As a Millennial, I will be the first to admit that I’m actually a little old fashioned. I still take notes for everything by hand in a notebook and I still get books from the library on a weekly basis instead of downloading them onto any kind of e-reader. However, I think an important distinction an employee has to make in the marketing field deals with personal preference vs. smart business decision. You have to ask yourself, “Am I willing to try something for my business that I normally wouldn’t in my personal life?” Being able to separate your preferences and choices based on what will best benefit your dealership is crucial to the overall success of your marketing plan.

Taking Advantage of Social Media
Social media has quickly become a great marketing tool for businesses. With the Facebook options of paid advertising, job posting options, photo sharing and likes/sharing abilities, it is an easy way to connect with potential and current customers. Not only has there been a steady increase with Facebook and Instagram, but YouTube and LinkedIn have also become essential to how customers find a business and connect to employees when looking for jobs.

Now that sites like Facebook and Instagram allow direct messaging, people are using this feature to inquire about a business’ services and pricing instead of always calling directly. If your dealership doesn’t have any kind of social media presence, you could be missing out on new accounts and increased sales.

Print vs. Digital
Our company still uses print signs, brochures, tri-folds and we mail packets to interested employees and customers. I doubt that we will ever stop using our printed materials to advertise and seek new customers. However, for every print material we use, we also have a digital option to send out as well. We have significantly decreased the amount of printed materials we order, but we do still order them. Regardless of how quickly technology is evolving, there will always be customers who prefer printed brochures and receiving paper copies of their receipt transactions. Your dealership can cater to both types of customers without losing either one.

Your dealership can utilize digital marketing without having to completely step away from print altogether. With the convenience that digital marketing offers, you can quickly reach out to a large number of people without having to set foot outside of your business. Print marketing has the advantage of feeling more personal, but that doesn’t mean your digital marketing efforts have to leave people feeling like they are taking to a robot. Find a balance that works best for your dealership and be sure your marketing plan leaves room for you to shift things as needed.

Try Something New
The longer I work in marketing, the more I realize how quickly things can change from being successful to no longer getting strong results. One day people love engaging with a giveaway on Facebook and then a month later a similar giveaway contest gets no attention. Trends change, what people are seeking out fluctuates, and age and gender start to play a more significant role in response to particular marketing. When a marketing effort you have been using for years no longer seems to be seeing a strong return, it might be time to try something completely new.

Just like with anything else in business, digital marketing comes with a lot of trial and error. If you are emailing a coupon for your services that people don’t seem to be reading, maybe it’s time to try fewer emails and send a monthly digital newsletter instead. Or if you find yourself trying to inform customers of new products and services but find yourself just leaving them voicemails, maybe try texting them something brief instead. No matter how tried and true your methods are, it is inevitable that, over time, it will start to become less effective as technology keeps shifting. Instead of continuing on, why not just try something different and new?

Digital marketing is one of the greatest resources available for dealerships right now. If marketing of any kind isn’t already a part of your budgeting plan, why not? Or, if you find yourself unsure of how to get the best results, consider creating a social media specialist job position for your dealership that can help specialize your digital brand. Making the shift to digital marketing is a valuable way to ensure you are reaching the right target markets. Find the best methods that suit your dealerships needs and watch the results pay off.