ORLANDO, Fla. – While the focus of the RV Aftermarket Conference taking place this week at the Caribe Royale in Orlando is on aftermarket products, the theme of yesterday’s events included a re-examination of the sales funnel by keynote speaker Andrew Davis.
Hosted by the RV Industry Association (RVIA), the conference offers suppliers and dealers the opportunity to showcase new products in one-on-one “appointment sessions” while taking advantage of important networking opportunities. In addition, attendees also hear from thought leaders – including Davis – on the state of the RV industry.
Referring to the sales funnel, a concept developed by St. Elmo Lewis in 1898, Davis pointed out that the customer journey has changed quite a bit in the 126 years since then. He also advocated for something he calls The Loyalty Loop, saying, “The sales process has changed, so change the way you think about your sale.”
The key, he said, is getting consumers into the loyalty loop, a series of “micro-encounters” that trigger feelings in them, whether good or bad. Of course, you want those encounters to be positive and personal, he added. You want prospects to feel special, not just another cog in the sales machine.
Davis used Domino’s Pizza Tracker as an example of how to effectively engage people in the process by generating excitement about the next step in the process. “What’s your Pizza Tracker?” he asked. In addition, it’s important to re-inspire the customer about what brought them to you in the first place, answer the question that got them interested in the product, remove any friction in the process (like long forms to fill out), and personalize the experience by, for example, introducing them to your team.
Ultimately, Davis put it this way: “We’re not selling a product. We’re selling an experience, and the micro-encounters along the way define your experience.”
Davis’ concepts have been echoed in many of the product meetings he has had with manufacturers and retailers in the industry since. Lippert’s Matt Clauss says that the consumer’s shopping experience is enhanced by effectively presenting and explaining products in retail stores.
“Consumers come in to browse and have something on their minds. What else can you sell them? Retailers need to be willing to have a broader conversation about more products and rely on the experts at manufacturers who know how to talk about them with enthusiasm and excitement,” says Clauss. “The more their employees know and understand what they have, the better they can talk about those items in retail.”
The conference runs through Thursday, with the 2024 Aftermarket Awards announced on Wednesday. Check the RVBusiness Daily News Feed on Thursday for the winners, and stay tuned for new products from many conference attendees in the coming weeks and months.