Dean Evans & Web Marketing

Death to the notion of “Internet Sales and Marketing” as somehow separate from the rest of the dealership! What I’m talking about here is an end to the idea that you have “Internet” customers and “showroom” customers. With 83% (and growing) of consumers for both sales and service conducting online research before calling or visiting the physical dealership, the people who visit your website are exactly the same people who visit your showroom. For many dealers this a complete paradigm shift. But, if you want to stay competitive and leverage the power of the Internet then you and everyone at your dealership must understand this.

How can you tell if you haven’t made the crucial shift yet and still living in the dark ages of the Internet? Just see if these apply to you…

5. Your dealership website hasn’t been updated in months (maybe years).

4. The parts and service departments have a vague notion that you have an “Internet” department but they have no idea who they are or what they do.

3. Your dealerships doesn’t regularly monitor web traffic, web lead conversion rates or web lead to sales conversion rates. (This means you’re completely in the dark!)

2. You still spend big bucks on radio, TV and newspaper advertising and are not so sure about this whole “search engine marketing and optimization” thing.

1. You think people still use the phone book to find dealerships!

Making this shift in thinking and action may be difficult, but it is the business reality for dealerships today. Without it, your dealership will be left in the dark!

When integrating your marketing efforts, remember to keep in mind that all roads should lead first to your website, and then to your lot. Your website has all the space you need to provide the details your consumers want and need. Use all your marketing efforts to direct consumers to your website “for more details.” Your website should be your main hub and should ALWAYS be up to date, informative, and easy to navigate.

It’s important to keep in mind that a large percentage of your potential clientele will spend one month or less shopping for their vehicle- thanks to the Internet. That month-long sales cycle is made possible by the only marketing media that spans all the steps of the sales funnel, your online marketing. It can raise awareness, develop familiarity and trust (consideration), and encourage consumers to visit your dealership and buy a car.

Other marketing elements like print, television, radio, etc. should be used to supplement your main marketing tool, your website. Each element will reach some consumers that the others will not. Each part has its specialty demographic and is therefore valuable. It’s up to you to decide how valuable, but recognize that the worth of each of your individual efforts increases when it plays a roll in a well thought out network of IMC. Conversely, the value diminishes when an effort sits in isolation.

More next week and I’d really like to hear your comments, stories and questions about IMC and your dealership.

So far we’ve discussed two of the three main reasons to engage in integrated marketing communication (IMC). IMC builds brand recognition and consistency, increases credibility and magnifies the power of each of your individual marketing efforts. This magnification is one of the most valuable aspects of IMC.

As you know, successful marketing builds consumer interest and awareness. IMC helps you to leverage the interest and awareness with other advertising efforts. As you accomplish your goal to build awareness with marketing media such as print ads, television spots, etc., follow up with Internet advertising that links your print ads to your website. No marketing effort should be isolated. Again, if your newspaper ad features a special like “Tax Free Tuesday,” make sure that when consumers type “Tax Free Tuesday” into their search engine of choice, you have a text ad to lead the way to your website and inventory. If each piece of the marketing puzzle works together, your traffic will increase both on and off line. As more people see your television and print ads, more people will look for you online. The more consumers who look for you online, the more ups you will have on your lot.

The primary goal of IMC is to create a “web,” or net, for your consumers. No matter what strand of the marketing web they touch, they should be led to the same central place- your dealership.

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