Craigslist isn’t always thought of as a key marketing tool for used car dealerships, but in our view, it’s utterly essential. Aside from Facebook, there is no digital platform we recommend more readily than Craigslist. With that said, there are right and wrong ways to use Craigslist for moving inventory. In this post, we’ll offer 10 of our most essential Craigslist tips.

How Your Used Car Dealership Can Make the Most of Craigslist

1. It’s not just about the car. It’s also about your dealership. Each listing you post will need to emphasize the selling points of the vehicle in question—but you should also be sharing the selling points of the dealership itself. What are the customer service accolades you’ve received? What are the reasons to pick your dealership over all the others? Talk up your brand, not just your inventory.
2. Include your prices in the ad title… but only if they’re competitive. Ideally, you’ll have some really hot prices to include in your ads. If you’re not able to top competitors’ prices, though, then it may be best to just not mention pricing in the ad title.
3. Know who you’re marketing too. The selling points you mention and the language you use will vary from, say, the mom seeking a new minivan to the middle-aged man seeking a sports car. Customize your approach according to your audience.
4. Know your market. You may find that some days are better than other for posting new vehicle listings.
5. Include high quality photos. Make sure cars look nice! We recommend taking photos someplace beyond your showroom—ideally a scenic, grassy area in town.
6. Include a strong call to action in each listing. Don’t take for granted that people will pick up the phone to call you. Actually ask them to reach out with any questions they have, or to find out if the vehicle in question is still available.
7. Be ready for calls. Even if the vehicle someone calls about has just been sold, don’t let that lead off the line. Share other, similar vehicles you have in stock, or ask what they are interested in driving.
8. Track everything. Keep records of what seems to work for your dealership on Craigslist, and learn from past ads.
9. Don’t post too much. Remember to brush up on the Craigslist terms of use, and don’t do anything to get your account suspended!
10. Get professional help. If you’re ready to work with an experienced Craigslist marketing team, Get My Auto is always available.

Indeed, we are digital marketing professionals who work exclusively with used car dealerships. We’d love to show you how to use Craigslist most effectively, as part of an integrated digital marketing plan. To learn more, we encourage you to reach out to the Get My Auto team today.