When demand for cars is on the upswing, dealerships might have difficulty keeping cars on the lot. There are times when the market is so hot that dealerships may be hunting for inventory. When buyers aren’t biting, though, dealers may face sluggish sales.
Dealerships wondering if marketing moves inventory should wonder no more! Marketing creativity could be a solution in helping to drive tough to sell inventory off the lot. Here are five ways to market inventory and roll all those vehicles out of the dealership!
Social Media Marketing
Billions of consumers use social media every day. In fact, billions of individuals are active monthly users (MBU) on Facebook alone. Dealerships facing some stagnant sales or tough to sell inventory can use social platforms to their advantage.
- TikTok
One of the most popular ways that dealerships can use TikTok, for example, is to provide short videos that include vehicle walk arounds. TikTok aims at a younger user, and content is video-based. Dealerships need to keep these videos short, though. TikTok videos run less than three minutes. Keep it snappy, but think outside the box with introducing vehicles.
Facebook offers more opportunities to market inventory. With Facebook, dealerships can post videos and photos. Text also can be more detailed; dealerships can describe the vehicle in words and pictures via Facebook. Include the price if it’s a hook. Dealerships also can use a creative voice. Facebook posts focusing on a specific vehicle can delve into fun details.
Instagram is all about photos. Include a photo slideshow of notable inventory. Use professional stock photos for newer models. Dealerships can mix up the photo slideshow content. Include 360 degree photos or panorama photos that show Instagram followers the interior of the car. Opt for immersive content when possible. This can enhance engagement and keep users interested.
- YouTube
Video content rules YouTube. Dealerships can create a video that highlights a specific vehicle or multiple vehicles in the inventory. Will the dealership include any sales or markdowns on these vehicles? Announce it! Highlight the appeal of the available vehicles and be sure to include any information on promotions, incentives, etc.
Showcase the Vehicles Via the Dealership Website
Social media can drive interest but so can the dealership’s website. Is there used inventory that just isn’t selling? Dealerships can perhaps look into taking custom images via EVOX Images to provide more context about these vehicles.
Include a panorama shot to showcase the interior or a 360 degree photo to encourage site visitors to engage with the vehicle online. Immersive photos create unique experiences for customers and they can provide more insight about a vehicle than standard two-dimensional images.
Dealerships shouldn’t forget about their blog! If the dealership maintains a company blog, this could be another way to highlight the vehicle in more detail. Again, be sure to include professional images. Dealerships also can link to the blog article via social media accounts.
Host an Event
Dealerships typically offer sales during the big holidays—Labor Day, Memorial Day and Fourth of July, too. While sales and promotions can draw in customers and help move inventory, dealerships also can consider hosting an event in conjunction with these sales.
Offer free food and drinks. Include face painting for children. Maybe offer a drawing for attendance prizes. Include fun activities for different ages to keep everyone busy and interested.
Consider the Product Placement
Where are those cars placed that aren’t selling? Are they in the back of the lot? Dealerships could try to mix up vehicle positioning to highlight cars that just aren’t receiving enough love from customers. Move them into spots with higher traffic. Or maybe add something to make these vehicles standout.
Are the vehicles marked down? Make the sales price pop! There might even be a section on the lot geared towards vehicles for budget buyers. This can help buyers find what they want and not sift through prices that are out of their budget.
Advertise!
Need to move those vehicles now? Advertise via Facebook, Google or other online platforms. Advertising online helps dealerships target a specific audience. These ads can include links to sales information or even prompt an individual to fill out a form with their contact details.
Today’s online ads are smart. If an individual was looking for a specific vehicle, ads can suggest something similar or show them an ad with a specific dealership’s offerings. Targeted ads can ensure that the dealership finds their audience, and, hopefully, those ads also help boost sales.
For Most Marketing Endeavors, Imagery is Important
When telling a vehicle’s story, the pictures are an important detail. Whether the dealership is marketing inventory using social media accounts, ads or even via the dealership website, poor quality photos will not enhance the appeal of a tough to sell vehicle. In fact, an unclear or unprofessional photo could detract buyers.
EVOX Images provides a vast library of high-quality digital photographs featuring thousands of makes and models—even older models are included. EVOX Images doesn’t just offer the tried and true standard photos, they also offer immersive photos and unique photo sets, too.
For social media and web use, dealerships can choose from:
- 3 Angle Color Set
This option features three of the same models in different color schemes. This set is a cool and unique way to showcase different paint hues for newer models.
- Full Stills Set
This is more of a classic option to market vehicles. Full stills sets include images of the vehicle inside and out; these images allow car shoppers to see different details that make a car unique.
- Base Trim Library
Dealerships can use professional photos featuring a model’s base trim. These images show what the model looks like without any added features. For buyers on a budget, this helps them understand what’s included in the base model and what isn’t included.
- 360 Degree Spin
The spin photos let customers turn the car around in a full 360-degree rotation. These photos only include the exterior image of the car. Spin photos can encourage exploration.
- Panorama Photos
Pano spin photos showcase the interior of the vehicle. The user will feel like they are sitting in the front seat and turning around to look at the car. Using a fingertip or the mouse, car shoppers can explore the interior. They can even look up!
- Splash Images
Splash images can be used on dealership websites or ads as a hero image. Splash images make an impact; they can showcase vehicles driving in the snow or driving on a scenic road.
Custom Images for Any Vehicle
Dealerships also could choose to highlight a vehicle with a custom photo shoot. These images are offered by EVOX Images and can be whatever the dealership dreams up. Maybe the photo includes the owner, the entire sales team or a really unique backdrop.
Custom images by EVOX Images can focus the buyer’s attention to one vehicle. Dealerships might consider investing in a custom photo shoot for marketing a rare or unique vehicle.
Supply and demand changes for every dealership. Sometimes the market is on fire, and all dealerships experience high demand and cannot keep cars on the lot. Other times, unfortunately, it can be tough to move inventory. Some models could be more difficult to sell than others. However, there are many marketing methods that dealerships can utilize to draw interest to hard to sell inventory and, hopefully, encourage buyer interest to move the sale and clear the space on the lot for another model!
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