Are you stumped about how to properly market your car dealership?
Do you have what you thought was a great advertising strategy and company website, but consistently find that your current methods aren’t actually getting you any leads?
Are you tired of losing out on sales to your competitors, and are starting to get concerned about how you’re going to sell all the cars on your lot?
If so, it sounds like you’re in need of an update when it comes to how to market your car dealership. This article will tell you how to take your marketing strategy to the next level and better build your brand in the new year
Find Your Niche
No matter what industry you’re in, we know that your first business instinct is exactly the same as everyone else’s: you want to be a big fish in a big pond.
You dream of being the number one Google search result for every search term relating to cars. You want to be able to serve every type of customer, from those seeking luxury Italian vehicles to the 15-year-old who needs a car to learn on.
Unfortunately, the reality is (far) in the other direction.
If you end up over-estimating your influence, your inventory, and your chances of successfully converting customers, all you’ll end up doing is wasting valuable time and money. You’ll also likely find your dealership out of business very soon.
This is why finding your target market, or your “niche” — and then knowing exactly how to market your car dealership to that niche — is so important.
Though you’ll be working with a much more narrow market, you’ll also increase your ability to actually sell something.
So, how do you find this coveted niche?
First, think about the type of cars you love the most. Maybe you’re obsessed with vintage cars, or perhaps you love the challenge of a good fixer-upper. Also, consider your professional training. When you worked at your old dealership, did you specialize in a specific make or model? Which brand of cars are you the most familiar with?
All of this will help you decide where you want to focus your efforts, energy, and of course, money. Once you’ve found your niche, it’s time to…
Get Blogging
Of course, nobody will have any clue about the kinds of cars you offer, what you specialize in, or even that you exist at all if you don’t put yourself out there.
And while sandwich boards, funny messages on chalkboards, or even wild sign spinners are occasionally effective, they’re nothing compared to the wide world of the Internet.
In fact, having that blog will give you a 434% better shot at ending up on the first page of search engine results.
Blogging is a crucial way to market your car dealership because you’ll also have more chances to include keywords, or popular search terms, on your website. This means you’ll have a higher chance of connecting with local leads that are the most likely to buy from you.
Plus, blogging also tells Google that you update your site often, which means you’ll climb higher in the search engine rankings. Finally, it’s just a great way to position yourself as an educated and experienced authority in your industry.
Proving your expertise is what makes people decide to buy from you as opposed to your competitors.
What To Write About
So, now that you know why blogging is a key way to market your car dealership, what are you going to write about?
Sure, you can write about the cars you offer — and you should.
But also, be sure to think outside of the box and to always provide useful information to readers. Write posts on how often they should have their cars serviced, create a tutorial on how to change a tire, make car repairs, or even make a more lighthearted post about celebrities and their cars.
You could even get on the legal side of things, by writing about accident settlements and awards. However, if you go this route, make sure you have the facts by visiting the Craig Swapp car accident settlement page first.
Of course, whatever you choose to write about, keep it engaging, keep it informative, and of course, be sure to keep it original.
Never Underestimate The Power Of Social Media
It’s not exactly a secret that we live in an image-obsessed society. While it might now be great for your wallet or your self-confidence, it’s amazing news when it comes to how you market your car dealership.
Social media allows you to show off the vehicles you have on your lot, find out when your followers are the most likely to make a purchase (think just after a divorce or an upcoming sixteenth birthday.)
It will even allow you to re-market to those customers who have looked at your vehicles online but haven’t yet called to make an appointment for a test drive.
In short, take the time to make profiles on several different platforms, and update them as frequently as you can. Always ensure that your contact information, tone of voice, and the cars you advertise are consistent across all these platforms.
We know you’ll be a trending topic in no time.
Make Reputation Management A Part Of How You Market Your Car Dealership
Of course, if you have a blog, a niche market, and a strong social media presence, you know you open yourself up to a lot of opinions.
You might even put your own foot in your mouth a few times, or you might forget just how many people see social media as a part of customer service.
Don’t make a careless mistake that will cost you your business or leave customers unsatisfied.
Instead, work with us to understand what people are saying about your business and how to manage your car dealership’s reputation online. Understand what your visitors and potential customers want to see, increase your conversions, and get way more out of your current marketing strategy.
Ready to get started?
So are we. Reach out to us to make it happen, and to get your free reputation audit today.