People love their cars, which is why selling them the vehicle of their dreams is as much about winning their hearts as their minds. It’s like being a matchmaker — if you’re going to present the right make and model to make the sale, you’d better know what turns them on.

How do you find out what consumers are thinking? How do you stave off other suitors who are trying to win their business? The answers to these questions lie in having more strategic data and better contact information than anyone else.

The three-part process of collecting huge amounts of consumer data, organizing it into precise market segments and then delivering the message to shoppers via the right communication channels is the “stuff” of experienced omni-channel marketing companies. You’ll need a company that has the technological platform that reveals what shoppers are doing both offline and on, including social, digital and mobile behavior.

Here is a summary of how to successfully sell cars using an omni-channel marketing campaign:

Learn as Much as You Can About Your Customers and then Learn Some More — It’s the cardinal rule of sales: Know your customer. “Big Data” is the term for sizable datasets that can be broken down into various categories, such as demographic, psychographic, behavioral and transactional data. Technology exists to build databases through a universe of cookies that enables the user to create groups of hundreds of thousands of people based on their preferred browsing devices, shopping preferences, behavioral patterns and spending habits. This is the most accurate way to create targeted lists that perfectly connect shoppers with your dealership.

Hone In on Your Market — Considering the vast amount of data available, the next step is the fine-tuning of your specific target markets. This assures that you will reach the right consumers with the right message. Geographically, Big Data can provide insights, by ZIP code, on average income, age and sales history for consumers residing in that specific area. It eliminates the distraction of irrelevant information, targets the best prospects for what you are selling and helps you build campaigns focused on actionable insights.

Use the Right Delivery Channels — Omni-channel marketing is about delivering consistent messages to consumers using the most effective platforms for reaching and engaging them. It is not about automatically putting all your marketing dollars into one basket. That being said, study after study reveals that email remains the most effective platform for generating leads, acquiring new customers and making sales. Today’s consumer will communicate with friends and get news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, but they are more receptive to advertising, and far more likely to buy things using email. Opt-in contacts are the touchstones for marketing messages that are successfully delivered to in-boxes rather than spam folders.

One last tip based on many years of experience: Never think it’s OK to “set it and forget it.” If you stop courting your prospects, somebody else will.

Richard Gluck