Auto Dealer Monthly, August 2016

AUGUST 2016 AUTODEALERMONTHLY COM 15 chase lifecycle by considering key points at which they may experience a need your business can fulfill Look at the times when existing customers make contact with your dealership such as service appointments lease expiration and vehicle trade ins and plan to reach out at those times 2 Deliver timely messages Driving engagement loyalty and sales isnt just about developing relevant content its also about getting the timing right Delivering postdelivery or post service messages is a great opportunity to show customers you care about their experience sowing the seeds for repeat business 3 Think beyond sales Customer information in your database may indicate an interest in communication beyond sales which can go a long way toward building loyalty and preference for your business if properly targeted For example if a customer has attended a charity event your dealership sponsored in the past be sure to send them targeted messages informing them of similar events like a charity test drive event in the future 4 Leverage third party data Your campaigns can gain an edge if you combine your own data with information from outside sources to target specific segments of your clientele For example a marketing automation platform might enable you to create conquesting campaigns for in market shoppers Using data such as ZIP code the age of customers existing vehicles and buying history you could deliver targeted emails featuring promotions for a selection of vehicles your customers are likely to be interested in Leveraging data using a marketing automation platform has great potential to deliver a range of valuable business benefits Because customers will be more likely to open and read your emails youll have greater opportunity to drive sales Over time your customers will become accustomed to receiving your communications and taking advantage of relevant offers building interest in your dealership over competitors Last but not least marketing automation helps solve attribution problems with email links and personal URLs giving you a much stronger understanding of campaign ROI In this new world of data driven digital marketing were only just beginning to discover whats possible when we have the opportunity to get to know our customers better than ever before Troy Smith is president of Search Optics a global digital marketing provider with expertise in integrated dealer OEM campaigns Email him at troy smith@ bobit com ISTOCKPHOTO COM DIGTIALSTORM