A Surprising (and Proven) Strategy to Advertise Your Auto Dealership

Are you looking for new ways to advertise your auto dealership? Year-end and seasonal blow-out sales may help increase traffic temporarily. But how do you keep a steady stream of customers without profit-cutting incentives or waiting for rebates from manufacturers? The best kind of advertising campaign for your auto dealership is one that builds your reputation and keeps you top of mind year-round. That’s where the proven — and profitable — strategy of shopping cart advertising comes in.
Consumers need cars at different times. Hoping that you catch them right at the decision point is more luck than science. With a longer-term advertising presence, you can be there no matter when a daughter turns sixteen or the old jalopy finally gives out.
You may have already tried traditional advertising mediums like TV, radio and print, or digital advertising with Facebook and PPC ads. With those mediums, it can be expensive to target a broad audience every month. To get the best ROI from your advertising, limit the cost while maximizing your exposure. In fact, that’s why so many of our customers have been successful with shopping cart advertising.
Grocery stores are the hub of any community, and while you may have never considered it before, we’ll show you that you can reach thousands of potential new buyers for your auto dealership through your local grocer.
 

Advertise Your Auto Dealership at The Local Grocery Store

A few TV or radio spots may have been enough to bring in customers in the past. Today, consumers are influenced by a wide variety of advertising methods. If you’re not taking advantage of other tools to reach potential customers, you’re losing business to your competitors.
Shopping cart advertising allows you to advertise your auto dealership to nearly 20,000 shoppers a week at your local grocery store. Thousands of eyes on your ad each week build brand recognition over time and allows your auto dealership to be top-of-mind when those shoppers are looking to purchase their next vehicle.
Your name and message will always be front and center on a shopping cart where you can promote familiarity and awareness of your brand.  As recognition grows, you soon become a local celebrity in your neighborhood!
 

What are the benefits of shopping cart advertising?

Here are four specific reasons why you should advertise your auto dealership on grocery carts at your local market:

1. Repetition

The average primary household shopper visits the grocery store 1.7 times a week. These customers are exposed to your brand over and over again each week.
In advertising, repetition is crucial, and research proves that an ad needs repetition to be effective. People don’t respond to an ad immediately, and shopping cart advertising allows you to “speak” to your potential customers every week. This provides the repetition you need to be remembered.

2. Appeal

A great brand ad is eye-catching and connects with customers through a simple message.
Shopping cart advertising combines these elements with beautiful, magazine quality, full-color imagery, and places it in one of four locations on a shopping cart.

3. Targeting

Most people grocery shop within 3-5 miles of where they live and work. By advertising at the grocery store closest to your auto dealership, you know that your ad is seen by people most likely to become your customer. Shopping cart advertising provides hyper-local targeting that allows you to select the primary store location with the same demographic as your target audience.

4. Exposure

You may have a great ad, but it doesn’t matter if no one sees it.
With shopping cart advertising, your ad doesn’t have to be opened or clicked. Your prospect has to look at it because it’s right in front of their face, but it’s not annoying.  Because the ad is placed inches away from their fingertips for over 45 minutes while they shop, it’s hard to miss, and you can be confident that your brand is seen.

How to Advertise on Grocery Shopping Carts

Determine if Your Auto Dealership is up to CODE.

CODE is an acronym used to qualify a business and lay the foundation for success in the shopping cart advertising program.

• Category- Businesses who offer professional services, like dealerships, are successful with brand advertising. Dealerships require more of an investment, so they need to build trust with customers before they buy.
• Obvious Message – You want to make an excellent first impression and stick in the shopper’s mind. Present a prominent message on your ad so they know what action to take. Avoid too many selling points, but you should answer these questions:
  1. What’s the name of your auto dealership?
  2. Where are you located?
  3. How can people contact you?
  4. What makes your dealership special?
• Distance – You want to target consumers that live close to your dealership. If your location is too far away from the grocery store where you’re advertising, shoppers may not want to drive to visit you.
• Execution – If you’re offering any deals or savings, are you able to deliver? Will you be able to track the offer when used?

Work with a Marketing Consultant

If you choose Cartvertising at IndoorMedia to advertise your auto dealership, you’ll have a partner who specializes in creating profitable shopping cart advertising campaigns. We’ll design your ad, install and maintain it, and evaluate success throughout your campaign. Contact our Cartvertising Marketing Consultants today to get started with selecting a store(s) and determining the message for your ad. They’ll also determine the availability in stores for any of the following placement options for your shopping cart advertisement:

• “Front” – The outside baby seat display that faces up when the carts are stacked
• “Directory” – The inside baby seat display on the left-hand side when pushing the cart
• “Header” – The inside baby seat display on the right-hand side when pushing the cart
• “Nose” – The display on the outside of the very front of the cart

Advertising your auto dealership through shopping carts will keep you top of mind with thousands of potential buyers when they’re looking to purchase their next vehicle. Contact our Cartvertising Marketing Consultants today, and get your ad seen in your local community.