3 Things Your Hero Dealer Can do for Your Brand (That You Can’t do for Yourself)

You love your brand.

You live and breathe your brand.

You’d do almost anything for your brand.

But the truth of the matter is, while you may do anything, you simply can’t do everything.

It’s easy to think of the brand-dealer relationship as one in which you, the brand, hold all the power.

And yes, you do have some control. But it’s the dealers who hold the future of your brand in their hands.

So despite your dedication to your brand, there are a number of things your dealer can do for you that you can’t for yourself.

Here’s what we mean…

Dealers talk to your customers every day

You know your customer. But not like your dealers do.

Sure, you’ve had focus groups and funded research to better understand your target audience. This formal get-to-know-you has likely yielded some beneficial results. You’ve probably already put these to work in propelling your brand message.

But this data isn’t the whole picture.

Your customer pool is constantly growing and evolving. New trends and technologies pop up daily. And these things have an impact on what your customers want. Because your dealers are constantly in touch with your customers, they become aware of these perception changes long before they show up as a blip in your data.

This daily conversation allows for relationship building. As much as you might like to, you can’t get to know your customers in the same way as your dealers can.

You wouldn’t know that one prospect had a poor service experience with a competitor or that another is worried about a particular feature that isn’t detailed on your website or marketing materials. But your dealers will. And they can leverage this knowledge into powerful relationship credits.

Dealers create sales

You carefully craft marketing programs and new products consumers love. These efforts are designed to improve brand awareness and increase the likelihood of sales. They won’t, however, close them.

For this work to translate into sales, someone needs to deliver your message to the customer on a personal level. A dealer’s understanding of the products, savvy as a salesperson, and knowledge of your customers can drive these messages home.

Even with extensive reach, your messages won’t reach everyone. A customer who has never heard of your product comes into a store. If you’ve got a hero dealer in place, he or she can introduce the customer to your product and help the customer fall in love.

Dealers solve your PR problems

No matter how careful you are, things will go wrong. Maybe there was a manufacturer delay. Or some faulty products hit the shelves. Or perhaps a customer needed support that you inadvertently failed to provide.  When these things happens, your hero dealers will make all the difference.

In troubled times, your customers won’t come to you for an explanation, they’ll go to your dealers. And the dealers can be your saviors or your executioners.

If your dealers are invested in your brand — and feel that you are invested in them — they’ll help. They’ll share the appropriate, branded message believably and confidently. If not, you’ll likely lose the customer.

During these times, dedicated dealers will do some extra hand-holding. They’ll calm the nerves of buyers who are considering abandoning ship. But only dealers who truly believe in you and your brand will go this extra mile. Dealers who feel under appreciated or unimportant will have no personal investment driving them to put forth this extra effort.

Your hero dealers are your most valuable asset.

But heroes aren’t born, they are made.

To transform your simple dealer into a cape-wearing brand hero, you need to support their transition.

Foster strong relationships with these dealers, reminding them continually of just how important they are to you and your business. Your dealers will never live and breathe your brand as you do. Nevertheless, garnering their support and endearing them to your brand will pay off.