The cost of acquiring new business is a tale as old as time. Though there’s evidence to support that statistic, seeking out new customers is absolutely worthwhile. But beware that the game has changed, and your strategy needs to adapt. How do you go about reaching new segments and attracting customers to your dealership?
Go Digital
You need to be active in the digital space, not just present. “There’s a difference between a perfunctory effort such as a hastily created, rarely updated Facebook page and a comprehensive, multi-platform strategy that utilizes the full sales and marketing potential of social.” And social media activity is just one of many digital strategies for your dealership to execute.
To get new business into your funnel and beat out competitors, you need to supply the market with a wide range of tantalizing and rewarding ads and programs—but you can’t just point and shoot. Targeting customers with ads based on data insights, like when they’re likely to be in the market and for what type of vehicle, increases your likelihood of landing their business.
Tap into recall business
Here’s not to do when it comes to recalls: cast a wide geographic net and hope you hook a new customer. As we just learned, you need to be precise about your outreach. Alerting specific customers to recalls on their vehicles via an omni-channel marketing strategy guarantees that your message won’t fall on deaf ears. Recalls are on the rise, and you need to be prepared to handle them effectively.
Giving customers a clear idea of what’s due on their car not only eliminates any stress on their part, but also shows that you care enough to get them back on the road safely. And running your recall business on a platform that automatically sends recall communications ensures you don’t waste precious time with manual searches.
Complete the cycle
Coming full circle is a good thing. Providing a holistic, interrupted customer journey, from initial messaging to sale to service and back again, is incredibly convenient for them and keeps your customers locked into your funnel for years. Where customer experience can derail your efforts is inconsistency and confusing messaging.
When customers can predict with certainty what their experience with your dealership will be like, they’re more likely to take advantage of your offers, knowing you provide great service each and every time.