Do you remember the last time you purchased something on Amazon? It is likely that as you were making your selection, you noticed suggestions for items related to the current object you just bought. This is one example of personalization, and while Amazon was one of the biggest names to start the trend, others have ventured out to customize their marketing based on many factors.
Coca-Cola saw a sales lift when they begin to add common first names and nicknames to their bottle tops. Spotify uses an algorithm to monitor the listening patterns of customers to produce a personalize weekly playlist. These companies are popular with customers because they choose to create a personalized experience, and fortunately, customers are looking forward to these interactions:
79% of consumers say they are only likely to engage with an offer if it has been
personalized to reflect previous interactions the consumer has had with the brand.
78% of U.S. Internet users said personally relevant content from brands increases their
purchase intent.
So, the era of personalization is in full swing, and dealers can take full advantage of it when interacting with potential car buyers. Here are four ways you can personalize your marketing to increase engagement and lift sales at your dealership.
Capitalize on your Customer’s Hobbies and Life Interests
Customers enjoy knowing that companies take the time to learn about what their interests are as well as life events that have recently occurred. While it shows you care, it also can reveal some insights that can encourage a sale. If you know that previous customers have just gotten married or have had a child, you may want to include minivan and crossover vehicles in a sales email. If you know customers enjoy cross-country driving, a hybrid or electric car might be a suggestion you add in a newsletter.
Mobile Push Notifications
You can also take advantage of those smartphones your customers continuously carry. There are quite a few mobile apps that allow dealers to send push notifications to customers depending on the car they drive, proximity to the dealership, and whether they are in need of services. This is a great way to notify customers of discounts and even encourage them to check out new additions to the inventory. Customers are always on their phones, so why not put something in front of them in a place where they are guaranteed to see it.
Pay Attention to that First Time Website Visit
To effectively personalize your customer’s website visit, you have to make capturing data the primary priority. Taking note of the vehicle pages they visited, the price range they stayed within, and the amount of time they spent on the website can give you valuable insights to create a personalized experience when they take a second look at the page. These insights can also help you prepare for their visit should they set up an appointment to come in to speak to the sales staff.
Invest in Retargeting
It is true that customers are not fans of ads, but it does not hurt to put your vehicles in front of them when they might need them the most. Retargeting allows you to record the vehicle viewing history of customers who have visited your site and place your ads on websites they frequent. This ensures that even though they may not visit your site in the near future, they will still see your product offerings during their internet session. According to data compiled by Invespcro, retargeted customers are three times more likely to click on your ad than people who have not interacted with your business before.
Final Thoughts
We live in a world where we like companies we interact with to pay attention to what interests us. Customers can quickly tell when they are a part of a mass message, and it is likely to drive them away from making a purchase. Personalizing your marketing is statistically shown to deliver excellent results for your dealership. So, make a point to invest in some tools that allow you to customize your message to encourage customer engagement. It could be just the push your marketing department needs to lift sales.
Sources: wizMotions, HubSpot, Invesp, Cision, Powersports Financing, Dealer.com, Go Digital, Marketing Insider Group, HubSpot
