over sleepers.

Interior highlights include the panoramic galley window, expansive counter space, double-bowled sink, and user-configurable storage.

“At under 25 feet, the Vita and Porto allow you the freedom to explore everything from a major metropolitan area to a remote forest,” said Russ Garfin, product manager. “Throughout the coaches, we have implemented features for customers who are looking for a high-quality, easy to drive, durable and efficient base camp to support mobile and active lifestyles.”

Vita

After an absence of several years, the Adventurer is returning with new styling and five floorplans designed to meet a variety of tastes and needs. Built with Winnebago’s renowned SuperStructure construction, the Adventurer comes fully equipped with premium features normally reserved for diesel pushers, including Corian countertops, a Versa driver seat and Primera furniture coverings. Standard exterior features include an entertainment center, pet leash tie down, and full-body paint with chrome mirrors.

Adventurer

“The Adventurer is packed with user-friendly features, and more value than ever before,” noted product manager Niles Whitehouse. “Family-friendly floorplans offer spacious living, and ample storage space to provide all the comforts of home.”

With the launch of the new Spyder line, Winnebago has reentered the toy hauler segment. The Spyder lineup comprises four travel trailer and two fifth-wheel floorplans. “The end user was our main focus. We included several functional features that will be appreciated long after the thrill of the purchase,” commented Ron Brown, engineering manager. Large windows provide increased ventilation, while the innovative ceiling-ducted air conditioning system provides a comfortable retreat when the thermometer spikes.

Spyder

Capitalizing on the success and growth of the 7-foot wide Micro Minnie travel trailer, Winnebago Towables has extended the concept into the fifth-wheel category with the launch of the Micro Minnie fifth-wheel. “While the industry promotes 7,000, 8,000, and even 9,000 pound fifth-wheels as half-ton towable, the new Micro Minnie fifth-wheel, which weighs in the 5,000-pound category, will not only be best in class, but will also pair well with the rapidly growing midsize truck category,” said Adam Christoffersen, product manager.

Microfifth

The new fifth-wheel is equipped with upgraded features more typically found only in premium-level towables, including the flush-mount cooktop with glass cover, and stainless-steel sink. Outside, the true gel-coat fiberglass sidewalls and large windows will amplify the appeal of the compact Micro Minnie fifth-wheel.

Retargeting Explained

If we’re being honest, the sheer amount of technology available to us can feel quite daunting, and even overwhelming at times - especially in the business world. There are so many ways to reach customers, but it can be hard to figure out which strategy might work best for your specific business. The words retargeting and remarketing are flooding the digital space, and if you’re not familiar with those types of marketing strategies, we’re here to help. We’ll give an in-depth breakdown of the two strategies, review exactly what retargeting is, and talk about how it’s being used to best reach customers.

So, what is the difference between retargeting and remarketing?

Remarketing and retargeting can get a little confusing sometimes because people often use the terms interchangeably. And while they are similar, they do have one major difference - the actual strategy that’s used to reach consumers who have left your site. Retargeting is focused on engaging consumers that you may or may not be aware of, who have left your website without completing a desired action (ie: making a purchase, completing a form, etc.) and typically relies on cookies to serve them ads. Remarketing, on the other hand, usually relies on email to reach customers again, but it can also encompass any marketing to a consumer already known to your business. Both remarketing and retargeting strategies are great options, rather than just blind advertising, because the consumer has already shown that they are somewhat interested in your brand or product - upping your chances of a conversion down the road.

Let’s look into retargeting a bit more...

As we mentioned above, retargeting is a form of online advertising with the goal of reaching individuals who have visited and interacted with your website, but didn’t complete the desired call to action you had in mind. According to Outbrain, the average conversion rate for first-time site visitors is a staggering 2% - hence why retargeting strategies were created. Have you ever clicked on a website or product without making a purchase? It’s pretty common, if not a daily occurrence for most. Have you then seen that same product or website featured in an ad space while browsing other websites? That’s retargeting at work trying to reach the other 98% of people who didn’t originally convert while visiting your website.

Check out the image below to see the flow of retargeting at work:

Image: Retargeter.com

Is retargeting a successful strategy?

Retargeting is becoming an increasingly popular marketing strategy for businesses, both large and small. In fact, according to a survey by Invespcro, retargeting customers are three times more likely to click on your ad than people who haven’t interacted with your business before. In the same survey, 26% of customers said they will return to a site through retargeting and these numbers are expected to grow as 50% of marketers say their retargeting budget will increase in the next six months.

Are you interesting in retargeting?

If so, you’re in luck. We’ve just released brand new retargeting offerings for our dealers, and many have already seen huge success. We are offering the following retargeting product offerings: 

• Display Retargeting 
• Dynamic Retargeting - Unit Ad Listing 
• Dynamic Retargeting - Social Unit Ad Listing (Facebook & Instagram specific) 

If you haven’t talked to your RV Trader representative about integrating retargeting into your package, what are you waiting for? The best part of our retargeting product is that we do all the work for you. Call your RV Trader representative today at 1-877-354-4068 - they’d love to walk you through our various retargeting products to find which will best fit your needs.

Tips for Hiring the Right People

Customer service is everything in the business world, and that’s why it’s becoming increasingly important to have a solid team in place at your dealership. The right team can either make or break your business - plain and simple. We do know finding the right employee for the job isn’t always easy, but we’ve got 5 quick tips on making a great choice for your next hire.

Be straightforward and honest about all job responsibilities - It all starts with a job posting, and it’s important to be crystal clear about all of the tasks, duties, and responsibilities in your initial post. We suggest including even some of the less glamorous tasks the position will require so the candidate won’t be surprised by these requests down the road. It’s also a good idea to include “other duties as assigned” just to make sure you leave some wiggle room for additional tasks not explicitly covered in the description.

Keep your options open - Don’t have a ton of applicants for your role? Don’t worry - it’s more than okay to hold out for the perfect candidate. Sometimes talking to candidates who might not be the right fit for your role can help show you what you are looking for. We also encourage you to interview more than one person for the position, even if you feel like the candidate you interviewed first would be a suitable option. You never know who could walk through your door next, so it’s important to keep an open mind and entertain a few options.

Know what you want - It can be a bit overwhelming when job applications come rolling in, but it’s important to keep a laser focus while weeding through potential candidates. It’s crucial to know exactly what you’re looking for in an employee and it’s a good idea to have a list of non-negotiable qualifications that you’d like to see on a resume (ie: sales experience, customer service experience, familiarity with the RV industry, etc.). If the applicant doesn’t have all of the qualifications you require, simply move on to the next. Remember, it’s okay to be picky.

Be prepared for the interview - The candidates shouldn’t be the only ones getting ready for their interview. As the interviewer, it’s a good idea to have questions you plan on asking candidates written down so you can easily keep track and compare answers later - this will ensure candidates remain on an even playing field throughout the interview process. We suggest asking a variety of different questions. For example, scenario questions are great options that can help you get a real feel for the candidate and to see exactly how they would react in a specific situation. We also like to mix the questions up by asking a few abstract questions - like what’s the best compliment you’ve ever received - to see how quickly a candidate can think on their feet.

Personality is important - Of course, you want your potential hire to have the experience and qualifications you desire, but it’s also important to keep in mind personality. When interviewing, make sure to get a feel for how the candidate’s personality traits align with the potential job, as well as the company culture. We also encourage you to get your team involved in the hiring process to make sure everyone meshes well together - and helping your current team feel more invested when their new co-worker starts.

Every dealership needs a strong team in place, and it all starts with the hiring process. We hope these tips will help you take a deeper look at your own process to see what’s working and what might need updating when it comes to hiring your future employees.

Top Makes and Classes of Q3 2018

Can you believe we’re already in Q4 of 2018? This year has flown by, but to slow things down a bit, we’re going to take a look into what consumers were searching for in Q3 on RVTrader.com. We’ve seen some consistencies, as well as a few differences, from the previous quarter that we think you’ll find interesting. Check out our 2018 Top Makes and Classes of Q3 report.

Top 5 searched classes of Q3 2018:

• Travel Trailer 
• Class A 
• Class C 
• Fifth Wheel 
• Class B 

Travel trailers took the top spot in Q3 with 23% of all total searches - this equates to more than 6.3 million consumers searching for this type of RV! With that in mind, it’s no surprise they have remained consistent in the top spot and we predict that trend will continue into next quarter. Class As came in second place making up 20% of total searches, while Class Cs took third with 14%. Fifth wheels came in fourth place with 12% and Class B rounded out fifth place with 9% of total searches. All top classes remain consistent in their rank as compared to Q2 2018 and Y.O.Y. comparisons are very similar as well.

Top 5 searched makes of Q3 2018:

• Forest River 
• Keystone 
• Winnebago 
• Jayco 
• Coachmen 

Forest River remains in the top spot for top searched makes coming in at 13% - the exact percent they were at last quarter. Keystone came in second place with 7% of total searches - roughly 3.1 million consumers searched for the manufacturer. Winnebago isn’t far behind in third place with 6.4% of searches and Jayco comes in fourth with 6%. Last, but not least, Coachmen comes in fifth place representing 5% of total searches. These rankings also remain consistent with last quarter and numbers Y.OY. are similar. We are interested to see if and how the rankings change in Q4.

It looks like consumers have remained very consistent this quarter when it comes to their search habits. Stay tuned for our Q4 report coming this January and let us know how your dealership compares with our findings in the comments below.

Tips for Using Live Chat

We’ve covered the general benefits of live chat before, but now it’s time to take a deeper dive into a few useful tips on actually using this popular feature. And just to give a quick recap - live chat is beneficial in many ways because: 

• It gives communication a more personal touch 
• It lets consumers get a quick and instant response 
• It builds customer relationships 
• Last but not least, it’s easily accessible for consumers AND businesses 

We’ve heard it time and time again - customer service is everything in the business world, and live chat can give you the power to enhance that service in a new and easy way. We’ll give you a few quick tips to make sure both you and your customers get the most out of the online chat experience.

• Be quick to answer your customers - No one likes to be kept waiting, so it’s important to keep in mind when a consumer chats you, they want a response quickly. They are more likely to move on to a dealer who will answer faster rather than waiting around for a response. Keep a vigilant eye on your chats and make yourself available to answer questions in a timely fashion. 

• Introduce yourself - It’s so important that the consumer you’re speaking with feels like they are talking to a real person instead of an automated robot. So start by introducing yourself by stating your name, position, and how you’re going to assist them today. Building a consumers trust is vital and that can all start with a personal experience through online chat. 

• LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN - Some might think this sounds obvious, but it’s so important to really listen to the consumer and to stay attentive during the entirety of your conversation. Customers will notice if you’re just treating them as a sale, so make sure to continue to cultivate an authentic and helpful conversation. Also, make sure to read all questions or concerns thoroughly so you can avoid repeating questions throughout your chat. 

• Be honest with the customer - If you don’t have an instant answer for the consumer - that’s okay. Sometimes you won’t have all the answers immediately, but it’s important to let the customer know you will look into their question and follow up immediately after you get the correct information. Yes, consumers love instant gratification, but they will appreciate you taking the time to get the answer correct in the long run. 

• Steer away from Internet slang - Consumers want to know they are speaking with a professional so we suggest avoiding Internet slang in your live chat conversations. Even if a consumer is using slang we recommend keeping a professional tone. 

• Avoid “pitching” during live chat conversations - While securing a sale is the ultimate goal, we recommend avoiding pitching customers via live chat. We do recommend voicing additional plugs about a specific unit, but only as it relates to their initial question. It’s important not to overwhelm consumers with too much information in the early stages, just see where the conversation takes you. 

We hope these tips will enhance your next live chat experience, and if you haven’t talked to your RV Trader representative about integrating live chat into your dealer page on our site, what are you waiting for? Our live chat product can be easily added to any package and offers you the chance to connect with potential buyer’s in a whole new way. Call your RV Trader representative at 1-877-354-4068 and get chatting today.

A Guide to Making Your Listing Photos Great

It’s no secret that the buying process is changing, and with technology on the rise, online research is becoming increasingly important to consumers before they make a purchase - large or small. That’s why taking high-quality photos is crucial to get more eyes on your listings. Interested in upping your photo game? We’ve got 8 easy tips to make sure your listing photos are painting a clear picture to your potential buyers.

Make it Shine - We know cleaning an RV can take time depending on the size of a particular unit, but a deep cleaning can have the potential to make or break a sale. It’s important to know that buyers want to see their potential unit in tip-top shape not just before making a purchase, but before even stepping foot on your lot. New or used, you’ll want to make sure the outside of the unit is washed, and that the inside of the unit has had a full detailing. We suggest removing any clutter inside of the unit and if you do want to stage the RV, we suggest simple decorations.

Use the Right Camera - Consumers are likely to move along to the next listing if your photos are grainy or blurry. So our question to you is, are you using a high-quality camera to take your listing photos? You’ll want to make sure that you have a fairly newer camera to ensure that your photos are crystal clear. Most smartphones have incredible cameras and can be great options for taking photos if you can’t splurge on a new camera. If you want to take your photos to the next level, consider buying an updated point and shoot camera. They are very simple to use and take extremely clear photos.

Shoot at the Right Time of Day - Ask any photographer and they’ll tell you, lighting is everything when it comes to taking photos. That’s why it’s so important to keep in mind the time of day you’re taking your listing photos. We recommend avoiding taking photos midday when the sun is at its brightest and lighting can come across as harsh. Shooting during the morning or late afternoon is ideal for capturing “warmer”, less washed out photos. As long as it’s not raining, cloudy days can also be great photoshoot days - just make sure it’s not too dark outside! While taking photos inside of the unit, highlight the natural light that the unit provides by opening up all of the windows while shooting. If there are darker areas inside, we suggest turning on the cabin lights as needed - avoid flash if at all possible.

Keep in Mind Positioning and Location - When taking listing photos, you’ll want to keep in mind where you’ve positioned and parked the RV. Make sure that the unit you are trying to sell is the focal point of your photo - you don’t want to confuse customers by taking a large shot with many RVs in the background. While inside the unit, stand in corners and point the camera outward while taking photos to make the unit feel larger and longer.

Take a Few Test Photos - It’s important to take your time while shooting your listing photos, as they are a crucial part of your listing. Take a few test photos of your unit to make sure the lighting is right, the images are clear, and that you are satisfied with the outcome. If you aren’t pleased with the photos you can take a step back and see what might need to change to enhance your photo (positioning, lighting, etc.).

Have a Variety of Photos - Consumers want to see photos and LOTS of them. Potential buyers want to see the entirety of the unit even before stepping foot on your lot - they want to picture themselves in their new RV on the road to their next destination. To paint your buyer a clear picture, we suggest taking a few full shots of the outside of the unit (showing the whole RV) as well as detailed, close-up shots. When taking indoor shots, we suggest showing all aspects of the unit. We recommend having a full outdoor RV shot as your main listing photo to grab the customer’s attention right off the bat, then they can explore more photo options as desired.

Be Honest and Authentic - For our used sellers out there, it’s extremely important to be honest and authentic with your customers. Don’t hide the imperfections of the unit you are trying to sell. If the unit has a few dings or scratches, or if there’s a tear in upholstery, consumers deserve to know before visiting your dealership. As for new RVs, it’s a good idea to stay away from using stock photos of your unit - consumers appreciate original photos and want to see exactly what their potential unit looks like.

Highlight Special Features - Does the unit you’re selling have any special features like extra storage, great natural lighting, or new technology? Make sure you are highlighting them in both your listing photos AND descriptions. As we mentioned earlier, consumers want to picture themselves in their new RV, and showing them unique features will having a higher chance of piquing their interest. 

We hope that these 8 tips have helped you realize taking listing photos doesn’t have to be difficult. Taking the right photo can take some practice, but your buyers will thank you in the end.