pixelconcept review: Car dealership E-Marketing Day

Digital Distribution 2015: Under this guiding principle, the first E-Marketing Day of the car dealership took place on 19.11.2014. Around 100 participants exchanged information on lead qualification, online car sales, social media and Big Data. As an exhibitor, pixelconcept was also present with individual solutions for online marketing and vehicle marketing for car dealerships, car dealership groups and manufacturers.

"If you want to win, you can't just defend."

Konrad Weßner (market researcher), who introduced the event, explained that the consulting and purchasing experience in the car dealership is indispensable, but that a coexistence of digital possibilities and the creation of experiences in stationary trade must be created for the future.

Qualification of requests and leads

In a further presentation, the focus was on the importance of lead generation and the subsequent qualification. However, to ensure this, car dealerships need optimized processes for the necessary transparency and measurement of sales channels. The involvement of employees is the key to this process.

Facebook at the car dealership

Jan Peiniger's presentation dealt with the tact and sensitivity needed in Facebook marketing. "If you have something to sell with a benefit, you have something to tell about it." The important thing is not to lose sight of the fact that Facebook is primarily a communication channel, not an advertising platform. The personal level should always be preferred to standardised answers. Jan Peiniger also highlighted the fear of criticism in the social media. "If you have a Facebook presence as a retailer, you have the opportunity and chance to respond to criticism, because the customers are there anyway."

Focus on the customer

Peter Lorenzen, Marketing and Communications Manager at the Dürkop Group, presented opportunities and challenges from the perspective of a multi-brand dealer. He reported that the Group is currently planning to create a data warehouse to eliminate redundancies in the IT systems and make data as accessible as possible. "This will give us a holistic view of the customer and thus enable us to address customers in a more targeted manner," said Lorenzen.

"Dealers need strong support from OEMs in their online marketing activities. Salespeople need to understand what the so-called customer value is, which leads are valuable and then follow them up," says Jens Monsees of Arvato Bertelsmann. Digital analysis tools that provide a 360-degree view of the customer could support retailers in this.