Labor Day is right around the corner, and this year it’s more important than ever before to take some time to think about how you’ll advertise your dealership for the holiday. In previous years it seemed simple. You’d get your lowest leases, and your marketing agency would come up with some great graphics to promote your low prices. As you know, things have certainly changed. The factories aren’t really offering programs, and if they were, you probably don’t have the car to sell. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t market your dealership to those looking to buy a car.

What’s the goal here?

The first step to defining any marketing strategy is to determine the goal. Without many new cars to sell, there are still so many ways to increase your dealership’s performance. Do you want to increase Ros in the service drive? Do you want to sell more used cars (who doesn’t)? Would you like to acquire more trade-ins to start the end of the year off with a bold inventory?

Choose a direction (or two) that will help you determine the next steps for your Labor Day advertising. Make sure your goal is realistic. If you currently sell 50 used cars per month, you’re probably not going to get up to 100 just by doing some holiday ads. Your holiday goal can be tied into a long-term goal though. For instance, if you want to sell 5 extra used cars in September and then 10 in October, and so on, this is a great way to use the holiday for a jump start to a great end of year.

Get your creative juices flowing!

Once you’ve established your goals, it’s time to get creative. As we mentioned, this is not the year for pushing low leases and buy-now pricing. You’ll have to try something new to get auto shoppers in your showroom. Service can be a great way to build up your dealership’s revenue and is often the last thing General Managers have time to focus on during the rush of the sales side.  Have your service manager come up with aggressive seasonal specials you can advertise. Search campaigns and social media can be very effective ways to advertise service specials. Ask your automotive digital marketing agency what they recommend in these spaces to fill your service drive!

Offering complimentary service with the purchase of a vehicle is a great incentive for someone to buy at your store whether new or used. Additionally, we all know gas prices are killing our wallets these days. Consider offering a gas card with purchase to help offset the money they will be spending to purchase. It’s also just a great way to set yourself apart from the competition.

Aggressive used car pricing is of course key to selling these vehicles. However, holidays are a great time to offer additional discounts, added value incentives and additional promotions.

For more in-house incentive ideas, especially to keep current customers coming back, check out our blog “Offering Rewards and Incentives.”

Don’t leave new cars in the dust…

As if they’d be around long enough to collect dust! BUT, if you have the new car inventory someone is looking for, you want to make sure you get it out in the market so people know you have it, so make sure you’re advertising in key digital areas like search, social, and email marketing. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to spend a fortune in these areas, but make sure you have your bases covered. Talk to your automotive marketing company to make sure you’re where you should be.

Electric vehicles are so important not only to the environment but to cut down on shoppers’ gas costs. As these prices soar, people are looking for alternatives and electric vehicles are getting more attention than ever right now. Setting up a separate budget for advertising your EVs is crucial. You’ll want to advertise any electric inventory you have in all the major digital advertising spaces and highlight on your website! Our Account Coordinators can help you get your website up to speed with our website watchdog program.

Timing is everything.

It might only be August 1st, but we are just a few weeks away from Labor Day, and the time is now! Sit down with your managers and determine your goals so that you can get your marketing plan rolling for a successful Labor Day and September. Whatever you decide to focus on, Digital to Dealer Direct can help. If you need ideas, graphics, or campaign execution, our team is here to help with unmatched service and exceptional results. Contact us today!