Dealerships using text marketing can expand their reach while collecting valuable customer data. It’s the most versatile tool to engage with customers through interactive campaigns. And technology makes it easier for customers to take advantage of offers and information that makes their lives better. This adds value to the customer experience and builds deeper, more meaningful relationships, which leads to repeat business and loyal customers.
Successful Text Marketing: Audience, Message, and Timing
To be effective, sms marketing for car dealerships has to deliver the right message to the right person at the right time. The following six tips will deliver a successful text marketing campaign:
1. Customer Segmentation
Text marketing relies upon having a strategic plan in place, and placing customers into segments is part of that strategy. There are many ways to segment customers: by age, purchase history, lifestyle, occupation, etc. These segments become the target audience. It’s more exclusive and that’s what customers expect—to not be lumped in with everyone else.
2. Interactive Calendar
Timing is everything for sending texts. Poor timing leads to poor results. Text campaigns should be scheduled well in advance of seasonal or holiday promotions. Using an interactive calendar will improve the scheduling and implementation of these campaigns while keeping everyone on the same page.
3. Keywords
One of the biggest challenges is getting more customers on the list, even though people are more willing to hand out their cellphone number to receive texts. What’s holding them back is the signup process. Keywords make it so easy that it only takes two steps. To signup, customers text a keyword to a shortcode number. Then, they can accept or decline future texts. Customers are on board and ready in less than a minute.
4. Birthdays and Anniversaries
One of the best ways to send an individual a personalized message is on their birthday and anniversary. It’s a genuine message that’s not focused on products or sales. Customers will appreciate the personal touch.
5. Campaign Development
A campaign delivers multiple texts over a specific period, typically focusing on a single message. These have a strict schedule and specific goals to see if it worked or failed to entice the recipients. Here are some brief examples of campaigns dealerships can implement:
- Service to Sales – Transitioning customers from service only to new car buyers is the goal for every dealership out there. It should be easy to get them in the showroom when they are fans of the service department.
- Follow Up – People prefer reading texts versus taking a phone call. So, sending them a text immediately following a visit is really important to address any problems they may have had while at the dealership. These can also be sent a week, a month, or three months after a visit.
- Surveys – Short surveys with only a few questions at a time will collect important data. Understanding customer preferences will decide the segments they fall into. Surveys may also uncover problems that need to be addressed right away.
6. Customer Data
Collecting and analyzing customer data from text marketing will benefit every aspect of the dealership. It contributes to customer segments and helps define them to create specific targets. Understanding the target market improves ROI and increases productivity. It also avoids appearing like SPAM because today’s consumer is quickly turned off by irrelevant messages.
Take Advantage of the Mobile World
Text marketing is not a gimmick, nor is it a fad. People overwhelmingly prefer texts to phone calls and emails. It’s how they want to receive important information that may save them time or money. This adds value to their experience and deepens their relationship. Dealerships without text marketing are missing out on a major opportunity our mobile world has to offer.