When it comes to buying big ticket items, such as a car, consumers don’t tend to make hasty decisions. Rather, a lot of research and deliberation goes into the process before a purchase is made.

That’s why crafting a marketing plan that works to strategically push customers through the extended sales funnel of buying a car is so important. Creating an effective automotive marketing strategy that involves direct mail can play a crucial part in getting customers to ultimately convert. 

You can use data about consumers to better target them through direct mail.

In the world of marketing, data is king. Leveraging information you have about past customers, and potential customers, can be extremely valuable when used effectively.

This is especially relevant when it comes to automotive marketing. Buying a car is not exactly an everyday purchase; it’s a purchase that on average only happens once every 6 years. With that in mind, it’s important to be reaching customers at the right time, when buying a new car is already on their radar. To do that, use multi-touch mailings to reach the most qualified buyers.

According to a study titled “The State of Automotive Marketing in 2016”, “Dealerships are also utilizing the data they have on hand prior to contacting a prospect. The most common pieces of consumer data include basic contact details, vehicle interest, and purchase/service history.”

Having this information on hand and ready to go will be important when it comes time to groom your mailing list.

Big buying decisions require multiple touchpoints—and direct mail is an important one.

According to a study by Autotrader, “Most car buyers are undecided at the start of the shopping process. When they first begin to shop, 6 out of 10 them are open to considering multiple vehicle options.” The fact that about 60% of car buyers are beginning their journey undecided on what exactly they are looking for presents a great marketing opportunity. Specifically, multi-touch marketing has proven to be effective when it comes to influencing a consumer’s opinion over an extended buying process.

It’s unlikely that a single advertisement, whether it’s digital or through the mail, will yield a direct conversion. Instead, it’s more likely that your larger campaign, which targets the consumer through a variety of different marketing channels, will make sure your business is top of mind when they’ve reached the end of their decision-making process and are ready to buy.

Direct mail gives your business the opportunity to be memorable.

Because multi-touch marketing is a great strategy to adopt when it comes to influencing a longer buying process, it’s important to make sure the various marketing touchpoints are as memorable as possible.

This includes direct mail, which can come in many forms depending on what information you want potential customers to know. Whether it’s a high-quality catalogue showing off the latest models or a mailer that showcases your dealership’s competitive pricing offers, direct mail gives you the opportunity to communicate with potential customers in a way that is direct and tangible, and complements the other marketing channels you’re utilizing to reach consumers. 

Have questions about your marketing strategy and how direct mail fits in? Reach out to our team for more information!