September 7, 2023
Creating a strong marketing budget is one of the most important steps an auto dealership can take to ensure predictable growth year after year. Even if you’ve wrapped up a profitable season and feel confident in your store’s performance, the market shifts constantly – and the dealers who plan ahead always come out strongest. Instead of waiting for slow months or reacting to surprises, you can proactively build a structured, high-impact marketing plan that guides every campaign, spend, and strategy.
Whether you’re preparing for an upcoming year or refining your current plan, these eight priorities will help you use your marketing budget wisely and generate measurable results.
A successful marketing budget starts with intentional planning. Pull historical sales data to determine which months consistently perform well and which need extra support. Set realistic monthly goals and align your budget to match those revenue expectations.
Once goals are set, map out a full omnichannel marketing plan. Identify major holidays, seasonal sales moments, and dealership-specific events. Every campaign should include coordinated assets such as:
Assign a percentage of your marketing budget to each category and create detailed briefs so your team knows exactly what’s coming each month. With this structure in place, you’ll avoid last-minute scrambling and easily measure spend vs. results.
Your marketing budget can drive traffic—but your internal communication determines whether that traffic converts. Put yourself in the customer’s shoes. Visit your website, submit a lead, or call the store pretending to be a shopper.
Ask yourself:
The modern buyer expects short, mobile-friendly messaging that respects their time. Your CRM processes, automated triggers, and templates should be built for both the customer experience and your sales team’s workflow. Updating these areas costs little but drastically maximizes the value of your marketing budget.
You can buy leads, traffic, and awareness, but you can’t purchase community influence or brand affinity. These intangible investments deserve space in your marketing budget, even if they don’t fit traditional categories.
Examples include:
These actions build trust—something no ad can replace—and create a strong foundation for future referrals and repeat customers.
Even if your inventory photos look great, merchandising is never “finished.” Each VDP (vehicle detail page) should function as a self-contained advertisement that convinces the buyer to take the next step.
Enhancements may include:
These visual and informational upgrades dramatically increase engagement and conversion rates. Allocating a portion of your marketing budget to merchandising is one of the highest-ROI moves you can make.
The rise of video is undeniable. Automotive shoppers consistently watch videos before making a purchase decision, and Google reports that car buyers prefer content such as:
But don’t stop there. Consider adding videos such as:
Producing a steady stream of quality video content requires planning and resources, so make sure video production is included in your marketing budget. The payoff in engagement and conversion is substantial.
Your CRM already contains a valuable book of business—customers who know your store, trust your team, and are far more likely to buy again. Smart dealerships devote at least as much of their marketing budget to nurturing existing customers as they do generating new ones.
Retention tactics include:
A customer who feels valued will return again and again, reducing your dependence on high-cost acquisition channels.
Even the best marketing budget can’t compensate for an untrained team. Training shouldn’t be an occasional workshop—it should be part of your dealership’s culture.
Effective internal training includes:
External coaching is equally valuable. Outside trainers introduce fresh perspectives, ensure best practices, and hold teams accountable in ways internal managers may not have time for. Allocating budget to training ensures that every marketing dollar produces maximum return.
The phrase “fish where the fish are” has never been more relevant. Consumers spend hours each day on social platforms, and targeted social ads allow dealerships to reach buyers based on behavior, interests, and location.
Your marketing budget should include spend for:
Simply posting content isn’t enough—paid amplification is now mandatory for meaningful reach.
Your marketing budget is the roadmap that will guide your success. Rather than spending reactively, build a thoughtful, structured plan that incorporates campaigns, processes, merchandising, training, and advertising. When executed with intention, your budget becomes a strategic tool that propels your dealership through economic shifts and industry changes.
If you plan early, allocate wisely, and track your ROI consistently, your dealership will enter the next year prepared not just to survive—but to dominate.
