Cheerful young businesswoman holding folder and using cell phone outdoors auto dealer text messaging

Text marketing builds deeper engagement with your dealership. It’s a targeted message that’s brief, focused, and easy to understand. This works best when coordinated as a campaign because sending texts to customers contributes to your overall marketing efforts in a variety of ways.

Coordinating Your Digital Marketing

For every text you send, your customers need to see the value of what you’re offering. Simply sending customers a text about a sale or promotion may not be as valuable to them as you think. Whether it’s a promotion or professional advice, each text should engage with them on a personal level.

Texts help coordinate your efforts and have more impact on customers. A compelling call to action could lead them to a post on Facebook or a YouTube video. Without these supporting activities, the brief message becomes less effective in engaging customers.

7 Text Marketing Ideas

The ideas below will help you coordinate your marketing efforts to get the greatest impact possible.

1. Family and Friends

Most of the customers on your list aren’t in the market for a new car, but you can still send them an alert about a big sale. The goal should be focused on referrals. People love to help out their friends and family. Plus, you can offer them a discount on services or accessories to give them an incentive to share the message.

Other Activities: To save on cost, this could be an “insider” event—only for current customers. You only need some in-store signage and a page on the company’s website.

2. Car Care Tips

Proper car maintenance helps avoid unfortunate accidents and breakdowns. Texting service reminders can cover a range of issues, from getting their oil changed to checking breaks and tires. You can also send them expert advice directly from their service center.

Other Activities: Service center videos uploaded to YouTube. Articles on service tips located on the company’s website with a YouTube video embedded within them.

3. Nostalgia

The automotive industry represents a major piece of American history as a dramatic symbol of our culture. Creating an event for customers to see vehicles from “yesteryear” is a great way to connect with them and show how you’re a big part of that culture. It only takes a handful of classic cars, trucks, or motorcycles and someone knowledgeable about each one.

Other Activities: Event coordination and broadcast media to make the general public aware of it. Social media posts and videos posted to YouTube.

4. Birthday

Sending a text to your customers on their birthday lets them know you care. They’ll appreciate the sentiment, but don’t forget to include a gift.

Other Activities: You can send them a digital coupon via text and email. You can also reach out to them through Facebook.

5. Behind the Scenes

Giving customers a look behind the scenes allows them to see the people and friendly faces that provide all of the valuable services they need. Your customers will become more connected to the business when they see real people and not just their titles on a piece of paper.

Other Activities: Videos uploaded to YouTube and social media posts.

6. Contests

A text-to-win contest is a great way to acquire more names and phone numbers while offering some pretty amazing prizes for winners. Dealerships can take advantage of their unique value proposition by offering free accessories, inspections, and car washes.

Other Activities: This event requires in-store signage and support through social media. Contests also have strict regulatory requirements, so these will need to be followed, as well.

7. Dealership Anniversary

The anniversary of a dealership is usually a major event, especially during special milestones. Sending a text is more direct and targeted than the other activities surrounding this event. It should be used to build awareness about the event and provide links to details on special pricing and other deals available.

Other Activities: This is a major event involving print and broadcast media. Text is only a piece of the coordinated effort, but an important one.

Targeted Marketing Gets Results

Text messaging works best in conjunction with events, not as a standalone activity because it targets the people that matter to an auto dealer. Now you have more creative ways to combine your text marketing efforts with other promotions and events at your dealership.

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