How To Maximize Your Dealership Holiday Sales With Mobile

It's the holiday season, that means one thing, you only have a few weeks left to hit your year end sales quotas. While this turns into a very stressful time for many dealerships, it doesn't have to be this way; so put away your Grinch costume and use that shiny little device (smartphones) all you customers have to turn your inventory into perfectly wrapped presents that constantly keep driving off your lot.

 Everyone's Online 

   

According to PunchTab 90% of consumers plan to shop online this holiday season,and with consumers spending more than 15 hours per week researching on their smartphones capturing capturing your customers pre-purchase is essential to ultimately gaining their business.    

You want to capture all these customers as they look for vehicles don't you?

 

Step 1: Simplify Their Search

 

Shoppers make store visits after searching, and if they find all the information they are looking for they are 75% more likely to visit the store.  

Take control of how your customers find AND shop your dealership.

A big reason many dealerships are moving twords mobile apps is to "lock" customers into their specific dealership and provide a research resource that deters shoppers from looking elsewhere.

Search, SEO rankings and re-targeting are all great methods to capture your customers but they also have one major disadvantage, they are broken links and require customers to keep searching and visiting your website.

While a dealership will essentially have a strong combination of all these methods the take away here is that digital is a powerful way to connect and capture your customers. The majority of customers start their journey with search, so being present in their path to purchase is essential to eventually getting that sale.    

Step 2: Occupy Their Time In Your Dealership

 

It's obvious customers are on their phones, but this doesn't have to be a bad thing. Make the best use out of their time and grab their attention using your mobile app and search results.
 
Turn your shoppers phone addiction into your very own sales associate.

Inform customers that your entire dealership can be accessed through their smartphone and pitch them benefits of your dealer app this creates a long list of benefits:

• Prevent Showrooming
• Create more engaged customers
• Speed up their vehicle decision processes
• Increase vehicle VDP views
• Strengthen your customer-dealership relationship
• Drive downloads and MRR rates

"Put simply, retailers can use their online presence—website, apps, mobile ads and search results—to assist shoppers in-store. This includes the integration of local information in their online presence. Geo-targeting content and ads helps retailers connect with shoppers who may be in close proximity to their store or already there." - Google Think Insights ; See the study 


 

Step 3: Location Based Promotions

 

Hyper target your Black Friday promotions and marketing by using your customers exact Geo-location to your advantage.

 

Location targeting technology now allows dealers to send a targeted messages to mobile shoppers at precise moments in the car shopping process. The technology can identify when a potential customer is visiting a competing dealership, obtaining a service quote from a competing service center or cross shopping you inventory. The system can then automatically deliver a coupon or offer to that customer’s phone, incentivizing a visit back to the dealership.





Relying on direct mailers, commercials and radio ads can all be nerve-racking and hard to track the actual returns to your investments. Quit questioning your marketing and go directly to the source, their smartphone! Advertise directly on the device they use most. Actively marketing your customers in real-time maximizes your chance to capture and convert them, with tons of retails using Geo-location to best understand their customers shopping routes and habits why wouldn't your dealership do the same?  

In Review:

With the majority of your customers starting their journey online having a strong presence and digital method to capture them will drastically increase your in-store business. Mobile applications are taking over the retail space and capturing this huge customer base maximizes your opportunity to close the most sales possible. Once you have a customer in your store, capitalize on this! You talk about your inventory, service department, and unbeatable prices, why not roll all of this into an app that provides you and your customer countless benefits? Finally, actively market your customers directly on their digital device, use the vast amount of information you have to your advantage.  



Original article: http://www.automotiontv.com/how-to-maximize-your-dealership-black-friday-sales-with-mobile/

Is Apple Pay The Future of Car Dealership Payments?

Yesterday Apple announced a watch and a new iPhone 6. Most of the headlines you read will be centered around these devices. However, a much bigger focus for the retail industry was sandwiched somewhere in the middle of Apple’s keynote.

Apple also announced “Apple Pay” – a mobile payments solution designed into the new iOS 8 mobile operating system.

General Motors Approves AutoMotion Dealer App For iMR Program

Minneapolis, MN – AutoMotion, the leader in mobile apps for automotive dealers, announces General Motors iMR approval for the AutoMotion Dealer App product. All General Motors dealers can now use iMR funds with the leading mobile app solution to drive more sales and service revenue from customers on the go. General Motors approved the AutoMotion platform as the first provider of mobile apps to eligible GM iMR (inMarketRetail) dealerships.

“We’re excited to work with General Motors and its dealer network,” Stated AutoMotion President Ben Anderson. “Mobile is growing at an unprecedented pace and today’s customer is increasingly shopping using their smartphone or tablet device. With hundreds of GM dealers already using the AutoMotion Dealer App product, we’re excited to help all GM dealers capture and convert their increasingly mobile customer base.”

The AutoMotion Dealer App gives customers instant access to the dealership through their mobile device. Engage customers directly and convert an on-the-go prospect to a repeat customer using real-time inventory, service scheduling, incentives, vehicle research, and much more. AutoMotion works directly with each dealership to design a custom mobile app experience for iPhone, iPad, Android, Android Tablet, and Windows 8 devices.

Exclusive Location Targeting technology delivers incentives to the customer’s smartphone based on location and timing. Location Targeting identifies the right opportunity to display targeted offers and provides next step actions through the dealership app. The technology achieves extremely high response rates by delivering incentives to customers at the moment of decision.

GM affiliated dealers looking to create a mobile app and take advantage of the iMR co-op program should visit http://www.automotiontv.com/dealer-app/ for additional details and scheduling of a personal demonstration.

About AutoMotion

 AutoMotion is the leader in mobile app technology for the automotive market. The AutoMotion platform delivers mobile marketing solutions for automotive dealers and OEM partners. The company’s technology permits mass distribution and management of large-scale mobile app campaigns for OEMs and large automotive retailers.  



Original Release: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2014/08/prweb12105408.htm

How To Manage The Millennial Car Shopper : AutoTrader Mobile Millennial Case Study

AutoTrader releases groundbreaking statistics on the future of the automotive shopping experience.

 

Millennials have the pedal to the mobile metal and are shaking up the automotive advertising, shopping and purchasing structure, as we know it.
 

Medium's Used ----------

• 95% use the internet to shop with 82% of their time spend shopping online, 51% being on 3rd party sites

• Visit an average 10.1 sites during their search

ON Your Smartphone, IN Your Car - The Connected Car Race Ensues

 

The long-promised demolition of the barriers that separate drivers from the information and entertainment available through smartphone apps is finally shifting into high gear.

 

Driven by consumer gripes—and by visions of new streams of revenue—auto makers and major players in the smartphone and apps industry dug into their software and hardware to remove a variety of obstacles to smooth integration of vehicle displays and the output from apps.

Apps, the little software programs that make our phones so indispensible, are quickly becoming part of our cars, too.

Multi Screening Mobile Shoppers At The Dealership

Quick, look over at your waiting room. What are over half the people doing? I’m willing to bet good money that the majority of them are on some type of digital device.

With over 147 million Americans owning a smartphone and 71 million owning a tablet its no news to anyone that your shoppers are using mobile like never before.  

 

We Know Two Things

1. The average number of digital devices people posses is greatly increasing.
2. Mobile is changing the way consumers shop, search and interact with your dealership.

More Screens, More Shopping

The amount of people that now use a mobile to shop has greatly risen over the past year; this coupled with the huge increase in mobile advertising has caused the vast majority of businesses to utilize digital marketing strategies to connect with their consumers. Everything from social media, to push notifications and location targeting are all large segments of the modern marketing plan.

• 90% of all media interactions are now screen based and

• 81% of people use screen sequentially to browse the internet

• 93% of people who use mobile to research move on to make a purchase

Making your dealership accessible through a wide variety of platforms and digital devices greatly increases your chance of engaging consumers. With 67% of people starting to shop on one device and continuing to another, the amount of people completing tasks through a mobile/digital format continues to grow.  
 

One Task, Multiple Screens

 

People now use multiple screens to complete tasks. Flipping between different devices to satisfy needs is now the norm.

• Smartphone’s are the most common starting point for sequential activities

• 65% of information search and online shopping is started on a smart phone.

 As media interactions move towards screen based models marketing strategies can no longer be viewed as Digital OR Traditional. Consumers are now faced with a vast array of content on a wide variety of platforms from OEM sites to dealership websites, to automotive dealer apps the choices are constantly expanding. Couple this with the large number of devices people now use, means being present on every screen and digital platform is essential to maintaining a strong mobile presence.  

 

To Do List:

 

Your dealership needs to understand all the methods people consumer media and create strategies that work with all channels.


Consumers have different needs on different screens so adapting your goals and strategies to account for the differences of each device is necessary to cover the market. Making your dealership discoverable on all devices increases your chances of being in front of the consumer at the right stage in the purchasing funnel.

• Give customers an easy way to “pick up where they left off”

• Make search simple, be visible on all screens

• Cross device behavior requires conversion goal adjustment

• Align conventional and digital marketing with your digital channels

• Create a optimized shopping experience on every device

 


By: Josh Knutson

Sources:

http://think.withgoogle.com/databoard/#lang=en-us&study=18&welcome=true

http://dealeradvantage.cars.com/da/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Placed-Mobile-Device-Use-Study-Jan-2014.pdf

                   

Mobile Apps Crush the Mobile Web

As a whole, the adoption of mobile devices continues at a staggering pace. The average consumer is now spending 18.9 hours per week on a mobile device.

New data reveals:

1. Your customer is on a smartphone.
2. They are primarily using apps.

How Will Tech Partnerships Change The Mobile Automotive Market?

Connected Car and the Dealership:

 

The era of connected cars is officially well underway. Automotive and technology giants recently announced substantial partnerships that will pave the future of cars and technology.

 

Get the AutoMotion Dealer App Location Targeting eBook to discover:

• How mobile is transforming the automotive experience
• Why Location Targeting and Push Notifications are the ultimate combination for your dealerships success
• How your dealership benefits from this groundbreaking technology

With automotive shopping via a smart phone increasing 73% over 2012, implementing  mobile  into your dealerships marketing, sales and service models is now a necessity. Give your customers instant access to your dealership, while broadening your marketing efforts further than ever before. Connect with consumers at key moments before, during and after their purchase. Discover the importance of the mobile automotive shopper and learn why location targeting and push notifications are the key to your dealerships success in 2014.

 

DOWNLOAD NOW 

 

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Apple CarPlay : The Automotive Experience Looks To Mobile.

Apple has just released its latest “Play” into the automotive sphere.

CarPlay is Apple’s BRAND NEW in-car infotainment system which promises to give you “The best iPhone experience on four wheels.”

The tech giant explains its recent endeavor as a:

“Smarter, safer way to use your iPhone in the car. CarPlay takes the things you want to do with your iPhone while driving and puts them right on your car’s built-in display. You can get directions, make calls, send and receive messages and listen to music all in a way that allows yo to stay focused on the road. Just plug in your iPhone and go.”- Apple

The technology allows you to control your driving experience in 3 ways:

• Voice

• Touch

• Knobs and Controls

The technology is adapted to fit a variety of vehicle formats and set-ups allowing Apple's technology to work on various platforms and manufactures, allowing Apple to reuse its technology over and over. This is very similar to the model Apple already uses, focusing more on software and experience upgrades than the hardware itself. Automakers control the hardware, while Apple controls the interface. This will allow Apple to move its way into some of the largest automakers in the game, broadening their consumer reach exponentially.

The Team:

The 2014 starting line-up includes:

• Ferrari

• Honda

• Hyundai

• Jaguar

• Mercedes Benz

• Volvo

with committed partners including: BMW, Chevrolet, Ford, Kia, Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Subaru, Suzuki and Toyota.

Simplicity and Experience:

What is one of the main reasons people have joined the ‘Apple Movement?” Experience. The iOS operating system is what draws people to Apple’s iPhones and you can easily see many cues transfer over to CarPlay. It looks as if Apple’s main goal is to enhance the in-car experience, but it is much more than this. Giving a tech company like Apple control of the consumers automotive interface allows them to directly influence the automaker's consumers experience.

 

This poses some interesting thoughts…

• How will giving a tech company control of your consumers experience affect your brand?

• Will the lines that separate manufactures and models now become much more blurry?

• What will distinguish top of the line models from low-end compacts if they all have the same infotainment system?

• How will the automakers and tech companies wants and needs correlate to conjoined goals?
  
  

The connected car is a revolutionary step that will change the entire automotive culture as we know it. Tech companies and automakers are partnering up all across the board with Google, Microsoft and Apple all racing to get their piece of the connected car cake. One thing is for sure, the automotive experience is about to take a hard right turn. So buckle up and hold on.

By Josh Knutson

Sources: https://www.apple.com/ios/carplay/

5 Revolutionary Ways To Dominate Mobile in 2014 : AutoMotion Webinar

Discover how fast the mobile revolution is moving. Learn how much of your customer base is using mobile during the shopping process and learn the latest data around mobile and buyer behavior. Discover the effectiveness of mobile tools such as Location Targeting and Push Notifications to incentivize the customer at the moment of decision. Raise your mobile marketing game with the latest mobile strategies automotive dealers should be using to drive more sales and service revenue from mobile.
 

We decided to ask our participants some poll questions and the results were very eye opening:

 

How To: Surviving The Winter Season At Your Dealership.

AutoMotion | How To

Follow these 4 steps to transform your dealership from a dreary snow covered lot into a winter wonderland.

1. Off Work and Online:

 

With tons of people staying at home this is the perfect time for you to connect with your customers online. Utilize your social media and special online offers to keep your dealership on the top of shoppers minds. People get cabin fever, make sure to let your customers know if you are open or not and if so, offer them something special to make their trek through the snow worth it.

2. Big Snow,

Big Vehicles: SELL SIZE:

 

Huge snow storms will help you persuade shoppers with smaller vehicles that it may be time for an upgrade. Their little compact may get good gas mileage, but it sure isn’t going to get them through the snow to work or to pick their kids up from hockey practice. Sell the necessity of these larger vehicles and give customers multiple reasons on why a larger automobile will make their winter much more manageable.

4/All Wheel drive becomes your winter hero. Show customers that these vehicles mean business, post pictures, videos and examples online that prove to customers that the added cost of these systems and vehicles is well worth it in these snow ridden climates.

 

3. After Snow Accidents:

 

Terrible road conditions lead to lots of accidents and where do people bring their car after its been all banged up...to your service department of course!

This is the perfect time to create a great relationship with your customers, accidents are traumatic experiences and couple that with cold weather makes for an even more irritated client. Make sure you are on top of your customer service and turn customers bad on-road accidents to great in-store experiences that will create a great memory and keep them coming back to you.

 

4. Empower Employees:

 

The last thing your sales team wants to be doing is spending all day clearing off your entire inventory with your “foam brooms” that seem to take endless pushes and pulls to clear off each car. If you are requiring your employees to fight through the snow to get to work and then spend all day outside make sure you are rewarding them. Happy employees are productive employees. Keep it fun and use the time outside as a team building exercise and make sure you stay warm, nobody wants to work with a salesman who is frozen literally and emotionally.

Make the most of every season and play your demographic strengths to your advantage. No one wants tons of snow burying your profits so come up with creative and beneficial ways to heat up your dealership all year long. 

By Josh Knutson

Image sources: ( www.lehighvalleylive.com , appirio.com , motortrend.com)

AutoMotion TV Brings Apps to the Automotive Dealership Market on Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8

Automotive App Leaders Expand to Windows Platform to Increase Mobile Outreach Between Dealers and Consumers.

Minneapolis, MN – AutoMotion TV today announced the release of the AutoMotion TV Dealer apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. With more and more automotive shoppers using Windows 8 on their tablet and using Windows Phone 8 devices, dealers can now provide customers quick access to inventory, service scheduling, live chat, and more through interactive apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8.

“We’re excited to connect dealers and shoppers through mobile apps,” stated AutoMotion TV President, Ben Anderson. “Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 users represent an increasing percentage of the mobile market, and we’re pleased to provide a quicker and more convenient way for them to interface with their dealership.”

“We’re pleased AutoMotion TV is bringing its existing dealer base, technology, and mobile leadership in the automotive sector to Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8,” stated John Richards, senior director of Windows App Marketing for Microsoft Corp. “With the AutoMotion TV Dealer apps, Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 users looking to purchase a vehicle can easily and conveniently interact with dealers at home or on-the-go from inventory research to service scheduling.”

Using the AutoMotion TV apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8, you can research new vehicles through beautiful imagery and video, chat with a live dealer representative, or schedule vehicle service through the app. The app gives instant access to current dealer inventory, incentives, and vehicle trade-in valuations.

The AutoMotion TV apps for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 are now available for download in the Windows Store and Windows Phone Store respectively.

About AutoMotion TV

AutoMotionTV Dealer App is a leader in mobile apps for automotive dealers. The company’s mobile solutions provide customer access to dealer inventory, service scheduling, live chat, and more. AutoMotionTV helps dealers drive more sales and service revenue through mobile.  

How To: Mobile Location Targeting For Automotive Dealers

Reach the Right Customer, In the Right Place, at the Right Time

Dealers can now target mobile shoppers based on their location. AutoMotionTV’s new Location Targeting feature allows dealers to identify up to 5 physical locations in their area; they can put a tracker on these locations which can then be used to target mobile shoppers. When a mobile shopper visits one of these locations, a special offer from the dealership is automatically sent to the customer’s phone.

Demographics

• Dealers can customize their location targeting to reach customers based on demographic characteristics
• Segment your marketing to reach certain customers
• Utilize your dealerships strengths to provide potential and current customers with the best offers in your area
  
  

Utilize surrounding dealerships, service shops and automotive centers to promote your business.

• Place location targets on these places and then market promotions and specials to draw customers back to your dealership
• Boost revenue from your service department by creating offers that beat the surrounding competition
• Get a one-up on competing dealers by providing more attractive specials that can be sent directly to the consumers phone
  
  
  
  
  

Drive Loyalty and Enhance Relationships

• Reward customers with discounts, promotions and sale specials that will keep them coming back
• Utilize location targeting to provide customers with great experiences, boosting your trust and value index

• Reach loyal customers and continue to build your relationships with them
• Utilize your current loyalty programs features to create even stronger marketing promotions
  
  

Re-targeting Consumers

• Re-target consumers who have downloaded your app to drive continued engagement and increase utility
• Contact prospecting clients more readily by connecting straight with their mobile device
• Utilize seasonal offers to get the most from your sales and service departments
  
  

Contextual Approached

• Connect with customers at moments in which your dealership can provide them the most value
• Couple your location targets with your marketing campaigns to increase everything from sales and service to keeping repeat customers in the know

DEALER SPECIFIC ADVANTAGES                                                   
 

Sales Advantages:

• Advertise your specials
• Competitive cash back offers
• Tent sales
• Leasing specials
• Used car specials
  
  

Service Advantages:

• Service specials
• Oil Changes
• Tire rotations
• Seasonal promotions
  
  

Location:

• Use your competitors to your advantage
• Competitor Dealers
• Midas/Jiffy Lubes
• Grocery Stores
• Local Body Shops
  
  

Location Targeting Message Examples:

• Today only $500 off the purchase of any new Ford Fiesta! Hurry in this offer won’t last!

• You’ve been selected for a limited one time only $500 off special of any new 2013 model year vehicle!

• Don’t let winter run your life, equip your vehicle with a set of snow tires today!

• Maintenance is key to long vehicle life, guarantee your vehicle stays running strong with 20% off all oil changes this weekend only!

• Beat the heat, make sure your air conditioning system is in tip top shape! Head down for 15% off all A/C diagnostics.

 

Utilize location targeting to its fullest. Couple your location targets with your marketing campaigns to increase everything from sales and service revenue to keeping repeat customers in the know.

This tool is virtually limitless and allows a dealer to customize their marketing efforts even further. Too many cross shopping customers? Turn them back to your dealership by offering them sales and service specials while they are on your competitors lot. Tailor each location target to create the greatest benefits for your dealership and create an interactive on-the-go marketing strategy that is sure to please your present and future customers.

By Josh Knutson