Powersports Business August 2026 | Page 39

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Powersports Business • August 2026 • 39 sales funnel, buyers repeatedly compare products, revisit pricing, research financing, and evaluate dealerships throughout the process. Dealers don’ t necessarily need to dominate every platform, Holland says, but they do need to ensure they’ re visible wherever their customers are shopping. More importantly, they need to create a consistent experience across every digital touchpoint.
THE SPEED OF RESPONSE MATTERS If there’ s one takeaway Holland believes every dealership can implement immediately, it’ s improving response times.
LeadVenture’ s research found that dealerships responding to leads within 24 hours generated nearly 48 % more— and higher-quality— leads than slower responders. Even more compelling, the company’ s recommendation is to aim for an initial response within five to fifteen minutes whenever possible. In today’ s marketplace, consumers frequently contact multiple dealerships simultaneously. The first dealership to respond with helpful, personalized communication often earns the opportunity to make the sale.
Holland shared the example of one customer shopping for a new powersports vehicle who contacted six dealerships in her region. Five either failed to respond promptly or eventually sent generic replies days later. The sixth dealership, located roughly 50 miles farther away than the others, responded within minutes with a personal message inviting the customer to visit the store. Distance ultimately became irrelevant; the customer purchased from the dealership that acknowledged her first.
The lesson isn’ t simply about speed. It’ s about demonstrating attentiveness and respect for the customer’ s time. Dealers don’ t need scripted sales pitches or aggressive follow-up campaigns. They simply need to acknowledge inquiries quickly and begin building a relationship while the customer is still actively engaged in the buying process. As Holland notes, responding faster doesn’ t cost dealerships additional money, yet it can dramatically improve lead quality and conversion rates.
Among the high-performing dealers LeadVenture analyzed, 83 % displayed pricing on their inventory listings, while nearly three-quarters included at least one photo. Those dealers also tended to maintain healthier inventory turns, with roughly 80 % of inventory moving within 90 days. Rather than allowing units to age online with stale information, successful dealers continually refreshed listings and ensured inventory accurately reflected what was available on the showroom floor.
Holland encourages dealers to go beyond stock photography by taking their own photos and short walkaround videos using nothing more than a smartphone. Those images not only build greater trust with shoppers by showing the actual unit for sale, but they can also be repurposed across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and digital advertising campaigns. A single piece of original content can support multiple marketing efforts while reinforcing authenticity.
Consistency also plays an increasingly important role in online visibility. Pricing discrepancies between inventory platforms, outdated listings or inaccurate availability can confuse search engines and AI-powered search tools, ultimately making dealerships harder for consumers to
INVENTORY PRESENTATION The report also challenges dealers to rethink how inventory is presented online. Too often, listings rely exclusively on OEM stock photography, incomplete descriptions, or inconsistent pricing. Yet the dealerships with the strongest inventory performance are doing just the opposite.