The Seven Deadly Sins of Dealer Marketing
Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Lust, Anger, Greed, and Sloth are all known to exist, but how do they relate to dealership marketing? These transgressions have no place in your consumer communications.
Pride
This sin, often known as vanity, is the source of all others. Putting one’s own needs, wants, and whims before the well-being of others is referred to as corrupt selfishness. The biggest no-no for any company is bragging excessively about themselves rather than their clients and their issues. This “learn more about us!” strategy can put you on the fast track to generic, overdone marketing. It’s one thing to talk about yourself to humanize your brand (certainly highlight things like community involvement and associate achievements), but if it takes priority over the information your clients need to make a purchase choice, it will do more harm than good.
Envy
Wanting anything that someone else has, whether it be a better trait, accomplishment, or property, is a sin. When companies replicate the marketing of their rivals, this is most obvious in marketing. There are two main reasons why this is a bad idea. There is no way for you to be aware of the strategy guiding your rival’s marketing initiatives unless you have a hired spy working for their marketing team. They can have objectives that are totally different from those of your dealership. People will also notice if they are yet another nearby dealership, (which is likely).
It’s okay to want to steal clients from your rivals. It’s a typical component of managing any firm. Poor business practice involves imitating rivals to the extent that your dealerships are indistinguishable or you come out as obvious copycats.
Gluttony
This vice, which is defined as overindulgence and overconsumption to the point of waste, is frequently manifested as trying to take on too much as part of a social strategy. Don’t make the mistake of underestimating social media management. It takes a lot of effort. Establish budgets and goals that you can truly stick to.
By aligning your bid strategy with your objectives and monitoring their success as frequently as feasible, you may avoid blowing through your budget.
It’s not necessary for your company to be active on every social media network. You should determine the precise location of your clients and interact with them in their active communities. It doesn’t slap, as the youngsters say, if your consumers aren’t on the platform, even though we know you spent hours perfecting that new Tiktok dance. Consider where to concentrate your efforts frequently.
Lust
This sin is a psychological energy that causes a strong desire for a thing or situation. Lust can come in any form, including the lust for wealth, success, or beauty. Unfortunately, the car business has a history of showing people a “dream life” in order to arouse passion. Beautiful women have been used in vehicle advertisements for as long as there have been cars, along with rich men who appear to be driving them.
Customers generally respond more favorably to advertisements that are relevant to their experiences and circumstances. Not every vehicle needs to be promoted as a high-end product. Instead, concentrate on highlighting particular upgrades to their present car, such as extra storage and safety features. Luxury features like heated seats or remote starting are frequently more than enough to make folks envious.
Anger
This sin, also known as wrath, frequently manifests itself as anger, hatred, and a desire for retribution. Nothing can enrage a company more than seeing negative reviews, especially if they come from clients who were challenging but whom they made an effort to accommodate. The greatest sin you can commit in this circumstance is to take revenge in a hostile and enraged manner. Even if your comment is absolutely accurate, it will appear unprofessional to those who read reviews to find out more about your dealership. Instead of arguing in front of others, go away from the situation, return when you are more composed, and invite the customer to get in touch with you privately to discuss the issue.
Greed
Greed is an unbridled desire for material success. When it comes to attracting customers, it’s easy to become avaricious. Many companies try to market to everyone and anybody, which makes them appear desperate and turns off individuals who are most inclined to buy. Target only those who are actively looking to buy rather than blasting out to the general public. Retargeting potential customers who have already expressed interest by interacting with your website is another option.
Businesses that are overly greedy usually focus primarily on short-term gains. Although the immediate gratification may feel fantastic at the time, it may bite you afterward. Instead, be sure that each marketing decision you make fits into a longer-term plan.
Sloth
The main characteristics of this vice are sloth, apathy, and avoidance. Technology is improving and making our lives easier. It will only continue to get quicker, smarter, and better. We can market more successfully than ever before with less work. This is wonderful and will save advertisers a ton of time. But relying solely on automation is a mistake that many people make.
Your brand still requires some personal interaction. Companies frequently treat their clients and lead like cold, hard cash instead of real people. In order to focus your efforts on solving the current concerns of your consumers, empathy must be maintained.
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