When it comes to your dealership, you want to make sure your ads reach the right audience at the right time. That way, you’ll reap the benefits of a successful marketing campaign that will keep your customers informed and your business prosper.
Fortunately, doing so is as simple as incorporating an effective automotive direct mail strategy into your strong marketing campaign.
Before you begin, it’s essential to learn more about what automotive direct mail is so you can understand what to expect. Well, the professionals at Aspen Automotive are here to be your guide to this profit-boosting advertising technique. let’s take a look!
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what is automotive direct mail?
Put simply, automotive direct mail is advertising material that’s sent directly to your targeted audience’s mailboxes. These mailers often encompass a variety of different marketing types, such as brochures, promotions, service reminders, postcards, newsletters, and more.
Thanks to the tangibility of automotive direct mail, your marketing strategy has an 80 to 90 percent chance of being read by your customers. As a result, your potential customers are more likely to participate in your promotion or program, increasing your return on investment (ROI)
While this tangibility offers a higher chance that your email will be read, it still needs to grab their attention. what better way to attract them than with an eye-catching design or unique conceptual idea? bright colors, unique texture, and strategically placed graphics are a few easy ways your mail can stand out.
Don’t be afraid to think outside the box, either. direct mail doesn’t just have to include letters. You can send a mail with a skeleton key attached or a keychain with your name on it. both are examples of unique mailing ideas that will immediately grab your customers’ attention.
Of course, you’re probably wondering what types of automotive direct mailers are best for your business. That’s why we’re here to outline some of the most effective direct mail marketing techniques.
direct mail versus digital marketing
By now, you may be wondering why you should use a seemingly old and outdated form of marketing instead of keeping up with the latest trends and going digital. sure, you could join everyone else as they fight for the same thing: the chance to be seen by someone from the target audience.
You might think it’s pretty easy since everyone gets emails and sees ads all the time, but it’s a lot harder than you think. it is estimated that each person receives about 107 emails every day. On top of that, they see an average of 63 ads throughout their time online. compare this to the two pieces of physical mail a person receives each day, and it’s clear that there is much less competition when it comes to direct mail.
By sending a print piece of dealership direct mail to your customers, your dealership can bypass the hurdles often associated with digital marketing options like email, which are more likely to end up in a mailbox. spam entry.
You may be surprised to learn that 73% of people in one study said they preferred direct mail to all other types of marketing.
This preference could be due to the nostalgia factor of receiving something in the mail offers or it could be because 57 percent of people say that receiving something in the mail makes them feel valued, but either way their direct mail surely It will leave your customers feeling warm and fuzzy inside. For you, this means an increase in positive brand awareness.
But don’t eliminate digital marketing altogether, as direct mail and digital marketing work together like pb&j – it’s the perfect marketing mix. Plus, when you use both direct and digital marketing, you stand a better chance of being seen and getting a higher return on investment. in fact, this marriage is likely to bring home 28 percent higher conversion rates.
We’ll talk more about these partnership opportunities in more detail shortly.
Automotive Direct Mail: Which Is Best For You?
Since each dealership has different needs in terms of marketing, there are several different types of automotive marketing you can take advantage of. To help you learn more about which one of these automotive direct mail solutions are ideal for your dealership, let’s check out some of these options:
loan/finance promotions
Looking for targeted customers who are a good fit for your dealership financing options? well loan/finance promotions are a perfect option for that. These direct mailers feature the most equitable loan options for your business that are best for customers in a certain income level or credit range.
In addition, you can easily target the audience most likely to opt-in to your promotion by narrowing your mailing list to recipients who fit a certain income and credit level, for example by targeting a certain score range. credit, income range, or more.
That way, you won’t waste time and money trying to engage with customers who may not participate in your financing options.
When you choose a loan/finance promotion, you can be sure you are targeting the most accurate and up-to-date potential customers thanks to our experian or transunion listings, which are updated weekly.
loyalty programs
Part of helping your dealership stand out from others is to provide your existing customers with plenty of loyalty perks that’ll keep them returning to your business time and time again.
Fortunately, loyalty program direct mails help your audience stay informed about any promotions or events where they can get some extra perks from shopping at your dealership.
In addition, these loyalty events are a great way to draw attention to your company and encourage potential customers to become customers so they can participate in loyalty promotions. At the end of the day, satisfied customers generate more profit for your dealership.
personal url programs (purl)
Don’t forget to incorporate a lot of personalization into your direct mail. When a customer sees their own name included in a website address, research shows that they are twice as likely to visit the site. That’s why personal url (purl) programs are so important to attract your target audience.
Not only does this direct mail technique give your customers a place to store their information, but the added personalization helps them feel more cared for by your professionals.
From short-term promotions to service reminders and more, purls are great ways to engage your audience and drive more conversions.
how to make your automotive direct mail stand out: interactive programs
Technology is all around us, so why not incorporate it into your automotive direct mail? This innovative form of direct marketing helps increase your brand awareness by leaving lasting, positive experiences between you and your client. These interactive and personalized programs make your clients more likely to think of you the next time it comes to anything automotive.
As with our direct mail solutions, there are several types of interactive programs you can use. qr codes simplify interactive programs.
but before we can get into the ways you can use qr codes, you may first be wondering what a qr code is. well, simply put qr code stands for quick response codes. these codes are made up of black and white designs that, when scanned with a smartphone, can direct your customer to the website.
qr codes can be printed on almost any type of direct marketing, making it a versatile yet easy way for your customers to interact with your dealership. Do you want to send more information about an upcoming sale or discount? when they scan this code, they may be redirected to another screen, allowing them to retrieve additional information.
Overall, QR codes help instill the idea that your dealership is working overtime to provide the most streamlined experience possible.
Now that you have a better idea of what QR codes are, let’s take a look at some of the interactive programs that are compatible with QR codes.
customer surveys
Sending out customer surveys are a fast and easy way to get an idea of what your clients think about your dealership. Utilizing QR codes are a great way to send out customer surveys.
When you send information to your customers with a customer survey code, they can use their smartphone to instantly access the survey without typing in a url. This way, your customers are more likely to respond to the survey right away, giving you the feedback you need even faster.
contests
offering contests to customers is another way to use qr codes for interactive marketing. imagine sending a direct mail that tells your customers to scan the code to enter your contest. Not only will you find more business interaction during a contest, but the use of a QR code makes it possible for your customers to scan and enter immediately.
Learn more about automotive direct mail today!
At aspen automotive, we’re ready to help your dealership thrive by equipping you with the right direct mail options for your needs.
Then if you’d like to learn more about automotive direct mail and its potential to increase your company’s revenue, it’s time you talked to our professionals. Auto dealer direct mail marketing works, so all you have to do is call or email us today to learn more.