Six best secrets to increasing showroom footfall
30 July 2024
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With a growing list of cars – and retail outlets – around, competition for customers can be fierce. A face-to-face meeting can make the difference but, with more and more people doing their research online, how can you draw in the crowds? A lot of the solutions don’t require much investment or even time. Sometimes, clever marketing can make a big difference.
1. Be proactive in generative reviews
Research suggest that consumers read an average of 10 reviews before they feel they can trust a local business – so opinions matter. However, one of the biggest mistakes you can make when asking customers to leave you a review is to make your request too general.
To bring more customers to your outlet, you’ll need reviews that highlight why the in-person shopping/service experience is not to be missed. For example, encourage customers to leave a review while they’re present in the showroom, so the experience is fresh in their minds.
Set up an iPad in the middle of the showroom or service-area waiting room. Keep your Google review page pinned on the device and encourage customers to leave comments about their experience while they’re still shopping around. You could always sweeten the deal and incentivise visiting customers by offering them a free drink or food item after they post their review.
2. Establish partnerships with local businesses
Be willing to explore relationships with other businesses in the area – but not fellow retailers, obviously! The most natural choice for these partnerships would be complementary businesses, such as parts and service centres and rideshare apps. Although don’t be afraid to look outside of the automotive industry.
Relationships such as these help reinforce the idea that you’re invested in providing a holistic experience for your customers, not just making a sale and moving on. They also give you more exposure if you choose to trade promotions with your partners, like featuring their ads on your site and vice versa.
3. Improve texting capabilities
Communication via text (including WhatsApp) is getting more and more popular within businesses – including auto retailers – and it’s an easy thing to add to your lead follow-up strategy.
When you consider the stats on SMS, you can see why it’s so attractive. The average open rate of emails in the automotive industry is less than 18%. Text messages, on the other hand, get opened nearly 99% of the time.
‘Speed-to-lead’ statistics consistently show that the faster you can respond to prospective customers, the more likely you are to win their business. A click-to-text button helps you connect with leads instantly. When you add a ‘text us’ button to your online listings, you give customers the power to connect with your business quickly and easily.
With a lot of text marketing platforms, you can even set up each salesperson with their own text-enabled number, which makes conversations with potential customers even easier.
4. Use rideshares to to underpin marketing campaigns
The best way to help someone decide to buy a new car is to put them in the front (or back) seat of your latest and greatest models. The rideshare market is huge, with millions of journeys made every year around the UK. With every driver operating their own vehicle, there’s a huge opportunity to offer a few complimentary leases to these drivers in your area to reach potential car buyers.
While you might not get a sale out of the driver you’re leasing the car too (although that’s a possibility), the end user of the apps and services will get first-hand experience. Set up the vehicles with the right branding – and plenty of business cards – and complete the package with a special discount for riders who visit your premises.
5. Show, don’t tell, with video content
The vast majority of the car-buying process is browsing. Retailers are fully aware of the customers who come in, spend an hour inspecting several vehicles and then leave without buying. What can make the difference is some informative and attractive video content that can bring people through the door.
This marketing gives buyers a glimpse of the vehicles in your inventory, so they’ll be inspired to visit in person. It also helps more consumers see your product in a cost-effective manner. Studies have shown that most customers looking for a new car will use social media to help them in their search.
Clever videos also go a lot further in demonstrating value in a meaningful way – much more than an advert that trots out a standard line about “great value” or “unbeatable prices”.
6. Implement a referral program
Placed advertisements and email campaigns can make a difference, but what really helps is a positive word from actual customers. They can be the difference between bringing potential new business through the door and car buyers going elsewhere.
The vast majority of consumers trust recommendations or referrals from people they know. Leverage that power by setting up a strong referral program to incentivise your customers to spread the word about your services.
The incentives could be: a bonus when a new customer buys from you; a free car repair or service evaluation (under a set price); or a gift card for a local business. These offers don’t have to be exclusive to customers, either. The same benefits could be introduced internally, to employees who bring in referrals or new business.