Consumers remember and react better to print advertising; perhaps because our world has become so saturated with digital content causing ‘digital fatigue.’

The Difference Between Omnichannel and Multichannel Marketing -

One of the biggest marketing challenges, especially in the automotive industry, is keeping clients’ interactions consistent across multiple channels. This 'omnichannel' strategy provides a consistent experience throughout the entire customer journey.

As technology and customer brand-interactions continue to evolve, dealerships will need to adopt an Omnichannel Marketing strategy in order to remain competitive.

In 2018, millennials are single-handedly the nation’s largest living generation with ages ranging from 21- 37. Why is this important for dealers and marketers alike? Because, this generation now holds the largest share of the American workforce and has the most spending power of any generation – ever! This year alone, millennials are projected to have a spending power of $3.39 trillion, providing dealers with endless opportunities to win big with this generation.

One of GSM's core values is 'FUN.' We try to incorporate social events into our work life whenever possible. We have a dedicated team, called Pulse, that helps GSM coordinate internal events as well as charitable outreach. At GSM, we pride ourselves on our family-like culture that we owe to our values and team building activities.

TV is no longer the best and only answer to reaching your target market. 

Shifting consumer consumption habits are forcing advertisers to use an omnichannel approach to get their message heard. Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, Xbox, HBO Go, Apple TV– what do all of these have in common? Limited to no commercials.

It should come as no surprise that prospecting is a necessary evil in the automotive industry. Prospecting has become smarter, more accurate, and more accessible as more technology and communication channels continue to develop. The question is no longer why dealers should prospect, instead, it is how and where they should prospect. In a culture of immediacy, prospecting requires a constant understanding of what consumers want, expect, and need. Today, prospecting needs to be data-driven and data-based in order to provide instant and actionable insights into consumer purchasing behaviors. 

Dealerships have a continually changing availability for growing their revenue and market share. The preferred method is for a consumer to buy into the dealership’s brand with a new vehicle purchase and to continue the purchase cycle into the service lane. However, this isn’t always the case; often times, the source for a new service lead can provide less than a few hundred customers a month. What dealerships need is a consistent method for generating and retaining prospects throughout the purchase cycle. 

The largest area for opportunity lies within intelligently targeting consumers who already live in the dealer’s primary market area and who drive the targeted vehicle make that the dealership services. Dealerships have a large pool of data at their disposal in their DMS, and with their manufacturer, but it’s not the sole source to look to for prospects. Consumers who buy and sell privately, buy used third-party, or who move into the dealer’s primary marketing area (PMA) are all big opportunities that are often overlooked. 

Every business today, regardless of industry, relies on leads and new business to thrive. However, we find that some auto dealers fall prey to marketing partners that dazzle them with promises of sky-high performance metrics. Metrics are inflated for a wow-factor, leaving companies stuck in a contract without seeing the promised outcome. 

We find that some dealers are focused on finding new ways to stand out from the competition and unknowingly give in to slick agency pitches filled with misleading promises about tripling leads. What dealers need from a marketing partner is transparency, consultation, and actionable advice. If you find yourself facing a ‘too good to be true’ pitch - ask direct questions about how the company quantifies their data. What does the provider consider a lead? Can you see a breakdown of the data behind the metrics? Seek answers because not all leads are created equal. 

Debunk the junk: Fact or fiction?
You need a marketing partner, not just a provider. The process of driving leads is a priority for dealerships big and small. When it comes to leads, the expression “quality over quantity” could not ring more true. What does your digital marketing company or website provider count as a lead – a visit to the hours and directions page? There’s a chance your provider counts this page visit as a lead, backing it as customer intent to visit the dealership – however, the problem is that this is not a true lead. That web visitor may never step foot in your dealership or purchase anything from you either. 

A true lead should be tangible - a form submission, a phone call, or contact information (email, phone number). These customers are ready to buy, and more importantly, they are ready to buy from you. GSM focuses on quality of web leads over quantity. Any marketer can drive hundreds, even thousands, of leads to a website – but, that doesn’t mean those leads will convert to a sale or have high purchase intent. Driving quality leads is about being efficient in targeting and attracting consumers that are closer to purchase, to your website. 

In the age of digital disruption, who really has control- the consumer, or the advertiser? Traditional radio ads are taking the back seat as tech-savvy consumers are skirting ads with subscription-based streaming services, and ad blocking internet radio apps. The desire for personalized content and an on-demand mentality is leading many consumers to pursue an ad free, drive time experience. Connected cars (4G wireless internet technology) and Bluetooth allow drivers to instantly stream their music, downloaded content, or news from their smartphones or car dashboard apps with little to no advertisements. 

The power dynamic between businesses and consumers has changed drastically with the rise of advanced content sharing platforms and digital technologies. To cut through the clutter and reach consumers effectively, dealers need to use the advancements in marketing to send relevant messages across all applicable channels.

Simple right? Managing aligned messaging across multiple channels, both traditional and digital, can be tricky and time-consuming. In GSM's years of managing dealership marketing, we have uncovered the secret to successful marketing across channels: an annual marketing calendar.

Customer information (name, address, email, phone number) is privileged information. When this information is inadequately secured, your company or dealership could be risking millions of dollars and your company’s reputation. Take the biggest retail hack in history as a lesson: Target. In 2013, 40 million credit card numbers, and 70 million addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses were stolen because employees did not follow an established data security procedure. Today, Target is still suffering the results of this breach, with gross expenses totaling $252 million and counting. 

It’s not just security breaches that we should be concerned about, but also the adherence to customer requests. If a customer requests that your dealership not contact him or her via phone, email, text or direct mail, it is your responsibility to adhere to those requests and share this information with your marketing agencies. Communicating this request to all marketing agencies is particularly important if communications are sent over multiple platforms because your reputation, and financial security, is at stake