No matter which industry you work in, there are always customers who might be on the fence of whether or not they want to buy a new product. If you are trying to sell a new car, it can be even more difficult as a large purchase. Fortunately, there are ways to market to these clients in order to give them the information and confidence they need in order to invest in a new automobile.

Here are some ways you might want to consider when you’re marketing to hesitant customers.

Information

Clients today are smarter than they have ever been. Because they have access to whatever information they need at their fingertips, it’s up to you to provide that information. Content should be your number one focus if you are looking to convert skeptical buyers. Not only does that information offer you a chance to connect with someone who might be interested in your cars, but it also gives you a chance to show why you’re the business clients should go to when they want to buy a new car.

Post testimonials

Many times, if a customer is undecided, it might be a matter of trust. Building that trust as a company can take time, and it’s likely you have already done it with other clients. Don’t be afraid to share your success stories and to ask loyal customers to share their stories. New clients often relate to positive experiences and might be more willing to trust in your expertise and the reviews of others when they are looking to make a quality decision. Ask some of your happy customers if they wouldn’t mind putting in a good word so you can post their testimonials on your website.

Look to other industries

Oftentimes, other industries have new and innovative ideas to gain the respect of buyers. While it might not always be a perfect fit to market your dealership like an RV rental company or computer software business, you can get some new ideas on how they interest new clients with their advertising. Purchasing a new car can be a big commitment to many people, so seeing how other industries take on convincing clients to buy other expensive items can be incredibly helpful.

Know your buyer

If you are consistently having buyers turn away from your company, you might need to rethink who you are marketing to and whether you are sure of what your brand represents. Who is your ideal buyer? Why? What makes your brand the one that he or she would choose over the competition? When you are able to answer these questions, you can appeal to those who still might not be sure if they want to make the leap and buy a new car. Who have been your most successful clients, and how do you reach more people like them?

Marketing to a reluctant customer takes some insight into what your company can provide that no one else can. It also takes a little bit of self-awareness as a brand in order to know what is succeeding and what you can alter in order to clench the deal and win over a new, happy customer.

Marketing yourself to potential buyers can require taking a deep look at what you mean as a business, who exactly you want to market yourself to, and what your goals are for getting your brand messaging across. How you are perceived by your potential buyers is incredibly important to coming across properly and to encourage people to consider your dealership when looking for a new car.

Here’s how you can take your marketing to the next level and to hone in on your specific industry.

Provide information

Content is becoming the aspect that you really want to focus on when attracting new buyers. While advertisements and deals can help attract people to your business at first, they are going to stick around for the quality of information that you provide. Posting to a blog about how buyers can find a new car, which cars are great for families, or any questions that they might have can encourage buyers to see you as a resource rather than just as a way to get a new product.

Testimonials

A well-written testimonial can alter someone’s opinion on your business, and they also serve as a great marketing tool. Think about interviewing a few highly-satisfied customers and ask them whether or not they would be interested in putting in a good word for your dealership. Having these testimonials posted on your website and having a few blogs based around them can help to establish trust with a potential buyer.

Post relevant content on social media

Once you have some content you can share, you’ll want to post it to your social media channels and make sure that they form a cohesive narrative. You should post things that are relevant to your business and that make sense on your social media pages. Buyers and followers like knowing what to expect from you and what exactly they can get out of using your business over your competitors. Try and do this a few times a day to keep that interest in your brand!

Know your buyer

Is your buyer young? Old? Is this his or her first car or does he or she usually take public transportation? You should know all of this before you make huge efforts to market yourself. One of the most difficult parts of marketing is knowing who your product is for and how you can market directly to that group of people. Knowing your buyer can take some time, so don’t feel afraid to wait until you feel as though you know him or her well before you spend a lot of money on a marketing budget. Come up with a list of questions of what your ideal buyer is looking for and how you can provide that for him or her.

Fortunately, marketing is easy when you know your industry intimately and you can form a relationship with potential clients and give them exactly what they want. Providing information on how someone should choose a car can be the best way to bring new customers in who want your expertise.

There are so many different ways to market now, and finding the best way to get your business out there takes more than just traditional advertising. When you are thinking about ways to appeal to new clients and to retain the old, marketing events are a great way to build interest and reward loyal customers. Here are some ways you can put together a quality event that will market your dealership effectively.

Plan well in advance

It might seem obvious that it takes some time to create an event that you feel proud of, but you might not realize how much time it can take. Depending on the quality and what type of event it is, you might have to consider catering, the setup, and who exactly you want to invite. Make sure to give yourself a few months to put all the details together and to give yourself enough time to promote the upcoming date so others know when to attend.

Know who the event is for

Just like marketing on a daily basis, you need to know your buyer persona well before you begin the process of putting together an event. Who are you trying to appeal to? Are you looking to invite potential customers who might want to buy a car? Or are you looking to establish yourself in the community and become a name that customers turn to when they need a new vehicle? These are all questions you should be able to answer before you book the venue and decide what exactly you want to accomplish with an event.

Promote, promote, promote

Once you have figured out who you want to reach, the next step is to actually reach those people. Think of your ideal buyer and where he or she gets the news. Radio, TV, and social media are all ways you can connect with others to let them know that this event is taking place. You’ll also want to take care to do this at least a few weeks in advance so those who are interested in attending can mark it on their calendars and they aren’t surprised by the date.

Create an incentive to come

While regular customers might come to the event because they respect your business and the advice you provide them, new customers need to have a reason to attend an event—especially if they have never heard of your brand before. The best thing to do is offer an incentive. Maybe new clients receive a discount on new car models on the lot or they are entered into a raffle to win a new car. These incentives give potential clients a reason to believe that you care about their business and want to reward them for their interest in your dealership.

If you can’t do something so drastic, free food or music is also a way to entice new customers to check the event out.

Be available

Events like these are meant to encourage new customers to ask questions about your products and industry. While you might be busy with the party, you should also be around to answer any questions they might have or to have information available about your dealership. This personal touch is what will make your business stand out. After all, the whole point of an event like this is to show that you care about educating potential clients on what you have to offer them.

Marketing events are essential to establishing your business within a community. With a little planning and knowing exactly who you are marketing to, your event is all the more likely to be a success.

It’s not always easy bringing new customers, especially now with digital marketing as a such an integral part of appealing to new buyers. However, there are some ways you can encourage potential customers to visit your site and to think about buying the vehicles you have to offer. Here are some ways you can offer a reason for new clients to check out your inventory and to recommend you to others.

1. Brand yourself

Branding is an incredibly important part of making sure you are reaching new clients. While branding yourself was not a conversation years ago, it is now essential to understanding how clients will use your business and how you can bring in a steady stream of new people on a regular basis. Before you do anything, you will want to sit down and take a look at your strategy as a brand and what exactly you want to get across to new clients. Once you have this in place, you will have an understanding of why clients are choosing your company over the competition.

2. Interact on social media

Posting isn’t the only thing you can do on social media. In fact, it’s recommended that you think of some other ways to create interest other than just posting relevant content. You should take some time and interact with some of your followers and make sure to answer any questions they might have about your dealership. Not only does this encourage client trust with the people you are interacting with, but it also shows potential buyers how involved you are in the process of helping others.

Social media is also the best place for promotional content. Because it is free to post, you can include information on when your next sale is, any coupons or deals that you want to share, or events involving the community.

3. Create a backlog of information

Showing potential customers that you are an expert in the business is a great way to gain their trust and increase the likelihood that they will use you to purchase their next car. In order to establish yourself as an expert, you’ll want to create content on your blog that helps new customers make informed decisions on their next purchase. Content that speaks directly to those looking to use you can help them decide whether or not your company is right for them. You’ll also want to create an FAQ page where they can get quick information if necessary.

Having this content is great for regular posting on social media, as well.

4. Offer testimonials

Other than actually interacting with clients, the best thing to do is to show them that you have already had successful client relationships. Testimonials are a great way to get a leg up on the competition and to show rather than just tell clients that you have formed positive interactions and sales in the past. This is why it is also important to have a way for clients to rate you or let you know how your business has performed.

If you are thinking about including testimonials, the best thing to do is to contact clients that have been wonderful to work with and who would like to see you succeed. Sending out an email to those you have worked with in the past can be the best way to get in touch with those who might be willing to provide you with a testimonial.

When it comes down to it, the main thing is making sure that you show clients that you care about them and making their experience with your company worthwhile.

Part of learning to be part of the global conversation on environmental issues is learning how you can be greener as a business. In the long run, you will find making small changes to help the environment will not only aid in saving our world for future generations, but it will also help to make your business more profitable as technology changes.

The good news is that it doesn’t take a lot to be a bit more responsible for our planet. Most of the changes you can make are minor and it often doesn’t end up costing your business money. In fact, many sustainable businesses have products that can be reused or are the same price as alternative materials. 

Here are some ways you can help both the environment and your business succeed in the future.

1. Choose energy-efficient products

The battle for which energy source will end up serving the majority of Americans rages on, but that shouldn’t stop you from finding the most technologically-advanced and eco-friendly products available. Energy-efficient products might cost you more upfront as a provider, but because of their increasing popularity and the fact that they save your customers money over a period of time, it doesn’t hurt to have a few on hand available. Not only can you see a return on investment, but you also know that you are making a difference by offering green products to clients.

2. Go digital

If you’ve been in business a long time, you probably have reams of paper with old documents sitting around your office. While it can be nice to have a paper copy, more and more companies are choosing to move their records online in order to save money on paper costs and printers while also making it easy for clients to access anywhere. There are a number of different programs (even Google Docs can work for some businesses) that you can use in order to make records available while cutting down on how much paper is used.

Once the old records are uploaded, make sure to recycle the physical copies!

3. Give employees incentive to care

While even just one person can make a big difference in creating a better world by caring about the environment, a whole business can do quite a bit more. Some companies have chosen to give employees public transportation stipends to cut down on the amount of fuel used to commute, while others have created events at work that encourage volunteerism. You might have a day devoted to recycling or an organized trash day where employees can help clean up the highway. Many would love to volunteer to help the environment, but they don’t know how. By giving them some ways, you’re more likely to encourage green behavior in the office.

4. Work with companies that have your environmental goals

One of the most difficult parts of running a business is working with other companies that share your values and want to contribute to your success. How they feel about having a sustainable business is part of choosing a partnership that you know will last into the future. Before you agree to do business with another company, make sure to mention how you are trying to make the leap to a more sustainable business model. If they are not for the idea, then you might want to rethink about whether or not it is a partnership that you can see lasting into the future.

It’s always a bit scary to try something new. Fortunately, you’re not alone in choosing to think about how your business affects our earth. With a few slight changes, you’re already making a larger difference than you might realize.

Once you’ve taken some time to establish your brand and made it available to your buyer personas, you want to know that it will be recognizable across the board. After you have spent so much time forging a brand, you want to know that you will get the results and attention you want from potential customers. The best way to do this is to advertise and make sure that your brand is consistent on all your levels of marketing. 

Consistency in web design and graphics

What is the first thing that you think your customers see when they consider your brand? Most likely, they will have an image of your logo, your overall aesthetic, and how consistent this is with the message you are trying to get across. As a result, you want to make sure that every aspect of your company somehow connects back to the image you have created for your brand.

This means that any web design or graphics should portray this. Find a logo that conveys what and how your business operates. Use that logo in all of your documents, receipts, advertisements, and more. The visuals will definitely help with putting yourself out there to a new client base. 

Consistency in social media

While social media might not have been an aspect of marketing to contend with in the past, it is absolutely necessary for the success of your business in the modern age. The problem is that many companies are unsure about how to properly go about promoting their business and services on social media. This can be a learning curve, especially when you want to make sure that what you are conveying makes sense to potential customers.

The best way to do this is to make sure that everything that you are posting somehow relates back to your industry. Whether it is a retweet from an industry leader or a photograph of your latest company event, using social media as a way to bring clients back to your website to learn more is the best way to keep everything consistent.

Consistency in content

Like social media, content on your blog and website is what is going to draw customers into your business. In order to make sure that you attract customers that are truly interested in what you have to offer, you want to take advantage of your blog and website to educate them on what it is you do and how this is all connected to the services you offer.

Posts on your blog should be related to your industry (just like your posts on social media) and should have a clear message. By providing consistency to your clients, they know that they can come back and revisit your blog on a regular basis to get news about the industry and to make an informed decision in their purchases.

Consistency in your advertising

While simply putting banner up outside your business was enough to gain attention in the past, more and more of advertising is making its way to online ads and Google Adwords. Just as you need to sit down and come up with a strategy for content, design, and social media, you should also make sure that all of your advertising is related to what you are trying to accomplish as a brand. This means knowing your buyer persona inside and out and knowing what kind of ad he or she would most likely click on for more information.

Consistency also makes it easier for you because it allows you to follow a set of guidelines that will appeal to potential customers.

While this might require a bit more work and thought, you’re more likely to get the results you want and the customers that are interested in what you have to offer as a business—saving you money and creating success.

Making the leap from a small, local business to a successful international one is never easy. In fact, this is where many businesses find themselves failing when they choose to expand. Growing into an international company requires a new way of thinking and reaching out to customers that you might have done in the past.

In order to find success, you are going to have to consider what your brand means to another type of audience, how to reach customers, and which aspects of your business you want to remain the same. Rebranding can be difficult, but it’s all necessary when you are planning on making the next leap to a new market.

Research your buyer personas

You might have known your local customers by heart. Maybe you’ve been working with the same type of customer over a long period of time. If this is the case, then you are going to have to think in a few new ways in order to reach new customers through marketing.

Before you jump head-long into the process of marketing, however, the best thing to do is know your international buyer personas just as well as the local ones you have been working with. This can require interviews, chatting with customers who have looked to competitors in the past, and running some polls by people who you think might be interested in what your business has to offer.

Once you’ve gathered some basic information, you can develop a market based around your average customers.

Think about how your company looks to an international audience

What might work in one country might not always work in another. Maybe your colorful branding and laid-back content appeals to a market in Brazil—that doesn’t mean it will go over well in Sweden. Like knowing your buyer personas, you should also know what interests your customers in each location you are planning on expanding to. You might also think about hiring a digital agency for each country you are planning to market to.

Mazda doesn’t use the same advertisements in the United States that it does in Japan. Even though it does cost a bit more money upfront, you’re more likely to see a higher ROI when you cater to your well-researched buyer personas. Knowing your audience and what it can get from your product specifically is more than half the battle when you are looking to expand.

Use content and social media the right way

Just like with branding, potential customers aren’t always going to be searching for the same information on Google. Different areas have different problems and often require different solutions. That’s why if you considering on marketing to a number of countries, you should have an expert in each one who can let you know what is concerning potential buyer personas, what trends they are interested in, and how best to educate them on your product.

This also means delivering content and promoting on each country’s social media pages (not just your country’s), providing content that addresses specific problems your buyer personas might be facing, and reaching out to the media in each country.

Know the laws

While you might know the laws that could affect your business in your home country, it’s not always so easy to be aware of the laws abroad. Before you choose to expand, you will want to sit down with some international lawyers and ask them about any complications you might run into if you start to do business on a global level.

Make sure (just like your buyer personas) you know the ins and outs of the rules and how other companies have chosen to expand abroad. You can learn a lot from the competition and how they have approached stepping outside of their home countries.

With a little thought beforehand, you can reach out to an entirely new audience and reach customers on an international level. Rebranding can take a little time and effort, but the added thought and care will eventually make the difference when you choose to expand your company.