Build Trust with Positive Experiences
In any consumer-facing business, reputation is everything. This is doubly true for car dealerships, which rely heavily on repeat customers and word-of-mouth grassroots advertising to keep and increase business traffic and revenue. Simply put, managing brand reputation can make or break your relationship with customers, according to SocialInsider.
And in the age of digital reviewing and the next shiny thing being right around the corner, high quality, impactful, and lasting relationships with customers is more important than ever. In fact, Cars.com has an entire round-up advertising (via earned media) car brands with the best reputations to help guide car buyers towards working with brands and dealerships that are known for their trustworthiness and positive experience from start to finish.
Leverage Word-of-Mouth and Industry Reputation
Indeed, says an article on CDK.com, with 56% of service shoppers prioritizing reputation, any efforts dealers take to build a positive reputation will likely pay off in more service business. And even further, this reputation can come from an overall industry view of a brand or dealership (like from the Cars.com article cited above), or from individual, word-of-mouth recommendations from trusted friends or colleagues, CDK continues. Evidence points to family and friends as a powerful factor in where people shop and buy. Among Generation Z, for example, one International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) report found that 56% cite family and friends as the most significant influence over their buying decisions.”
Cultivate Ongoing Customer Relationships
This positive reputational feedback gets out into the world, explains Forbes, by curating great experiences with customers already involved in your brand or with your dealership. In a competitive market, customer relationships are invaluable. The best way to develop these relationships is through great customer management and learning from every interaction. Implementing robust customer relationship management (CRM) systems helps in personalizing the customer experience. Focusing on exceptional after-sales service and maintenance offerings can lead to repeat business and referrals. CRM systems centralize customer data, allowing for personalized interactions and improved customer retention. Personalized offers and follow-up messages tailored to individual preferences are essential in creating lasting customer relationships.
But the work doesn’t stop there. Once a positive interaction is achieved, resulting in a sale or otherwise, it’s important to continue to cultivate a positive feeling about your dealership in order to continue the word-of-mouth reputational boost. This is particularly effective when combined with a multiplatform marketing strategy, including in-person, online, and social media contact points with consumers, particularly if they are rooted in (or even tangentially connected to) existing buyer relationships. 52% of service shoppers cite an existing relationship as what draws them to a dealership. You can use social media to connect with loyal customers and give them access to specials, discounts, and news. These connections can extend to friends and family networks that can turn into additional service relationships.
A positive reputation, earned through positive experiences, develops trust over time. A strong brand reputation inspires trust among consumers, making them more likely to choose you over competitors, which in turn leads to increased sales and revenue for your sales team and dealership.
With such assured results, building a positive reputation is the smartest marketing tool a dealership can implement (and one of the most important, too).
Login