It’s a new year, and what does every auto dealership want? To increase auto sales and sell more cars in the year ahead! You’ve probably already outlined your strategy with your sales team, but today, we want to step in with some additional ideas you may not have considered.
If you want to sell cars to more customers in 2023, we’ve created a new series just for you. In this first article, we outline 5 strategies you can use to boost auto sales at your dealership. In subsequent blog posts, we will explore each of these areas and share practical advice to guide you in using these techniques to sell cars and create raving fans. So, let’s get started!
5 Strategies to Boost Auto Sales
There are many different approaches you can take to increase auto sales. Some of these strategies are direct, some are indirect, some are in-person, and others are digital. Creating a well-rounded and multi-faceted plan to sell cars at your dealership will attract more buyers and help you close more deals.
1. Be Personal
Research from McKinsey highlights the importance of a personalized experience: 71 percent of consumers expect companies to deliver personalized interactions, and 76 percent get frustrated when this doesn’t happen. If you treat everyone who walks into your dealership the same, don’t be surprised if they sense the lack of personalization and move on to try another local dealership.
One of the simplest (but most important!) personalization methods is to learn and remember the prospect’s name—then continue to use it throughout the interaction. This makes a good first impression and helps build rapport and trust.
You can further the personalization by asking the right questions to understand what they are looking for (for example, why they are looking for a car and how they will use it). Armed with detailed information, you can offer personalized recommendations, highlight key features they’ll love, discuss discounts and incentives they qualify for, and more.
2. Capitalize on Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
Your USP is how you differentiate yourself from the competition. With so many options for car buyers to choose from, why should they buy from your dealership specifically? Knowing your USP and educating buyers about it is a great way to sell cars to more customers in 2023.
In a past article, we explored how to find the differentiator for your auto dealership. We discussed 3 characteristics of a good differentiator and reviewed 7 ways to find your differentiator. If you haven’t read it yet, check it out today. Once you know your USP, you can strategically use it in your marketing and customer interactions to drive auto sales.
3. Embrace Technology and Automation
Another way to boost auto sales at your dealership and sell more cars is to use technology and automation to your benefit.
For example, by using a CRM (customer relationship management) tool, you can gather important information on your leads (like when they were last contacted, what vehicles they’re interested in, call notes, etc.) to make sure no lead falls through the cracks.
Meanwhile, by choosing a cloud phone system, you can increase the mobility of your salesmen. For example, the VoIP solution DealerPhones® allows your sales team to send emails and text from the business number using their personal cell phone. This will enable them to be productive out of the office and spend more time interacting with customers and prospects than sitting at their desks.
Further, automation can also help you sell cars and improve the customer experience. For example, you can send automated appointment confirmations and maintenance reminders, get help from a digital chatbot, and more.
4. Focus on Existing Customers
Statistics show that it costs less to retain a customer than to gain a new one and that retaining customers can increase a business’s profitability. Things work differently in an auto dealership compared to other markets because when a customer buys a car, they make a multi-year investment. That said, existing customers are an important part of your strategy to boost auto sales because they give you opportunities for:
- Upselling
- Cross-selling
- Referrals
- Reviews
- Word-of-mouth marketing
- Service and maintenance sales
By carefully managing and nurturing the relationship with your existing customers, you can earn their loyalty and repeat business, plus create raving fans who bring in more prospects to your lot.
5. Get Digital
A final strategy to sell more cars is to invest in some of the latest digital marketing strategies for car dealerships. While most sales will be closed at your dealership, more car sales have been completed online since the pandemic. Further, even if a prospect will eventually walk into your dealership or make a call, 59 percent of car buyers spend time researching online. If you’re strategic about it, the information they find could lead them to your dealership instead of a competitor’s.
So how can your digital presence bring more prospects to your dealership and boost auto sales? Here are some ideas:
- Your website can become a digital showroom that kickstarts the buying journey for prospects.
- Using video, you can give car buyers 360 walk-arounds, test drives, and more detailed information about your inventory.
- Your blog and social media presence can establish you as a local thought leader in the auto industry.
- Ad targeting can help you get your message and inventory out to locals searching for vehicles or in the buying process.
Sell Cars and Create Raving Fans
The strategies listed above are not just about selling more cars at your auto dealership (although that’s important, of course!). These techniques will also help you stand out from the competition, delight customers, and create raving fans.
So, get ready for next time when we begin to explore each of the areas listed above. Our next article will cover how to deliver a more personalized experience at your auto dealership, including practical tips for your sales team. You want to boost auto sales, and we would love to support you. Get ready for a fun and educational journey!
