Car dealership marketing - Top trends for marketing in car dealerships

Car dealership marketing belongs to everyday business like the tyres to the vehicle - without advertising activities, sales will not get off the ground. Poster advertising, vehicle catalogues on the sales floor and direct mail have always been part of the car dealership's marketing repertoire. But at the latest since smartphones have entered the households of your customers, one thing is certain: online marketing has become an indispensable part of the modern car dealership!

Studies show that around 80% of Germans obtain information on the Internet before buying a product, and the trend is rising! Surely you too have long since recognized the signs of the times and created a website or perhaps even a Facebook page for your car dealership. The only question is, is that enough? Remember that on the Internet your next competitor is not kilometres away, but only one click away!

We at Pixelconcept have been innovative co-designers in the automotive industry since 1998, developing creative digital solutions for car dealerships and manufacturers. Due to our close proximity to the everyday business of our customers, we are confronted daily with the challenges of customer retention and new customer acquisition in the digital age.

From this practical perspective, we would like to highlight the top trends in car dealership marketing 2.0 for you.

Marketing car dealership - meet customers at relevant contact points

What has changed in dealership marketing? This question can best be understood by looking at the customer journey of your potential new customers. While for many car buyers the car dealership of their choice and their preferred brand were variables set in the past, this has changed fundamentally in the Internet age.

A study by the online platform Autoscout24 shows that more than half of the customers have not yet decided on a dealer, let alone a brand, three to four months before making a purchase. In addition, the Internet is used as an information channel by the majority of prospective buyers before the final purchase decision is made on the basis of personal advice from the dealer.

Internet car dealerships and the digital customer journey

And here is your chance! If your car dealership is visible in the early stages of the purchase decision process, you have the opportunity to transform leads into buyers. In another study, the online company Google has found out what a variety of contact points the digital customer journey offers:

• In the three months before buying a car, the average buyer passes 900 digital touchpoints, of which around 70 percent are accessed on the smartphone.
• Around 60 percent of car buyers are not loyal to a particular brand and take a closer look at six brands, while the purchase decision is made between two brands.
• According to the brand, equipment and budget are first determined before a selection of the dealer is made.
• Only in the last stage of the customer journey do concrete offers become interesting for your potential customer.

The secret to efficient car dealership online marketing is therefore the ongoing presence of your company during the customer journey to convert the online lead to an analogous buyer with the decision to visit and test drive.

Car dealership online marketing - more than just your business card on the net

Presenting your car dealership digitally is the basis for building an efficient, digital sales funnel. Whether during the widely spread search for information at the beginning of the "purchase trip" or during the concrete selection of the dealer, every contact point counts in order to convince the volatile online customer of your car dealership.

These factors are decisive for a sustainable increase in your conversion rate:

• Find your niche! The Internet is full of car dealerships that present themselves in the same style and with the same messages. Dare to be individual!
• Your website is your digital sales room! Only a customer who is enthusiastic about you online will make the journey to your car dealership.
• Integrate vehicle exchanges! Online platforms have become an indispensable part of the modern car trade. Use this additional touchpoint to your customers.

Internet car dealerships - the digital showroom becomes an experience

Successful car dealership online marketing begins with your presence on the net. A modern and individual state-of-the-art website forms the basis for your online sales channel and, thanks to creative and innovative software solutions, can even become your showroom on the Internet.

In this way, you integrate all processes in the daily work of your company to make your car dealership digitally visible:

• Digital vehicle management - A car dealership software supports you in your inventory management from receipt of a vehicle to its sale.
• Website for car dealerships - With the help of innovative tools you can create an attractive, individual and mobile-optimized homepage without IT knowledge and with just a few clicks.
• Your online showroom - Thanks to modern photo apps you can present your vehicles in perfect image quality and with high recognition value, even without a photo studio!
• Lead Management - Keep your customer communications, contact management and vehicle data on track by relying on an Automanager app.
• Intelligent interfaces - Integrate all digital processes and advertisements at vehicle exchanges on one platform and update data with just one click

Rely on the all-in-one solution for marketing in the car dealership

An integrated marketing strategy for car dealerships includes all business areas. That is why we at pixelconcept offer our clients with the AUTOMANAGER and the photo app picdesigner a digital concept for your car dealership, which simplifies your daily work from sales to vehicle management to the presentation of your vehicles and gives you the opportunity to increase your sales.

Car dealership marketing ideas - 5 strategies for your car dealership

Good ideas are needed so that Autohaus Online Marketing can move and advance employees and customers alike!

A professional website and an appealing digital showroom are a good prerequisite for taking marketing in your car dealership to a new level and implementing targeted strategies that pick up your potential new customers at relevant touch points and give regular customers a good reason to stay with you.

The five strategies are worthwhile if you want to make your car dealership digitally competitive:

1. customers look forward to a visual experience!

Due to the increasing influence of social media, the car buyer of the 20th century is more than ever focused on visual media. With consistent images and 360-degree shots of your vehicles, you can give the impression of a Guided Tour in your online showroom.

2. make the online experience as easy as possible for your customers!

Online, one click more is one click too many! Make it as easy as possible for your customers to find answers to their questions. A well-structured presentation helps to provide relevant information in a short and concise way.

3. inspire you with an extraordinary online service!

Friendly and competent salespeople are an important prerequisite for your sales success in any car dealership. And online it looks the same! Make sure that your customers can view the current vehicle stock, arrange a test drive or workshop appointment and ask questions online.

4. rely on customer ratings!

According to one study, a quarter of online users read online reviews before every purchase, and around half state that they do so at least often. Ratings from your customers on Google give potential new customers an orientation and at the same time strengthen your reputation and ranking with the popular search engine.

5. build your own online community!

Facebook, Instagram and Co make it possible, build your own fan community! Once you have made an ally of your customers, there will be numerous opportunities to connect online and offline activities, for example special offers or seasonal events.

Our conclusion - Digital car dealership marketing becomes a recipe for success!

Online marketing plays an increasingly important role in the car dealership in order to constantly accompany the demanding, digital customer in his purchase decision process and to successfully pick him up at the relevant pivotal points. In order to fully exploit the potential of the Internet for car dealerships, a professional, digital infrastructure combined with innovative car dealership marketing ideas is the best recipe.

Which car dealership software and digital concepts will help your company to advance, that is what we at pixelconcept have been dealing with for more than 20 years. Our portfolio includes software components with more than 100 functions, giving you the choice between a "turnkey" digital solution or a tailor-made all-round package.

If you would like to find out more about how you can increase your turnover in a targeted manner and reduce downtimes, then arrange a non-binding strategy discussion with us, contact us in a live chat or by telephone on +49-561-789845-0.