The truth about marketing for car dealers is – it can be an expensive mistake, and unnecessary. You might have to pay for ads, content creation, training somebody for the position, or maybe you’ve outsourced it to a Marketing Agency. Or perhaps you’re buying lead lists you have no ownership or control over. Whatever the case may be, it can be the most expensive decision you make in your dealership. That’s not accounting bad leads, wasted man hours in working said leads, and paying whoever is running these campaigns for you.

Truthfully (since this article is about harsh truth), this isn’t something you couldn’t do yourself. If you have time to learn about creating marketing funnels for your car dealership, testing creatives for the best variation/ad text, a knack for running paid traffic (Facebook Ads, TikTok Ads, YouTube Ads), and a TON of time, then this should be a breeze for you. But, it would be a lot of work if you didn’t fit this criteria, and you may not get the results you’re looking for.

So, what would I need if I wanted to do this myself?

• Landing page Software to collect and deliver leads to you or your employees.
• Some extra cash for marketing (Minimum of $1,500 is recommended).
• Some time to learn Advertising Techniques on said platforms.
• Some Direction or Tutorial on marketing for car dealerships.

What are the benefits of doing it myself?

• You have full control of your Leads, and the quality of them.
• You own all the Leads, and advertising data used to generate them.
• You can promote any campaign you desire without limitation.
• It can cost nearly 50% less (or more) if done right.

What’s the worst that can happen?

• FTC Violations for marketing incorrectly. (Like this case for instance)
• Wasted Ad Dollars on testing ad campaigns.
• Staff time lost or wasted.
• No Leads or Sales.

To be perfectly clear, it’s not all doom and gloom. Some of the most successful digital marketing campaigns are made by those who understand the needs of a Dealership. Between Franchise & Independent dealers, the needs vary. Which is the reason dealerships tend to take their digital marketing in-house. However, this isn’t the most reasonable or affordable thing to do for every dealership, so we’ve listed some points below that could explain why finding a digital marketing agency for your car dealership could be the best decision you’ve ever made!

How can I locate an agency that does marketing for car dealers?

First of all, it comes down to asking the right questions. Usually if you ask around dealer forums, facebook groups for Car Dealerships, or even word of mouth, it can be simple to find an effective marketing agency for your car dealership. Though, they are a dime-a-dozen. So it would be important narrowing down the right agency that works best for you. Whether that’s those with the best track record, some sort of guarantee, or maybe someone who is actively having success with other dealers in your area. But keep a very vigilant eye out – don’t be fooled by low pricing, because that’s usually at the sacrifice of quality.

What are the benefits of working with a digital marketing agency?

• Proven track record, usually high success rates.
• They understand and distinguish what your goals are.
• Affordable because of the low chance of failure.
• Tend to cost less than hiring somebody in-house.
• They may have an advanced understanding of marketing for car dealers.

What’s the worst that can happen?

• You lose your money on an inexperienced media buyer.
• Your lead quality is subpar to your preference.
• You break even on your investment

Shameless plug – This is where our Guaranteed Car Buyers program comes in. We remove all barriers of entry because you shouldn’t have to pay for something that doesn’t work. We’ll do all the work and guarantee that you’ll get buyers. So you can focus on selling cars, not marketing them. But that’s besides the point.

There’s a lot of snake oil out there, and nobody (especially marketing agencies) discusses these facts. Truth is, the more educated you are as a dealership, the easier it becomes to navigate these incredibly challenging decisions. Needless to say, if you’re looking for an agency that’s willing to put their money where their mouth is, we’d love to work with you!

Conclusion..

If you’re serious about taking your dealership to the next level, whether you’re independent of franchise, and you’re looking to sell more vehicles or do marketing for car dealers – it’s best you know the pitfalls and the benefits of doing so, while finding your premier lead source. There’s a lot of snake oil out there, so it’s best to be informed before investing into the wrong idea. As with all things, it’s best to do your research before jumping in head-first, while taking educated risks.