Small, Family-Run Agriculture Dealer Sees Big Results with New Web Provider

Astoria, Oregon, April 24, 2018 -- Founded in 2005 by Larry and Debbie Inman, Ag-Bag Forage Solutions of Astoria, Oregon, is known for carrying a wide selection of tractors, equipment, and products for the local farming community. “We’re focused on people who manage and farm on small acreage, and we aim to be a one-stop shop to serve those people,” says Jeremy Linder, who serves as Marketing Manager as well as the Parts and Service Manager.

Jeremy Linder says the amount of leads that come in through the Dealer Spike site is "easily ten times the amount we were getting before."

Linder is also the owners’ son. The family-owned and operated business has just six staff members total. “What customers seem to appreciate most is that almost all of us employees also have small farms,” Linder explains. “We go to work, go home, and get on our tractor – and because of that experience, we have a good handle on the right equipment to recommend to our customers.” Linder says that he and his team have cultivated a loyal customer base, largely because the Ag-Bag team is honest and genuine in serving customers’ needs.

As for marketing his dealership’s equipment, Linder says it is “definitely very important” to have a top-notch website for customers to visit. Having that mentality, he thinks Ag-Bag Forage Solutions is on the cutting edge of the latest technology compared to most of the agriculture industry. “A lot of dealers across the country seem to be progressing, but that’s still the exception – not the average,” Linder says. “Dealers are just starting to realize that the digital space is where they need to be.”

Linder realized that his dealership needed a better online solution back in 2016 when he was unable to keep up with maintaining pricing and inventory through their previous Wordpress website that he had set up on his own. Linder began to look at agriculture dealer websites of all kinds to research a new web provider, and he found Dealer Spike. Accustomed to the traditional advertising that is more typical of dealerships in their industry, it took some convincing to get the owners on board to invest in the Dealer Spike platform. Linder was able to persuade his parents that it would be worth the investment. Two years later, that has proven to be true.

“The value is absolutely there,” Linder says. “Our customers are busy during work hours. They’re looking for a piece of equipment on their lunch break or in the evening, and they want to research on their own before coming in for a test drive,” Linder says. He calls the site “sticky,” meaning it has a lot of information that keeps people coming back even years later. “The website is some of the best money we’ve ever spent,” Linder says.

The Ag-Bag team was forced to trim the dealership marketing budget by about 20% to make up for the website costs, pulling resources from traditional, but Linder says they now see much better results than before. While lead tracking was not available on his previous website, Linder says the amount of leads that come in through the Dealer Spike site is “easily ten times the amount we were getting before.”   

The team at Ag-Bag Forage Solutions also decided to partner with Dealer Spike for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services. Knowledgeable about the need for SEO since his days of working on the Wordpress site, Linder signed on about a year ago and says that his website’s search engine rankings have improved without a doubt. “The SEO team at Dealer Spike also looks at on-page usability, and they have made huge improvements there,” Linder explains. He says that his dealership website is now easy to navigate, with landing pages that give a better overview of the dealership’s offerings.

Linder can rely on the inventory and lead management capabilities built into his website’s platform with Dealer Spike. His site ranks high on search engines, helping to drive more traffic and earn more leads from prospective customers. Linder also knows he can depend on the support team, saying that they have never let him down. While the majority of the industry may not be on the forefront of marketing trends, Ag-Bag Forage Solutions has successfully implemented a digital strategy that is beneficial for the business and customers alike.  

About Ag-Bag Forage Solutions

This Astoria, Oregon-based agricultural equipment dealership has been serving the Pacific Northwest since 2005. Product lines include compact and utility tractors, hay and forage equipment, lawn and garden equipment, and feed storage solutions, plus parts and service. Ag-Bag Forage Solutions’ goal is to “treat every customer the way we would want to be treated, with honesty and respect.”

https://www.ag-bagfs.com/

About Dealer Spike

Dealer Spike is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company devoted to helping customers increase leads and sales online. With powerful and distinctive website solutions as well as innovative digital marketing tools, dealerships see accelerated results with Dealer Spike.

http://www.dealerspikeagriculture.com/

Attachment

• Ag-Bag Forage Solutions Website

[email protected]
800.288.5917 x410