The impact of COVID-19 has been far-reaching. Dealership owners saw an increased shift in the ways consumers were already shopping and purchasing vehicles online. With people spending more time at home and on their laptops or mobile devices, dealers have had to evolve the way they do service marketing to reach more customers online.

For dealerships that were previously uncertain about implementing a digital marketing strategy, COVID-19 was the much-needed catalyst. With face-to-face options becoming increasingly limited, reaching customers has to include a social distance digital marketing strategy.

Service Departments Became Essential

While many retail businesses were forced to shut their doors, service departments were deemed essential in many locations for basic transportation needs of individuals like front line workers. This allowed dealerships to pivot and focus on how to best serve their customers throughout the pandemic.

This unique opportunity gave service departments a chance to capitalize on profits made through ongoing fixed ops services like oil changes and tire rotations.

New Services That Will Stick Around

In addition to the need for dealerships to maintain an increased digital presence in 2020, new services arose out of the pandemic and are likely to — and should — stick around. For example, many service departments started to offer concierge services, allowing for drop-off and delivery of vehicles to an individual’s home.

This focus on social distance marketing was a key to success while the pandemic was in full tilt. However, many of these services are now expected by consumers and will likely need to be maintained to continue to generate service business.. This expectation will make it more important than ever for service departments to think about how they can make themselves stand out in cost-effective digital channels like email marketing.

What’s Next in a Post Pandemic World?

There are vehicles sitting in driveways, and in a post-pandemic world, the question becomes: How can service departments continue to engage customers and keep their dealership and service departments in front of them?

It is easy to see how the pandemic created a world in which consumers became increasingly dependent on digital channels to gain information and make buying decisions. Be where they are to improve customer engagement and grow customer loyalty and overall lifetime value. Here’s how:

Digital Marketing: If you aren’t investing in digital marketing yet, now is the time. Online automotive marketing is no longer a nice-to-have; it is now a must-have. This includes email, social, text and other relevant digital channels.

Customer Lifecycle Management: The key to success in 2021 is knowing each customer’s lifecycle. What stage are they at in their vehicle ownership? Are they ready for an oil change, tire rotation, new filters, or other services? Having these detailed insights is critical to success.

Personalization: Relevant, 1:1 outreach will always win customer attention. With the right data, you can build a targeted and customized marketing strategy that speaks to your customers directly at scale.

Activator Dealer Solutions

Certainly, you know the Vehicle Identification Number, VIN, is a critical piece of vehicle sales and maintenance. However, did you know that following the VIN can also help maximize your marketing? 

Yes, much like your own social security number, every vehicle is given a VIN that distinguishes it from any other vehicle on the road. Historically, dealerships rely on the VIN to understand a vehicle’s maintenance record and performance history. A quick glance into the VIN can reveal several insights, including whether the vehicle has been in a crash if it’s currently registered, and who it’s registered to.

With data-driven platforms like Activator, you can now go further, making the VIN a valuable piece of your dealership marketing strategy.

The VIN’s role in dealership marketing

When the owner of a vehicle changes, the transaction is connected directly to the VIN. This is the case, whether it’s your dealership selling the vehicle or when the owner sells their vehicle to a friend. 

When it comes to your dealership’s marketing, following the VIN enables you to connect with the vehicle’s current owner even if this is not the same person you sold the vehicle to initially.

Many dealerships encounter issues with this aspect of their marketing strategy because they assume the person they sold the vehicle to still owns it, when in fact, the vehicle has been handed over to someone else. This mistake can cost the dealership marketing dollars, sending personalized offers for service or other follow-up messages to the wrong person. 

Some dealerships use their own internal systems when it comes to marketing. For instance, a dealership may pull records of their vehicle sales for a specific model or a certain time period and put those buyers into selected campaigns. Or a dealership may simply go by the customer’s last date of service to anticipate when they might need servicing again. 

All those processes can be effective, as it allows the dealer to tailor their messaging to a relevant audience but it doesn’t account for the times a person may no longer own the vehicle that’s reflected on records. 

How to improve your dealership marketing by following the VIN

Dealers benefit from relying on the VIN information rather than their own records when developing a marketing outreach. VINs contain the most up-to-date information regarding vehicle ownership and potential contact information, ensuring communication with the right person. 

The Activator platform follows the VIN, not just the original buyer. This deeper level of data allows you to market to the person who actually owns the vehicle, independent of owner history. The goal is to identify subsequent owners, buyers who have purchased the vehicle from the original owner, or conquest owners looking for dealerships to continue service. After identifying them you can provide them with the same communication and services as you would customers who are already in your records.