The National Automobile Dealers Association‘s annual report states that there are 16,753 franchised vehicle dealerships in the United States. That translates to a lot of competition. With new-vehicle sales reaching $1 trillion and repair profits coming to more than $116 billion, you want to make sure that you’re doing all you possibly can to market your dealership effectively, set yourself apart, and attract new customers. You’ll also want to find ways to retain existing customers so that you continue to work with them through the life of their vehicle.
In this article, we’ll share three simple ways to market your dealership.
Improve Your Online Presence
When creating your marketing plan, the first step you should take is to build your online presence. Gone are the days when car dealerships could simply rely on word of mouth to build their business. Keeping a physical brick and mortar shop well stocked and well managed is not enough to attract new customers.
Instead, it’s vital that you build a website that serves your business well. Make your site easily searchable, with an up-to-date catalog of your available vehicles. Customers are also interested to know who they may be working with, before getting to the lot. So, make sure to include the biographies of each of your salespeople on your page, as well.
In addition to your website, make sure that you have a Google Business page, Facebook, and Instagram. Using these pages, you can interface directly with future and existing customers. Additionally, having these platforms in place will make it very easy to set up online ad campaigns. The best way to set up an online campaign is to make sure that your ads run on multiple platforms and in a variety of formats simultaneously. Use mobinner.com to regulate all of your online ad campaigns, track their efficacy, and reject any suspicious conversions.
Go Above and Beyond
Naturally, it’s important to offer a high level of service along with a great experience to your customers. Every business owner knows how vital it is to create a welcoming atmosphere and to offer a high level of professionalism to each client. However, in these times of social distancing and uncertainty, it’s also important to go above and beyond what is typically expected of you as a car dealership.
Consider pairing with a car shipping service like Easy Car Shipping. This way, your customers from all over the country can purchase a car from your dealership online and receive the car locally. If you make the purchase process seamless and easy for them, you’re sure to find that your customers continue working with you, even in times of economic and global uncertainty.
Gather Positive Feedback
Most online reviews are written by customers who have horror stories and negative experiences. This can reflect poorly on your business and no amount of professional service will rehabilitate your online review score. That’s why important to garner positive reviews from your happy clients.
Finding a way to convince your clients to review you online can be a little tricky, though. Very few customers will do something for nothing. Send a request for reviews from your most recent customers and offer them a discount on repair services or oil changes in exchange. Alternatively, you can set up a giveaway contest for your customers who leave you a review. Most new customers are going to find you by searching for the best car dealerships in their area. So, it’s vital to make your online reviews plentiful and positive.
Owning your own dealership is a huge responsibility. You manage your salespeople, service people, keep track of your stock, and have to answer to the car companies from whom you purchase your inventory. The best way you can make sure your business succeeds is by marketing your dealership effectively and consistently.
