PODCAST: Digital Marketing Tips For Aftermarket Shops with Pete Petersen

by Brooke Jensen | Sep 2, 2020 | Digital Marketing, Identity and Branding, Social Media, Uncategorized

PODCAST: Digital Marketing Tips For Aftermarket Shops with Pete Petersen

We’ve realized that for almost all small businesses, trying to do it all in terms of marketing actually results in almost no traction!

In order to ensure your efforts are achieving results, our CEO Pete Petersen offered professional insight, featured on TheSHOP’s latest podcast.

WATCH: https://theshopmag.com/podcast/ep-5-how-to-grow-your-aftermarket-business-with-digital-marketing/

In Gear with THE SHOP · Ep. 5 – How to Grow Your Aftermarket Business with Digital Marketing

7 Key Digital Marketing Strategies For Your Shop

There are so many options when it comes to marketing your shop digitally, follow along to make sure that your actions are effective.

1. Identify Your Customers

Before you do ANY marketing, be sure to ask yourself:

Who are your customers currently?
Who should your customers be, are there any up-and-coming segments?
Where do your customers hangout, online and offline?
Where are they navigating to get information?

2. Be Easily Found and Post Relevant Content Organically

Ask your current customers which platforms they are on daily, weekly, monthly… Then ask them where they learn about new products and services so you can reach them and people similar.

Google and Social:

You’ll want to create a Google My Business account to provide your current and prospective customers with an easy way to find your shop and its information.

Generate a strong presence on social media so that when your target market finds you, they engage with relevant content. Only do so using a few platforms, we understand there’s a lot of factors to consider with each, so we have a guide for you here!

Blog Content:

Brainstorm what type of information is significant to your audience. People want to know the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How.

Why did your business take on the project, what products did you use, how long did it take, and who is the owner and where are they from?

3. Encourage And Leverage Positive Reviews

The first thing that prospective customers do when they are not familiar with you is search your brand + “reviews” before giving you their business!

Google My Business:

Display your positive reviews and download an App for your phone to respond to reviews, create offers, post events, and update your business info!

Facebook Reviews:

Broadcast all of the good things said about your shop on your Facebook business page. Anyone who lands on your page will be able to see the positive comments from other active users!

3rd Party Seller Sites:

Your shop can also use 3rd party seller sites to host this complimentary feedback in the attempt to have an immediate impact on their decision and influence customer conversion.

4. Design for Mobile Optimization

Mobile is the new source for information consumption. Facebook, Snapchat, and TikTok are almost exclusively mobile… So make sure to double check the accessibility and flow of your website on mobile devices, not just desktop.

5. Amplify Your Business With Paid Ads

What phase of the funnel are you wanting to reach your customers at? Both Google Search and Facebook Ads offer paid advertising options for your shop.

Click here for The Ultimate Guide to Social Advertising For Aftermarket Shops!

6. Improve Your Shops Website

Organize your website and make it easy for visitors to find information, be educated, make decisions, and choose you!

For shops, show before and after photos, tell the customers’ story, and why this project was important to them. Include the extra details of what you helped with to make the project custom.

Get a quote from the customer, or ask them to leave a review. Showcase this on your site, add the review to your main homepage for others to see and let them tell the story for you!

7. Add A Tripwire

A tripwire is a low dollar offer to get someone in your business, build a relationship with them, and then upsell.

In dealerships, this has been the oil change/car wash experience. They get them in, get their contact information including email/phone, build positive relationships, reviews and further market to these individuals with new products and services.

Targeting Dealerships

Here are some key elements for aftermarket shops to keep in mind when targeting the dealership market:

Relationships (face-to-face, calling and text messaging)?
Custom web pages (this will also help with SEO and positioning as an expert) and brochures specific to the vehicles they sell:
- Best accessories and upgrades for the Mazda CX-3
- Answer questions like “what is the towing capacity of a Ford F150?” and “how much can a Ford F150 tow?”
Beyond that, email marketing is a great way to keep your prospects and dealerships available

We created an audit template to help your business log your current profiles and ratings.

👉 Click here to access the free template and begin improving in areas where it’s needed.

Watch our On-Demand Demos to learn more about our solutions.

Click Here

Blog Author - Drew Detweiler

Written By Drew Detweiler
Drew manages inbound and outbound marketing for Dealers United. When he’s not at work, he’s probably enjoying the outdoors, fishing, or eating.

The Ultimate Guide To Social Advertising For Aftermarket Shops

by Brooke Jensen | Sep 2, 2020 | Digital Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized

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The Ultimate Guide To Social Advertising For Aftermarket Shops

Are you wondering where to begin advertising on Social Media platforms for your aftermarket shop?

We know it can be overwhelming, but it’s critical to understand that using all social media platforms is not as effective as focusing on just a few.

Before choosing which platforms to use, make sure to ask your current customers which platforms they spend most of their time, and where they go to learn about a new product or service.

You don’t want to waste your time or money on advertising that isn’t going to reach your current and prospective customers… and we don’t want that for you either!

This is why we wrote this blog article, to provide your aftermarket shop some key information about Organic and Paid advertising on social media.

Maximizing Organic Reach and Content For Aftermarket Shops

Google My Business:

Google My Business is so powerful, it’s free and underutilized.

You’ll want to have a Google My Business account to increase exposure and encourage local customer engagement.

Now that you can be found effortlessly, you must stay relevant.

Establish a presence on social media! Once you’ve identified who your customers are, choose which social media platform to use based on where your customers and prospects are.

Facebook:

Over 80% of people in the US are on a Facebook property including Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, Marketplace, Whats App, and Audience Network. Instagram Stories are on 🔥, so make sure to shoot vertical videos and images.

Facebook has created a solution that reaches the young, old and everyone in between.

Take this opportunity to bring customers inside of your business’s experience and offerings, keeping them up to date with your projects. This simple action will build a more powerful relationship with your customers.

YouTube:

The best way to provide educational content about your products and services for your current and future customers consumption is through YouTube.

YouTube is not only a social media platform with a ton of viewers, but it’s the second largest search engine and utilized by 73% of adults in the U.S.

Keep in mind that staying relevant in today’s day and age involves many working streams, but they don’t all have to be so serious…

Snapchat & TikTok:

Entertain your audience! These social media platforms hit a younger demographic but shouldn’t be overlooked if you’re trying to reach these new customizers.

Depending on who your audience is, you can use these two platforms to show off a different side of your company (company culture, customers, community, and more).

PRO TIP: Make sure all of your social media sites are linked in your footer or bio. Put together a webpage like shop.com/connect that you link to in your shop so people can follow you across all of your platforms. When prospects seek you out you’ll want to have posts that are relevant, so be sure to post at least once per week.

Generate More Aftermarket Opportunities With Paid Ads

Google Search:

For low funnel opportunities, you can advertise with Google Search. Going to google and searching for an item seems to be the move for people who are ready to buy. Although, these ads will cost you more and are weak in opportunities.

Facebook Ads:

Right now, Facebook Ads are generating a lot of value for businesses of all sizes. You don’t have to have a huge budget, especially if you are a local business.

Facebook Ads allow you to target your ideal prospects and customers. Social posting (aka Organic Posting) is great but it only reaches a small number of your followers and you are unable to control the outcome.

With Facebook Ads, you can target people based on things like:

Who owns a current make/model of vehicle
Who own a current body style like Trucks
Your current customers and prospects
People who look like your current customers (one of the best and least expensive ways to get started)
People who have been on your site that have not purchased (another very inexpensive way to stay in front of a hot audience)

But, don’t fall victim of hitting the Boost button… you need to use Facebook Ads Manager to be successful.

Getting started with Facebook Ads in the right way:

Visit business.facebook.com to get started.
Create or connect a Facebook Page.
Connect or create an ad account.
Connect or create a Facebook Pixel. Install this on your website (every page).
Connect or create a Facebook Offline Event. This allows you to track offline data like leads and sales from your offline systems back to Facebook Ads for measurement.
Create the following Custom Audiences.
- All website visitors (up to 180 days)
- All Facebook Engaged (up to 365 days)
- All Instagram Engaged (up to 365 days)
- All Shopping Engaged (up to 365 days)
- All Marketplace Engaged (up to 180 days)

Facebooks Ads allow you to reach people just on Instagram as well, you can reach people both on the Instagram Feed and Instagram Stories.

There’s a lot that goes into creating Facebook ad campaigns effective enough to produce positive results… Let us do it for you!

Click here to see how we create Custom Dealership Facebook Ads that maximize your ad spend.

Watch our On-Demand Demos to learn more about our solutions.

Click Here

Blog Author - Drew Detweiler

Written By Drew Detweiler
Drew manages inbound and outbound marketing for Dealers United. When he’s not at work, he’s probably enjoying the outdoors, fishing, or eating.

2 Major Shifts In Auto Buyer Motivations Due To COVID-19

by Brooke Jensen | Aug 21, 2020 | Industry News, Social Media

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2 Major Shifts In Auto Buyer Motivations Due To COVID-19

2020 has been a year of adjustment and change. Individuals and business owners were faced with challenges we never imagined that we’d see.

As auto buyers navigate this new landscape, their behavior and motivations have changed.

Here are 2 important new trends that are being observed in our industry.

Trend 1: People are looking to personal vehicles to plan safe getaways

According to a poll from Facebook IQ, car owners largely view personal vehicles as the safest method of transportation currently.

In fact, 65% of US consumers said they will most likely drive on their next trip.

The poll also revealed that 2.2X as many consumers plan to drive on their next vacation opposed to flying.

While this may be sombering news for the airline industry, this should be welcoming to auto dealers, who can take advantage of terrific OEM incentives to attract an expanding shopper base.

Trend 2: Peoples’ motivation for purchasing cars has changed

Just as auto buyers’ opinions of safe travel have changed, their reasons for purchasing vehicles have also shifted.

Shoppers are now 1.9X more likely to say the main reason they were looking for a new vehicle is because of a deal or promotion.

They are also 1.9X as likely to say they were in-market because their car broke down and 2X more likely to say they were looking to avoid public transportation and ride sharing services.

Here is chart showing top buyer motivations before and during the COVID-19 pandemic:

Source: Facebook IQ – Industry Micro-Shifts Monthly Tracker by Kantar Profiles

Here’s how you can use these 2 trends to your dealership’s advantage.

Use incentives and tie in road trip messaging

Use your OEM’s creative assets and incentives to proactively reach out to in-market shoppers, with messaging about why your inventory is perfect for their upcoming road trip!

Then, retarget those interested shoppers with additional offers, your live inventory, or ways they can apply for financing or take the vehicle for a test drive.

Offer upgrades with eye-catching ad content

Make the most of Facebook and Instagram with a scroll-stopping ad about upgrades to convince shoppers to hop into something more reliable.

Want more ideas on for buy back campaign ads? Click here to check out “The Buy Back Playbook: 13 Ideas To Help You Stock Up On Used Inventory By Going Direct-To-Consumer”!

Despite all the change that’s happened in 2020 so far, auto shoppers remain resilient and continue to shop and purchase vehicles.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to drive traffic and leads from using a combination of Facebook, incentives, and a data-driven approach!

Want to learn more about the auto shoppers in your market?

Click here to build your dealership’s Market Intelligence Report and immediately get insights like:

Total Facebook Users you can reach on Facebook
# of In-Market Auto Shoppers in your PMA
User Demographics (Gender, Age)
User Credit Score
…and more!

Build your free Market Intelligence Report now.

Start Building

Blog Author - Drew Detweiler

Written By Drew Detweiler
Drew manages inbound and outbound marketing for Dealers United. When he’s not at work, he’s probably enjoying the outdoors, fishing, or eating.

Shocking Stats: Dealership Facebook Ad Costs Decreasing In 2020

by Brooke Jensen | Aug 19, 2020 | Company and Events, Social Media

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Shocking Stats: Dealership Facebook Ad Costs Decreasing In 2020

The past few months during the pandemic have been a season of change for the auto industry.

Dealers have had to change their core business processes, their strategies and budgets, and their advertising plans as a whole.

Over the past 6 months, we’ve seen another big change:

Ad costs on Facebook and Instagram are lower than ever before.

Dealership Facebook Ad Costs Decreasing On Facebook

Facebook and Instagram have continued to rise in popularity and usage as more people flock to the sites to stay in-the-know and keep in touch with their friends and family.

Plus, as a result of COVID, some businesses have had to pull their ad spend, opening up ad real estate and decreasing the competition on these platforms.

Here are the average cost metrics across Dealers United client accounts today, compared to just 6 months ago:

If You’ve Been Debating Advertising Your Dealership On Facebook, The Time Is Now

With the presidential election and holiday season rapidly approaching, we expect that these ad costs are the lowest they will be until 2021.

There has never been a better time to invest in Facebook Ads for auto dealers!

Now is the time to double down on these channels, take control of your digital market, and build your pipeline of in-market shoppers for the lowest cost possible.

To see how many in-market shoppers you can reach on Facebook right now, build your free Market Intelligence Report here!

Build your free Market Intelligence Report now.

Start Building

Blog Author - Drew Detweiler

Written By Drew Detweiler
Drew manages inbound and outbound marketing for Dealers United. When he’s not at work, he’s probably enjoying the outdoors, fishing, or eating.

Dealers United Partner Generation Kia Featured By Facebook Business For Resiliency During Pandemic

by Brooke Jensen | Jul 23, 2020 | Company and Events, Social Media

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Dealers United Partner Generation Kia Featured By Facebook Business For Resiliency During Pandemic

Congratulations to Lydia and the Generation Kia team! You are leaders in your community and we are proud to call ourselves your partners!

Generation Kia was recently featured by Facebook Business for their resiliency during COVID-19 and how they quickly used Facebook Ads to adapt their business and keep their doors open.

View Generation Kia’s published story live on Facebook Business here.

A Unique Feature As A Facebook “Resilient Business”

Being featured by Facebook Business is an honor that few companies achieve, but being featured in a new area called “Resilient Business Stories” is a unique honor.

So far, Generation Kia is one of only a handful of businesses to be featured by Facebook for resilient business, and is one of the few local companies.

In fact, the other featured resilient businesses included national and international brands and athletics organizations such as Penn State Athletics, Planet Fitness, and Threadless.

Did you know? Dealers United has had 4 other dealer-partners featured by Facebook Business. Check their stories out here!

The reason Generation Kia was selected?

They used a unique Facebook Ads strategy to not only drive sales and service revenue, but truly help their community and set themselves apart.

Generation Kia’s Story: Connecting With Community

The dealership faced many of the same challenges as other auto dealers across the nation in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Generation Kia immediately responded to the crisis by unleashing a full playbook of ads displayed on Facebook and Instagram that would keep them front and center in the community until the market opened back up.

These ads included:

Remote buying and at-home vehicle service options
Available inventory
Brand awareness and safety updates
Current OEM incentives from Kia, such as 0% APR for up to 72 months

Using this full-funnel strategy from March 1st to April 30th, the dealership was able to drive 252 leads at $21.35 Cost Per Lead, and 42 vehicle sales matched to Facebook Ads via Offline Conversion Events.

Click here to download the full case study and get an inside peek into the ad campaigns Generation Kia ran during COVID-19.

In addition to these digital retailing ads, the dealership also emphatically proved themselves to be a leader in their community by creating an ad campaign on Facebook and offering all healthcare workers oil changes and vehicle sanitizations, completely free of charge.

From April to May, the dealership ran the above Click to Messenger ad campaign, driving 48 Messenger conversations at $9.90 Cost Per Conversation, 13 leads, 109 reactions, 25 comments, and 26 shares.

The campaign had tremendous success, setting themselves up for future business in their community and building loyalists moving forward.

“We may not be selling these people vehicles right now, but providing a favorable experience in the dealership and continuing to message them will keep us top of mind when they’re ready to buy.”

— Lydia Mediaville, Marketing Manager, Generation Kia

How Dealers United Is Helping Auto Dealerships Stay Resilient

During the pandemic, Dealers United has been working closely with its dealer-partners to help them quickly adapt their messaging as we navigate this fluid situation.

We created multiple COVID Ad Playbooks to give dealers multiple strategies to combat the effects of the current crisis, including:

“We’re Open” ads for service and sales departments
Ads bringing awareness to remote sales and service options
OEM incentive ads
“Unlock the Demand” campaigns to help auto shoppers understand that now is a great time to buy
Buy back / Trade keys ads to replenish low inventory

To learn more about these playbooks and other success stories of dealerships who used Facebook to stay ahead during the pandemic, visit our COVID-19 Resources Page here.

Looking for more COVID-19 Resources to help your dealership?

Click Here

Blog Author - Drew Detweiler

Written By Drew Detweiler
Drew manages inbound and outbound marketing for Dealers United. When he’s not at work, he’s probably enjoying the outdoors, fishing, or eating.

Uncover A Secret New Strategy To Help Maximize Your Dealership’s Marketplace Listings

by Brooke Jensen | Jul 17, 2020 | Digital Marketing, Social Media

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Uncover A Secret New Strategy To Help Maximize Your Dealership’s Marketplace Listings

Since Facebook Marketplace for auto dealerships has gained popularity over the past few years, Facebook has continued to add new features and enhancements to the platform.

Last year, Facebook introduced built-in Kelley Blue Book Values and CarFax history reports to Marketplace, plus the ability to use chatbots so that dealers can have instant responses to inquiries without immediately needing staff to reply.

But with their latest release, Facebook Marketplace has become an even more powerful tool for car dealers.

Not yet posting your vehicle inventory into Facebook Marketplace? Click here!

Now your dealership can follow up with shoppers who engage with your Marketplace listings. Watch our video below to learn more!

Creating a Custom Audience For Users Who Engaged With Your Dealership’s Marketplace Listings

To start creating a Custom Audience for Marketplace follow up, go to your Ads Manager and select an existing ad set.

Then, select “Create New > Custom Audience > Marketplace Listings.”

Next, choose if you want to target those who have Viewed Products or those who have Messaged About Products in your Marketplace catalog.

TIP: Reaching those who have “Viewed Products” in your catalog will generate a larger audience, but won’t be as low-funnel as the “Messaged About Products users.

Lastly, set the timeline in which you want Facebook to look for engagement. We recommend a longer timeline if you are sending a “Brand Awareness” message, and a shorter timeline if you are sending Inventory Ads or lower-funnel offers.

Building More Custom Audiences with Dealership Facebook Ads

Remember, there are an unlimited amount of Custom Audiences you can create with Facebook Ads.

You can create audiences of emails you’re sending an email campaign or direct mail campaign to….

…a list of recent customers to send them a service offer…

…and even Lookalike Audiences based on your ideal customer lists!

Interested in learning more about creating Custom Audiences with Facebook? Click here to schedule a strategy chat with our team.

Learn more how to drive leads with On-Facebook Destination For Automotive Inventory Ads

Click Here

Blog Author - Brooke Jensen

Written By Brooke Jensen
Brooke handles all of Dealers United’s digital marketing. In addition to her love for design and copy, Brooke also adores her two dog-like kittens, playing the electric violin, and walking barefoot around the office.