What’s the biggest auto dealer marketing problem? And what’s their biggest challenge to attracting more customers? First, let’s realize that it isn’t…
- SEO for your website
- Email Blasts to existing customers
- Social Media posts every day
The Biggest Auto Dealer Marketing problem is…
…Standing out from the competition. For Ford dealerships it’s not selling another F-Series Pickup: they’re the best selling vehicles in the country. Their problem is other Ford Dealers. Because Ford.com says that there are 3,000 dealerships in the US, and they all sell the same F-Series pickups.
Does your customer know?
If your customer can’t tell the difference between buying their F-150 from you or from another dealer, they’ll simply shop for the lowest price. Because that’s the only difference, right?
Use every opportunity
You’ve got to use every opportunity to give your customer the best reasons to buy from you, because you only get one chance. That buyer will own his/her pickup for 7 to 10 years.
It’s easy to use the promo ideas and materials that promote your brand and models, but what about promoting what makes your dealership the best choice? Here are 3 ideas of how to “build your dealership’s brand” to stand out from your real competition:
- Online: make sure that 50% of your online presence focuses on what makes your dealership the best in the area. Your brand does a great job promoting your vehicles, so your job is selling the dealership. Use your website and social media to connect with your target audience.
- Build your reputation: how do your reviews compare to your competitors? Google reviews are more important than many other forms of promotion to work on gathering more and higher rated reviews. 88% of consumers look at reviews before shopping. 63% are more likely to buy from a source with more good reviews. Consider hiring a proven partner to help you collect more reviews.
- When the potential customer finally calls: this is the moment of truth: are you making a great first impression? The way you answer the phone, what your customer hears on hold? Do you reinforce your brand building strategy by using marketing messages on hold that focus on your dealership? Click here for samples that work.
The bottom line
Your biggest challenge isn’t promoting your vehicles. It’s standing apart from your competition, and reinforcing the best reasons to buy from you and not from them. You know that there are probably two other dealers with the same vehicles you have, just a short drive away. So use these three ideas to make it easier for your customer to choose you.
