The world of automobiles is a high-octane industry bustling with activity. Emotions run high as energy levels peak, with customers zipping past checkpoints after checkpoint as they make their way to the finish line – buying a car.
However, you can expect this fast-paced series of action only if your business’ fuel tank (aka sales pipeline) is full of prospects. Successful dealerships take the lead by generating leads. If you wish to kickstart this race in style, the following six strategies can help:
The journey from getting acquainted with a customer to handing over the keys to their latest ride can be as smooth or bumpy as your team makes it to be. After all, your employees are the primary champions of your organization, and the value they offer at every touchpoint determines whether the deal will go through or fall into the abyss.
As such, you need to put in the thought and effort when handpicking team members, especially roles in sales and marketing, so that they can meet their goals, if not surpass them. That being said, dealerships must not assume that building a hands-on team will be the silver bullet that fixes all their problems. You will have to provide sales and marketing enablement tools so that you can test out their skills in practical settings.
Car dealership and content marketing may not seem like the perfect match. However, 92% of car buyers begin their search online. At the same time, a good number of people also visit showrooms to see a potential purchase in person, schedule a test drive, and drive the car before they make the purchase.
As such, there is immense potential in offering helpful content in exchange for a prospect’s contact details. You could have brochures, flyers, and pamphlets, as well as gated digital content like eBooks to educate your audiences. These content assets can offer guidance on purchasing a car, maintaining one, a guide to aftermarket accessories, how to prep the car for certain seasons, and so on.
Seeing the value you offer, customers will be eager to share their details, which means more leads coming your way!
Speaking of content assets, you have one of the greatest advantages by your side – lucrative products that your customers want. Use this leverage strategically to delight them in more ways than one. You should be in a position to present your cars in ways in which they appear purchase-worthy. Start with a bunch of high-quality, professionally-shot photographs that show your cars in all their splendor and glory.
These should be detail-oriented to the extent that even the flags pop out. Pair a salesperson with certain cars so that they can easily get to know the ins and outs. Their pitch should be focused on how the features address customer pain points. Nail this, and you will have cars revving out of your dealership in no time.
About 70% of consumers in America seek out opinions before making a purchase. This number will increase considerably when the purchase in question is of high value and involves a greater capital investment. As such, you can be sure that people will consult their friends, family, and even colleagues before making a purchase. The more positives they hear about your business, the more they will lean towards buying from you.
Against this background, it makes perfect sense to kickstart a rewarding referral program that will encourage and incentivize past customers to recommend your dealership over others. This word-of-mouth marketing will fetch you several benefits, including new prospects.
Sponsoring local events can help you land a juicy spot on event banners. You can also feature on other marketing assets such as yard signs, flyers, brochures, etc., which will grant your dealership widespread visibility. Find events that resonate with your brand, even if they are not directly related to cars or driving. You can also donate to charities, provide financial support to educational institutes, or sponsor local sports teams.
Similarly, you can collaborate with other businesses to run promotional campaigns that grant you mutual exposure. For instance, you can get with a local eatery that hands out gift cards for a test drive at your outlet, or you could simply advertise your dealership at the mall. Your attempts at getting seen will be rewarded with a steady stream of visitors.
You will find several prospects falling through the cracks. After all, not every potential customer who visits your dealership or test drives a car will put in a deposit. Proactive action to plug in leakages and re-engage cold leads could fill your pipeline with more prospects that can transform into sales.
You can throw in a discount or attract lead with additional services for free, to test whether the prospect is still interested in purchasing a car. Even if they have lost interest or do not plan on purchasing from you, you can still request referrals and contact details of those who may be interested to gain more prospects.