Portland, OR, Oct. 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — It may be a 139-mile drive from New Orleans, but Scott, Lousiana-based Cajun Harley-Davidson seems like a party.
This is clear the moment you speak to the dealership’s General Manager, Geoffery Hebert, one of the original owner’s sons. He is not what you’d call shy, and he won’t hesitate to invite you down south to his dealership’s Riding Academy program. The fun and lively nature of Cajun HD is also evident from one look at the dealership’s website, with a design and details that are bold and enticing. Perfectly on-brand slideshow images advertise sales promotions, new units, and the events that the dealership seems to hold nearly every weekend. On the website alone, it’s obvious that this powersports dealership is full of life.
Cajun HD is rich in its history, too. Adam Hebert opened the dealership in 1979, first starting out as a Yamaha franchise. At different points throughout the early years in business, the dealership sold Yamaha, Polaris, BMW, and Harley-Davidson bikes – it wasn’t until 1997 that all other franchises were removed and the dealership became Cajun Harley-Davidson as it is today. By that time, the dealership was also on its third location due to growth in size and customer demand for Harley bikes. The Harley-Davidson brand was “Americana,” and the bikes were only becoming more popular in the southern state. Adam Hebert knew that it was the future of his business. He was right – in 2004 the dealership moved to its current location near the interstate, and now operates with a team of forty employees in a 50,000-square foot facility.
Now semi-retired, owner and founder Adam Hebert still comes into the dealership every day. Two of his sons, AJ and Geoffery, run the dealership as Operations Manager and General Manager, respectively.
“Everything we do, we try to make it like family,” Geoffery Hebert says of his dealership’s company culture. “The Harley-Davidson brand aspires to be like one big family, and that’s what we do too.” Hebert describes the “Help Sell” program among employees and different department teams at Cajun HD – they understand that the success of any one department depends on the success of the others. Consistently striving for a cohesive work environment, the team is always willing and eager to help each other out.
Being such a big personality in the powersports industry, back in 2015 the dealership needed a website to match, and the team decided to make an update on the digital front.
In addition to customer service issues with their past provider, Cajun HD made the decision to go with Dealer Spike due to major improvements within the platform. “It was easier to use on both the front and back end,” says Hebert. “This site is also more appealing on the eyes.” It wasn’t just the ease of use and the looks that made this website superior for Cajun HD – the dealership also saw a 343% average increase in leads per month during the first year with Dealer Spike.
A happy customer for two years and running, Cajun HD chose to go through a responsive redesign with Dealer Spike in June 2017. In addition to making the site look cleaner and brighter, it now accommodates customers who visit via mobile device. Hebert and Randy Hopper, the dealership’s Marketing Manager, realize how crucial this is. “In today’s society, everyone is glued to their phones,” Hopper says. Within the last month, 82.68% of Cajun HD’s web visits came through mobile phone, and 6.6% through tablet. That leaves only roughly 10% of website visits coming through on a desktop computer – if Cajun HD’s site was not responsive, the dealership likely would have lost the attention of most of those mobile users.
Hebert and Hopper are on the ball when it comes to responsive web design, but they have also wisely invested in Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM), and Reputation Management packages for the success of their business online. “It’s worth it – we’re getting a lot of clicks,” Hopper says. The two understand how beneficial it is to implement services simultaneously – SEO content attracts search engines to pick up their site organically, and SEM keeps advertisements for their business at the top of search engine results at the same time. The combination is a no-brainer for capturing prospective customers. Reputation Management has also been faring well, with the dealership getting “an awful lot of five-stars.”
“Digital marketing and websites are important for any business,” Hebert says, calling it “non-negotiable” to make these a priority. Hopper agrees: “If I go to a website and it doesn’t catch my eye – that’s a cheap company. You’ve got to invest in your business.”
These two are aware of the constantly-evolving world of digital marketing, and how those inevitable changes affect the success of their dealership. Luckily the team at Cajun HD has a habit of not only staying on top of industry standards, but exceeding them.
About Cajun Harley-Davidson
Cajun Harley-Davidson is your friendly Louisiana Harley dealer. A full dealership, customers enjoy an inventory filled with choices, and Cajun HD offers custom rides to celebrate individualization. The team believes in freedom, they believe in the products they sell, and they believe in each other.
About Dealer Spike
Dealer Spike is a world-wide digital advertising software-as-service (SaaS) company focused on helping dealers increase leads and sales online. We provide innovative, powerful, distinctive web solutions and tools to thousands of dealers worldwide. Our expertise comes from real-world dealership experience and a passion for listening and responding to our dealers’ needs in the marketplace.