Ever had that heart-sinking feeling when you found out that a customer purchased from another dealer?

Why didn’t they come to us? Did we do something wrong? It feels a little like being ghosted.

It can be hard not to take your customer’s purchasing decision personally, but the fact is, you have no idea why they bought from the competition – and it was likely entirely out of your hands. Was it because of a TV ad they saw? Maybe they were targeted by a competitor with a new model, or visited a dealership with a grand opening in a location near them?

At AutoAlert, we feel your pain, and we have a prescription for it: GeoAlert.

A recent McKinsey study revealed the number one thing customers want: “Relevant recommendations I wouldn’t have thought of myself.” Delivering personalized messages meets customers where they are and gives you a clear advantage, building relationships that last using data-backed ways to stay ahead of the customer journey.

Knowing that your customers are (or are about to be) shopping for a car is critical to retaining their business and offering relevant, timely options– especially if they just visited another dealership’s lot.

Locating Customers to Deliver the Right Message

Different types of geolocation technology can help you deliver ads to consumers shopping in certain areas, but they aren’t created equally.

One of the earlier types of this technology is geofencing. It’s the most common type that digital advertisers use, even though it’s expensive and uses GPS, Wi-Fi, RFID, or cellular data to target devices and send ads if the shopper has the correct app and has opted in. There isn’t an option for targeting your dealership’s customers or sending personalized ads. Beacons are another type, but shoppers need to have Bluetooth on and a Google location service enabled in order to receive ads. As with geofencing, there is no way to target your customers or send personalized ads.

A much better technology exists for zeroing in on your customers: geoframing. It creates precise virtual barriers using latitude and longitude, allowing a dealership to target a third-party service center, popular used car lot, etc., to reach customers going there. With geoframing the customer doesn’t need to have a specific app and opt-in; they just need to go to a site or an app that serves ads, like news, sports, shopping, or social media.

GeoAlert by AutoAlert uses this geoframing technology to keep you informed when a customer steps onto a competitor’s lot, or even into a third-party service center. This is then combined with the rest of the customer’s data to determine the best message or deal for that particular customer, at that particular time. Get as specific as you like, targeting customers whose warranty has expired, or who drive a specific model, or who are payment-minded and can trade keys today. Possibilities exist for every segment of your dealership.

It’s All About Personalization

Recent studies report that 70 percent of consumers think geolocation notifications are valuable, and 53 percent are likely to engage with the advertisement.

Your customers want to hear from you, but the message needs to be personalized. GeoAlert targets known customers with a message made just for them, not unknown mobile devices with spray-and-pray marketing. We provide proven ways to communicate opportunities with the customer, some of which are automated. GeoAlert also provides effective conquest marketing and shows you cost per sale/acquisition. This makes GeoAlert the only tool on the market that allows you to protect your consumer investment while winning conquests.

Above and Beyond the Competition

In the past, your dealership may have stood out because of a unique jingle, super-friendly employees, or an easily recognizable TV spokesperson. Those things are still great, and still make your dealership unique. Tech tools like GeoAlert can take your individuality a step further by allowing you to reach your customers in personalized ways that they notice and appreciate. Ways that work. Make an exceptionally unique customer experience using the customer data that is uniquely yours. With GeoAlert from AutoAlert, your dealership can take advantage of this data to stay at the top of your customers’ minds.

https://www.autoalert.com/geoalert/