Does your marketing connect with customers during every phase of their car-buying journey? If you’re using omnichannel marketing, it will.
Car sales is an extremely competitive market, and you’ve got to find ways to set your dealership apart from others. One way to do that is to be present during your customers’ journey through the car buying process. This means bridging the gap between the physical showroom and the digital experience to keep your customers engaged with your team. This can be accomplished by utilizing omnichannel marketing strategies that will create a seamless customer journey from shopping to buying.
Why is online marketing important?
Studies show that nearly 92% of customers begin their car-buying journey online. This is pretty consistent with everything in our lives. Before we go to a restaurant, buy a gift for someone, or hire a company to perform services, we typically check them out online. This means traditional marketing methods of the past are basically extinct.
Although the car shopping journey begins online, more than 95% of all transactions occur in dealerships. This proves that most customers want aspects of the traditional experience, including test drives, signing paperwork, and physically inspecting the vehicle. You wouldn’t buy a house without checking it out first; why should shopping for a car be any different?
How can your dealership team utilize omnichannel marketing to engage more customers?
Local SEO reaches the right people
Car shoppers typically look for vehicles that are sold in their local area. Despite the growth of some online sales and delivery services, most shoppers will look for the desired vehicle in their local area. This means capitalizing on local SEO strategies.
Some ways to leverage local SEO are:
- Keep your Google Business Profile updated
- Research relevant local keywords that customers use the most
- Use NAP (Name, Address, Phone) citations and other local citations to bolster local SEO presence
Don’t underestimate the value of loyalty marketing
If a friend or family member has a poor experience at your dealership, do you think other friends and family members will visit your location? Probably not. Loyalty marketing is a key part of omnichannel marketing and helps build lasting relationships with customers beyond their initial purchase. You want them to tell their friends and family about the wonderful treatment received at your dealership and how much they enjoy working with your team.
Encouraging repeat purchases is a primary goal of loyalty marketing. Ask for positive testimonials and reviews and reward your customers with goodies, such as free oil change coupons or money off of future service.
Are online experiences blended with live interactions?
Can a customer approach your sales team with questions and experiences from your dealership chatbot and have a seamless experience? Do you have a chatbot that answers questions when the sales team is away? Can customers take virtual test drives or vehicle walkarounds?
The ways in which your customers experience a seamless transition from their online experience to real-life interactions with your team are important to their overall experience at your dealership and with your team. By employing virtual reality technology for test drives, showroom tours, and vehicle walk arounds, customers will have a familiarity with your dealership before they ever step foot inside.
Get personal
One of the best ways to set your dealership apart from others through omnichannel marketing is to employ personalized marketing strategies. These help you build strong connections with customers and stand out.
Some ways to employ personalized marketing strategies are:
- Used Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems to segment your audience
- Maximize return-on-investment (RO) with targeted ads
- Create customized emails and SMS campaigns tailored to your segmented audience
Allow customers to use click-and-collect services
The more a customer can do from the comfort of their home, the more they will have a great experience with your team. This might sound counterintuitive, but it’s true. If a customer can get most of the legwork done without sitting in your dealership waiting for the finance team to find a great deal or the manager to approve changes, they will be happier.
If a customer can visit your dealership one time to take a short test drive and sign the paperwork, they will likely return to your dealership the next time they need a vehicle or service. Streamline this process for them and make it easier through click-and-collect services.
Is your dealership’s omnichannel marketing strategy working well, or does it need some upgrades? Use these tips to help your customers enjoy a seamless journey from online shopping to closed sales.
