Quality Local Advertising Tips for Car Dealerships
There are a number of businesses who target much or even all of their advertising at local clients, and a great example here is auto dealerships. Because so much of their business comes from people who live in their area, auto dealerships will typically be heavily involved in the local marketing space across several spheres as they look to market their companies.
What are some of the best ways you should be looking to raise local awareness of your car dealership? Let's look into several quality methods.
Forms of Physical Advertising
While we'll get into several digital concepts to consider for local marketing in just a bit, many of the top options available in this realm are physical in nature. Here are some basic examples:
Car signs: You'll want to make sure that your dealership is well-represented on the roads in and around your city. This means having plenty of car signs to put up on vehicles that you're selling, as well as any company cars or trucks that are driven by employees. These will be seen by a great many potential customers, and so long as they're high quality and attention-grabbing, they can be quite effective.
Custom car magnets: The use of fully custom car magnets that highlight your dealership and its qualities, especially from high-quality sources, can be a great way to get people interested. You can find some quality options for car magnets at sites like this one: www.signspecialist.com/car-magnets.htm
Billboards: If you want to go big with your local advertising, then billboards are an excellent option to consider. These will be seen by thousands of people every day, and so long as they're well-designed, they can be a great way to turn heads and get people interested in your dealership.
Signs near or around your business: Of course, you'll also want to make sure that your dealership is well-represented in and around its actual location. This means having high-quality signs that are placed strategically to get the most attention.
Flyers and other documents: Finally, don't forget about more old-fashioned methods like flyers and other similar documents. You can still distribute these around town to help increase awareness, and so long as they look good and present a strong case for your dealership, they can be quite effective.
Partner With Other Local Businesses
Within the auto industry, partnerships are a very common and often effective way to help increase brand awareness and drive more business. You can look into partnering with other local businesses in a number of ways. For example, you might:
Co-sponsor an event: If there's a local event that's relevant to your dealership, then co-sponsoring it can be a great way to get your name out there. This could be anything from a charity event to a car show.
Partner with a service provider: There are likely a number of businesses in your area that provide services that complement what you do at your dealership. For example, you might partner with a local auto body shop or mechanic.
Do some cross-promotion: Finally, you can also look into doing some cross-promotion with other local businesses. This could involve things like putting their flyers in your dealership or vice versa.
Claiming Online Business Listings
Moving to the digital side of things, the online realm plays a big role in how you market any local business, including an auto dealership. One of the first steps you'll want to take here is claiming all of the online business listings that are relevant to your company. These can include sites like Google My Business, Yelp, and more.
Not only will this help you to get your dealership's name and information out there, but it also gives you some control over how you're represented on these platforms. Make sure to fill out all fields completely and accurately, and consider adding photos, videos, and other relevant content to help people learn more about your dealership.
You might be surprised at just how many local clients head to these listings when they're looking for information on businesses in their area, so it definitely pays to make sure that your dealership is well-represented here.
Developing a Strong Social Media Presence
Another big digital element to consider is social media marketing. In today's day and age, nearly everyone is active on at least one social media platform, which means that this is a great way to reach out to potential customers in your area.
When it comes to social media marketing for auto dealerships, there are a few key platforms you'll want to focus on. These include:
Facebook: Facebook is still the most popular social media platform by a wide margin, and so it's definitely worth having a strong presence here. Make sure to post relevant and engaging content on a regular basis, and take advantage of Facebook's various advertising options to reach even more people in your area.
Twitter: Twitter can be a great platform for auto dealerships, especially if you're able to post timely content that ties into current events. This is a fast-paced platform, so you'll need to be on top of things, but it can be a great way to reach out to potential customers.
Instagram: Instagram is another excellent platform for auto dealerships, especially if you have access to high-quality photos and videos. This is a very visual platform, so make sure that your content is up to par if you want to attract attention here.
Developing a strong social media presence across these and other platforms can be a great way to connect with potential customers in your area, so it's definitely worth putting some time and effort into your social media marketing strategy.
Respond to Reviews Regularly
Another digital concept that applies directly to auto dealerships is the importance of responding to reviews. These days, potential customers will often head to sites like Google and Yelp to read reviews before deciding whether or not to do business with a particular company.
This means that it's crucial for auto dealerships to regularly check for and respond to reviews, both positive and negative. If you see a positive review, take the time to thank the customer for their business. If you see a negative review, try to reach out and resolve the issue.
Of course, you can't please everyone all of the time, but by responding to reviews thoughtfully and professionally, you can show potential customers that you're committed to providing a good experience. This can go a long way in attracting new business.
As you can see, there are a number of different digital marketing strategies that can be effective for auto dealerships. By taking the time to implement these concepts, you can reach out to more potential customers in your area and grow your business. Thanks for reading!
