Dealerships today spend most of their marketing budgets on acquiring new customers. Those ads in the newspapers aren’t really meant for current of past customers, they are meant to attract new customers. The cost of customer acquisition ranges from 6 to 10 times more than the cost of customer retention, so what can your dealership do to increase[…]
Segmentation of DMS data can be defined as the process of dividing up your customer data into specific groups for the purpose of defining a more precise behavioral profile that will lead to a predisposition or higher purchase rate for a specific offering. Data Segmentation is when you break your customer base into groups and identify generally[…]
In today’s world of constant noise, it’s more difficult than ever to market your dealership. Dealers are constantly trying to guess where the best ROI is when considering how to spend marketing dollars. How much money do I invest in traditional marketing? Online marketing? Direct mail marketing? The rep from each medium will tell you that[…]
Over the past few years numerous new marketing companies have emerged as a solution for dealers’ digital and print marketing needs. Some of these new entities specialize in SEO, some will write your social medial posts and some will manage your online dealer reputation. Yet the largest growth is seen in companies that go after[…]
Putting the customer at the heart of the business is the central tenet of marketing. In order to do this, a company must ensure that the voice of the customer is integral to the company strategy, and that the customer is considered, not just by customer-facing staff and departments, but at boardroom level. The evidence[…]
As I mentioned in part two of this series, many DMS providers make it difficult for dealers to download their customer database. In some cases, it’s because there are control issues arising between dealers and their DMS (or CRM) as to who actually owns this data. Another issue can be that a provider fears their[…]
Can efforts to capture customer loyalty be thwarted by employee loyalty? Evidence gathered from top retail groups, including auto dealerships, indicates that employee loyalty directly affects customer loyalty and thus business results. Dealer operators and their managers do their business, their stakeholders and their shareholders disservice when they fail to foster, develop and reward employee engagement. Get this[…]
In part one of this series, I discussed the importance of dealerships using their data effectively in marketing and how, when done properly, it can increase vehicle and service sales while improving customer loyalty. Now I’d like to discuss why a great majority of dealers aren’t already using their data to its full potential. I[…]
This blog is the first in a series I plan based around how to better use dealer data in marketing to customers. There is a reason that ‘Big Data’ has been a hot topic in the automotive industry for the last few years. Many retailers in other industries are using it quite successfully to target[…]
When did you last share with someone important why you enjoy him or her? We’re fast to convey disappointment or dissatisfaction with others, but uplifting the attributes in them we like feels rather strange. Yet when it comes to building loyalty, whether in customers, coworkers or family members, nothing will engage their attention – and draw[…]