Go All In for Year End: Start Now and Finish Strong
Ready to go all in for year end? It’s time to start working on your dealership marketing strategy now. First, determine where the biggest opportunities are – then decide what segments and models to push; which audiences to target; and what tactics to use for each audience and opportunity.
Whether you consult with an internal team or an automotive marketing partner, here’s a checklist to consider when choosing key tactics for your year end dealership promotion.
Checklist: Year End Dealership Promotion
Email marketing
Some think email marketing campaigns are outdated, but they’ve never been more relevant – 72% of people would rather get promotional information via email than the 17% who’d prefer social media, according to one source. But for best results, combine new technologies with your email campaigns – messages with social sharing buttons see a 158% increase in click-through rates (CTR).
Also, when creating email marketing, keep in mind: segmented campaigns average 14.4% better open rates than non-segmented ones; customized email messages improve conversions by 10%; and personalized subject lines increase the likelihood of emails being opened by 26%.
Social media ads
Customers are on social before, during and after they purchase vehicles. So, it’s important you are too. Starting with the buyer’s discovery phase – because 55% of customers who discover a product through social media purchase it later on. And 90% of new car customers who use social media in the buying process say it influences their decision.
Not only does social media influence buying decisions, 23% of car shoppers share their experiences online. Which means free social media advertising for you. Plus, 38% of consumers say they’ll use social media the next time they buy a car. And those numbers continue to grow.
Targeted display ads
“Banner blindness” is real. People consciously or unconsciously ignoring advertising banners as a result of years of irrelevant and intrusive ads. Luckily, there are ways to battle this affliction.
Start with rich media display ads. By including video, audio and other elements, you increase consumer engagement and interaction – and that leads to more conversions, click-throughs and view rates.
You’ll also want to “go mobile.” Phones have become an integral part of life and mobile ads are a great way to communicate with car shoppers. They offer amazing audience targeting, reach and the ability to connect with customers during any part of the auto buyers journey – anywhere, anytime.
Geofencing
Half of all car shoppers use their smartphones while at dealerships. And the number one thing they’re trying to figure out is: are they getting a good deal. Enter geofencing.
Set up a geofence around competitors. When car shoppers visit those dealers, ads with a special offer or promotion from your dealership will pop up on their phone. And you can conquest buyers right off your competition’s lot.
You can also target shoppers that are on your lot with targeted display ads that motivate buyers with special incentives and financing options.
Audience targeting/audience insights
What specific audience segments are you going after? Why? Base these strategic decisions on customer insights; market data; and the consumers most likely to respond to your year end dealership promotion.
Next up? Developing creative. Use images, messages and calls to action for your year end marketing campaign that’ll speak to each target audience and get them to your dealership to buy a car.
Then it’s all about year end advertising campaign optimization. Testing the advertising for performance and fine-tuning the promotion – whether it’s a matter of adjusting the audience targeting, campaign creative or marketing tactics.
Find out how Marketing to the Wrong Audience Can Hurt Your Dealership.
Local listings and review management
People care about reviews – 56% of car shoppers check them to see what people are saying about your dealership before deciding whether to visit. And your number of stars seriously affects the percentage of consumers willing to consider doing business with you:
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4 stars 94%
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3 stars 57%
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2 stars 13%
Start asking for reviews now – 68% of customers will leave a review if you request one. That way you can help boost your online presence with positive comments from satisfied customers.
You also want to get in front of car shoppers. An easy way to make sure they notice you is adding your dealership to Google My Business (GMB). In-market buyers will see the local listings for your location, open hours, contact information and more. Check out these tips: Easy Ways to Improve Your Google My Business Listing.
Go All In for Year End: Team Up with an Automotive Marketing Partner
Need help putting your year end dealership promotion together? There’s certainly a lot to consider when developing a strong strategy for one of the most important pushes in 2019. Not only do you have to decide what tactics to use, you have to determine how to integrate them, which audiences to target, what messages will motivate them, the list goes on and on…
If that sounds overwhelming, you might want to consult with an automotive marketing partner about your year end dealership promotion. Not only are they experts in the dealership marketing tactics outlined above, they also excel at making the most of ad spend to maximize your year-end sales. And that sounds like a solid strategy for any campaign.
Contact us and we can start strategizing your year-end dealership promotion now.
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