A recent report regarding the European automotive market revealed that all segments in the automotive sector are predicted to increase in volume. Similarly, another study conducted by the Auto Alliance identified that the automotive sector is at the forefront of innovation in the US. Besides this, out of the $105 billion being spent on research and development globally, around one-fifth of it is spent in the US.
It is a well-known fact that the automotive sector is intensely competitive, with many businesses entering the market every day. This means that to take your automotive business to the next level, you need to revamp your marketing plan.
Not sure how to go about it? Here are a few expert tips that can help your automotive business outshine and stand out from the other players in the market:
Tip #1 Tailor Your Marketing Strategy Based on Your Business Needs
Some people believe that any marketing strategy can do wonders for your automotive business, but that is certainly not the case!
Every automotive business is unique and caters to a different type of audience. Therefore your marketing tactics should be tailored accordingly. This is because, in today’s highly competitive and rapidly evolving markets, one-size marketing can turn down your audience, thereby hurting your brand image and sales growth.
For example, if you are an automotive business dealing in luxury cars, then your marketing strategy should be completely different from the marketing plan of a business that specializes in small-utility vehicles.
So, if you’re looking to take your automotive business to the next level, one of the first steps is to tailor your marketing strategy based on the needs of your audience.
For example, Porsche introduced a campaign that offered a VR experience so that the customers could experience the new Panamera 4 e-hybrid and its features. This marketing campaign resulted in outstanding results, with 2.2 times more virtual test drives compared to the actual ones from the US 188 dealerships.
Tip #2 Leverage Paid Advertising
It is no surprise that the growing popularity of digital marketing has encouraged many businesses to try and experiment with paid advertising to achieve their brand awareness and lead generation goals.
Likewise, even in the automotive sector, according to past studies, the search is the most commonly used tool by people when they are buying a car. Similarly, another research by the eMarketer revealed that digital ad spending in the US automotive industry is constantly on the rise.
Therefore, if you’re looking to expand sales of your automotive business, you should invest in paid ads for reaching out to your target audience. However, it is critical to note that your ads should include the following:
- Highlight the benefits of the car, such as lifetime fuel savings.
- Customize your ads in a way that they appeal to your audience.
- Don’t forget to bid on competitive terms.
- Add image extensions for showcasing the latest or popular car models.
- Make sure your landing pages are descriptive, relevant, and engaging at the same time.
Tip #3 Unlock the Power of Social Media Marketing
A study conducted by Adobe’s State of Digital Advertising identified that around 42 percent of Millennials and 50 percent of Generation Z consider social media as the most relevant ad channel. Similarly, another research revealed that people spend around an average of 2 hours and 3 minutes on social media every day in the US.
This means that regardless of which industry your business operates in, social media marketing is a compelling way of effectively reaching out to your target audience and achieving skyrocketing sales.
Besides this, due to the shift from tradition to digital means of marketing, automotive social media marketing has gained a lot of popularity. And that’s why according to a past study, 49 percent of people share auto-related content with their friends on social media.
All said and done, many automotive businesses consider running social media ads a tricky feat because of the technicalities and high budget involved.
Are you, too, wondering how to leverage social media marketing effectively for marketing your automotive business successfully? Don’t worry, we have your back! Below are a few simple yet amazing ways that can help achieve promising results:
- The first and foremost step is to select the right kind of social media ads, such as image or video ones, so that they can engage and inform your audience at the same time.
- Make sure the CTA buttons of your social media ads are clear enough to guide your audience well.
- You can also leverage location-based targeting if your intended audience resides in different parts of the world.
- One of the best practices is to promote customer reviews or success stories to establish brand credibility among the prospects.
- You can also consider hiring an automotive expert to help you run successful social media marketing campaigns and take your lead generation game to the next level.
Tip #4 Educate Your Customer
If you’re running an automotive business, you would know that your customers are hungry for information because you can’t just buy a car every month. This is because such high-involvement purchases require a considerable amount of money and effort.
So, if you want to make your business stand out from every other automotive business operating in the market, you should provide relevant information to your audience. For example, give your prospects details regarding preventive maintenance, good driving habits, extending the car’s life, etc. This will not just help you establish trust and build a positive brand image but will help your automotive business form lasting relationships with your target audience.
Tip #5 Don’t Ever Over Sell
Last but most important one, one of the best practices for building a positive image of your automotive business is to avoid overselling any added car services. This is because your pushy or salesy attitude might turn away your customers altogether.
Apart from this, overselling might also annoy your prospects to the extent that they might recommend their friends and family to avoid visiting your showroom or outlet. So, the best way out is to provide your customers with the information that they require only and let them decide accordingly.
The Final Words
In a nutshell, it is crucial to note that winning the hearts of your target audience isn’t a piece of cake, especially when your audience is a lot more informed and aware. For this reason, you should pay extra attention to your digital marketing strategy for taking your automotive business to the next level.
So, sit back and relax, and experiment with the above-mentioned tips and tricks for improving your automotive business operations by several folds.
