Today’s largest customer segments, baby boomers and millennials, are influenced by attractive, interactive showrooms. Their purchasing decisions are influenced by your brand as well as the layout and overall appearance of your showroom and outside displays.

Branding is one of the most important elements of any dealership. In the past, dealers tended to let their manufacturer’s brand be their brand. Today, things are different. Your customers have instant access online to your competitors, so you need to develop a brand that’s specific to your dealership to pull them into your store.

Let’s face the facts. The biggest competitor in a dealer’s market today is another dealer selling the same brand. Manufacturers are doing a great job of getting customers to consider their brand. However, dealers are struggling to separate their dealership from the dealership 40 miles down the road, which is selling the same equipment. Think about what your own personal brand is, make sure it is promoted in your store, on your website, and in all your marketing.

So how do you set YOUR showroom apart from the competition? Regardless of the size, your goal is to maximize the impact it has on Boomers and Millennials. Reduce clutter, brighten lighting, and refresh the color schemes of walls and furniture. The days of showrooms being crammed with products are gone. Today’s customers want more room, great signage, tablets for interacting with products, and a place they can sit down and think.

Your inside showroom displays should be highlighted in the same way you do equipment outside. Have signage that encourages your customers to get on the equipment, walk around the equipment, open up the equipment, and look at the engine. Make your showroom a place that is interactive instead of static. Also, having a showroom that is kid friendly is especially important. A successful equipment dealership is inviting to all family members, whether it’s boomers bringing in their grandchildren or millennials bringing in their kids.

It might take some time and energy to rethink your dealership’s strategy for attracting and retaining this valuable group of potential customers. That time and energy is well spent as it will add valuable dollars to your dealership’s bottom line for years to come.