The millennial generation has brought about sweeping changes in many industries, and the auto industry is no different. It’s become necessary for car dealerships to change their marketing tactics in order to interest millennials and make sales among this generation. Read on to learn more about how to effectively market automobiles to millennials.

Know Your Audience

Before you can market cars to millennials, it’s important to know your audience inside and out. Learn what your potential customers value, and what their wants and needs are. Speak to these factors with your marketing strategy, and use advertising platforms that your audience frequents.

There are a few unique factors that determine which cars millennials want to buy. They tend to want cars and brands that:

• Fit their personality – more than other generations millennials want a car that speaks to them personally. Whether it’s the color, style, or features of the car, they are looking for something that reflects who they are and adheres to their values. They want to align with their peers.
• Are sustainable – there’s no doubt that millennials care more about the environment than past generations. Eco-friendly and electric vehicles are skyrocketing in popularity, as well as car manufacturers that create a “green” image.
• Are a good financial decision – with many millennials already in debt as soon as they graduated college, it’s important that a car is a sound financial decision. Tacking on more debt can seem unnerving unless they are sure it’s worth it.
• Are trustworthy – millennials are more likely than other generations to do all their research online – and they do a lot of research before making a purchase. Reading reviews, making comparisons between makes and models, and price checking online are all important parts of the car buying process.

Develop a Strategy

Now that you have a clear picture of what millennials are looking for, you can develop a strong marketing strategy around this information. During the strategy developing stage, it’s important to remember where millennials are getting the majority of their information. They live on social media from Snapchat to Facebook and YouTube to Instagram.

The most effective marketing strategy for millennials is undoubtedly inbound marketing. Gone are the days of in-your-face advertisements. The goal of inbound marketing is to provide a wealth of information in an easy to understand and helpful format so the customers are drawn to you. This means creating informative resources and engaging online content. Paint yourself as a trustworthy expert on all your digital channels.

Trust and transparency are the keys to gaining the loyalty of your customers. This is paramount to any generation and is a gateway to the new consumer.

How can you do this?

First, remember what millennials are looking for. Work hard to preserve your online reputation, and offer great content like articles, videos, and testimonials. Be transparent – no one likes to feel like they’re getting conned.

Car salespeople can sometimes have a reputation as pushy and fake, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Millennials are looking for someone to help them, answer their questions, and solve their problems, so it’s important to adapt to this role.

Offer them great content on your social media pages, and share articles from leading industry experts. Create an email list where you regularly keep your subscribers updated on the latest trends. And remember, the relationship doesn’t end when you make the sale. It’s important to maintain relationships with your customers by letting them know they can come to you with questions or problems. This way, you’ll forge a path to lifelong loyalty, and hopefully score a positive review online.

Build Your Online Presence

Advertise the cars you have for sale on your website and social media – this is where millennials are looking. Online shopping is their buying method of choice, so making your products available online is key. Allow them to book a test drive online, and offer up tons of pictures. Attractive visuals are important.

While it’s true that the millennial generation’s car-buying habits are different than that of previous generations, millennials still need cars and are going to continue buying them in the coming years. It’s necessary to adjust your marketing strategy to tap into this market by creating engaging, helpful content, and communicating with your potential buyers through a variety of digital channels.

Big Tip Time

One last tip and I think it’s a game-changer for you. As a marketer, I know how hard it is to source content. If you are having problems, and we all do – why not ask your new car owner to take a picture of them, friends or family members standing next to their new car? You can post it on social channels and even your website. A simple heartfelt thanks goes a long way. More than likely your new customer will put it on their social channels too.

It’s a big win all around. You get the most important testimonial for your dealership – a happy human that helps build a loyal foundation of customers.

If you’d like to learn how to generate more qualified leads for your dealership, contact us!