Many auto dealerships cringe at the sound of the words “internet marketing”. Dealerships used to corner the market on car sales, and then along came the internet.
The internet, allowing people to comparison shop, buy cars that are far away, and opening up the market, have all made car dealership owners think quicker, be smarter, and beat out a much bigger competition base. If you think that the internet is something you have to fight against, take heart. The internet is not the enemy. In fact, if you use it correctly it can be your best friend.
The World Wide Web has levelled the playing field, allowing car owners and car buyers to follow through with their own transactions. What it has also done is allowed dealerships to find clients all around the nation instead of just within 20 miles. Instead of seeing the internet as a competition maker, consider it your competition-squasher.
Social media sites are one of the greatest tools that a dealership has at their disposal. It used to be that building your reputation took a lot of effort and time. Social media sites have allowed you to build brand loyalty and brand name recognition in a fraction of the time. Building your dealership can be done at a quick pace in today’s market.
You may be saying, “I have a Facebook page, I am all good”, but that is only part of the story. If you want to reach to your niche market, you have to reach out using other avenues. Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest are all social media sites that you should be using to build your brand recognition. The best internet marketing campaign is one that uses all the mediums possible to further your business.
Twitter is key
If you aren’t using Twitter, you are missing out on significant exposure. Twitter is an excellent way to reach your target audience on a continual basis. Every time that you tweet something you are giving the consumer a reminder that you are there for them.
Adding a call to action makes it likely that they will use you over the competition. Like a friendly reminder, it is crucial that you use social media to reach out and have a conversation with your clients, and would be clients.
Twitter is a great place to announce promotions, sales, and events. To keep your clients engaged, offer promotions that include free car washes or family events. Those who aren’t even in the market for a new car may see all the innovative products rolling out and consider the potential for upgrading. The key is to offer the consumer, new products, new promotions and value-added information continually.
Why social media is crucial
Social media sites are also an excellent way to promote new car lines, advances, or safety upgrades. Every time you have a conversation with the customer via social media, you are presenting your logo and your brand to them. The more you give them value-added information associated with your brand, the quicker and more effectively you build brand loyalty.
The best part about using social media sites is that they are almost entirely free. How many times in this day and age do you get something for free? If you are creative and informative you can do some amazing promotional things on the internet and educate people on autopac Winnipeg rates, to improve their driving experience. It is highly possible to increase your profits with putting out nothing more than some time and a little brainstorming.
When you are launching your internet campaign, it is critical that you consider the different types, both local and national ways that you can market to the consumer. For dealerships, both are important. Your most likely customers are going to come from your location, but don’t discount online car buying for specialty or hard-to-find cars.
A good mixture will ensure that you are maximizing your sales and your bottom line. Google has an advertising platform that is dedicated solely to local advertising. All free, it will give your local customers all the immediate information they need at their fingertips.
Of course, you can spend a fortune advertising on the internet if you want to. Sometimes the best press is the free-press. Don’t discount the many ways you can reach the consumer using social media sites.
A necessary evil, if you make friends with social media sites, you can see some really amazing expansion for the year ahead. Keep on top of trends and never stop looking for new ways to reach your target market and beyond, and your dealership will never have to worry about the competition.
