Multitasking shoppers are complex car buyers, and therefore, difficult to attract for car dealers. The thing is, the vast majority of your automotive shoppers are multitaskers. How do you sell cars to people juggling their time and attention?
In an effort to help your car business boom in the era of always-on consumers, we created a three-part series of automotive marketing tips to help you win over multitasking shoppers. Part 1 focused on how to win over multitasking shoppers online. Part 2 will focus on ideas for dealership promotions to entice multitaskers to drop the million things they're doing and drive to your dealership.
Increase Dealership Traffic with Dealership Promotions
Oil Change Buddies
No one likes going to the Service Department alone. To appeal to the busy socialite and bring in more fixed ops business for your store, I recommend trying out a promotion in your marketing emails or on social media called, “Friend Day.” Tell your customers that if they bring a friend with them to get an oil change, they get half off their service. Or maybe both the customer AND their friend get half off.
Everyone wants to help a friend out and make time to hang out with them at the same time. Your dealership can help them do both by offering this type of oil change special!
Test Drive Buddies
You can use the “Friend Day” dealership promotions for your Sales Department as well. Just offer to provide both your shopper and their friend a gift card for coming by to test drive a vehicle.
This promotion can be very beneficial to your sales strategy because friends are great influencers. They can help each other determine what vehicle they should buy. What better way to bring them both into the decision-making process than by incentivizing them to come to the dealership together?
Ideas for the gift card:
- Local restaurants
- Popular or local retail stores
- Tickets to concerts or sports teams
- Movie tickets
- Gas station gift cards
Provide Unique Service Amenities for Multitaskers
Offering free WiFi and snacks for the busy worker is pretty mainstream in dealership Service Departments these days. To stand out from the competition, your dealership needs to take it up a notch by offering unique amenities.
Here are a few examples to inspire the creative and competitor in you:
- Longo Toyota offers free Wifi AND provides iPads for customers to use while they wait. They also have a Subway and a Starbucks on their property, so customers can choose between a latte or sandwich. Being able to grab lunch while getting an oil change is a multitasker's dream!
- DCH Honda of Temecula offers complimentary manicures every Wednesday and Thursday for the busy people who want to get dazzled up while getting their tire fixed. They also provide a kid’s lounge to keep the little ones occupied so working parents can be productive while they wait.
- Island Lincoln provides a full gym area with weights and cardio equipment for the health-conscious multitaskers who need to have their vehicles serviced but don’t want it to interrupt their typical workout routine.
These amenities can incentivize shoppers who never feel like they have enough time to get errands done during lunch hour...like actually eating lunch!
Looking for more digital marketing tips for your Service and Parts department? Check out our FREE eBook: The Repair Order for Your Dealership’s Fixed Ops Strategy.
If any of these ideas inspire you to offer dealership promotions and unique amenities, don't forget to talk about them. Put it on your website, make sure your chat team mentions it, share pics and videos on social media, etc. It's perfectly okay to toot your own horn from time to time!
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Editor's Note: This post was originally published in January 2015 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
