The world of automotive marketing is constantly evolving and automakers must be ready to adapt to stay competitive
In this scenario, advertising agencies specialized in automotive digital marketing (but not only) can be of great help in making communication more effective and in reaching only target users.
However, it is important that car manufacturers also step up and make a quantum leap. They are the first protagonists of change and must be ready to think outside the box. To do this, they can start from some useful ideas, with which they can make the most of advertising to attract customers, increase their visibility and offer a more engaging shopping experience.
5 reasons why automotive marketing is important
Here are five reasons why automotive marketing is important:
- Facing stiff competition. Marketing strategies can help automotive companies reach their target audience and develop a loyal customer base.
- Improve visibility with online campaigns (such as those on social media, a must in automotive digital marketing) and traditional advertising, useful for reaching a wider audience.
- improve sales, winning new customers by promoting products and services.
- Improve brand reputation: marketing campaigns can strengthen customers’ perception of the brand
- Increase partnership opportunities, by reaching new markets and developing partnerships with other companies in the automotive sector.
4 automotive marketing techniques
In the panorama of the automotive industry, automotive marketing plays a fundamental role within the corporate strategy. A well-structured marketing strategy can be a valid support to promote the brand, increase sales and improve customer satisfaction.
The growing digitization of the sector has led automotive companies to become increasingly aware of the value of user experience within their marketing strategies. But let’s see some ideas to optimize your sales techniques. Here are 4 of the most popular automotive marketing techniques:
- Customer journey. The customer journey represents the path that a customer takes from the beginning of his interaction with a company, up to the conclusion of the purchase. This map includes all the phases in which the customer comes into contact with the company, from the initial research on the web to post-sales feedback. To deliver a satisfying customer journey experience, it’s important to provide customers with relevant and personalized content at every stage of their journey. For example, during the initial research phase, you can provide relevant product information tailored to the customer’s needs. During the evaluation phase, however, personalized financing offers or incentives for signing a long-term contract can be offered. Finally, once the customer has made the purchase, personalized after-sales assistance services can be provided to ensure maximum customer satisfaction.
- Experiential marketing. Fundamental in automotive marketing, it focuses on the consumer experience with the product. In the auto industry, experiential marketing can be used to get consumers to experience driving a particular car model. This can be done through test drives or new model launch events.
- SMS Marketing. An SMS Marketing service, such as the one managed by marketing companies and agencies, can be an excellent strategy to increase sales and increase customers. This technique uses SMS to promote products, in this case from the automotive sector, with a high percentage of opening and reading. Furthermore, SMS are a very personal and direct means of communication, which allows companies to reach their customers effectively. Auto companies can use SMS marketing to promote new car models, present special offers and promotions.
- Social media. Automotive companies are starting to understand the importance of digital tools to achieve their marketing goals and are starting to invest heavily in automotive digital marketing. Currently, one of the major trends in the industry is the use of social media, such as YouTube, Twitter and Facebook, to promote their vehicles. Thanks to these channels, automakers can reach a wider audience and build a community of fans, thus generating an increase in sales, customer engagement and brand awareness. Additionally, auto companies are harnessing the power of social media to tell engaging stories about their vehicles. This approach allows them to create a narrative around the product that can grab the attention of potential buyers. Thanks to this narrative, companies can show how their vehicles can meet customer needs and help them achieve their goals.
The most famous automotive marketing campaigns
Automotive marketing campaigns have a long history. Over the years, we’ve seen some campaigns become iconic, such as the 1959 Volkswagen ‘Think Small’, which changed the way people viewed German cars. Another highly successful campaign was Nissan’s 2005 ‘Enjoy the Ride’ campaign, which emphasized the experience of driving a Nissan car. Other famous campaigns are Honda’s 2006 “The Power of Dreams” and “Start Something Special” campaigns, which focused on the creativity, innovation and quality of Honda products.
And again, the BMW campaign “The Ultimate Driving Machine” of 2009, which underlined the precision of BMW products and was a very successful campaign; the 2011 Toyota “Let’s Go Places” campaign, which presented an optimistic outlook on life and driving, and the 2013 Jeep “A Real Adventure” campaign, which highlighted the adventurous character of Jeep vehicles.
Conclusions
The automotive sector is going through a phase of revolution which is influencing customer behaviour, trends and consumption. All of this has been triggered by the digital transformation, which is leading to a radical change in the way cars are designed, manufactured and sold.
This revolution has led to a change not only in cars, but also in the consumers who buy them. This means that car manufacturers, dealers and retailers have to adapt to changing and new market trends. That is why, to understand customer needs, it is necessary to analyze the new trends and technological innovations that are influencing the sector.
In particular, the growing use of the web has changed the world of marketing forever and has made it necessary to adapt to new customer needs. In this context of change, it is essential to keep up with new trends and technological innovations in order to offer a shopping experience that lives up to customer expectations.