Last updated on February 20th, 2025 at 03:40 pm
With the progression of technology so rapidly today, car dealerships and selling agencies need to keep in touch with their customers almost at all times.
Here enters text message marketing: a very convenient means for dealerships to reach out to potential car buyers in a far more personalized way. Text message marketing for car dealerships means more leads, more sales, and a better customer experience.
Here is how to carry out this first proposition of marketing in a non-intrusive manner which will also turn out to be very efficient for your business.
Why Text Message Marketing for Car Dealerships?
Buying and selling cars is all about building relationships with those who may be interested in this purchase. Customers are always eager to talk, even more so during serious purchases like buying a car.
It works to your advantage since car dealerships remember that there is text message marketing aimed at car buyers. Sending fun offers and updates to customers by text is efficient as they will always have the dealer in their close contacts.
It is not only confined to the intention of selling cars but also revolves around maintaining a healthy relationship with the customers using effective communication which is as warm as it may sound. Today, whether you are an auto dealer, whether your emphasis is on customer car sales, customer loyalty, or both, text message marketing is the bridge to a new age in the traditional industry.
What Are Steps to Implement Text Message Marketing for Car Dealerships?
1. Build a Targeted List of Opted-In Customers
Unless you have learned the ins and outs of customer lists to adopt proper text message marketing, do not start any text message marketing. That list must include previous buyers, prospective clients for your car dealership as well as leads acquired from the inquiries of the dealership.
This process can be done easily through the business’s text or bulk sms. More importantly, make sure your SMS advertising campaign does not violate laws such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) to save you from incurring fines.
2. Pick the Right SMS Marketing Platform
The appropriate text messaging platform is essential in the development of a marketing campaign through sms. There are different tools available to assist you in automating and customizing your messages.
Choose appropriate software that has been integrated into the CRM of the dealership to enable seamless communication which automatically keeps track of whether you use bulk SMS, SMS automation, or any other types. Some notable platforms also allow the management of customer names, dealership names, SMS campaigns, and even self-service administration.
3. Categorize Your Customers
Implementation of text message marketing for car dealerships should never be a one-to-all undertaking. Segment your market into relevant clusters.
For example, auto dealership customers on the barrier on purchase of SUV’s will have different interests than compact cars. Leverage past car sales data, inquiries, and service data in creating the most specific groups.
4. Keep Messages Short and Interesting
Short message service (SMS) is the preferred means of communication to customers rather than seeking their attention with lengthy emails or calls. If it’s introducing a new car model, reminding a customer of an appointment, or informing the customer of a sale, make the points short but very persuasive. You have to include what you want the customer to do next (call to action).
Examples of this include effective marketing messages that do this:
- “Hey [Customer Name], we have great news! Come in at [Dealership Name] this coming day and get the best offers to drive out with the latest car models!”
- “Get ready for the weekend clearance! Get best-selling models including [Car Model] from [Dealership] at discounted prices.”
5. Use SMS Automation As One of the Measures For Efficiency
Automation is important for mass text messaging especially when there are sales or promotions. Reaching out to customers at the right time is made even easier after a customer comes in for service or after they have been to the showroom.
You can send: “We hope you enjoyed your time at [Dealership Name] and appreciate your choice. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate, just pick up your phone and text us.” After the automated response, most customers have their queries addressed within minutes which in turn enhances the flow of customer communication.
6. Advertise the Special Deals and Offers to Customers
SMS messaging is one effective method for increasing sales as such messages may emphasize special deals and offers that are valid for a specific duration. Use discounts, rebates, or trade-in offers to convince prospective clients. For instance, you can create a car sales text message that communicates urgency in a potential customer’s mind and it goes like this:
“For a limited period only, get any [Car Model] at [Dealership] for $2,000 less. Come on in and buy today!”
These messages may be geared towards soliciting test drives, bookings, or even sales within the shortest time possible. Application of sms campaigns especially during the peak seasons, like end-of-year sales or the new model launch period ensures that your dealership remains within the competition.
7. Add Value To Customers by Sending Service Reminders
Most customers would not mind getting reminders for the maintenance or service appointment that is due. Dealerships may send sms reminders for oil service, tire maintenance, or smog checks, which helps change how a customer associates with your business. The customers can always be lured to return for the sales and service requirements by sending them a gentle reminder.
8. Campaign Management and Control
Be sure to keep in mind the need to evaluate how well the text message marketing campaign worked. Most of the SMS marketing systems come equipped with functioning analytics and can keep track of open rates, additional actions taken, and other engagements of the SMS. By comparing results based on this data weekly, dealerships can improve their strategies and therefore strengthen the relevance and effectiveness of their texts to potential buyers.
If an individual text message is not achieving its desired effect, change the content of the text message templates or change the time of execution somewhere in the campaign. Modifications may involve changes based on the state of the market, what consumers say, or through data analytics.
Why Is Text Message Marketing For Car Dealerships Beneficial?
The introduction of text message marketing for car dealerships also has its plusses:
- Most Customers are More Active: SMS has better response rates assuring constant communication with the customer, which leads to more prospects being generated.
- More Sales: Text marketing can be applied for various activities of the dealership, that is new car sales and promotions or dealership service promotions, which will eventually profit indeed your dealership.
- More Customer Retention: Enhancing communication, and personalizing outreach as the purpose of the Car dealerships increases customer experience and consequently looms customer retention.
- Affordability of SMS Marketing: In comparison with other promotional strategies, SMS marketing stands out as relatively cheap and can target a large population without incurring excessive costs.
What Not to Do in Text Message Marketing for Car Dealerships?
Below are some of the common blunders to be avoided in text message marketing for car dealerships:
1. Sending Bombarding Text Messages
The quickest way to bore a consumer and make them lose interest is to constantly send them a lot of texts. That is why it’s important to bear in mind that there should be no such thing as a constant bombardment of clients with potential sales texts.
It is not just the length of advertising. Even moderate and relevant ads sent too often could scare potential customers away, leading them to unsubscribe or give negative feedback.
2. Neglecting To Tailor Messages
People value personalized communication. Likely, a message without a customer name, a record of their previous purchases, or details about the particular model the customer might be interested in will be less engaging to probable customers.
Whenever you design bulk texting message templates make sure that you use some incorporation elements e.g. customers’ names, names of their dealerships, or the vehicle of the customers’ choice.
Dismissing this opportunity diminishes the opportunities to enhance the customer’s attitude towards the organization as well as the consumers’ tendency to return to the organization.
3. Texting at Inappropriate Hours
When it comes to text message marketing for car dealerships, sending marketing messages at the right time is of the essence. You embarrass your clients if you text them late at night or tease them if you do it during work hours. Your clients have their own time schedule and therefore, respect their time by allowing them to respond and refrain from sending messages at unusual hours.
4. Disregarding Codes of Compliance
Another critical blunder is ignoring legal compliance. Marketing through text message is a legally controlled activity and failure to adhere to the regulations may result in penalties or lawsuits to the business.
SMS marketing that you engage in must always be compliant with the TCPA and any other applicable laws. Customers are expected to opt-in before they can start receiving texts and if they want to stop receiving texts then they need to be told how.
5. Making Use of High-Pressure Selling
There is a thin line between the amount of sales message you send and the sales message you must send. Though the desire is to promote sales of cars, it’s important to realize that taking the aggressive approach will only serve to chase away your target audience. Instead of “Buy it now,” train your employees to sell “Create a connection with the customer and provide value.
6. Failure To Utilize Follow-Up Strategies
Once a customer has physically come to your dealership or enquired about a particular vehicle, it’s important that one does not let the ball drop. A failure to follow up with appropriate text messages at the right time may end up losing such opportunities.
For instance, after a customer has expressed some interest in a particular car, one may write a friendly message complimenting their visit. This can encourage them to take a test drive and allow one to give more information about the car.
8. Not Paying Attention To The Customer
Last, one of the frequent mistakes is neglecting customer choice. Some of the customers might stick only to email campaigns and will not like text message marketing, whereas others may only want information on a few selected types of vehicles or services. Automatically opt out the customers from the dealership’s marketing messages and allow them to control the volume and types of communication they receive regularly.
This level of respect for their preferences goes a long way to enhancing customer loyalty and ensuring that they do not disengage themselves from the dealings of your dealership.
So, why does text message marketing for car dealerships work best?
In the case of car dealerships, marketing via text messaging is an effective method for increasing sales, enhancing contact with clients, and increasing the engaging process as a whole. Through sms automation, targeted messages, or active offerings, car dealers can explore a much more effective channel of communication which is also less expensive.
The automotive industry is changing and consumers are looking for a new-age approach and communication that is instant and effortless. Any car dealership will remain competitive by developing an integrated & robust SMS marketing strategy to keep pace with market changes and embrace modern sales of cars. And, so should you.