Multi-Channel Retail in the Auto Industry

The way that people make major purchases has changed dramatically. In the past, it was more reasonable for an auto dealer to close the deal through face-to-face contact on the lot. But, now consumers have far more ways to shop and research products than ever before. Auto dealers must compete with multiple marketing messages that consumers are exposed to everyday online and offline, which means that they must become more strategic in their marketing approaches. The members of the automotive industry that observe the new ways customers behave and adapt to new consumer trends will be the ones that succeed in the digital era.

One way that businesses are doing this is by combining a multi-channel marketing approach with multi-channel retail. Multi-channel marketing disseminates consistent, branded messages across multiple platforms, which reaches more consumers in the way that they want to be reached. Multi-channel retail follows the same concept. Instead of simply relying on customers to come view your auto inventory on the lot, dealerships are adjusting the customer experience to be more consumer-friendly.

Multi-Channel Auto Retail

The need for multi-channel retail in auto is crucial, since most of a buyer’s decision is now made before you ever meet. According to PwC’s global multichannel survey, four out of five consumers will research online before making a purchase. Plus, The Guardian found that the average consumer will engage with 18 pieces of content before making a decision.

Using Multi-Channel Retail to Meet Auto Consumer Demands

Studies have shown that today’s consumers want multiple options when it comes to shopping. There is no longer a hard divide between online and offline sales. Nearly every shopper walks around with a tiny, powerful computer in their pocket every minute of the day. Using our phones to help us make decisions has become a natural process. We pull them out to find out where the closest taco joint is or what that song is on the radio. That impulse extends to purchases made in stores and in car dealerships.

For example, Hybris says that nineteen percent of shoppers report pulling out their phones to use the mobile web for research while shopping. Creating mobile-friendly sites that have an up-to-date auto inventory allows you to keep their attention and build trust. Some of the other elements that customers in the PwC survey said they valued are:

• The chance to compare prices (66%).
• Online reviews and recommendations (7%).
• The ability to compare product features and choices (27%).

Incorporating each of these values into your multi-retail strategy shapes the customer’s perception of your auto dealership while helping to improve the overall customer experience. To meet their needs it’s important to nurture your relationships over brick and mortar, web, mobile and other viable channels, providing a seamless experience from one to another.

If you want your dealership to be the one that they ultimately choose, you need to be with them throughout the entire customer journey. The new empowered consumer makes choices based on research. Dealerships can provide product videos, checklists, informative articles and other content to answer buyer questions and guide their experience. By being the one to provide the information they seek, you begin forging a profitable relationship before they ever walk in the door.

In order to be successful in the digital era, auto dealers need to create a customer experience that is positive and seamless on all platforms. Managing a multi-channel marketing campaign while also managing your auto dealership may seem like a lot to juggle. However, you don’t have to manage it alone. Relevate Auto offers a wide range of multi-channel services that are designed specifically for the auto industry. Whether you’re reaching out to customers through direct mail, ad serving, email marketing or a combination of all three or other channels, we can help you improve your data and campaigns to reach the right audiences with the right messages. By reaching out to meet your clientele wherever they are, you will be rewarded with loyal customers that support your business.

Learn more about Relevate Auto’s Marketing Data Solutions to expand your multi-channel marketing success with accurate prospect data.