Though the majority of a sales team’s work will happen on the lot or in the office, there is another aspect of customer marketing and outreach that sometimes goes unnoticed: the dealership website. Yet, this is one of the simplest and most straightforward ways that business leaders can establish their brand, appeal to interested buyers and showcase their inventory. The key to making casual browsers stick around for the long haul? Make sure your website is as interactive, user-friendly and responsive as possible.

Studies reveal that 86% of car shoppers perform online research before heading to a dealership to check out their options in person. That said, is your website one that they’re bound to land on? If you’re unsure, read on. Today, we’re sharing five ways to drive traffic to your dealership website. This simple step can help you drive conversions and build both your brand loyalty and bottom line along the way.

1. Optimize your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategy.

For maximum visibility, you’ll need to make sure your dealership’s website appears on the first page of Google when a web query is performed on your target location. For instance, if you’re a Ford dealer in Greensboro, North Carolina, when someone types in “New Ford in Greensboro, NC,” your website should appear at the top of their list.

Though there are myriad ways to improve your SEO efforts, it all begins with selecting the right keywords in your online content. As you’re preparing your web pages and crafting your blog posts, try to incorporate relevant keywords that are trending in your industry and have a high search volume, but aren’t overly saturated or competitive. Though important, keywords aren’t the only aspects of successful SEO marketing. You should also consider your internal/external linking strategy, page titles, meta tags and more. You can read more here on SEO beginner basics and how to create a comprehensive approach to the practice.

Then, establish a presence in an online business directory or a few business directories. One of the most popular and well-established options is Google My Business. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date and as thorough as possible so people can find you easier. This will also help in your local search standing.

2. Blog often on interesting topics.

Sure, a blog post or two about what your dealership has been up to lately or any industry recognition you’ve received is interesting. Yet, to drive continuous traffic to your dealership website, you’ll need to post more often on topics that people are actively searching for online.

This might mean discussing maintenance issues that are common with the manufacturers you represent. Or, you may provide buyer’s guides or step-by-step instructions on how to perform basic repairs, like changing a tire. The idea is that when people search online for these topics, your blog content will appear. It’s unlikely that too many web visitors will be looking for detailed information about your company potluck, so keep posts like those minimal.

Then, once you have a calendar of content established, be sure to post consistently. Your readers want to hear from you on a regular basis, or they may abandon their visits altogether.

3. Get social.

In today’s digital era, social media is king. There is no quicker or more effective way to reach your target audience than by interacting with them across these platforms, which can include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more.

To this end, establish a presence on any social media channel that makes sense for your brand. Then, just as you’re consistent with your blogging, endeavor to be as active as possible with your account. Simply opening them is the first step, but if you’re not an active part of the ongoing conversation, your followers will quickly abandon your profile for one that’s sharing, tweeting and commenting on a more regular basis.

Every time you blog, share it on your social media channels. You may even offer discounts or promotions to your followers or host giveaways to encourage participation. If you receive any comments that require a response, be sure to follow up as quickly as possible. Though this step doesn’t take long, it can do wonders to improve your brand’s trustworthiness and reputation.

4. Begin an email marketing campaign.

Though it might sound like an antiquated form of customer outreach, email marketing is still very much alive and effective. In fact, 60% of customers state that email marketing influences their decision-making. This makes it an ideal way to connect with your target audience. It’s also cost-effective, saving you an investment in print material marketing and associated shipping costs.

Remember: Shoppers crave personalization and this is a great way to incorporate it into your marketing strategy. Once you have your list of interested shoppers who opted in to receive your emails, create subject lines and body content that include their name. Then, make sure your messaging is consistent with the interests and goals they expressed.

You may use your email outreach to host giveaways, offer promotions or pass along exclusive discounts. Then, you can analyze how many people took advantage of such offers to determine the effectiveness of your campaign and ways to improve on the next go-round.

5. Make sure your website is responsive.

In addition to a user-friendly design and intuitive layout, you should also ensure your dealership’s website is responsive. In short, this means designing it so that it looks just as great on a smaller, mobile device as it does on a big-screen desktop. Studies show that customers use up to five different devices when they’re browsing the internet. You want to make sure they’re using all of those to get to your content.

There are myriad considerations that go into developing a responsive website and it can be difficult to get them all right. Not sure where to start? Google offers a mobile responsiveness tool. You simply plug in your URL and it tells you whether or not it passes the responsiveness test and how to correct it, if not.

Attracting and Retaining Your Target Online Customers

Though foot traffic is still a vital way to interact with your dealership’s customers and close valuable deals, the first step often begins online. Taking the time to fine-tune your SEO strategy, establish a social media presence, create blog content and test for mobile responsiveness isn’t wasted energy.

Rather, these steps help to lay the groundwork for a successful and profitable online marketing campaign that can ultimately improve your visibility and bring more customers through the door. To that end, it’s worth every penny and hour of the investment.

Maintaining a steady and consistent stream of customers is always an aim for today’s automotive marketer. It isn’t that promotional campaigns are on the downturn or that there is a lack of innovative content. Rather, it’s the implementation stage that often challenges even the most seasoned expert. Discerning how to best position and deliver these advertisements can be a delicate matter. On one hand, you want to excite and entice your target audience. Yet, on the other, you must be sensitive enough not to bombard their daily lives. Striking the perfect balance is key for dealerships that want to best the local competition, stand out in their space and drive continued sales.

This is especially critical as today’s buyer has more options than ever before. With just the click of a button, he or she can hop online, browse options, ask for advice and more before making the trek to the car lot. To capture their attention, here are five ways to position your advertising strategies for maximum appeal and visibility.

1. Facebook Ads

Chances are, a major portion of your key audience is active on social media. To that end, why not utilize the platforms as a way to connect with them? From Twitter and Facebook to Instagram and even SnapChat, there are myriad ways to attract a following to your brand and initiate a dialogue with interested buyers.

Gone are the days when you’d just use these platforms to post pictures of your latest inventory. Now, marketers are utilizing social media insights to learn more about what their buyers want, what kinds of questions they have, where their pain points are and more.

2. Local Events

What’s one solid and reliable way to bring people to your dealership? Host a local event! Yet, not just any community function will do. To make sure people come and you get a high return on your investment, it’s important to think outside of the box. From singing competitions to beach-themed parties and partner competitions, the sky’s the limit, and the events don’t always have to be centered solely around an automobile theme.

In fact, they’re often more memorable when they include some other element that gives personality and character to your dealership. So, consider what your community members may be most interested in, or even ask them on social media what they prefer, and use that data to help direct your next move.

3. Free Giveaways

One way to increase foot traffic to your dealership and capitalize on your latest outreach campaign is to supplement it with free giveaways. From free maintenance services to branded apparel, you can get creative with what you give out, but make sure it’s in keeping with what your key buyer would want. If you’re not sure, test a few ideas out first on a smaller pool of participants before making it a more widescale event.

4. A Slogan or Tagline

There’s a reason we still remember those catchy commercial jingles from our past. They stick with us because they’re easy to remember and fun to say or sing. While you don’t necessarily need to bring out the piano and belt out a tune in front of your dealership, creating a short and catchy slogan or tagline can help others remember your brand.

Then, when it’s time to advertise over television, radio or social media, it won’t take long before the line becomes synonymous with your dealership. To make sure the saying sticks around and becomes ingrained in your community, try to incorporate it on as much branded collateral as possible. This might mean embroidering your tagline onto your dealership’s hats alongside the logo, or adding it to stationary your administrative team uses. You can also use a banner creator to display it at the front of the building, so it’s the first thing people see when they walk in the door.

5. Feedback and Reviews

Though they’re not truly meant to serve as advertisements, positive feedback and reviews can work wonders to draw people to your dealership. Why? Even in today’s digitization era, word-of-mouth marketing is still incredibly popular and effective. Now, it’s just easier to come by, thanks to online review sites that allow web visitors to pull up star rankings, personal experiences and positive or negative reviews on anything from HVAC services to car dealerships with just the swipe of a screen. In fact, recent research reveals that 86% of car buyers head to the internet to conduct research before making a buying decision.

To this end, if you have positive reviews and feedback on your company, don’t be afraid to showcase and highlight them! You may even consider adding a “Customer Testimonials” subpage to your website, where all the reviews can be collected in a comprehensive manner. Satisfied customers are one of your brand’s greatest assets, so it’s important to know how to optimize their effectiveness.

Marketing to Today’s Discerning Automotive Customer

While there are many tactics that dealerships can use to give more visibility and credibility to their campaigns, the crux of the matter starts with understanding the target audience. From there, marketers can leverage social media, community events, tailored promotions, catchy slogans and positive reviews to appeal to those who are the most interested and ready to go for a test drive.

According to a recent study, U.S. advertisers spent more than $205 billion in 2017 alone. This means that although digital marketing is changing the face of the game, customer outreach and engagement is still a top priority and spending category for executives across myriad industries.

Always near the top of the pack are automotive marketers. One of the reasons for this placement is that professionals in this industry aren’t only interested in reaching the public shopper. Instead, there are indeed three separate advertising tiers they must focus on and cater to. Understanding the logistics behind each can help today’s modern marketer succeed in all realms. Today, let’s take a look at what these levels are and what success means within each.

1. Tier 1: Original Equipment Manufacturer

When an Original Equipment Manufacturer, or OEM, undertakes a marketing campaign, it is often with the most money and resources available. These programs are often performed in conjunction and partnership with some of the world’s top brand agencies to maximize exposure, grow recognition and build sales. They are also used to help launch new automotive lines or innovative OEM products.

One example of a Tier-1, OEM campaign might be the inclusion of a specific automobile in a movie, or a television commercial in a key time slot, such as during the Super Bowl, or one that runs with great frequency. Sometimes, automotive brands might also opt to sponsor public-facing events, such as the Olympics, to further improve brand recognition and customer loyalty.

At the crux of these advertisements, OEMs are not simply looking to grow their bottom line or reveal their sleek new inventory. They’re looking to create an emotional response in their viewership, and often use sentiment-fueled advertisements to do so. Anyone who has viewed the Matthew McConaughey commercials for Lincoln has seen firsthand the emotional appeal that a cool movie start can illicit.

No longer is that automobile just an ordinary sedan. Rather, it is propelled to a higher status simply on name recognition alone. This is just one tactic that OEMs will take when looking to generate mass enthusiasm over their product lines. When we see someone we trust and admire behind the wheel, suddenly we see ourselves in that same spot and as such, we’re more inclined to give the vehicle a second look the next time we’re browsing the lot.

2. Regional Advertisement Groups

Local automotive dealers and manufacturers recognize there is power in numbers. As digital marketing continues to sophisticate and proliferate into our daily lives, there is an even greater need for nearby dealerships to partner together to advertise industry accolades or promote community offers.

If you’ve ever seen a commercial for “your local Ford dealers” then you’ve seen this practice at work. In short, this is a combined effort of local business leaders to draw attention to their brands and boost sales. From low monthly payments to discounted APR financing, the terms used to describe these offers is often boilerplate, but still effective and often coupled with a familiar face, such as a celebrity placement.

While some of the Tier-2 advertising spend will come from the local dealers themselves, it is often supplemented with funds from the specific OEMs highlighted in the campaigns. While in some cases, the Tier 1 and Tier 2 agency are the same, this tier is often comprised of local community dealerships combining their money together to reach a larger audience. If a brand has recently won an award or is offering a special promotion, these are the kinds of mentions that a Tier-2 campaign will center on. While they’re still present on television and radio, these types of advertisements are also becoming increasingly common in the online and digital marketing sphere as well.

3. Local Retailer Advertising

We all have that one local automotive dealer whose advertisements we can’t escape. We hear that same voice on our local radio stations or on our news channel commercials and as such, they’ve achieved their aim: to become a household name, at least in the local community.

Often coupled with catchy slogans or jingles, Tier-3 automotive advertising campaigns might have the lowest spend amount of all the sectors, but that doesn’t render them ineffective. Rather, these promotions are often successful for one primary reason: They’ve changed their focus.

While the local campaigns of old were primarily aimed at promoting the dealerships themselves, today’s Tier-3 campaign looks much different. Now, marketing leaders are taking the time to do background research and analytics before developing their campaigns. They’re conducting audience surveys, developing buyer personas and testing out spots before investing in full-fledge promotions. Another major shift? While television and radio advertisements are still around, most local retailers are turning to the internet to promote their wares.

In 2017, car dealers spent 55.4% of their advertising budgets on internet-based promotions. This represents a change in how consumers and dealers interact with each other and reveals that a multichannel approach is more important than ever before in a dealer’s quest to stay relevant and top-of-mind with buyers.

Growth and Change Across all Three Tiers

As with any industry, the automotive one rarely stays the same. As consumers continue to evolve in the way they interact with dealerships and view online and media-based advertisements, it stands to reason that forward-thinking OEMs, community automotive partners and local dealerships will likewise shift their outreach focuses. Still, throughout the myriad changes that have already occurred, all three tiers are still going strong. Moving forward, continued growth will rely on each tier’s ability to adapt, reform and respond to the needs of the modern buyer.

Automotive marketing centers on understanding what your clients are most interested in and how your dealership can meet or exceed those needs. You know that most people who enter your door are looking to buy or sell a vehicle, but do you know their other motivators? Learning the answer to this question can help you incentivize your offerings strategically to attract and retain the business you need.

Keep in mind that these specific promotions are typically rolled out separate from those offered by automobile manufacturers to consumers. In these programs, price incentives usually take first place. For instance, one manufacturer might announce an incentive of up to $5,000 per vehicle. For those buyers who choose to read the fine print, this often means cash back at the time of purchase, specialized financing plans, pull-ahead offers on leases or money applied toward down payments.

At their crux, these advertisements speak to a buyer’s aim to save a few bucks on his or her next purchase. However, the reality is that while some consumers will jump at these opportunities and they can prove valuable in helping dealerships move vehicles and keep inventory levels in check, they don’t appeal to everyone as not every buyer is chiefly motivated by money. This is especially the case with the Millennial demographic, which research shows won’t haggle for the lowest price on a vehicle and instead prefers fixed list prices. ​​​​​​​

Marketers in this industry are now able to understand and reach their target audience than ever before. With access to data that reveals the lifestyles, buying patterns, interests and goals of almost everyone who passes through our doors, we’re better able to create customized marketing initiatives that cater to those individual needs. While cash might be a top motivator, it’s far from the only one. Here are a few ways individual dealerships can up the ante and encourage interest through personalized promotions.

Dealership/Manufacturer Test Drives

It’s not uncommon to find dealerships with managers split cleanly between two sides of the fence when it comes to test driving. On one hand, some believe that simply getting people in the door is the most important step of all. Even if they’re not ready to buy or are just browsing, it’s worth the investment of time to let them go on a test drive. Then, there are those who think only qualified and prepared buyers are those who should get that privilege.

To this end, some test drive promotions are offered through the manufacturers themselves, while others are determined on a dealership level. Though there can often be agreed-upon partnerships that include price splitting and profit margin sharing, it is still essential to ensure that these promotions are attracting the right demographics of buyers. Often, dealerships will couple their test drive promotions with post-purchase incentives to get a clearer picture of what motivates prospective buyers to make a decision.

In-Person Incentives

Though test drives are often offered to customers in partnerships with manufacturers, it is also possible for dealerships to offer their own promotions. These are usually in the form of travel incentives, cash, branded merchandise and more. These programs usually see a valuable deal of success, as they allow managers to take a more personalized and controlled approach to the marketing rollout, rather than being bound by corporate-level oversight.

Not sure where to start in your effort to drive sales? Look at what others in your community have done and which programs have proved successful. Keep in mind that while these types of programs might require an investment of time and money up front, they may catch the eye of manufacturers on a higher level, who could ultimately choose to roll out a similar campaign on the national level.

While you may be tempted to lower prices all around in an effort to drive foot traffic, consider what else you may be able to offer interested buyers. Is your service exceptional? Can you hire a team dedicated to transporting vehicles to and from service procedures as an appreciated extra touch? Could this same team take care of scheduling maintenance and repair services? Could your dealership offer a friends-and-family discount to those who refer your services to their loved ones?

These are just a few ways your dealership can stand out above the competition without necessarily giving away vehicles just to stay relevant. Even branded merchandise can be an added-on incentive to encourage someone to stick around a little longer. Today, there are myriad resources you can tap into to find generic items that can be quickly personalized with your dealership’s logo, tagline and more. Not only are these promotional items an inexpensive form of advertising, but they can help build buyer loyalty in the process. 

Measuring ROI on Incentives and Campaigns

While there are programs in place to help automotive marketers track the success and effectiveness of their incentives, finding a true ROI can be difficult to calculate. A chief reason why? If you’re measuring and basing your success strictly on who buys a car during the promotional period, you’re not taking into account who was impressed by the program and might buy in the future. Nor do you know who went home and told their relatives and co-workers about the great experience they had at your location.

Ultimately, finding out what appeals to your customers and how to use that to your dealership’s advantage lies in listening to them. Determine what they’re looking for, why they’re at your location in the first place and what they hope to get from the transaction. Only then will you be able to customize the offers you put in front of them to encourage them to take that next step forward.

Across every industry, finding ways to cater to the customer is key. Until you truly understand your buyer persona and direct your marketing campaigns around this knowledge, the time, money and resources spent on the endeavor could prove fruitless. Yet, while we might have insight into what retail customers want based on their web traffic, brick-and-mortar purchases, survey responses and more, it’s often a little more difficult and nuanced to determine what your automotive clients are looking for.

To this end, many dealerships employ age-old, tried-and-true tactics to appeal to their target audience. Chief among them are loyalty or membership cards aimed at incentivizing the path to purchase with promotions, discounts off and more, with rewards often tiered and rolled out over time. Yet, while there are undoubtedly plenty of people across the customer walking around with such cards in their wallets or inside their glove compartments, are these still the most valuable and useful outreach tools? Not according to one recent study, which found that the conversation around such cards and programs altogether is up to 90% negative. There are a slew of reasons why, ranging from the rewards being difficult to redeem to their generally uncustomized look and feel.

Understanding this, tech-savvy and forward-thinking automotive marketers can make strides to determine what their customers really do want, which perks most appeal to them and what they’re looking for in a dealer relationship. Though there is no one-size-fits-all answer, there are a few key trends that give us general insight into what works and what doesn’t. Let’s take a look.

Smart But Accessible Features

Sure, a car that comes with a ton of bells and whistles should be a gold star by any standard. Yet, despite popular belief, it is possible to inundate your buyers with too much of a good thing. Required and necessary safety features aside, does the car offer too many perks or possibilities that your customers simply aren’t looking for? Do they even need a third-row seat or an extra-large storage compartment? Will they fumble around with the features as they try to become acquainted with them?

The good news is you can ascertain the answers to these questions in your initial conversations with most car shoppers. Take the time to listen to their needs, as well as their dream checklist, then lead them to vehicles that fit that bill. While it’s fine to showcase options that are feature-rich, be sure that these features are aligned with their overall lifestyle and needs. Doing so reveals you’re keeping their best interests in mind and aren’t just looking to upsell them on the latest model. Otherwise, you could provide them with distracting and potentially unsafe options that were never needed in the first place.

A Unique Selling Proposition

Sure, your GMs want to see your inventory levels strategically maintained. And, salespersons are ultimately hired to sell. Yet, going into a potential transaction with a price tag as a leading, end-all-be-all discussion can mean missing some of your dealership’s other equally important talking points.

In the race to offer the lowest price in town, many dealerships will lose sight of the other features and benefits they can offer their customers. For instance, do you offer a certain level of maintenance or support with every purchase, such as a lifetime powertrain warranty? Is your team the most experienced in town? What about roadside assistance, 24-hour towing, or other pluses? If you offer vehicular accessories or other tools in your shop, do you have a reorder formula in place (read more here to calculate yours) that ensures their needed equipment is never out of stock? Rather than sticking tightly to low-price advertising, consider what sets your dealership apart and don’t be afraid to lead with those topics before even getting into bottom line figures.

A Personalized Dealer Approach

We live in a world where technology is key and automation is quickly taking the place of human interaction. Thus, it’s not uncommon for a client to walk into a dealership and be immediately greeted by an impersonal kiosk of options. While there is a time and a place for such convenience, studies show that most modern buyers still prefer a personal conversation. In fact, 52% of car buyers claim to feel as though they’re in a corn maze when they interact with such digital service systems. The same goes for hearing standard machine feedback such as “Your call is important to us” on the other end of a phone call.

Rather, the same study showed that 47% of auto customers would rather work directly with an empathetic and understanding sales professional than an online system, even if that person were incompetent. The takeaway? The emotional aspect of the buying journey is often the most important part and while technology can help dealerships become more streamlined and efficient, it cannot take the place of a one-on-one dealer interaction, nor should it.

Listening to and Learning From Your Automotive Customers

At the end of the day, the dealer/buyer relationship is one built on trust. If your customers feel that you’re out to make a buck or trying to earn their loyalty through generalized gimmicks or half-hearted loyalty attempts, it won’t take long before they seek a more tailored and customized marketing approach.

On the other hand, if you make it a best practice to listen intently to your clients, learn from them and use that information to guide the transaction forward, chances are high they’ll leave feeling satisfied and secure in their new purchase. When it comes down to it, automotive buyers are just like any others. They want peace of mind, a price they can live with and an understanding agent with their best interest in mind.

In almost every customer-facing industry, there is the potential for salespersons to come into contact with difficult customers. This is especially the case in the automobile sales sector, where shoppers often fuse their personal identity with the kind of car they own and as such, can become emotionally invested in the decision-making process. From the slightly rude to the downright irate, these are the circumstances and conversations that help shape us as associates and often lead to some of our greatest lessons learned. The path getting there, however, can be fraught with challenges if we aren’t sure how to approach the situation.

While every scenario will be different, there are a few basic approaches that can help diffuse the conflict, shorten its timespan and ultimately lead to a resolution that both parties can agree upon. Even if you’ve never been in these shoes before, knowing how to identify and mitigate these types of circumstances is critical to a successful career in sales, so let’s take a look at some ways to keep your cool.

1. Listen intently.

It is human nature to want to dominate a conversation, especially if we are the one on the defensive. After all, we are the field experts. We have the background knowledge, customer service experience and industry expertise required to help steer our customers toward the right next steps. Thus, when someone challenges our authority or doesn’t agree with a particular decision, we are prone to speak up for ourselves and explain a case.

While there will be a time for that, one of the most proven ways to dissolve a conflict is to listen as calmly and intently as possible. Not only will doing so allow the other party the chance to speak his or her piece and release some pent-up frustration, but it will also give us plenty of time to calm down as well. Though it might feel initially as a sign of weakness or admitting defeat, remember that listening is essential to building trust, which is essential to a long-term, fruitful client relationship, as well as positive feedback and recommendations.

2. Take notice of your body language.

Sometimes, it’s not what we say but how we say it or rather, how our body is speaking for us. During this difficult conversation, consider what your current body language is saying about how you feel, how you plan to approach the issue and how relaxed or tense you’re becoming. One of the most common ways that people show they’re closed off to negotiation or unwilling to compromise is by crossing their arms and remaining standing.

As the sales leads, we should remain as open and engaging as possible to diffuse the conflict. That means uncrossing our arms and sitting close to the person, which demonstrates our willingness to work together and communicate with them. In the same vein, note the tone of your voice as well. Is it high-pitched and quick, signaling anxiety, or is it even-pitched and slow, revealing an inner calmness? Rest assured the other person is taking notice of these things, so you should, too.

3. Stick to the facts.

Especially when you’re in the middle of a heated discussion with a particularly unhappy client, you may be tempted to speak out of emotion, even without realizing you are doing so. This is possible both when we’re dealing with people we know, as well as when we are working with those we just met.

Don’t let your hurt feelings or your perspective on the other person sway your judgment in this case. One way to take emotion out of the equation is to write the facts down as you know them, then go from there. For instance, say you are dealing with a customer who got the quote back on his vehicle trade-in and thinks the number is way too low. You might want to spit out how old, dirty and unkept the car is and explain that’s part of the reason why you can’t sell it for a higher price.

While it might make you feel better to spill that insult, you’ll immediately regret it. Instead, you can show the customer the data. Explain what similar makes and models are going for in this area, how specific conditions factored into your decision and what you can realistically expect to get out of the vehicle when you sell it.

Remember, customers often become emotionally invested in their cars and might think that they are worth more than they are. If you can use facts and figures to reveal the vehicle’s true value, they’ll be more likely to understand rather than if you just give them an obscure number without any follow-up.

4. Use proactive “I” language.

Sentences that begin with “You” are immediately accusatory. Instead of using that type of dialogue, one of the most useful conflict resolution skills is to try to turn it around and instead lead with “I” phrasing as much as possible. Though this language is gentler, it is not to assume that you take responsibility or fault for the issue. Rather, you can still get a point across and be firm and resolute without pointing fingers or placing blame.

Doing so only breeds resentment and in the world of automobile sales, a good name and a solid reputation are essential to building a strong client-facing relationship for your brand. As such, wherever possible, it’s helpful to rephrase accusations into their kinder alternatives. For instance, instead of saying “You’re wrong about the value of this car” you may instead phrase it as “I believe the data you’re looking at might be incorrect. Let’s take a look at some numbers together.” In both cases, you’re making the point that the other party is working with some incorrect information, but in the latter, you’re turning the misunderstanding into an opportunity for communication and collaboration.

5. Keep the end goal in mind.

When a customer visits your dealership, he or she is either looking to sell or buy a vehicle. Along the same lines, you’re looking to make a sale or an offer. While there may be disagreements and misunderstandings along the way, by keeping this end goal in mind, you can help molehills stay that way without snowballing into mountains. Often, it can be helpful to steer the other party back to this mindset as well.

When conflicts arise, as they often do, take this opportunity to reestablish your expertise and remind the customer that you are on their side. Explain that you’re willing to work with them to make them happy and that ultimately, it is possible to work toward a resolution.

Navigating Customer Conflict in Automobile Sales

We are in the business of sales because we genuinely like people. In the automobile sector, we see customers from all walks of life, backgrounds, cultures, economies and more. Every day, we work to make the client happy and to grow our reputation as a leader in our space. However, the reality is that any salesperson can have a great week, month or even year when it’s nothing but smooth sailing. The real test of character, professionalism and sales savvy comes into play when our expertise is challenged, our patience is tested and our nerves worn are thin.

When this happens, successful salespersons are those who take a step back, reassess the situation and approach it with patience, empathy and a listening ear to boot. Conflict resolution begins and ends with understanding and that might be one of the greatest resources we have at our disposal.

As marketers, we’ve heard it said time and again that today’s customer craves customization. From the way they shop online to how they pick a car from the lot, the modern client is discerning, keeping an eye out for tailored content as well as promotions and deals that are hand-selected for their specific requirements.

To this end, how can an automotive dealer harness this potential to deliver a focused outreach strategy that not only impresses current customers but helps build the type of brand loyalty that catalyzes sustainable long-term growth? The answer lies in viewing every person who walks through the doors of your dealership as a separate and unique account, with varying interests, positions, visions and more. By making the transition from viewing your clientele in a general pool to seeing everyone for who they are and what they bring to the table, you’ll be better able to deliver on their expectations for personalization.

A Brief History of Personalized Marketing

The notion of catering to your customer is nothing new. In both the B2B and B2C spheres, this technique is known as account-based marketing, or ABM, and it isn’t so much of a marketing tactic as it is a customer engagement strategy. In short, it is the practice of intentionally adjusting offers and communication strategies to fit the individual needs of each patient, rather than taking a blanketed one-size-fits-all strategy.

How Your Automotive Teams Can Benefit From ABM

During a team meeting, have any of your departments expressed frustration over spinning their wheels? Do your marketing managers ever feel that, for all their efforts to create compelling blog content, graphic-rich print materials and exceptional promotions, they just aren’t seeing the foot traffic or the web traffic that they want? If so, it could be because they aren’t appealing to anyone’s individual interests as they seek to attract everyone in the same manner.

As they zero in on each customer’s account, your department leads are rendered that much more effective. They are no longer spending copious amounts of time guessing what their customer base will like. Instead, they’re talking one-on-one to each client, assessing their purchase history, analyzing their web visit patterns and more to better understand what they need.

Answering the Call to Customize

Recent research reveals that by taking an ABM approach, marketers are delivering on client expectations and helping to make the path to purchase as smooth and seamless as possible. When this happens, customers aren’t just satisfied. They also tell their friends and are more likely to return to your same dealership when they have a similar need in the future.

In fact, one study shows that 78% of shoppers are frustrated when they engage in a shopping experience that doesn’t feel customized to their needs. On the other hand, when they did feel that a salesperson was engaging them on an individual level, 49% of those same respondents ended up buying more than they originally intended to while 40% spent more than they originally thought they would, all thanks to personalized recommendations that fit their bill exactly. In an industry in which up-sales and cross-sales are key, automotive experts can stand to benefit from this new approach.

They’re also less likely to deal with frustrated clients in the future. The same study showed that of those impulse purchases entered into, only 5% were returned later, as more than 80% of buyers were ultimately satisfied with the purchases they made.

Moving forward, automotive marketers and those in similar departments can take advantage of ABM to better align their advertising efforts with the individual needs of the shoppers they’re intending to serve. At the end of the day, no two accounts are the same and a generic outreach approach is quickly becoming obsolete as dealerships seek to outperform each other, build their bottom line, and keep their clients as happy as possible.