Online communication in the car dealership - What is important?

Digitalisation means that car dealerships are constantly facing new challenges - also in communication, in order to be able to reach existing and potential car dealership customers. It is important that you as a car dealership can always react and respond to customer enquiries by e-mail in a service-oriented, precise and fast manner. It is of great importance how you conduct yourself in car dealership online communication.

Online communication for the car dealership

Online communication is very important for the car dealership to be able to generate a lead. The first step should therefore be to analyse and determine the exact starting position. The strategic orientation, the marketing activities or the entire marketing concept are enormously important for the current situation. In this way, the current situation can be evaluated and new measures for better online communication in the car dealership can be taken.

Determine car dealership target group

Every car dealership should be able to precisely determine the target group through online communication. This creates a basis on which you can build your strategies and measures. By determining the potential customers, the exact wishes and needs are highlighted, which allows for effective digital communication. You are able to quickly and easily establish a connection with the potential customer and develop and adapt a marketing concept. In this text, we will mainly deal with tips on how you can generate a lead faster and more effectively .

For a customer enquiry, you should address specific topics and areas that your potential target group is interested in: Previous owner, condition of the car, interior, MOT, last service, etc. You should address elementary topics and areas that are of particular interest to the target group.

Tips for good online communication in the car dealership

Through good online communication, you can not only increase your sales opportunities with potential customers, but also improve customer loyalty and trust between your company and customers. With the following tips you will lay the basis and foundation for your marketing concept:

1. concise and relevant content

You should always get to the topic quickly in the email and only use relevant information. The questions should therefore be answered directly, understandably and clearly. Politeness is enormously important in this case to establish customer loyalty more quickly.

2. consider spelling and readability

It is important that you pay attention to grammar and spelling when communicating online. This is the only way to give a trustworthy and professional impression. You should use a spell-checking tool in case you still make a few mistakes now and then.

3. do not emphasise capital letters

You should not use capital letters as a stylistic device. They give too direct and inviting an impression when reading the e-mail. If you want to emphasise certain phrases or individual words, use underlining, italics or bold. However, you should only use one stylistic device.

4. content before design

You should not exaggerate the design of the e-mail. It is usually sufficient if you write the email in black and white, without any colours.

5. emojis

Emojis create an unprofessional and informal impression.

6. react quickly

The time you respond to customer enquiries also affects new customer acquisition. You should respond to an email within a day. You should regularly check your email inbox so that you can also respond quickly to potential enquiries. For customer enquiries sent to you at the weekend or outside opening hours, you should set up an auto-response function: "Thank you for your message. I will take care of your request immediately on Monday. Have a nice weekend." The customer knows immediately and will wait for you to get back to them.

7. examination of the structures in the car dealership

For good online communication, you should also have equipment with which you can work optimally. A high standard of technology plays a very important role for efficient and optimal online communication. The quality of your equipment also reflects your marketing concept.
In addition to the equipment, clear structures and team spirit in the staff are very important. All employees involved (e.g. social media managers) work according to a certain concept and have enough freedom in their work. Conversely, this means that you decide on a concept according to which the entire staff works.

8. use regional fairs and events for your purposes

Every company tries to attract potential customers through offers, company days or other promotions. Besides vehicles, they also try to sell spare parts and services. However, the number of visits to the car dealer continues to decline. Car dealerships should therefore try to serve other sales channels, such as a stand at a city festival. Do not limit yourself to acquiring potential customers at a city festival, but to other interactions with the customer (e.g. raffle). This way, customers will become aware of you and you can increase your visibility.

9. act in a customer-oriented way

You should always act in a service- and customer-oriented way. Reachability is enormously important. Even if you are always available during opening hours, you should think about offering customer service outside opening hours. Customers will appreciate this service. You should also accommodate the customer and, for example, take care of the registration for the vehicle.

10. bridge waiting time

When customers are in your company, you need to make their stay as pleasant as possible. When changing a tyre or oil, there will be short waiting times. Offer your customers drinks. Set up a small area for customers with a café or sweets bar. Here customers can wait and have a snack and a drink. This way, the waiting time will fly by.

11. inform customers regularly

Once a customer has chosen you, don't sit back. Actively inform your customer base about new products, tyre changes or what makes your dealership so special. For such marketing activities, make sure that it has been at least three or four years since a car purchase.

12. use social media

You should use social media channels to keep in touch with your existing and potential customers. Especially in the current times, online communication via social media channels, such as Instagram or Facebook, is very important. This way you can publish new vehicles, spare parts or other accessories and interact with customers.