The business of selling cars is always changing as new technologies alter the way consumers shop for everything from shoes to cars to houses. But one thing about the industry hasn’t changed, and it’s the eternal question: “How do I generate leads?” There is no single answer, but here are some of the better pieces of advice industry experts provide.
#1 Value
Useful content is the most valuable thing you can offer prospective clients. Typically, a website will offer a white paper or a document with useful industry tips in exchange for contact information. This is can be a lead generating workhorse, but in order for it to succeed, it has to be something worthwhile. For the auto industry, consider some of these ideas:
- Care and maintenance tips for your new car
- How to talk to salespeople at the dealership
- A guide to comparing the latest models
#2 Social Media
Once you have value-added content in place to hook web traffic, it’s time to lure them. Introduce “like” and “share” buttons that allow your customers to quickly and easily share their satisfaction with your service on Facebook and Twitter. This is what word of mouth looks like in the digital era. If you have a creative bent, don’t hesitate to try your hand at a viral video – something entertaining that will send people to your site.
#3 Online Marketing
Another way to drive traffic to your website is an online marketing strategy. A smart, holistic strategy combines SEM, Pay-per-click, and SEO strategies to lead search engine users to your dealership.
#4 Live Chat
Value added content isn’t the only, or even the best way to generate leads, though it’s a good start. A more effective tool for generating qualified leads is a live chat service. In case you’re not sure what this is, check out Gubagoo.com/products/chatsmart.html first to find an example of the service and learn about what it can do. After spending all that time and money driving traffic to your website, you need a way to capitalize on it. A live chat window makes it easy for your visitors to ask questions any time of the day or night. When you use a company like Gubagoo, chat liaisons are available 24/7 – not just to answer questions, but also to push your dealership’s inventory and book appointments. The difference between a value-added document and a live chat window is whether or not the lead is qualified. Live chat liaisons such as those with Gubagoo are capable of finding out more about the visitor, such as how much money they have to spend and what their time frame looks like.
#5 Community Events
Don’t discount good old fashioned community events – as much as digital is the new locus of effective marketing, community events hosted at your physical dealership are always great ways to build goodwill in your neighbourhood. Have a big barbecue with burgers and dogs on one of those hot August weekends for everyone stuck in the city. This dealership in the Maritimes hosted a live band for a local music week and called it a “kitchen party,” a popular local custom. Consider connecting with a local festival and pulling off a similar kind of party unique to your region or state that will catch people’s attention.
