The Most Cost Effective Way to Corral Your Prospects and Brand Your Dealership

For years dealerships have struggled to find a reasonable advertising and marketing approach to drive customers to their dealerships.  Many have hired advertising agencies believing they will have the most efficient methods and relationships with all types of media. Some hire outside consultants that develop suggestions on what type of message, how to send it and what is the best medium to use. Others just try and wing it themselves believing that they know the market best and where their customers learn about the dealership.

Let’s take a couple of steps back and take a high level view of all the components that surround what message is the right one and how you reach your prospects and customers in the most cost effective manner.  First, we must accept the fact the economy is tough and many are putting off any type of major purchase. Understanding that shoppers are looking for the easiest and most cost effective way to find what they need or want is truly where dealerships need to focus today. Ask yourself these five questions.

1.)  Can I provide enough incentives to get customers to spend money and drive to the dealership with television, radio or newspaper?

2.)  Can I provide enough information to get customers to spend money and drive to the dealership with television, radio or newspaper?

3.)  Can I know who prospects or customers are and get them to spend money and drive to the dealership with television, radio or newspaper?

4.)  Can I know when prospects or customers are ready to spend money and drive to the dealership with television, radio or newspaper?

5.)  Can I effectively engage the prospects or customers to spend money and drive to the dealership with television, radio or newspaper?

These five elements, (incentives, information, who, when and engagement), must be accomplished to motivate your prospects and customers to spend money and drive to your dealership.  It does not matter if they are looking to make a purchase or simply repair a vehicle, without these components they will go elsewhere.

Your marketing and advertising spending needs to be retooled and rethought. Modify your traditional media spending and add dollars to your internet program with additional placements, optimization, content and process that provides:

1)    Realistic and believable call to action incentives;

2)    Sufficient and accurate information that describes in detail graphically and textually your product or service;

3)    Determine behavioral aspects of your prospects and customers purchasing habits;

4)    Analyze and reach out to prospects and customers in a timely and helpful way and;

5)    Make each and every moment of contact with prospects and customers a pleasurable experience.

So why are more and more consumers using the internet? It is the only medium today that allows them the freedom, comfort and information they need to make cost effective decisions on where, who and when to spend money and drive to the dealership.