In the past, car sales and advertising has been all about location, location, location. The location of the dealership is important for drive by clients and service work, the location of the billboard sitting on I-480 where thousands of people drive by each day, and thirdly, the location of the competition. So where are you and where is your competition? To analyze that, let's look at some trends in the auto industry.

 
A successful marketing campaign isn't just about blasting company information in the faces of consumers, it is about creating a brand image that people can trust. This is especially important for car dealerships, who have been scrutinized for decades about their sales tactics. Taking that into consideration, we have identified the three best content marketing strategies for automotive sales which are video, search engine marketing, and a custom mobile app for your dealership.




Video Marketing


Have you ever seen a car dealership advertisement that you liked? The days of poor quality car dealership commercials are over. Not only do they not receive the prime time TV spots anymore, but consumers avoid traditional commercials like the plague. At Fusioniche we focus on a holistic approach to content marketing, which includes rich video content and its distribution.

If we take a look at some of the competition, we see the videos below are pretty terrible, and I don’t mean terribly awesome like a cat playing a piano, but just plain outdated.

Based on the way people view their media now, poorly made advertisements are getting overlooked. This car dealership commercial gets a little closer to the point, but that is just based on the intensity of the music, and not the production quality in sum.

Although the video below is for a personal injury attorney not a car dealership, it represents a totally different approach to video marketing, because people actually want to see it. After airing a year ago during the super bowl in a small Georgia city, this video has been viewed almost 6 million times on YouTube alone.

Search Engine Marketing

Production quality isn’t the only aspect to video marketing, however; ad placement is crucial to a return on investment in video ads. Advertising in places where people seek videos can greatly enhance any campaign. Below we can see some numbers about video marketing in the last year.

Search Engine Marketing is a $100 million dollar industry, and that is just one company in one day. With numbers like that, it is difficult to argue against it. Videos, specific car models, or holiday deals can be advertised on the web. According to Google, an ad brings in double the revenue to the business. The video below was done by Google to explain Search Engine Marketing.

Custom Mobile App


As a holistic content marketing firm, we know that video isn't the only way for a car dealership to increase its bottom line. Mobile apps offer businesses many creative ways to engage both new prospects and existing customers. 

When it comes to auto dealerships, the number of possible features that can be included in an app is extremely robust. Millions of people are currently using car buying apps, however, those are typically for primarily online car dealerships and used car bulletin boards. Having a dealership behind an app can give the personal guarantee that comes with an experienced car sales person.

“But wait,” you might say, “How do we get prospects to download the app in the first place?”

Visitors to your location
Well, for visitors to your location, things are pretty straightforward. Have a sign up or make handouts available that tell visitors that if they download your app, they’ll be entered into a contest to win a prize of your choosing (a coupon for 10% off servicing, some branded merchandise, local restaurant gift cards, etc.). Include a QR code on the sign that links to your download page to make things easier.

Others
For those people that haven’t walked through your door yet, a little app advertising can go a long way. You can even include the solicitation for downloads as a secondary message on existing ads and marketing materials. It is a lot easier to get someone who watched a video to download an app than it is to get them to buy a car. After they have the app, it will get them into the door. 


Okay, now that people have your dealership app, what can you do with it?

Push notifications
After a person has downloaded your app, you can send them messages that will appear on their mobile device. These are known as “push notifications” (because the user receives a notification that is “pushed” to their home screen, rather than “pulled,” or requested by the user). Your push notifications can contain any message you like, including updates about sales events, special offers, new models, links to videos, and more.

The point is, you now have an open channel through which you can communicate with your user base at will. Of course, you’ll want to choose your message frequency, content, and timing carefully to avoid annoying anybody. But because well-designed push notifications can create a boost in lot visits and sales, they’re well worth the time spent to set them up.

Inventory browsing
Letting customers browse your inventory on-the-go is a great way to connect with potential buyers. It turns each user’s mobile device into a virtual showroom that gives you yet another opportunity to impress them with your available makes and models.
Appointment scheduling
Don’t make it harder for people to schedule a sales appointment by making them call in – just offer mobile scheduling so that they can see available times and book an appointment easily. Remember, the fewer obstacles there are to scheduling an appointment, the more likely it becomes that someone will book one.

The potential for features and usability are essentially unlimited, so let your imagination run wild, and your dealership’s app will soon become a great way to bond with customers, increase customer satisfaction, and boost sales!