Digital marketing trends are changing very quickly, and when talking about it in industries such as automotive, they’re more important than ever. Customers want more! It’s not just about selling a car; it’s about creating experiences. Is that customer thinking about coming back to your dealership? Are you his favorite salesperson? How much information he or she had before contacting you? The answers to these questions will show you how much has the customer-salesperson relationship changed over the time. Before, customers were talking to salespersons to get the information about the vehicle. Now, customers search for that information online, compare vehicles and dealerships and come to visit when they already know which vehicle to purchase.

Your customers are always online

That’s why the digital marketing strategy for dealerships needs to be placed in that part of customer experience. Do you know where do your customers search for information? Are they active on social media, forums, or other platforms? What content do they prefer? If you want more people making purchases in your dealership, you have to connect with them sooner. In other words, your customers are no longer waiting in a line; they are looking for information online! That’s where you need to act!

We listed digital marketing trends for dealerships to engage vehicle shoppers online. The first half of 2018 is behind us, but you still have time to make the best out of these trends. Boost your showroom traffic and sell more cars!

1. Moments create the customer experience

Customer experience is more complex than ever. It includes much more elements than it did before. To provide their customers with the best purchasing experience, salespersons have to become experts. Not just sales experts, but customer relationship experts as well. To do so, they have to know where their shoppers are, what they are searching for, and how are they searching for it. As a marketing professional in a dealership, start with a simple question: What does my customer need? Think about the habits, wishes, needs, ideas, problems he has in his everyday life. How can your way of communication be incorporated into his lifestyle? Don’t think for a second that details like a specific style of communication are not important. Every detail is important because it creates something bigger: perfect online world designed just for this customer.

Start reaching shoppers during their buying experience and provide them with the exact information they need at that time. However, their buying experience doesn’t start when they visit your dealership. Not even when they contact you! Their buying experience starts when they first think of buying a new car. That’s where your digital marketing needs to be very effective! Start thinking step by step. When car shopper thinks of buying, what does he or she do next? He searches the web to find the best deals, nearest dealerships, brilliant customer reviews, etc.

Create good content on your website

Are you satisfied with your website? Are your visitors and customer satisfied with it? Don’t forget to check how your competition is doing. The average shopper will never make his or her buying decision without comparing, at least, 3 or 4 dealerships. Exploring dealership websites, looking at their inventory, special deals, important updates, etc. If somebody spends 2 minutes on your website, would they be bored? Do you have enough good content to keep that person active and intrigued? This is why your website needs to be tailored for your customers. All the questions your customers might have, your website needs to provide them with answers.  You’re not just selling your customers their next vehicle; you are participating in their moments of buying experience.

2. Customers would rather watch than read 

Yes, the video is here to stay. It dominated every industry in 2017 and will continue to do so in 2018. But, what video content works best? What do your customers prefer? When talking about purchasing vehicles, your customers will appreciate the kind of content that will provide them with the best information. Imagine you customer visiting your dealership website and the first thing he sees is the video. If you’re wondering should you include video on your website, you should know this: Video on a landing page can increase conversion by 80% or more. Your customers will rather watch videos than reading the text. So, each time you think about writing a content about a specific vehicle or any other topic, ask yourself: Wouldn’t this be more effective with video? Not only it engages viewers better than text; it provides them with more and better information about the product.

The importance of including a video on your website could best be presented with the fact that an average user spends 88% more time on a website with video. Additionally, 64% of consumers purchase after watching branded social videos, according to Tubular Insights. If you look from the management’s point of view, 59% of executives agree that if both text and video are available on the same topic, they are more likely to choose video. Also, if you were thinking should you include video on your landing page, the answer is yes. Video on a landing page can increase conversion by 80% or more.

The communication begins with website visit

Keep in mind that your shoppers will watch videos on mobile more often than on their personal computer. Of course, that shouldn’t affect the way you record videos. On the other hand, don’t forget to think about the format, size and other technical details that could affect the viewer experience. The viewer of your video will more likely become the buyer in your dealership if you communicate effectively from the first contact he has with your company. In a digital world, that first contact would be users visiting your dealership’s website.

3. Is there a person not active on social media?

Well, we all are aware that the world of social media is constantly changing. For the users, it’s exciting to see every new update or feature. For marketers, it can get pretty frustrating. Let’s say you’ve just learned how to create effective and profitable social ads, but your favorite social media platform is announcing new updates for it. Yes, you will probably benefit from it, but thinking about changing the way you do things every once in a while can be frustrating.

When talking about the quality of your social media content, you should serve only the best. To be clear, the best is the video! You need to get your shoppers into your showroom, simple as that. Of course, most of your shoppers will buy in person, but they will do their research online. But which social platforms should dealerships use? In the United States, Facebook is the number one social channel. For instance, 89% of adults in the U.S use Facebook, and 70% of them spend nearly an hour on Facebook daily. If you want to use the best Facebook feature, try out Facebook Marketplace which was launched recently.

Instagram is becoming the favorite social channel for dealerships

Instagram is becoming more and more popular, too. The reason lies in the philosophy mentioned above – creating moments. Dealership salespersons are posting pictures and videos of their satisfied customers who just bought a new car. What’s a better way to show your future customers why you are the right person for them than showing you were the right person for your other customers? Not to mention that Instagram is a social media platform full of influencers. Why not convey your message to somebody you customers will start recognizing as part of your company? Options are various!

Here’s an example of how a dealership in Dubai uses Instagram:

According to Google, 69% of people who used YouTube while buying a car were influenced by the video they’ve watched. Even Hubspot confirmed that 72% of people would rather use video to learn about a product or service. Depending on your marketing budget, you can choose to allocate to video in your social media and your entire digital advertising.

Best apps for dealerships

When talking about Instagram, there are many apps that will help you build your brand online. Photos will always be an important part of any dealership’s social media strategy, but video content is taking over any type of images. With an app like Clips, you can arrange segments of video into a sequence and adjust the length of each segment. For example, if you wish to trim out 6 seconds in the middle of your videos, Clips will do that for you.

Also, there is NADA MarketValues, an app designed specifically for car sales and valuation. With a quick scan of a VIN, dealerships can find the fair market value for a used car and a history report. The app gives you quick access to all the information you need for making smart decisions at auction or on the lot. NADA MarketValues includes weekly Auction values, as well as monthly Trade-in, Loan and Retail values for used passenger cars and light-duty trucks, and many others.

If driving leads and customer retention is your dealership’s goal, NxGarage is an app for you. It’s designed to benefit automotive dealerships and attract their customers. NxGarage allows dealerships to efficiently manage inventory while driving leads and improving customer communication and retention. Also, it provides dealerships with a customer lifecycle management tool.

We can’ forget Twitter. You can’t be successful with your marketing strategy if you didn’t pay attention to what your customers are talking about. With Twitter, you can easily search trending topics by hashtags or even open a discussion about something that is important to your dealership or your customers.

4. Everything needs to be mobile-friendly

When you design, design for mobile. This is probably one of the most important digital marketing trends. Now more than ever before, Google is focusing on websites and content that is mobile-friendly! Your marketing has to be tailored to mobile users because 18% of vehicle buyers only use mobile devices. There are so many useful tools and application for dealerships out there. For instance, Geo-Fencing allows dealers to greet customers wherever they are and send nearby shoppers notifications when they are active in your specific area. This is a great way of engaging your shoppers! If you want them to think about your dealership, your dealership has to think about them first. Yes, everything is becoming mobile-friendly! There is really no reason left to create the content that is not mobile-friendly. Moreover, your complete website needs to be mobile-friendly as well!

Conclusion

The profile of the customer is constantly changing. Yesterday’s customer is much different from today’s customer. Today, the customer is spending a large amount of their time searching for vehicles online and making their decisions before they even get to the dealership. Your dealership has to adjust its digital marketing strategy to meet the demands of its shoppers and the industry in general. If you don’t follow any of these digital marketing trends, you will give your competition a chance to get to your potential customers first. Remember, customers are not visiting dealerships as much as they used to before. This is why your website and your digital skills need to be at the top of the game!

Today’s consumers are not only looking for value, but also to buy from someone they can trust. With so much competition around, dealerships have to find a way to deliver more than just the product or service. They have to see the big picture and stand out by offering a trust-based customer experience. There are many ways to enhance customer experience, and video email is the go-to tool to achieve this. And guess what, all videos can be recorded with your smartphone! Here are some ways you can intrigue your customers with video email with just a simple video from your phone:

1. Internet Lead Follow up

Why not make a great first impression and reply with a personalized video instead of sending a plain text? Respond to leads with a video introduction where you can greet your recipient by name, build trust and show them who is behind their whole customer experience.

2. Inventory videos

Wouldn’t it be nice for your customers to actually see a video of what you have to offer instead of watching static images? Showcase the selection of vehicles on your lot and let your customers experience the real deal.

3. Vehicle walk-around

Offer customers a 360˚ video of a particular vehicle, giving them a chance to explore the features and condition of the vehicle from their home. Make sure to highlight all special features and characteristics that your customer requested. Check out the video example below.

4.Service department

Your customers may find it hard to hand in their car to a total stranger. Make this experience easier on them and send them a video of their vehicle, clearly showing the parts needing repair or replacement. Make your customers aware of your credibility.

Read more: www.covideo.com

Covideo provides video email software that helps businesses and individuals communicate more effectively, build relationships faster and reinforce their brands with easy-to-make personalized videos.

You cannot take care of your customers if you are not taking care of your employees. After all, they are the ones who are in constant contact with customers. In the automotive industry, employees are a crucial element in creating customer satisfaction, and if you are not sure in that statement, you are probably doing something wrong. Who is responsible for delivering your business vision to customers? Who is the first person your customers come to when they need information about your products and services? Who gives the best feedback on your customers’ behavior?

Effective internal communication among dealerships leads to success, and the result is not only visible on an internal level but external as well. Customers pay attention to the way salespersons treat them. Before thinking of customer satisfaction, you should first focus on your employee’s satisfaction.

Get your employees engaged

It is important that you encourage your employees to communicate between themselves – horizontally and vertically. When using marketing skills in employees engagement, it brings positivity and helps you to understand employees’ values. Also, if they understand your dealership’s culture and mission, that will provide them with a clearer vision of where they belong and how they can help build success. Creating an environment where people feel connected encourages them to care more about what they do and leads to better individual and company performance.

Get your employees to stay

“If you think good employees are expensive, try bad ones!” is probably one of the best quotes about company culture. Investing in your employees is vital if you want to create a feeling of belonging and caring. Not having motivated people that will share your vision, will cost you more than just money. On the other hand, engaged employees are less likely to leave and seek jobs elsewhere. Retention is a priority! When a dealership is focused on making sure their people know the goals, culture, and mission of the business, retention won’t be a problem.

Get your employees to share the enthusiasm

The best brand ambassadors are always your satisfied employees. If the people who represent your company are not enthusiastic when talking about your products or services, the customers will probably not be enthusiastic about it either. Are you aware that leads from employees convert 7 times more frequently than other leads? When your employees are informed and engaged, your sales performance improves. When your sales performance improves, your brand awareness and reputation become more positive. It is as easy as that! Ensuring your employees want to recommend your dealership means you have to create a connection with them, so they feel comfortable recommending you to their family, friends, and acquaintances.

Get your employees to create best customer experiences

Each employee should be focused on creating the best customer experience, from the bottom to the top. All employees are brand advocates, especially the ones who are communicating with customers on a daily basis. Since they are close to customers, they are the ones that can get all the information how can the dealership improve customer experience by detecting factors that are distorting it in any way. Imperative for success is listening to your customers’ needs. They know what they want, and they will tell your employees about it. This is why your employees have to be your focus all the time. Making them feel valued and conveying your mission, goals, and what makes your dealership unique will bring you many satisfied customers who will love telling stories about your great employees.

Why not include a video?

Using video for employees’ communication increases their engagement. According to Forrester Research, employees are 75 percent less likely to read text emails than to watch videos. Not only will you be able to deliver complete information to your team players, but you will encourage them to use this communication channel to discuss ideas, educate themselves on new projects, etc. Your employees will more likely choose to choose video over plain text because it makes them feel appreciated and opens many opportunities for business growth. Video saves time, increases the connection between colleagues, ensures integral data flow, adds a personal touch and opens numerous possibilities for the successful and positive work environment.  

Covideo provides video email software that helps businesses and individuals communicate more effectively, build relationships faster and reinforce their brands with easy-to-make personalized videos.

Get started using video today by signing up for a 10 day free trial with Covideo!

www.covideo.com

According to an Autotrader study, 88% of prospective buyers use the Internet for their research, searching content on which car would suit their needs most, the best deals available for their budget, reading customer reviews all to narrow down where they go to buy their next car and when. People go online to research at every stage of the customer journey. Will this change in customer’s behavior determine future trends in the automotive industry?

1. Mobile rules the digital world

Mobile devices are the key element in customer’s experience when buying vehicles, but it is also important to salespersons. According to Google study, 58% of auto shoppers agree that in the future their smartphone is likely to be the only device they use for vehicle research. It is not enough to have just a mobile responsive website to attract your customers. They expect mobile apps, video content, social media and many more from their dealership.

Mobile-first users use m-sites and apps when they are doing their research. Buyers find m-sites and apps useful in different aspects of the research process. For example, if the buyer wants to compare vehicles, he will choose mobile websites, but if he wants to get warranty information, he will use apps for it.

2. Location, location, location

The Internet is and will stay the number one source for vehicle research. It doesn’t come as a surprise then that the buyers’ online experiences start with a search engine. The key element in such searches is the location, and customers prefer choosing dealerships that are closer to them. A study by Chitika showed that up to 43% of the overall query volume coming from Google (both mobile and PC) carries a local intent which means almost half of all search traffic is local.

Local searches lead to more purchases than non-local searches which presents an enormous opportunity for smart businesses who dominate local search in their niche.

3. Video breaks all barriers

There is no doubt about the video being the determining factor in the digital world and especially in the automotive industry. It is one of the most effective tactics due to its ability to bring the highest ROI, and it’s also in high demand by consumers. Every fourth customer would rather watch a video about a product than reading about it. Keeping that information in mind, who knows what other benefits video holds for the future of the automotive industry? The top types of videos car buyers watch include test drives, specs and features videos, and vehicle interior and exterior walkthroughs.

The automotive industry will definitely be shaped by the changes in the digital world, and marketing and sales will become a key focus for automotive brands. With video as a leading content, automotive buyers will expect to receive all the information in that format.

Covideo provides video email software that helps businesses and individuals communicate more effectively, build relationships faster and reinforce their brands with easy-to-make personalized videos.

Get started using video today by signing up for a 10 day free trial with Covideo!

www.covideo.com

Who are the people that call you by your first name? For most people, it is family and friends. Those are the ones who know us best and who we feel attached to because we are sharing our most important moments with them. So when somebody who doesn’t know you as good as your family and friends calls you by your name, you will probably feel appreciated and respected. This is why a good salesperson will try his best to make his customers feel like they are close friends. A good friend will help you choose the best on the market and you will have fun with them just by sharing that particular experience. As a company that has more than hundreds of clients in automotive industry, we propose 4 types of videos you should be using at the minimum to increase your sales and tips how to make them awesome.

1. Introduce yourself to your customers

Imagine you have 15 seconds to record a video explaining to your customers who you are and what do you do. It seems like a big challenge to raise someone’s interest within these 15 seconds but if you are recording it for a specific customer and you say their name, in the beginning, they will react positively to that. When recording an introduction video, we recommend staying under 45 seconds because your customers will lose interest if they find the video too long. Here you just want that your potential buyer puts a face to your name and starts to feel like he knows you. Also, don’t forget to compliment the customer’s choice in the dealership, vehicle selection or even the timing of their contact. Remember to invite them to come over and see the vehicles for themselves and let them know you are here if they have any questions or need any assistance.

2. Don’t talk that walk, show that walk

When selling cars, the crucial thing is a good presentation of the vehicle, especially if that car is not new. Your customers want to know every single detail about the car they are interested in and what is a better way of showing them than recording a vehicle walk around. This is how your customers get a better insight even before seeing the vehicle in person. You want to save their time by sending a video instead of them showing up and spending hours walking around and finding the perfect fit for them. If you already personalized your first video, make sure this one is all about the vehicle so hold your phone on its side from the start (horizontal view), giving a wide angle shot. If you already set up the appointment with your customer in a previous video, this one should be 30 – 60 seconds long. If a customer is interested in buying his car online, the video should be a little longer (1 – 3 minutes) and contain a lot of condition details to help the customer.

3. Let them know you are waiting for them.

When setting up an appointment with the potential buyer, remember the simple rule: Less is more. By less we mean your video needs to be shorter than previous ones. Why? Because now things are getting pretty serious and your buyer needs only specific information from you. Greet them with their name and mention their vehicle to make them feel as they are your VIP clients. Hold up the keys next to the vehicle and tell them it is all ready for them. You can even emphasis you are standing next to THEIR vehicle and mention the brand. Remind them of the appointment time and assume in your video they are going to show up. Let them know you are looking forward to meeting them and that if they still have some questions, you are here to help.

4. Be the person they can rely on

Good manners never get old! A thank you video can have a huge impact on how others see you. Think of a bigger picture, create partnership and bonds that will lead you to that. How? All you need is less than 30 seconds of your time to record a short personalized thank you video. Let them know you are always here if they need anything with their vehicle. Also, ask them who in their circle of family and friends might be looking next and create a network. Word-of-mouth is the most powerful tool that can lead you to profit increase but don’t forget that it is followed by word-of-mouse, so don’t forget to ask them to review you online. Always keep in mind that people buy from people they like and can relate to.