Direct mail should be a part of any good, well-rounded automotive marketing strategy. I put together a list of some key points that I think all dealerships needs to consider when thinking about direct mail. My hope is that this list of my five major keys will help you cut through some of the noise, and give you some simple points to refer back to.
Create a Plan That is Aligned with Your Digital Strategy
Before sending any direct mail, take a look at your overall marketing strategy and create a campaign that fits into your plan. Make sure that your plan includes an understanding of your target audience, goals and objectives, lead management, and follow-up procedure. Having the right people in place to execute this plan is fundamental to having a successful direct mail campaign.
Know Your Target Audience and Objective
This should be addressed when creating your direct mail marketing plan. Know what type of customer you want to reach, and also have a specific commitment objective for that customer. Outside of buying a new vehicle, what action do you want your target customers to take?
Before launching a direct mail campaign, have a plan in place for dealing with the actionable leads that are delivered to your dealership.
Knowing your target audience, and objective, is important to understand and remember throughout the entire process. If your direct mail campaign is service or vehicle acquisition focused, make sure your follow-up efforts echo that same consistent message.
Measure Customer Engagement and Identify Actionable Leads
It is absolutely essential that you are tracking customer engagement with your direct mail. Try adding a Personalized URL (PURL) to each potential customer’s mail piece. When a customer goes to your website to learn more about their personalized offer, you will know that they came from your direct mail campaign. Tracking this data, and knowing specifically which customers are engaging with your direct mail, should be a non-negotiable for any marketing campaign. Any reputable marketer should be collecting this information for you and delivering it to your dealership in the form of actionable leads.
Do Your Job
A crucial part of any successful automotive direct mail campaign is follow-up. Once your direct mail campaign has delivered actionable leads to your dealership, it’s time to do your job. Before launching a direct mail campaign, have a plan in place for dealing with the actionable leads that are delivered to your dealership. Having the right people and process in place to follow through with these potential customers is crucial for converting leads to appointments.
Knowing your target audience, and objective, is important to understand and remember throughout the entire process.
First priority should be to contact all customers who have engaged your direct mail and schedule an appointment. These opportunities should be treated with the same speed and attention as an inbound internet or phone lead. Follow up should be aligned with your direct mail strategy and goals that you already have clearly outlined. If your direct mail campaign is targeting customers with a trade-in that you want to buy, keep the conversation around that message of buying, and set an appointment.
Send the Right Message
The question isn’t whether or not direct mail is effective, but rather if you are sending the right message or not. The right marketing partner can help you create a unique, attractive, and effective direct mail campaign. You don’t need settle for generic, one-size-fits-all solutions. Choose a marketing partner who understands your needs, and who understands how to best leverage your specific market.
If you would like to learn more about how I can help you create and execute a great direct mail marketing strategy, send me a LinkedIn message or call me directly at 207-517-3339.