Can a March marriage avoid a December divorce?
Around four years ago, with limited direct automotive experience but a huge amount of passion and desire to learn, we were asked to create a digital magazine for one of our car dealer clients.
We thought it was all about promoting the new car; helping our client sell this beautiful machine and help them make a nice profit off the back of it. Job done.
The reality was soon explained to us, and has been integral to our approach ever since.
First you have to sell to new customers, then you must continually engage with them with stuff they really love until they consistently return to buy more – not just once a year, but every few months. Then they should tell their friends and family, who should also become repeat customers.
The real value in encouraging customers to come back isn’t in the cars they buy, it’s in the high margin accessories, servicing and upgrades.
And, no period in the automotive calendar illustrates this concept more accurately than ‘new reg’ months. For marketing teams up and down the country, one word will currently be inspiring fear, anticipation, excitement and blood-pumping adrenaline like no other: March.
New reg month is here, and it’s absolutely crucial that short-sighted views are quashed while customer momentum and opportunity are taken full advantage of. So, what are marketing teams doing to make the month of March a happy breeding ground for long-term relationships?
Build excitement
For some vehicles, pre-orders are taken weeks and even months before the car actually arrives in the showroom, simply on the strength of a few photographs, video and a press release. These customers are really showing loyalty and investment in the brand.
That’s an amazing level of trust.
So it’s up to the retailer to harness that excitement when it’s just an ember, and build that momentum into a great fire which is the moment the customer finally meets their new vehicle.
It’s in this moment that you can start your customer relationship experience on the best foot possible.
Get the word out
For retailers to make the most of marketing during this crucial stage there needs to be a clearly defined strategy and approach. But this doesn’t have to be complicated, it can be a variety of tactics – from regular update e-shots to ‘countdown to the event’ digital brochures, even a midnight ‘meet your vehicle’ event (hats off to Spire Automotive, they do this so well), or a curtain-pulling reveal.
Whatever it takes to keep your customer in the loop, and build the excitement to get them down to your dealership to begin the long term and profitable relationship.
If nothing else, your retailer needs to stick in your customer’s mind. There should be no doubt at all that when they require aftersales, you’ll be the first number they call. With a marketing approach that increases engagement you can make sure that happens.
March is combustion time. For many it’s the opportunity to bring dealer and customer together and it’s crucial that the marketing is played just right to build momentum and harness enthusiasm. If the marriage is built of the right stuff, there’s every chance it will last for years and years.
What do you think? We’d love to hear about your plans for March – give us a shout on Twitter @GoldSandDigital