Marketing is a never-ending cycle of creating, testing, utilizing, and improving.
As a result, dealers today are seeing more and more of their time engulfed by the constant demands for attention that many automotive marketing strategies require.
This is because there are more tools, channels, and strategies to choose from than ever before.
In addition, these tools, channels, and strategies can determine the success of your marketing campaigns.
It’s difficult to know what’s best for your dealership and frustrating to deal with multiple vendors – especially if they don’t deliver the results you need.
The good news is that every dealership is facing these issues – the bad news is that this makes it hard to differentiate your marketing from the rest and get the results you need.
1. Find the Best Vendors for You & Your Goals
Dealers today have to consider more options and more vendors than ever before. It’s expensive, time-consuming, and, at times, even confusing.
As a dealer, you have to consider what’s important to you and your dealership and what channels you should prioritize over others. You also need to know what to look for in a vendor and whether they can really provide you with everything they’re promising.
But, how do you narrow down the list? What about the vendors that promise everything? Wouldn’t it be easier to work with just one vendor? Or is it better to work with multiple vendors who specialize in each different channel so you know you’re getting the best marketing across the board?
These are just a few of the questions that arise as you begin to consider new vendors.
The thing is, it’s more expensive and more time-consuming to work with a different vendor for each channel. But the vendors that offer to do it all aren’t able to offer the highest quality of service – they can only provide so much. When you go with a one-stop-shop vendor, the convenience of it all is negated by insufficient results.
The goal here is to find a few vendors who can provide you with better options than one vendor or multiple vendors. When you do this, you’ll save money and time, without sacrificing results!
2. Reach Online Shoppers – Fast
It won’t come as a shock to you that consumers are online. They’re doing as much of their car-buying journey as they can on their computers and mobile devices.
This trend is sending dealers around the nation on a desperate journey to increase their digital presence and out-market third-party websites in order to reach the modern vehicle shopper.
But today’s shoppers are smart. They don’t trust the average dealer’s marketing. They continually turn to third-party sites because they want unbiased and transparent information about pricing, incentives, lease terms, trade-in value, etc., etc.
You need to do better. You need a strategy that follows shoppers throughout their journey with offers they want and vehicles they’re interested in.
You need a strategy that offers shoppers all the information they’re looking for about inventory that’s currently on your lot – information that shoppers can’t find anywhere else. Look for a strategy that allows you to monitor every step shoppers take as they interact with your inventory – while still allowing shoppers to feel that they’re in control.
By reaching shoppers before and during their car buying journey with messaging that’s tailored to them, you’ll differentiate your marketing and benefit from the results.
3. Use Digital Marketing for Your Service Department
The average owner takes their vehicle for service 2.7 times per year, with each visit averaging around 178 dollars.
But, only 30 percent of these service visits are conducted at a dealership level. And, only 17 percent of those visits occur at the dealership where the vehicle was purchased.
Automotive News reports that dealerships are missing out on as much as 99 billion dollars worth of revenue.
The fact is, more sales and revenue exist in your service department than anywhere else in your dealership! It’s an easy win.
Digital influences nearly 60 percent of vehicle purchases at the dealership, and that digital influence is even stronger when it comes to post-purchase service – in fact, nearly 25 percent of all automotive searches are parts, services, and maintenance related.
In addition, customers have indicated that interactions with a dealer’s service department impact their likelihood to purchase from that dealership in the future.
This is why you need a digital marketing strategy that will push vehicle owners to your service department.
If you’re able to find the right strategy, you will not only see an increase in revenue from service, but you’ll see an increase in sales over time – because happy service customers make future vehicle buyers.
Enjoy the Results
By carefully selecting the right vendors for you, utilizing unique marketing strategies to reach shoppers online, and strategically serving advertisements to previous and potential service customers, you will see a marked difference in your results and save both time and money with your marketing efforts!
This is an easy win for dealers looking to eliminate waste and optimize their marketing to reach the highest quality of former, current, and potential customers.
If you want us to show you how to effectively increase your brand awareness and sales, you can reach out to us at learn@jandlmarketing.com or just schedule a meeting.
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