Lake Effect Auto Sales · Chardon, Ohio
From 3 to 35 leads
a month.
A website that finally felt like their dealership.
And a turning point for their business.
An independent, family-owned dealershipLead averages and search ranking reported by the Dealer Shock team. Sales results shared in Steve’s video.
The starting point
A dealership with more
to offer than its website.
Lake Effect Auto Sales had the cars, the people, and a dealership with a personality of its own. But online, very little of that came through.
Their old website used their colors and displayed their inventory. Beyond that, it could have belonged to almost anyone. A stock photo greeted visitors. The branding felt dated. And with only a handful of website leads coming in each month, it wasn’t helping the dealership build the sales momentum it needed.
When Lake Effect came to Dealer Shock, the goal was bigger than a fresh coat of paint: give shoppers a reason to choose this dealership, and make it easier to take the next step.
See what changedThe website transformation
Unmistakably Lake Effect.
We built the new experience around the dealership itself: its name, its lot, its vehicles, and the feeling of being there.
A template with their colors.
A website that’s all Lake Effect.
In place of a generic first impression, shoppers now see Lake Effect’s actual dealership. Aerial imagery gives them a sense of the place before they visit. Waves and splashing water connect the design to the Lake Effect name, carrying the brand through the page instead of stopping at the logo.
Clear routes into inventory, financing, and contacting the team give that first impression somewhere to go. The website introduces the dealership and helps shoppers move forward.
A refreshed identity
The same name. A sharper presence.
We recreated the logo with a more modern, professional finish while keeping Lake Effect recognizable. It became the foundation for the website’s colors, typography, and water-inspired details.
The original identity.
Ready for a new chapter.
Their dealership, front and center
Real places make a real impression.
On-site photography, drone imagery, and video gave us something a stock library couldn’t: Lake Effect’s own story.
The building, the lot, the cars lined up outside: these details help a shopper picture the place they’re buying from. We brought those familiar sights into the new site, so a visit online feels connected to a visit in person.
Built for the next step
From a first look
to “that’s the one.”
The new experience carries through to the pages where shoppers spend their time: finding a vehicle, exploring the details, and getting in touch.
Find the right fit.
Filters, prominent vehicle photography, and pricing help shoppers compare their options. The dealership’s identity stays present throughout the search.
Turn interest into action.
A closer look at the vehicle sits alongside clear ways to ask a question, explore financing, or schedule a test drive. Interested shoppers can reach the team while the car is still on their mind.
Showing up when it counts
First in search.
Close to home.
A better website matters even more when the right people can find it. For Lake Effect, that meant reaching shoppers looking for a used car in Chardon.
With Dealer Shock’s website and SEO tools, Lake Effect climbed to the first position on Google for “used cars Chardon.” The Dealer Shock team reports that they continue to hold that top spot.
That visibility puts a local, family-owned dealership in front of people already searching for what it sells—and sends them to a website ready to turn interest into a conversation.
Find your next vehicle at Lake Effect Auto Sales. Explore used cars, trucks, and SUVs at a family-owned dealership in Chardon, Ohio.
The impact
More visibility.
More conversations.
More cars sold.
The new website was part of a broader change in Lake Effect’s online presence. Dealer Shock’s local search tools helped the dealership get discovered by more shoppers, while the new site gave those visitors a clearer path to an inquiry.
The change in traffic and leads came quickly. Average monthly leads grew from 3 to 35—more than eleven times the opportunities to start a conversation. In Steve’s account of the project, the dealership also doubled its monthly vehicle sales.
For Lake Effect, the result was a business doing better than ever, with a digital presence that finally reflected the dealership behind it.
35 after · 3 before, on average
The next chapter · Managed advertising
The launch worked.
Then they went further.
More leads became more sales. After seeing what the new website could do, Lake Effect chose Dealer Shock’s managed advertising to build on that momentum.
The campaigns carry the same identity shoppers see on the website: Lake Effect’s branding, real dealership imagery, and a welcoming, local feel. Every ad gives them a reason to visit; the website gives them a place to find their next vehicle.
For Lake Effect, managed advertising was the next investment in a partnership that was already helping the business grow.
Explore managed advertising