Three steps for March marketing success

The March and September plate-change months can be relied upon to provide welcome impetus for new car sales, as well as an opportunity to enhance used stock with part-exchanges. However, our data suggests that the average time between enquiry and purchase has recently fallen to just five days.

So what can retailers do to identify and qualify potential prospects during the vital ‘pre-enquiry’ phase at this busy time of year?  

Drive website engagement

Research conducted by Google found that 92% of car buyers now perform all their research online before they buy. As well as ensuring available stock and offers are updated regularly, retailers should enhance their customer experience with digital tools to drive engagement and bring prospects into the sales funnel.

For instance, what happens when a customer visits the website and finds that the car they are looking for isn’t available? Tools like our Website Stock Alerts help capture vital data and retain the interest of the customer. By filling out a simple online form, the sales prospect will receive email alerts when a car matching their requirements becomes available.

The process is completely automated, ensuring the prospect is quickly notified of any new stock or price reductions. Sales teams can continue to focus on active enquiries whilst Stock Alerts re-engages idle leads in the background. The sales executive will receive a notification when a prospect engages with the stock presented, prompting them to make an individual follow-up.

Leverage social media

Social media channels present a clear opportunity to reach consumers with stock and offers during the research phase of the car buying process, and harnessing social media advertising campaigns delivers a strong return on investment.

We saw an average of a 50% increase in paid-for social media traffic from February to March 2023 and traffic continued to stay high through April – indicating how the campaigns we developed were reaching the right people at the right time.

Our SocialStock software links to the retailer’s website to populate social media adverts and convert potential interest into direct enquiries. The automated process targets customers after they visit the retailer’s website, without them even having to leave details.

Showcase online reviews

Data from Trustpilot’s 2023 ‘Digitising Commerce’ report suggests that 93% of consumers now read reviews before making a purchase. Digital automation can help retailers here, too. By sharing links to review sites, retailers can encourage prospects to read other customers’ positive experiences or direct customers to publish their own reviews.

We also advise our retailer clients to include a review card in social media ads. This all increases a retailer’s visibility when prospects hunt for online validation of a potential purchase decision.

YOUR ACTION PLAN

• Target prospects now to drive enquiries ahead of March
• Websites should be kept up to date; using digital tools can ease the pressure on sales teams
• Make sure relevant stock is visible to prospects on the right platforms
• Harness the power of reviews