A prospective buyer walks into your dealership with 3 kids in tow and you can tell right away they need a good family car.  In the past, you might’ve sold a car based on the “fun factors” or special features. When it comes to selling and how to market a family car the selling points may be very different. The average family is likely looking for the following features:

– Lots of interior room and cargo space

– Cost-effectiveness

– Long-term reliability

– Practicality and fuel efficiency

– Great safety rating

Below are some tips for your sales team when selling a family vehicle.

When selling to a family one of the most important features may be the trunk space. With strollers, soccer gear, or maybe even the family dog, you need to make sure to emphasize this feature. Buying an inexpensive stroller, or having a staff member donate a used one, to keep for demonstration purposes could go a long way when selling a family vehicle.

Family cars tend to be a bit on the pricier side with things like extra space and lots of convenience features. It is important to know the budget before showing a vehicle. Being knowledgeable about the APR offers and best leasing offers will be very important to make the sale.

The vast majority of vehicles in this market have good safety ratings and it shouldn’t be too challenging to find a car that will satisfy your buyer. It is important to know the rating of each model you have in your dealership and what makes each one stand out over the other or of a comparable competitor.

Now, even if you have all this knowledge and the vehicles in your inventory you still need to get these prospective families in the door! Showing scenarios such as these will surely hit home with many parents:

• Crying babies in a bulky, rear-facing car seat
• Siblings arguing back and forth
• Angsty pre-teens — or teenagers — using the charging ports, multimedia interfaces, cup holders, and other comfort or technology features.
• Some cookie crumbs and a mess of toys
• A trunk stuffed to the brim with assorted gear including a massive stroller and a week’s worth of groceries

You want to relate to your customer, and these are probably real-life issues your buyer has to face on a daily basis. A great strategy is to market how your inventory could alleviate some of these struggles (at least within their mode of transport). Think of Subaru’s commercials with the family of dogs driving in a car, who doesn’t love dogs? This advertisement really captures the buyer’s attention all the while showing off the vehicle features which are selling points to families. So how else can you do this at the dealership level without a national ad campaign?

1. You can have a car all suited up in your showroom with one or two child seats installed, instantly displaying to your customer how their life can fit in this vehicle. Also be sure to add in upgraded vehicle accessories (all sold in-house of course) such as easy-clean rubber floor mats, trunk organizers, or even a roof rack with extra storage capacity. By using this marketing method, you don’t need to rely on the customer using their imagination, and instead they can see the possibilities with their own eyes! Automotive marketing goes all the way to the showroom!

2. Be sure to point out all the numerous phone/device charging points, which could be highlighted by signage inside the vehicle making sure no one misses them.

3. Giveaways- who doesn’t love free stuff? With inflation through the roof, now more than ever people would appreciate the help of maybe a free tank of gas, or a week’s worth of groceries paid for. Sending out mailers promoting such giveaways will put your dealership right in the homes of the families looking or their next vehicle.

4. Are your customers bringing their kids to the showroom while car shopping? Going to the dealership has a reputation for taking a while and having entertainment for children could be a serious difference maker. Having something like Disney+ or toys/activities in your waiting area will make your dealership stand out against your competitors who are still offering stale coffee and news on the TV. In fact, having a distraction for your customer’s children can give you the extra time you need to close the deal and sit down to do paperwork. Advertising this on your websites homepage or sending out emails will help bring families in and give you a real edge.

5. Many salespeople aren’t given a chance to create an identity within the dealership – and this is a missed opportunity. Your buyer wants to feel connected to who they are purchasing a car from. If you maximize your social media presence and share small personal details about your employees, your buyer might feel more comfortable with who is helping them with this big purchase. Making sure your website Staff page is up to date is key. This helps put faces to names and allows the buyer to feel even more connected to your business.

If you sell a lot of family vehicles and want help marketing to this audience, D2D is the right place to start. As an automotive digital marketing agency, we know this audience inside and out. We can help you strategize, build creative and execute campaigns. Give us a call today at 877- 958- 4524 or contact us online!