This is best defined as a technology that reduces manual sales and marketing efforts (by managers and team) by automating and streamlining your auto dealership online marketing campaigns. The technology uses real-time car buyers’ data to understand their purchase behavior and needs. Marketing automation software, when deployed well, can create an increase in the number of leads and conversions.

Various studies report that automotive advertising brings in more revenue for every vehicle sold, especially when compared to traditional media. Research on the automotive sector conducted by DealerSocket confirms that conventional marketing strategies cost ten times more than digital marketing.

The world has rapidly changed from a time when car ads were distributed via newspapers, pamphlets, and TV ads. Users today use multiple web channels like Facebook, Instagram, automated emails, Google, and other social media platforms to get the information they need.

Omnichannel marketing approach is all about brands interacting with their customers across different types of online mediums. This includes unified tracking, reporting and targeting across all channels.

Digital marketing drive auto shopping study conducted by Google reports that more and more consumers are using a omni/cross-channel approach to research about cars before purchase.

Most incoming leads often end up going down the drain without ever seeing daylight. The solution involves integrating the CRM data with marketing automation technology. This helps in efficient tracking of lead acceptance, progress, and conversions. It also helps in documenting the leads that need to be re-marketed.

You can deploy marketing automation to enhance the efficiency of your automotive marketing efforts by using the following tips:

• Send welcome messages for long-lasting positive impression- This could include an introductory email or other means of automated communication to welcome your customers.
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• Timely follow-up – An automated follow up using periodic email reminders helps to build brand reputation, which can be a valuable tool to outsell your competitors. Timely follow-up communication like reminding customers about new deals, test drive schedules, etc. creates active engagement with customers and prospects, ensuring you stay at the top of their mind.
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• Meaningful content – Study and assess data about your car buyers and understand their intent. This helps in creating useful contents that your consumers can relate to. Remember, in the long term, good and dynamic content helps increase conversion rates.
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• Automate the sales funnel for auto dealerships – Irrespective of the social networks that you deal with, all the incoming leads need to be segmented. Each segment needs to follow a unique marketing automation technology in order to progress the leads in the right direction.
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• Personalization opportunities – Efforts like sending a personalized email, a birthday/anniversary reminder, form an important aspect of marketing automation, and an easily achievable one too!
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• Make customers for life – Customer behavioral data and their browsing histories can now be used by auto dealers to anticipate what their consumers want and who their preferred provider is. Marketing automation can also help them understand issues and offer economically priced solutions.
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  A study by DealerELITE reports that “consumers expect a 24/7 real-time response when purchasing a new car.”

• Go Contextual – Contextual targeting is the modern approach to provide consumers with a seamless cookie-less experience.