In Australia’s highly competitive Automotive industry, driving foot traffic to your car dealership is vital for maintaining consistent car sales. With more Australians browsing online before choosing to visit a car dealership, it's vital to have a multi-faceted marketing strategy that combines both digital and in-person approaches.
EasyCars has put together the complete guide that explores different ways that your dealership can increase foot traffic, build trust with potential customers and most importantly close sales.
Let’s get into it!
1. Enhance Your Digital Presence
95% of Australian car buyers start their search online instead of at a dealership. The first key to increasing foot traffic at your used car dealership is having your own optimised, user-friendly dealership website that highlights the cars you have for sale, your promotions and services.
Focus on:
- Optimised Website Design: Your dealership website should be easy to use and navigate. You should have clear call to actions, fast loading times and most importantly be mobile friendly. Ensure that your car listings are detailed with high quality images, descriptions and clear pricing.
- Search Engine Optimisation (SEO): To help your dealership website rank high on search engines it is important to implement an SEO strategy. You need to ensure that your website includes high searched keywords that your target market are searching for. Think about adding a blog and update it regularly with relevant automotive content to help boost keyword total and overall website visibility.
- Google My Business Listing: To ensure that your dealership appears in local customer searches it is important that you have a Google My Business listing. On your GMB listing make sure to include your dealership’s name, address, and phone number. When you sell cars, encourage your customers to leave positive reviews on your Google My Business profile, this will significantly help improve your ranking in local dealership searches.
2. Use Social Media Platforms
Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are two of the most powerful tools for driving foot traffic and lead generation for your car dealership. Ensure your dealership has a business page and has an active presence on both platforms.
Be sure to:
- Be Active: Try to post weekly on your social media channels. Some things that you can post about is different promotions that you may be running, new cars that you have for sale and even past customer testimonials.
- Facebook Automotive Inventory Ads: Think about using Facebook automotive inventory ads to showcase your car listings. Facebook AIAs are automated advertisements that showcase your dealerships cars to buyers that live within a local radius to your dealership.
- Social Media Contests: Think about running social media contests like giveaways. This can be an offer or saving in return for a user sharing your dealerships posts or tagging friends. Doing this will boost your visibility and reach new potential customers, increasing the chances they will visit your dealership.
3. Invest in Local Advertising
While online marketing is crucial, don't overlook the value of traditional advertising for reaching car buyers that live in close proximity to your dealership. Some proven traditional marketing strategies that many dealerships have had strong success with include billboards, radio ads, and local newspapers.
- Billboards and Local Ads: Placing billboards or print ads in high-traffic areas that are close to your dealership can create instant awareness about your dealership.
- Radio and Television Advertising: Local radio and TV stations are still an excellent way to reach those car buyers who may not be as active online.
4. Build Relationships with Local Businesses and Communities
Another proven way of boosting foot traffic to car dealerships is networking with other local businesses. Think about forming partnerships with successful local businesses where you offer their customers an incentive to attend your dealership.
Consider the following:
- Partnerships with Local Businesses: Partner with nearby businesses such as cafés or even mechanical workshops to offer co-branded promotions. For example, offering a discount at a local café or restaurant for customers who visit your dealership could be a win-win situation for both parties.
- Sponsorship of Local Events: To build credibility in your local community another great strategy is to sponsor local sports teams, charity events, or festivals. Not only does this help raise brand awareness, but it also positions your dealership as a community-driven business that people want to support.
5. Improve Your Customer Experience
The best form of marketing is word-of-mouth and referrals. Offering the best customer service often can and will lead to them referring their friends and family to purchase from your dealership.
Here’s how your dealership can offer the best customer experience:
- Streamline the Buying Process: Make the car-buying process as smooth and stress-free as possible. Offer online options for browsing inventory, getting price quotes, and scheduling test drives. The easier it is for customers to interact with your dealership, the more likely they are to come in.
- After-Sales Service: Always try to go beyond the initial car purchase, think about offering after sale services such as service or maintenance packages to get customers back to your dealership time and time again. Happy customers are more likely to return and recommend your dealership to others.
Final Word
Driving foot traffic to your car dealership requires a combination of digital and offline strategies. The 6 strategies presented in this piece are proven ways that car dealerships can increase foot traffic and ultimately close more sales.
DISCLAIMER – The content within this blog does not constitute professional advice and is intended to be general in nature. Please consult with all relevant parties prior to making any decision.
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About EasyCars,
EasyCars by Jeal is an Australian, web-based, dealer management system that automates the buying and selling of motor vehicles. Using the latest technologies, EasyCars removes frustrations experienced at the dealership and opens your doors for greater growth.
EasyCars features include Simple Stock Management, Automated Advertising, Integrated Accounting, Government Compliance, Business Reporting, Facebook Automotive Inventory Ads, Reviews Management, Dealership Websites and more.
To learn more about EasyCars Dealer Management System or to arrange a no-obligation free demo, contact us today on 1300 473 744 or submit the form below.