Using free and available assets to reach your customers with content that addresses their needs, questions and concerns.

 

Marty Marketingguy and Mary O’Marketing are both striving to get better at their position for their respective dealerships. Marty is the marketing manager of a multi-location dealer and marina operator called Big Bigger Biggest Boats. Mary manages the marketing team at Pawn & Pontoon, a single-location family-owned shop, with boat rentals and fishing guide services, started by her mother and father years ago.

 

While these two marketing managers are unique, have different teams and abilities, they both can take advantage of free or paid marketing resources to aid them in reaching their customers where they want to be reached — mostly online these days. These available marketing assets come with strategic messages and appropriate call-to-action steps and are customizable to help dealers support their current customers and promote retention this year.

 

Both businesses are willing to embrace content marketing and answering their customers’ question with honest and expert advice on ownership, operation, safety, maintenance tips and more. Both Marty and Mary and their respective teams, no matter how big or small, have chosen to commit to changing their culture and views on content marketing. But, even with this newfound devotion to their customers, how can they achieve new heights and take the necessary steps if they’re essentially starting at the ground floor?

 

One important thing you need to do immediately is listen intently to your customers and keep a record of their pain points, struggles and questions. Next, you need to address them. You can do this by offering sound and transparent (not salesy) advice, acting as their guide or teacher. Here are a few ways you can do this:

1.     Blogs. Your dealership may strive to produce one blog a month to start off or bi-weekly informative blogs. Or, better yet, you could strive to produce two blogs a week from various teammates if you have a larger and more creative and productive team. And remember, blogging is a nice way to get acquainted with your voice if you prefer to start slow.

2.     Videos. You could start off with walk-around videos of boats. You could do a video explaining a boat rental program. If motivated, you could do weekly Facebook Live videos that address boat ownership or provide how-to answers to your customers’ questions. Video is king!

3.     Resources. Whether borrowed and customized, hired out to freelance experts or industry consultants or created in-house, resources in the form of guides or white papers on essential topics introduced by customers is another strong content option.

4.     Social media. This can include a mix of shares in the form of memes, quotes, top-10 lists, actual customer testimonials shared to your company’s social feeds. One example may be images of your customer’s first-ever boat purchase. Another could be sharing details on current used boats or even news about expansion or virtual events that promote customer appreciation. Find ways to boost social media engagement in 5 easy steps..   

5.     Virtual. With COVID-19 still lingering, you may decide to go beyond appointment-only showroom visits by creating an inviting and welcoming virtual boat shows online or do live walkarounds for customers. With much of their buying decision already done prior to shopping at your dealership, your event and any special attention you’ve given to them just may help them make a final call on the boat they want for their family.  

6.     Newsletter. A monthly newsletter lets your customers opt-in for more information and provide your sales and marketing teams with more leads. They also give you the ability to share your created content, or links to it, in another manner that customers may appreciate. You can crank up the frequency if your team has enough content to share and the ability to produce a weekly or bi-monthly effort.

7.     Text. Texting isn’t just for teens and sharing quirky emojis with friends. And we must avoid seeing the age of customers as a deterrent. A customer is a customer and even parents and grandparents know how to text. It’s a bona fide method of communication. Provided you have the abilities (and the permission from your customers), the correct messages and shareables, texting can be another avenue for you to share non-sales content.    

 

Again, every dealership is different and some excel at content marketing because, like you, they have the staff and internal resources to start it and keep it going. And for those of you seeking to enhance your content marketing game, but lack the necessary resources (skills, staff, etc.), creativity or marketing budget to make an all-out effort, outside resources and supportive businesses exist to help you take the next steps. In another blog called Dealer Resources, I’ve highlighted a few that can inspire you, at the very least, and help you attain your first-month, six-month and longer goals.

 

I’ll leave you with this from Dealer Week speaker, author and content marketing genius, Marcus Sheridan.

“There’s never been a greater year to invest in your company and its long-term improvement than 2021. This is the year to finally put resources into marketing. Know that the marketing side has 80 percent influence on the actually sell. You will not regret doing this, as all of this is a long-term decision with long-term benefits.”