Retaining customers is essential when running a dealership in today’s market, especially when it comes to potential inventory shortages and fluctuations in demand that could drive customers to the competition. It can also be cost-effective to have existing customers make repeat purchases while working to acquire new customers. With so much of the buyer journey taking place in the digital space, digital marketing is essential for your dealership when it comes to generating leads and preserving your customers. To help, Boatmart is sharing 8 digital marketing tips for customer retention.
What Exactly Is Retention?
Retention is a strategy designed to maintain profits by building relationships with repeat customers. These customers are extremely valuable because they will provide business over the long term and have the confidence to make repeat purchases based on prior experiences with your dealership. Plus, as your customer base expands, your company’s reputation as a reliable dealership will also grow.
Digital Marketing Tips to Retain Customers:
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Consistently Leverage Email Communication
Email marketing is an effective way to keep your customers engaged. For smaller dealers, personalized emails can help maintain contact, while larger dealers can take advantage of regular newsletters that keep people updated on your dealership’s activities. Consistently utilizing email marketing ensures your dealership stays top-of-mind even after customers have left your website or marine listings.
Engage Customers on Social Media
Social media is an essential platform that customers use to engage in a variety of online shopping habits, including finding dealerships, reading reviews, viewing inventory, and more. It is also a highly effective tool for businesses, as it allows you to build an ongoing dialogue with your customers on a more personal and direct level. To get the most out of your social media presence, it is important to encourage your customers to follow, like, comment, and share your posts through your social media accounts. Understanding the features and best practices of each platform can help you maximize the potential of each network. Additionally, it’s a great idea to develop a posting cadence and that will keep your loyal customers engaged with your brand.
Create Content for Your Customers
Alongside social media and email marketing, you can further maximize your marketing efforts by creating a well-rounded content strategy. Establishing your dealership as a reliable source for relevant industry information not only increases visibility, but also encourages potential customers to visit your business. To achieve this, ensure that your website is always up-to-date and publish blogs that provide useful information related to the products and services you offer.
Select a CRM System
To keep relationships with repeat customers, it is important to take proactive steps. Start by making a list of your most important customers and come up with a weekly plan for staying in contact with them. Make sure to store the personal and professional information of these customers in your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. This will make it easier for your staff to access the data and have meaningful conversations in the future. Use the data to ask them personalized follow-up questions when reaching out.
Train Your Staff on Customer Relationships
Provide your staff with the resources they need to effectively pursue leads, build customer loyalty, and keep customers engaged. Keep them up to date on the latest marketing strategies and industry trends. Make sure they are knowledgeable on your CRM systems and software, so it’s simple to remain in contact with repeat clients. Show them your company’s core values and how they can make a difference to demonstrate why your dealership is a leader in the market.
Use Personalized Communication
You can show your customers that you value them by utilizing various forms of digital communication. Ensure you are fostering communication through mediums that your customers are familiar with, including phone calls, online chat, responding to online reviews, and participating in forums. Additionally, you can reach out with personalized messages through sms texting These efforts will create a stronger bond with your customers and help increase brand awareness.
Host And Promote Events
To increase awareness and engagement with your customers for any events or trade shows your dealership is attending, it’s vital to promote them through digital messaging, email blasts, and dedicated landing pages. Create pre-show campaigns to draw in more people and once the event is over, follow up with additional marketing strategies to bring them back to your website and listings.
Offer Incentives for Customers
Rewards systems, rebates, and other incentive programs can be incredibly useful tools to encourage customers to come back and even recommend your dealership to friends and family. Offering merchandise giveaways and other rewards on social media can help to further your mission and create a base of customers with lifetime loyalty.
By implementing digital marketing strategies to stay in contact with customers and personalize their experiences, you can build and maintain a loyal customer base for years to come. Using this guidance to build customer loyalty will make your dealership stand out in the marketplace and open new opportunities for sales.
Want more insight on providing a positive purchase experience for your customers? Check out our dealer blog for more!
