Today’s car buyers want something different — something more convenient than the traditional, and often highly pressurized, process of visiting a dealership and purchasing a vehicle. The auto industry is changing; change with it. Automotive digital marketing strategies enable you to deliver on evolving customer expectations. And sell more cars.
Just as the dynamics of car dealerships are shifting, so, too, are the techniques involved in digital marketing in this space. Five key trends:
T-shirt company BustedTees, for example, managed to increase email revenue 8% by simply trading email blasts to emails personalized by time zone. In the car world, personalization could mean tracking visitors and then serving customized ads in search displays or on Facebook, as well as sending special email offers. Taking these steps connects their experience across channels, a key to success in today’s selling environment. And the key to that key? Managing your data. Track, analyze, and act on these insights.
Other dealers take it a step further: they alter their website based on a visitors place on the buyer’s journey. For example, it might say, “Welcome back, Sue,” or “Ready to schedule your inspection?” for a returning customer. It’s a subtle change, but one that provides a differentiated experience to people.
Tellingly, 82% of car shoppers expect the website experience to be consistent with the dealership. They need to be able to look at a model on your site, get pricing information, compare other vehicles, and then walk into your dealership to continue the experience without interruption.
In addition to the knowledge and thought leadership itself, consider how you can best leverage your content. Say you create a piece for your blog on 5 reasons to buy pre-owned or top 10 maintenance tips to keep your car looking and feeling like new. Post it on your blog, tweet about it, and put it up on Facebook. Using the same content in multiple ways helps you maximize value and save time.
Automotive digital marketing is changing the online component of your business, but it’s also changing the physical component. Take the test drive, for example. This is a source of frustration from many customers who feel pressured and hurried. They want to learn about the vehicle at this point. Having salespeople trained and ready to educate can help you sell more cars.
The automotive market is changing. Are you changing with it?