Automotive marketing needs to move beyond traditional advertisements.
When it comes to automotive marketing, it can be hard to think beyond traditional advertising in newspapers and radio. While these reach a large audience, your marketing competes for attention with a number of other advertisers. Some fresh automotive marketing ideas help you jump-start your next marketing campaign.
Direct Mail
Personalize your direct mail. Buy a saturation or current resident mailing list.According to Stephanie Thomas of Direct Mail Diva, many saturation lists now contain 80 percent of the names in an area. This means, instead of sending a generic mass mailing to "Current Resident," you can use this list to personalize the addresses. Include variable data, which means you address the person throughout the letter by name. Many saturation lists also include average demographic data, so you can pick and choose the ZIP code or carrier route that matches your target market.
Social Networking
Leverage new media. Social networking is the new wave in word-of-mouth marketing. Offer potential customers discounts or rebates for becoming your fan on Facebook or following you on Twitter. Use social media to share success stories about customer purchases, to encourage customer feedback and to provide breaking news about sales, promotions and new vehicles.
Mobile Billboard
Use your business vehicles as moving billboards. Include a standard advertising headline ("Need a Car?" or "Test Drive for Free!") along with your website address. For the most impact, make sure your vehicle is the current year's model. Consider also offering mobile test drives, using your vehicle to get the message out. Use the headline "Test Drive Me, Now!" and include your cell phone number, so potential customers can call you to set up a time to meet.
Sales Celebration
Hold an evening automotive sales event. If your closest competitors regularly run advertisements in the Sunday paper, include an insert in the same edition that looks like an invitation to an exclusive party. Then, really throw a sales celebration. Make your customers feel like VIPs with valet parking, live entertainment and refreshments. Hold the event in the evening, and encourage your customers to dress up. Raffle off a dinner for two or gift cards for jewelry. Offer discounts that are only valid that night.
Tips
Take a marketing risk. Sometimes your biggest gamble brings in the biggest rewards. Try a different approach to your automotive marketing to stand out from other business-as-usual dealerships.
Test your ideas. Ask friends and relatives for feedback about your automotive marketing ideas before you spend any money. People outside the industry offer a chance to receive unbiased feedback and may notice potential pitfalls.
Consider your target market. Find the most appropriate ways to reach the customers who are most likely to buy from you. If your customers are mostly young, consider using technology (including text messaging and social media) to market to them. Older customers most likely get their information from traditional sources--keep using television, radio and newspapers, if these are your customers.
