Traditional car sales methods have been rendered obsolete. This is because of the large scale adoption of technology, which has changed how consumers buy.
Showrooms, billboards, and TV adverts are becoming a thing of the past. Few customers will pay attention to the adverts in between TV shows, when they have their mobile to entertain them or a fast-forward button. Even fewer customers will take the time to seek out or visit showrooms.
As a result of this, it is necessary for companies to employ new marketing tactics. Auto brands need to grow with the world around them, in order to push car sales up a gear (pun intended). They must be a part of the online world where their customers are located.
The following tips can help your auto business become digitally savvy, to reach more customers and drive more sales (pun also intended).
Locate your store online
You will bring in more customers when you can be found on the internet. Use location tagging for Google to tag your business on Google Maps. If you run an auto repair service, this can be useful for car breakdowns.
Have a website. This survey found 29% of small businesses in the U.S did not have a website. Even a basic website can be a key piece of solving the online presence puzzle.
With so many user-friendly website builder platforms available today, there really is no excuse not to have a website for your automotive business. Online is how people research and build trust to make purchase decisions.
Be accessible online
Potential car buyers can flick through a huge amount of cars on sites like Gumtree, or find hundreds of reviews in seconds.
Being visible online and easy to contact is crucial. If you do have a website, make sure it is accessible to search engines and up to date with company contact information.
Use social media and engage with your target audience. There are thousands of potential customers spending time on channels such as Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube.
Be accessible via mobile
Nowadays, is not just enough to be accessible online. Your business must also be accessible by mobile.
In late 2016, the amount of users accessing the Internet on their mobiles exceeded those who accessed via computers for the first time. In 2017, the amount of time users spent on the web on mobiles has grown even higher.
This shows a huge change in how customers are using the Internet, and shows the change that companies must make in order to keep up. With most people using their mobiles to source information, you’re are likely to fall behind if your website is not mobile-friendly.
Therefore, ensure that your website’s layout is mobile-friendly. This means that when customers access your website via mobile, the design will be optimized for their device. Thus, the information will be easier for them to receive.
You should also target social media channels that are specific to mobile devices, such as Instagram.
Encourage customer feedback
Encouraging customers to post reviews online will help your automotive business become more reputable.
Ask customers to submit feedback via a questionnaire or a free online survey. In addition, you can sign your company up with an official and trusted review website.
Word-of-mouth used to be the key way to spread a good reputation. Nowadays, many customers turn to these review sites for recommendations.
Never overcharge
Customers use the Internet to research the standard price for a new car or a repair before they’ve left the house.
Consequently, this makes it impossible to swindle customers. Don’t do it. A reputation for overcharging is not one you want.
Provide great quality customer service
These digital tips won’t make a difference unless your business provides high quality customer service.
Think long term by ensuring that every customer transaction is as positive as can be. Even small services. Small customers will return and can lead to great word-of-mouth recommendations and bigger things.
The auto industry is highly competitive. Gain an advantage by improving your company’s online presence and marketing. Investing time into online can reach new and old customers.
Final thoughts
The world is changing and companies must change with it in order to keep up with their customers. This is true of all businesses, not only within the automotive industry.
Traditional marketing included newspaper, flyers, radios, and billboards. With the digital world growing ever quicker, these methods are becoming worth less and less. People pay little attention to flyers that come through their door, or adverts on the TV.
In order to target your customers successfully, you must be accessible where they spend most of their time – on the web.
Author – Dan Purvis
Courtesy of MarketingTech