Automotive Marketing: Which Strategy is Best For My Dealership?

It's no secret that the automotive industry is one of the most competitive industries today. The challenge is figuring out which marketing tactics and strategies will set your dealership apart from the rest.

Getting Customers to the Dealership

While most car sales take place face-to-face at the dealership, the biggest hurdle dealers face is getting customers there in the first place. In the ever advancing world of online retailing and the never ending search for information, this process begins online.

Managing keywords and SEO has never been more important for dealers. If you aren't on the first page of the Google results, you don't exist. Finding the right people to manage this aspect of your digital presence is essential in being the top result in consumers search efforts.

While the idea of online search is certainly important to success, it does not overshadow the importance of maintaining brand awareness and recognition in the various forms of traditional media. TV and radio are still relevant to car buyers. Having easy to remember catchphrases, jingles, and dealership owners are an easy way to establish the brand in the buyers mind.

Above marketing efforts on TV, radio, print, paid search, paid social, or others like these, you also have access to lead generating sources, such as Truecar or Autoweb. These services charge you for leads that tend to have a higher conversion rate than other mediums.

Managing the different aspects of successfully marketing an auto dealership is a large task, one that often cannot be handled at the dealership itself. So which strategy is best for your dealership? The answer is a combination of all of them. It is important to the success of the dealership to find an agency that has the experience, expertise, and knowledge to get the combo just right!