Cars might seem like one of those items that should be relatively easy to market. After all, they are something almost every adult needs to purchase multiple times throughout their life. Despite this, local car dealerships can sometimes struggle to stay visible in a competitive marketplace and to keep sales numbers growing. There are a few ways to improve sales at a local car dealership.
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1- Make the Dealership Findable
Local businesses can sometimes struggle for visibility, as any business owner who has had a customer say something along the lines of “I didn’t even know you were here” can attest. Make sure you have a strong online presence so that you are at or near the top of search results. Joining the local chamber of commerce can help boost your visibility as well.
2- Position the Dealership in the Community
It’s important not just that people know that your dealership exists and where to find you but that they also trust you. This can help push people toward making the purchase from you instead of another dealership in town. Certain types of events can help you get to know your community better. For example, offering a car care workshop can educate your customers and familiarize them with your business.
3- Consider Pricing and Inventory
If people are stopping by your dealership, but too many of them are leaving without making a purchase, you may be charging too much, stocking the wrong vehicles, or both. You can use car comparison sites to see what your customers are seeing and assess whether your prices are the problem. As for inventory, pay attention to what is selling, what your customers are asking for, and even what you’re seeing people drive around town.
4- Incentivize Buying
Give people a reason to buy from you instead of someone else in or out of town. What kinds of incentives are other dealers offering, if any? Try to offer something better. This might be an extended service package or a discount on tires or other items that need replacing. You could also consider partnering with another business in town to offer discounts or gift certificates for some of their services or products. Another way to incentivize buying is to target a specific demographic and offer them something useful. For example, if you live in an area where it’s common for parents to purchase cars for their teenage children, you could offer a free safety or car care workshop to first-time car owners.
5- Start a Loyalty Program
People might not buy cars as often as they buy coffee, but a loyalty program can be useful in the automotive industry as well. There are several different ways to set a program like this up for car dealers. One way is to offer discounts on things such as future purchases or services. The other approach is offering access. This might mean inviting them to members-only sales or offering a special VIP level of service at the dealership.
Increasing sales at a car dealership is about making people aware you exist, getting them in the door, and making the sale. Once you identify at which stage you are losing out on customers, you can determine the strategies that will be most effective for your dealership.