Lucas Deal (TPS Cheif Editor)
Brad Watkins pulls out his smartphone. He asks the audience to do the same. He asks the crowd if they’ve used their phones to shop or spend money over the past two days. Everyone nods yes. Watkins does too.
With the ball teed up, Watkins takes his swing. “Everyone uses this. Even your customers. And when they search, either your business is showing up, or your competitors are.”
Participating in a panel discussion Thursday at the HDA Truck Pride Annual Meeting in National Harbor, Md., Watkins, CEO at Local and Qualified, and fellow marketing professionals shared with distributors how essential online marketing has become to current and future business success.
The panelists acknowledged not every distributor sells online yet, and while e-commerce is unquestionably growing, a business doesn’t need to be an e-tailer to invest in digital marketing. In a world where every customer is online every day, the panelists say failing to make your business findable and accessible is costing you sales.
Watkins uses Google search as an example. He says, “Google is in the business of giving you the right answer,” which means when a user searches ‘truck parts near me’ or ‘pto install near me,’ distributors and service shops can’t bank on being the first result for that user even if they’re closest to their location. Watkins says Google prioritizes credible businesses; companies with detailed websites and online profiles across listing sites because its algorithm can confirm those companies can help the user with their search.
“If you have missing information, it prevents you from showing up in the 900 lb. gorilla,” he says.
Julie Shaw, co-owner at Pin-up Marketing, and Kevin O’Sullivan, marketing manager at ProKeep, confirm Watkins’ points about the importance of accurate online listings. The duo say customers searching for products and solutions are not just using Google. They’re also searching for help on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, etc.
Shaw says building a brand presence in all these areas is the only way businesses can ensure customers looking for help won’t miss them. But she also notes that just building a website or setting up a social media account doesn’t ensure top rankings in a search. For that, companies must create content to drive engagement, and invest in SEO.
Watkins says SEO used to mean search engine optimization but these days more accurately means “search everything optimization.” O’Sullivan says SEO is something distributors can’t overlook when building a marketing strategy. He says investing time and resources into marketing only to fail to get results because a page doesn’t rank on search is incredibly disappointing for any business owner.
The good thing is distributors don’t need to do this alone. O’Sullivan says HDA Truck Pride members can leverage their network association to ask colleagues for vendor recommendations and create partnerships that are best for their operations.
He also notes when it comes to marketing, it’s important to note the goal isn’t just to find new customers but also maximize the relationships you have with existing buyers.
“It’s about getting the people who shop with you once a month to shop with you once a week,” he says.
The panel also notes there are small things distributors can do today, with little time and no budget, to make their marketing better. Google business listings, social media accounts and just validating the information on your own site is one vital step, Shaw says. O’Sullivan agrees, adding for distributors with an e-commerce site, it’s a good idea to include reference to that site everywhere — including overlooked areas like your corporate voicemail message.
“If you have someone call you and you miss it, the likelihood they call you back is less likely than they call a competitor,” he says.
