Can you believe it? The end-of-year holidays are right around the corner! That means it’s time to start planning your dealership’s holiday marketing. This week, as part of OneCommand’s Holiday Marketing Guide, we’ll discuss three ways you can capitalize on the holiday season to create customer loyalty and ensure they visit you for vehicle needs in the coming year.

Get Involved Locally
The holidays typically bring out the best in everyone and as such, people tend to be more giving during the holiday season. This type of goodwill presents the perfect opportunity for you to put together a give back campaign. You could do a traditional toy collection or canned food drive; or, you could get outside the box and get creative. However you decide to get involved with your local community and give back to those in need during the holiday season, you’ll promote goodwill and drive your dealership’s brand awareness.

Give Stuff Away
Now I know what you’re thinking. “I don’t have the money to give things away for free!” This is probably right, but done in the proper way, you can get a lot of free publicity and top-of-mind awareness out of your giveaway. Think about running a Facebook contest for the 12 days leading up to Christmas or the end of the year. Each day ask followers to engage with you on Facebook by asking them to do things like post pics of the most creative ornament they’ve ever made, or post pics of their creative holiday decorations. Then, award the follower who gets the most likes with a daily prize. Be sure to leverage other marketing channels to gain excitement for your 12 days of giving. Also, post winners and prizes daily to gain more excitement from your followers.

Send Holiday Wishes
Probably the simplest way to show someone you’re thinking of them and wishing them well is to send a happy holidays greeting. It doesn’t matter if your holiday card to customers is in a printed or electronic format, the only thing that matters is that you took the time to send one. Also, don’t be afraid to get creative with your holiday card. The more original your card is the more it will stand out among the sea of advertisers.

If you’re looking to make an impact on customers for the end of the year, try delivering a heartfelt holiday campaign. This type of marketing creates lasting loyalty with customers and drives top-of-mind awareness for your dealership.

Up next in OneCommand’s Holiday Marketing Guide is an easy way to drive end-of-the-year sales to your dealership. We all know marketing to current customers to keep them coming back is significantly cheaper than going out and conquesting for new business. Although bringing in new business is extremely important, try these three ideas to put current customers into your sales pipeline.

Find Pre-Owned Opportunities
Chances are you have several pre-owned vehicles in such high demand that they are sold before they ever hit your lot. Look into your database to determine if any of your current customers drive one of these desirable vehicles. Then, reach out to them to see if they are interested in selling their vehicle. If so, you have a win, win; you’re able to stock your pre-owned inventory lot with desirable vehicles and potentially sell a new vehicle.

Find Equity Opportunities
Another way to find potential sales for an end-of-the-year push is to look into your database and find customers who are in a positive equity position. Typically customers find themselves in an equity position on their vehicle around three to five years after purchase. This also happens to be the time when the new models start to catch their eye and they think about trading their vehicles in for a new one. If you catch them at the right time, you’ll be able to capture their trade and sell them a new vehicle.

Find Ready-to-Buy Opportunities
Consumers are holding on to vehicles for longer and longer periods of time. Many speculate about the reason for this, but what’s important to you is that the average new car owner will keep their car for 6.5 years, according to IHS. Think about targeting customers in your database who have owned their vehicle for more than 5 years. These are the folks who are going to be looking to sell their vehicle, statistically speaking, in the next year or so.

If you’re looking to drive end-of-the-year sales to your dealership, now is the time to decide which current customers you will target to get the most return for your marketing.

Last week, we kicked off our Holiday Marketing Guide with Thanksgiving campaign ideas to help you demonstrate your appreciation to customers, give back to your community, and drive top-of-mind awareness for your dealership. This week, we move to the backend of your business and focus on increasing service visit frequency and dollars spent per RO. That’s right, it’s time to get your customer’s vehicles ready for the colder weather ahead and here are three campaign ideas to help you do just that.

Inform Customers
Typically customers neglect their vehicle’s service schedule because they are either too busy and it never makes their priority list, or they aren’t aware of the specific maintenance needs for their vehicle. Either way, communication is the key to making sure customers maintain their vehicles regularly. All you need to do is take the time to put together an informational service communication about the maintenance needs for a vehicle as the colder weather sets in. Customers will appreciate the helpful reminder and reward you with increased service traffic and revenue.

Make it Fun
Let’s face it, having service work performed on your vehicle is not the most thrilling and entertaining thing one can spend their time doing. What if you made this experience a little more fun for your customers? Think about allowing each customer a chance to win a discount or free service. All you have to do is make snowflakes with different savings amounts written on them (including a free one) and either tape them somewhere in your service drive or put them in a jar for customers to draw. There are so many simple ways for you to turn the pain of vehicle service maintenance into a fun experience.

Offer Conveniences
As the weather turns colder, there are certain things that Americans like to do, such as hibernate indoors, drink hot chocolate, and warm up next to a hot fire. Think about how you can make servicing a vehicle easier for your customers as the colder weather sets in. You could offer to pick up and drop off their vehicle so they don’t have to venture out into the cold or provide premium hot beverages and treats in your Service Department’s waiting area. The possibilities for offering convenience options to your customers is endless, so put a twist on it and make it your own.

If you’re looking to drive traffic and revenue to your Service Department before the end of the year, now is the time. Leverage the colder weather ahead to increase service visit frequency and dollars spent per RO with your customers.

This year is quickly coming to a close, which means it’s time to start planning your end-of-the-year marketing. Throughout November and December, OneCommand will be providing you weekly campaign ideas to drive your end-of-the-year sales and service traffic and revenue. This week is all about Thanksgiving marketing and how to demonstrate your thanks; here are three ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Go Social
Chances are your dealership already has a social media presence of some kind, be it a Facebook, Google+, or Twitter page. Leverage your social pages to say thanks to customers. Take pics of customers who come in for maintenance work in your Service Department or of customers who just purchased a vehicle from your store. Then, post these pics on your social media channel of choice as a month long Give Thanks campaign. This is a great way to show off your customers and make them feel special while promoting your dealership at the same time. Please remember to always ask for your customers’ permission before posting their pics on social media.

Start Collecting
Another way to promote your dealership while giving thanks is by getting involved in your community. Pick a local charitable organization and work with them to decide what their needs are and how you can best help. Think about organizations like local food pantries, little league sports teams, or school districts. Giving back to your community is a great way to show your customers that you are an active member and it will set you apart from your competitors.

Say Thanks
Probably the easiest and most powerful way to demonstrate your appreciation is just by saying “thank you” to customers for their continued business. There are several ways to convey a heartfelt thank you to customers, but sending a simple note can go a long way in building customer loyalty. This message can come in the form of an email or direct mail campaign to each customer who has visited your store in the past 12 months. If you feel so inclined, you could include an offer or gift card to customers to further demonstrate your thanks and appreciation.

The Thanksgiving holiday is just around the corner, so now is the time to get your marketing started to demonstrate your thanks. Be sure to stay tuned all month long for more end of the year marketing ideas.

It’s no secret that consumers are inundated by advertising. They are bombarded from all angles without any way to escape. In fact, consumers are becoming numb and only have subliminal or subconscious recognition of the everyday advertising targeted towards them. In addition to trying to stand out among the overwhelming number of ads, marketers are challenged with how to best get the prospective customer’s information to execute meaningful follow-up. These tasks become daunting for even the most experienced marketers, let alone small business owners struggling to promote their brand in the marketplace.

So what’s the answer? If you’re like most marketers, there are three deliverables to obtain when putting together an advertising strategy:

1. Measure return on investment
2. Target an audience capable of purchasing your product
3. Collect leads with actionable data

With so many different types of advertisements and platforms, how do you know which one to choose for your business? Good news! Facebook has recently released a new ad format which is measurable, targeted, and actionable so you return real results.

Lead Ads by Facebook
Facebook released lead ads with the purpose of making the input of information simpler for consumers and driving more quality prospects with actionable data to the advertiser. These ads are great for mobile Facebook users since data entry is exponentially more tedious on a mobile device. It only takes the consumer two taps to submit a form, making it easier than ever to capture prospective customer’s information.

Lead Ads at Work
When a user clicks on a lead ad, a form opens for the consumer with prefilled information from their Facebook profile. At this point, the consumer can click submit and the lead is sent to the Facebook page admin where it is available for download, or the consumer has the ability to edit their contact information before submitting the form. The leads sent to the Facebook page admin are listed in association with the lead ad so you’ll know what interested that specific individual. Note: the consumer’s information can only be used in accordance with your privacy policy and is restricted from resale.

Know the Negatives of Lead Ads
Just like any advertising, there are always positives and negatives. For most marketers, price is usually the biggest downside when dealing with advertising, but Facebook’s lead ads are affordable, plus you can set your own daily budget. However, you know the old saying; if it seems too good to be true, it probably is… and this case there are two drawbacks to lead ads.

1. Lead ads don’t direct consumers to your website, so you get no click-through value.
2. Lead information is sent and downloaded by the Facebook page admin, so it’s hard to provide immediate response to entered leads.

Although you’d probably agree that neither of these negatives are deal breakers, they are still worth mentioning and something you should be aware of.

Get Your Lead Ads Started Today
Every day marketers struggle to put together meaningful advertising pieces that represent their brand, get consumers’ attention, return real actionable results, and measurable ROI. Although there are a couple negatives to Facebook lead ads, they are a great option for marketers to connect with potential prospects and get creative with your advertisements.

How are you recapturing customers who have not returned to your dealership for service work? Are you communicating with customers who purchased from you but have gone elsewhere to service their vehicle? What type of incentives and messaging are you providing to these segments of customers to entice them to visit your Service Department? If you’re like most dealers, you’re losing customers every day to aftermarket service facilities for a variety of reasons; they think your dealership is more expensive or it takes too long to complete service work. Even with these misconceptions about having service work performed at your dealership, you can reach out and combat these assumptions with creative lost soul marketing.

Offer Competitive Pricing
One of the biggest fallacies about dealerships is that they are more expensive than aftermarket service facilities. To combat this misunderstanding, make sure you research your local aftermarket competitors to ensure your pricing is in line and then tout your competitive pricing, as well as advertise that your factory trained technicians are using certified OEM parts that are made specifically for your customer’s vehicle. Also, show your customers a side-by-side comparison of everyday services so they begin to realize servicing at an aftermarket is not less expensive and often times more costly.

Offer Convenience Options
There are several ways you can demonstrate to customers that servicing at your dealership doesn’t mean it will be a hassle. If you have the ability to do it, offer an express service in 45 minutes; this probably won’t apply to every service you offer but it could work for most minor services. Also, think about offering a free pick up and drop off shuttle for customers. Lastly, you can really step up your competitive advantage and allow customers to stop by without an appointment to have service work performed. These types of processes within the dealership demonstrate to customers that your Service Department is just as easy, if not easier, to work with than an aftermarket service facility.

Some of these ideas won’t work for every dealership but if they are an option for you, try implementing them now or put your own spin on some of these ideas to draw more customers back to your Service Department. Additionally, don’t forget to market these changes to customers so they’re aware and can begin using them.

You may have noticed Halloween and fall decorations adorning your favorite retail stores or maybe you’ve seen the random Halloween outlet stores popping up in shopping centers near you. With the excitement building around this much anticipated holiday, you may want to get in on the fun.

Halloween is the time of year for goblins and ghouls, but it’s also a time to get creative. Demonstrate your creative side to customers and prospects with one of these Halloween marketing ideas.

Host a Costume Contest
People who spend money and time on their Halloween costumes want to show them off, that’s why hosting a Halloween costume contest is a great way to bring top-of-mind awareness to your dealership. You could run a traditional contest and incentivize people to dress up and come to your dealership, or you could take a simpler approach and host the costume contest on your social media channels. Leveraging social media for your contest improves your dealership’s online reputation, reach, and engagement, plus you don’t have to go to the trouble of hosting an event at your dealership.

Once you’ve determined which social media channel you’ll use to host your contest, be sure to promote it everywhere, like your digital and print marketing, your website, and your complementing social media platforms. Be sure in your communications to reference how winners will be awarded and what the winners will receive. You’ll want to make sure the prizes are worth talking about to gain excitement and reach for your campaign.

Host a Trunk or Treat
Now-a-days many families take their children to Halloween events long before October 31^st. In fact, some trick or treat events happen as early as September. The kids (and grown-ups) get extra candy and more than one wear out of their Halloween costumes. Think about hosting a trunk or treat event at your dealership. This is a great way to drive brand awareness, foot traffic, and fun to your dealership.

All you’ll need to do is buy a bunch of candy, decorate your dealership for the Halloween festivities, and communicate with customers, prospects, and members of your community. Then, have your staff and 2015/2016 lineup strategically stationed around your lot so the kids get the perks of the candy and the parents get to see your newest models.

Halloween is a great time of year to get outside the box with your marketing. This year, get creative with your marketing to drive more business to your dealership.

For many Americans, October marks the beginning of fall. For some of the country, the leaves have already started to change and the weather is getting cooler, but for the automotive industry, October is known as Fall Car Care Month.

The month of October presents the perfect opportunity for Service Departments everywhere to increase traffic by reaching out to customers about needed fall maintenance. Most dealerships will be offering tips and savings to drive people into their service drives and this type of marketing is a great idea and probably much needed.

But, what if you did something a little different this year? What if you decided to get really creative with your fall car care marketing? Instead of just delivering tips and savings to customers, what if you hosted targeted events at your dealership? Check out these two event ideas to promote fall car care by getting creative.

Host a DIY New Owner’s Clinic
This year think about hosting a DIY event in your Service Department. Invite customers who have recently bought a vehicle from you and may or may not have visited your service drive yet. Have a technician, or two, on hand to demonstrate simple DIY services that the customers can complete on their own, such as changing windshield wipers, checking tire inflation, inspecting hoses, or checking engine fluids.

This type of event will not only educate your customers and teach them about their newly bought vehicle, but it will also introduce them to your Service Department staff. This type of targeted event will get these new customers comfortable with your service team to ensure they come back to you for future vehicle needs.

Host a Vehicle Check Up Event
The National Car Care Council encourages service facilities to host vehicle checkup events for their communities. If your dealership decides to host an event like this, you can register with the national website and leverage the free promotions, tools, and resources available at http://www.carcare.org/industry-participants/host-an-event/. All you’ll need for an event like this is to communicate with current and prospective customers to generate participants, set up a clearly identified and designated drive-thru lane, and create a checklist for your technicians so all wear indicators are clearly checked and a completed list is returned to the participants. If you want, you can offer free maintenance brochures, refreshments, entertainment, and more. The list goes on and on.

Now is the time to put together your October fall car care marketing! If you’re looking to put a spin on your marketing and go for something a little different, try out one of these event ideas and remember to get creative.

It’s hard to believe, but it’s time to start planning your end-of-the-year marketing. As we roll into the holiday season, many dealerships are thinking about how they will increase their end-of-the-year revenue and move more vehicles off their lot. However, many consumers are deciding where they’ll buy their next vehicle in the coming year, or if they’ll be going back to the same dealership for future service work on their current vehicle. The end of the year is the perfect time to communicate with existing customers, build brand loyalty, and keep them coming back to you for their vehicle needs. Today, we’ll share four tips to help you harvest your database, deliver a meaningful message to your customers, and ensure you’re their dealer of choice.

Target the Right Customers
First things first, you’ll need to decide which customers you’ll target with your end-of-the-year marketing. If your goal is to keep customers loyal to your dealership throughout 2015 and into 2016, then you’ll want to start by identifying who your most loyal customers are. We’d recommend including anyone who has purchased more than one vehicle from your store in their lifetime, or had their vehicle serviced at your dealership one or more times in the past 12 months. These customers are considered active and are more likely to see your holiday marketing as goodwill and keep you as their preferred dealership.

Determine Your Delivery Method
In almost every instance, you’ll want to deliver marketing messages in the most cost-effective manner, mostly because you’re looking to drive traffic and usually volume marketing means more feet on your lot.  Your end-of-the-year marketing is a time to think a little differently by spending a little more per piece and targeting the right audience. By doing this, you’ll reap the rewards of getting in front of your most loyal customers. These customers already know your dealership and are loyal to your brand, so spending more to keep them coming back will reap a big payoff. Think about delivering a nice direct mail campaign; don’t send another tri-fold or a flashy sales piece with a list of incentives and specials, but a nice holiday card that demonstrates your commitment to your customers and generates additional brand loyalty.

Get Creative with Messaging
The truth is car dealerships get a bad rap. They’re known for taking too long to sell and service a vehicle, weaseling people out of money, and I’m sure you can add a few more to the list. But the reality is, car dealerships are just like every other franchised retail store in America. They care about their customers, they want them to come back, and yes, they want to make money. Let your holiday marketing be an opportunity to put a face to your dealership, demonstrate your appreciation for their business, and show your humanistic side. Don’t solicit their business, but ask them to return to your store in the coming year. Be sure to also thank them for their patronage and wish them well in the new year.

Deliver On Time
Something you’ll want to keep in mind is the timing of your message. The holiday season is typically hectic for many Americans, so you need to make sure your holiday cards reach your most loyal customers at exactly the right time. Typically holiday cards should arrive in mailboxes between Thanksgiving and Christmas. If your holiday greeting cards don’t make it to your customers in a timely manner, they will not be received as a sincere thought, and you’ll have missed your opportunity to score extra points in the loyalty department.

It may be hard to put yourself into holiday mode so far in advance, but if you’re going to leverage this end-of-the-year strategy, harvest your database, and deliver a meaningful message to your customers, you need to get started now. Holiday cards are a great way to demonstrate your appreciation for your customers’ business, strengthen their affinity for your dealership, create top-of-mind awareness, and make a lasting impression on your customers as we head into the new year. Stop stalling; don’t wait another day. Start planning your holiday marketing strategy today!

All month long we’ve been focused on mining your dealership’s most valuable asset, your database, and this week is no different. Let’s take this opportunity to concentrate on driving qualified, ready-to-buy customers to your showroom. How you ask? Here are three ways to harvest your database to find additional sales this month.

Look for Customers to Upgrade
Everyone who has ever bought a new vehicle loves it for at least the first three years, but by year five, they start to get the new car itch. Especially because the newer models have come out with new enhancements, body styles, and technology. Look into your database and find customers who purchased a vehicle from you five or more years ago and who have visited your Service Department in the past year. This will help you target vehicles professionally maintained at your store.

Trade In, Trade Up
Another great segment of customers to harvest out of your database are people who bought a vehicle from you and are now in a favorable equity position. Most of these customers don’t even realize they have built up equity in their vehicle and some don’t even know what equity means. These customers are perfect to target and entice with a new vehicle, especially because many times your sales team can get them into a new vehicle for the same monthly payment or less.

Contact Lease Terminations
We all know once someone’s lease expires they have to return the vehicle, but from where will they get their next vehicle? Customers who have leases expiring soon are a great group to harvest from your database because you already know they’re going to need a new vehicle. If you have an early termination program, be sure to communicate the details to this group of customers and also promote any current lease specials your dealership is offering.

The truth is, your database is full of opportunity, and all you need to do is find it. Delivering on any of the three strategies mentioned in this post will help your dealership bring additional sales by the end of the month.