5 Ways Car Dealerships Can Use Text Messaging To Generate Sales
In the highly competitive world of car sales, connecting with customers in a timely manner is key to earning their business. Text messaging is a great addition to calling and emailing customers, and with a 98% read-rate, your messages are sure to be seen. Texts can also keep every rep on the auto sales floor up-to-date on the latest information.
Here are some ways that car dealerships can use text messaging, or SMS, for communication with customers and internal team members.
Car dealerships are known for promotional deals. Whether it’s a 2-day car sale, a Labor Day promotion, or other event, SMS can help generate car sales.
Instead of another email that gets caught in the junk folder, SMS messages are almost always opened, which means everyone who’s subscribed to receive your messages will get word of your great offers, which will drive interest and traffic to your lot. You can even offer a one-time text coupon to potential customers, which will populate your subscriber list with active shoppers.
Online and Print Lead Generation
Have a great deal online-only price that customers should know about? Have interested parties inquire via text! Once they text your keyword to a short code like 72345, for example, you can ask an automated question like “what kind of car are you looking for?” or “When are you thinking of purchasing your next vehicle?” Once they respond, your customer will receive your special internet price on their phone. You’ll also capture that user’s phone number, so you can call to follow up based on their response.
Test Drive Appointment Scheduling
If you want to schedule test drive appointments right away with customers, you can have customers text a keyword like DRIVE to 72345, and automatically send them a question like “When would you like to schedule a test drive?” Their response can be automatically sent to a sales rep, who can reach out to confirm the test drive appointment. This is much quicker than email and doesn’t require someone to immediately answer the phone.
Real-Time Lead Generation with Window Stickers
During busy sales weekends lots can be full with more customers than there are sales reps. As customers browse your lot, they can text a keyword to express interest in a specific car, generating a lead for your sales team to follow up on. While customers get more information on the car of their choice, their contact info is sent to a sales rep instantly. If the sales rep is busy, he or she can call that customer back to follow-up as soon as possible.
Internal Communication
If you have on-going or seasonal sales events and competitions among your sales staff, text is a great way to send internal staff updates and keep everyone motivated. Have an aggressive sales goal for the month? Send regular goal update texts to your sales team easily! Otherwise, you can send updates on top sales reps for the month thus far, special event sales leaders, and more. Your reps will be sure to get the information straight to their phone, even before they can read an email!
These are just a few ways that you can utilize text messaging to drive sales and keep in touch with your team. If you have questions about how you can use text messaging at your car dealerships, or want to talk with us about other ways in which our customers have used SMS for auto sales, give us a call at 800.696.1383. You can also email our team at tmsales@textmarks.com.
Photo Credit: Daniel Oines on Flickr (CC by 2.0)
