| The Numbers Are Down |
 |
 |
 |
| Written by Ken Huttman |
| Friday, 30 May 2008 02:21 |
|
During a recession, sales decline and typically this results in budget cuts. Marketing sometimes bears more than its fair share of these cut backs. Selling in a recession takes a different attitude. You have to shift your marketing dollars to your best customers and leverage your data to bring profitable customers into your dealership. 1. High-value customers you want to retain. Give them offers to keep them spending at their current level. For these loyal customers, tilt the hard-soft benefit equation toward the soft side with special benefits and access unavailable to the general population. 2. High-potential customers you want to grow. Give them offers to shop more often, and spend more during each visit. Use targeted discounts and bonuses through your loyalty program or store card and monitor their transactions. The most cost effective way to do this is through your dealership Website. There are many different aspects of the Website that are often overlooked. First and foremost is getting your inventory on line faster. Technology is now available to have your pictures taken in-house so the vehicle can be available sooner to potential Internet customers. Waiting for the "picture-takers" will become a thing of the past for proactive dealers. Knowing that 80 to 90 percent of potential customers shop online before they visit the dealership necessitates the need to get inventory online as soon as the vehicle is available. Website promotions to gather email addresses will collect some of the most qualified leads in the market, and remember to follow-up with a low cost email campaign to build customer loyalty. Email campaigns have been shown to increase sales by as many as 20 units a month. Every lead is important. A little shift in marketing dollars can reap great rewards. Check out some of the new software available that allows you to use one interface for all your Website marketing. It just might be the time to make a change. Ken Huttman is the CEO of AutoExpressUSA. For more information, please call 206-675-0440 or visit www.Autoexpressusa.biz. |
