How to Increase Sales for Your Auto Dealership: 5 Proven Strategies Leave a comment

There are more than 54,000 car dealerships in the United States, according to the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA). It’s a highly competitive industry, particularly in population-dense markets where numerous dealers must compete with each other to attract local car buyers.

All dealerships share the same core goals: increasing sales and maximizing profitability. But some dealers seem to do this better than others – so what’s their secret?

If you want to boost sales at your dealership, try these 5 proven strategies recommended by auto marketing experts:

1) Increase the availability of your sales team.

Sounds too easy to be true, but you’d be surprised by how many dealerships are limiting their sales volume due to having limited business hours. 

In today’s market, being closed on Sundays or in the evenings can put a serious cap on your potential revenue. By simply expanding your hours, you open the door for more buyers and sales. If expanding the hours isn’t feasible, then consider allowing after-hours appointments on a case-by-case basis. Also, equip your sales team with mobile CRM tools that allow them to continue the conversation with prospects even when the dealership is closed.

2) Revaluate your pricing constantly.

Make sure your pricing is competitive. Today’s buyers can easily conduct their own market analysis online, in a matter of minutes. So your dealership should too. 

Go beyond the Black Book and Kelley Blue Book. There are numerous online tools and services that allow dealers to quickly analyze pricing in any market, including active listings on third-party sites, as well as other dealerships. Use these tools aggressively to set the most competitive pricing possible.

3) Offer promotions that are truly eye-opening.

Below, we discuss how dealerships can create buzz and excitement for their inventory even when no promotions are available. But if you are running a promotion, then make it a good one – because today’s buyers know the difference between a great deal and a marketing gimmick.

Steep discounts are of course a big draw, especially during the major holiday weekend sales events, like Memorial Day, Labor Day and so on. However, additional incentives can also go a long way to closing the sale. Examples include offers for free service/repairs, oil changes, gift certificates and discounts at other businesses.

4) Increase the visibility of your dealership.

It’s time to get creative. In today’s competitive market, dealerships need to do whatever it takes to attract the attention of car buyers. If your dealership is situated on a busy road, then an easy way to do this is to decorate your vehicle lots. 

Car dealership flags and car dealer stickers are a great way to grab attention and label vehicles with pricing, model year or promotions. Even if no promotions are active, brightly colored stickers and flags can create a psychological assumption that something big is happening and/or that the dealership is a source for savings. For inspiration, check out these sales aids and supplies that we offer here at My Dealer Supplies.

5) Leverage digital marketing.

Think beyond old-fashioned radio, TV and print ads. These days, you can get a lot more bang for your budget with digital advertising. Google and Facebook make it easy to target nearly any audience, including prospective buyers who are actively searching for a new vehicle.

Dealerships that fail to use digital marketing in today’s market will only fall behind the competition.

Get the auto dealer supplies you need to increase sales

At My Dealer Supplies, we offer a wide range of auto dealer supplies and sales aids, including car key tags, car dealer stickers, car dealership flags, auto service hang tags and more. Browse our inventory or contact us at support@mydealersupplies.com for custom supplies that can help you increase sales.