And, here is the article that ran in the publication…
Nine Ways to Get More
out of Your Dealership’s Advertising
Think Consistent
Advertising Campaigns that Steer Relationships…
By Laura Noonan
This year
you are likely focused more rigorously on improving your advertising’s ROI.It is a common goal shared by many dealers as
the market of buyers shrinks, and the inventory on dealer lots expands.Advertising budgets are often one of the
first areas to be reduced during slow times, which ironically just perpetuates
the growing inventory as fewer ads reach fewer potential buyers. Unfortunately,
reducing the ad budget is an unavoidable reality for many, making it all the
more important to ensure that those remaining ad dollars are going as far as
possible.
So, how do you
get the most out of your advertising budget and secure a healthy ROI?
1.Commit to an advertising campaign
that integrates several media formats, but maintains the same call-to-action
throughout all pieces of the campaign.
2.Clearly state, several times, what
it is that you want people to do.For
instance, “We have dozens of certified pre-owned vehicles in our inventory.And, if you call 1-800-PRE-OWNED today, we’ll
send you a free CARFAX® report on any certified pre-owned vehicle on
our lot.Call 1-800-PRE-OWNED today to
speak with a sales person and take advantage of the free CARFAX report.”
3.Use a direct-response tool in all
pieces of the campaign that is easy for buyers to remember and easy to track,
like a toll-free vanity 800 number (800-NEW-FORD) with call tracking services.
4.Analyze the response rates to your overall
advertising efforts by monitoring your campaigns and tracking how many calls
come into your dealership because of ad buys.
5.Track the Cost-Per-Lead of your campaigns
based on the cost of the overall campaign versus the number of leads the
campaign generates.This is easy with a
call tracking system.Most vanity 800
number and call tracking providers offer a campaign summary tool.All you have to do is plug in the campaign
spend numbers and as calls come in, the tracking system updates and
automatically calculates the CPL.
6.Build a strong lead database and
market directly to these contacts.Research
tells us buyers are not only using the Internet to find a new car.A toll-free service with a call tracking
system will capture each incoming caller’s name, address, and demographic
profile, including average home value and household income based on the
caller’s location.
7.Stay consistent with your advertising
plans.Instead of a one-time splash, successful
dealerships develop campaigns that will keep their name and brands in the
market place, and in front of buyers on a regular basis.If you have to cut back somewhere, buy
smaller newspaper ads, run thirty-second radio spots, and thirty-second
television non-peak spots.Smaller ads
and shorter spots allow advertisers to stretch budgets and maintain a presence
in the media for a longer period of time. And, repetition is the key to retention when it comes to buyers!
8.Target your existing customers.If a relationship preexists, then it only
makes sense to take advantage of that.Inevitably,
this core base will need service for check-ups and repairs.A savvy dealer includes the same trackable
direct-response tool in the communications to these people, because chances are,
even though they know who their dealer is, they cannot remember the dealer’s local
or numeric toll-free numbers.So, a
smart dealer gets their dealership a branding, toll-free vanity 800 number like
1-800-GREAT-CARS.
9.Splash your dealership’s toll-free
vanity 800 number on all ‘dealer plate’ vehicles and courtesy shuttles.These cars and trucks serve as mobile
billboards, and a perceptive dealer knows not to miss out on an opportunity for
“free” advertising.
Finally, as
Leo Burnett (of advertising fame) said, “Make it simple.Make it memorable.Make it inviting to look at.Make it fun to read.”
Laura Noonan has 16 years of
experience in the vanity 800 numbers and telecommunications industry.She coaches hundreds of auto clients each
year on using toll-free vanity 800 phone numbers as direct marketing tools to
increase advertising response rates. Laura can be reached at lnoonan@800response.com
or 1-800-NEW-SALE.
