If you work at a dealership or are in dealership marketing, you are without a doubt pummeled daily with vendor marketing emails selling you a dizzying variety of products.
We would know. After all, we’re an automotive managed messaging company that sends some of those emails!
Eventually, you get desensitized and ignore these emails. No hard feelings; it happens. It doesn’t matter if the product is rock solid; being hit with emails daily tends to turn one off from the whole pitch and sell environment, on top of your daily responsibilities.
However, we need to address an underlying problem regarding dealership marketing emails: is the vendor actually tuned to your dealership’s needs? Are their solutions even aligning with your dealership’s issues, or are they just throwing their products at your wall and seeing what sticks?
In the age of the internet and short attention spans: it makes some sense.
It makes some sense to cast their net wide and grab who they can. But there is something to be said about reviewing the current climate of your industry and offering the most appropriate solutions for your current and prospective automotive sales clients.
TLDR: People are tired of bullsh*t. (Yeah, we said it!)
Make “No Bull” a priority when considering a vendor.
WARNING: Self-brag incoming!
Recently, ActivEngage won a marketing award from Earnhardt Auto’s annual No Bull Upfront awards ceremony. Earnhardt Auto has touted a “No Bull” experience since its founding in 1951.
The award in question? Best Pitch/Presentation. We’re honored to receive the award and are thrilled to see that an upfront approach is being championed with a client’s needs in mind.
For some more context, look no further than this quote from the E-Commerce Director for Earnhardt Auto, Michael Ruff:
“A big part of you winning is that you presented beyond us in marketing. You impressed our store managers and us enough that we moved 100% of our stores off another platform and onto yours. I’d say you did that with answers, or should I say solutions! We also decline so many vendors an opportunity to pitch to us because they have a solution to a problem we’re not trying to solve.”
Alright, bragging time is over. But we’re so delighted with these words (and the sentiment in general!)
So much so that we’d like to break down our process when proposing solutions for our dealer clients and highlight how important it is to listen to their needs and offer and develop solutions AFTER said listening is done.
3 Things You Get From a “No Bull” Managed Messaging Provider
We’ve previously touched upon what an excellent managed messaging provider should be, well, providing! Here, we’ll talk about what a worthy vendor, in general, should be bringing to the table when it comes to potential problem-solving and partnerships that make sense with your dealership.
1. Keeps up-to-date on industry trends.
In case you haven’t noticed: we’re in a chip and inventory shortage! This has shaken up the industry and forced dealerships to alter their approach. With no cars to sell, many have purchased customers’ cars and focused on their fixed ops.
We still see dealership managers and marketing staff on LinkedIn reporting tone-deaf vendor marketing efforts focusing solely on selling more cars, even with this unprecedented industry shift. Can you say “read the room”?
When strategizing for prospects, we deep-dive current automotive industry happenings to ensure which of our products is a sensible solution to any current woes (like our concierge online service scheduling.)
2. Provides discovery calls and relationship building.
Sure, you have to cast your net wide in vendor marketing with emails and other promotional materials. But discovery calls are where solutions are found, and relationships are forged. Since we’re all about conversations, we love having them with prospective clients!
A great discovery call/meeting shouldn’t feel “pitchy.” It should be a meeting of problem-solving minds to assess needs, gather information, and find solutions. Additionally, we’re not about round pegs in a square hole; if we aren’t a great fit that will truly benefit you in all the ways you need, we won’t force a good thing!
3. Offers continued support and guidance.
We don’t just sign you up and release you in the wild with our product. A great business relationship, like any relationship, requires continued support and communication to ensure both parties are getting the most out of the arrangement.
ActivEngage has a dedicated support team to onboard, train, and continually check on the client’s experience with the product. When you sign on with us, you’re signing up for a readily available resource to make you the best dealership you can be.
ActivEngage is Your “No Bull” Solution!
Dealerships don't buy products and services from emails; they buy them from people! We’re real people passionate about helping to solve your most pressing problems. Which of our industry-leading digital tools will help your digital dealership be the very best it can be?
- 100% people-powered Managed Messaging
- Concierge online Service Scheduling
- Behavioral Offers & Forms through ActivTarget
- Enhanced leads with DataWise Analytics
- And so much more!
Solving problems and finding solutions is what it’s all about. Let’s work together and see how ActivEngage can be an excellent solution for your dealership. We’re always happy to sit down, have a great conversation, and figure out a plan that meets your needs!
Like Tex Earnhardt says, “That ain’t no bull.”
