We've often discussed the importance of having a strong marketing plan in place. This is a way of getting your name and reputation out to the public and creating a draw for them to choose your dealership over the others. There are all kinds of "new" and "flashy" marketing strategies out there (Facebook deals, slick automotive direct mailers, etc.), but one successful marketing concept you should not ignore is consistency. Consistency in your marketing could make all the difference in the success of your marketing plan.
Defining Consistency
What this means is that you stick with your marketing strategy and give your customer base an opportunity to make it an effective one. If you continually change your strategy, you will confuse your customers which will make them less likely to buy from you. Consistency in your marketing strategy will save you time, money, and will build a connection for your customer base. They will be able to become familiar with the times of year that you offer certain sales, based on the automotive direct mailers you've sent and can plan their auto searches accordingly. This does not mean that you should stick with a marketing strategy that is clearly not working, but if you have selected your marketing tactics carefully, then keep them, tweaking slightly if you need to, but don't just start and stop on a whim.
Automotive Direct Mail Branding
Another important aspect to consistency in your marketing is making sure that your branding is consistent. The everyday consumer is a very visual person and visual inconsistencies are unappealing. In marketing, image is everything. When creating your automotive direct mailers, make sure there is an attention to detail when designing your marketing materials. These materials are the "face" of your dealership, so it's important that they look good and have flawless content. Materials should be designed from a consistent palate of colors. Your automotive direct mailers should have the same visual appeal as your website and your website should use the same color palate as your fliers. There should be no grammatical errors, and your terminology needs to be consistent. Remember that you are branding yourself, so the image you present is the first chance you get to make a stellar impression.
With consistency in your marketing plan and materials you will make a great impression and be able to build your brand to draw in potential customers!
What are YOU doing to keep consistency in your marketing?
