Marketing a dealership isn’t just about selling cars

By Dave Lampel, CEO of Dealerwing LLC

it’s about building relationships, trust, and long-term customer retention. Dealers face unique challenges, from maintaining customer engagement to balancing marketing automation with personalization. Here’s what auto dealers prioritize when marketing to consumers.

1. Service Retention: The Key to Long-Term Profitability
Most dealers understand that selling a car is just the beginning of a customer’s journey. The real profit lies in keeping that customer engaged with the dealership’s service department. Retaining service customers means:

  1. Consistent communication with both active and lapsed customers.
  2. Service reminders via email, text, and direct mail.
  3. Personalized incentives that encourage repeat visits.
  4. Studies show that customers who regularly service their vehicles at a dealership are more likely to purchase their next car from the same location​.

Dealer Insight:
A well-maintained database and AI-driven targeting help ensure service reminders and offers reach the right customers at the right time​.

2. Leveraging Data for Personalized Marketing
Data is king in automotive marketing. Dealers collect vast amounts of data from:

  1. Dealer Management Systems (DMS)
  2. OEM databases
  3. Conquest data (third-party sources)

The challenge is using this data effectively. Smart dealerships invest in AI-powered analytics to:

  1. Predict customer service needs.
  2. Segment audiences based on service history, vehicle type, and past interactions.
  3. Trigger automated yet personalized communications​.


Dealer Insight:
Clean, accurate data helps eliminate marketing waste and increases ROI by ensuring that outreach efforts target the right consumers​.

 

3. Omnichannel Marketing: Meeting Customers Where They Are
Today’s consumers expect seamless communication across multiple channels, including:

  1. Email
  2. SMS
  3. Social media
  4. Direct mail
  5. Search and display ads
  6. Dealership websites

A true omnichannel strategy ensures that customers receive consistent messaging regardless of where they engage. Dealers who fail to integrate their marketing efforts risk losing customers to more digitally savvy competitors​.

 

Dealer Insight:
Consistency is key—customers need multiple touchpoints before they take action​.

4. Maintaining Customer Trust & Transparency
Car dealerships often struggle with public perception. Consumers can be wary of dealer communications, seeing them as pushy or transactional. The best-performing dealers combat this by:

  1. Prioritizing transparency in pricing and offers.
  2. Avoiding aggressive sales language in marketing.
  3. Providing educational content like maintenance tips and recall alerts​.


Dealer Insight:
Trust-building marketing strategies—such as video testimonials and customer success stories—can turn hesitant shoppers into lifelong customers.

5. The Power of Retargeting & Follow-Ups
Not every customer responds to the first marketing touchpoint. Dealers that stay top-of-mind through retargeting and follow-ups see higher conversion rates. Successful retargeting includes:

  1. Digital ads that remind previous website visitors about service or sales offers.
  2. Email reminders for customers who clicked but didn’t schedule a service.
  3. Personalized offers for customers who visited the showroom but didn’t buy​.


Dealer Insight:
Dealers who implement AI-driven marketing automation see better engagement without bombarding customers with generic messages​.

6. Driving Service Visits Without Over-Reliance on Discounts
Many dealerships fall into the trap of using discounts to drive service traffic. While promotions can be effective, they also erode margins. The best dealers:

  1. Focus on value-driven messaging (e.g., “Certified technicians using OEM parts”).
  2. Offer loyalty programs that reward repeat visits.
  3. Provide financing options for higher-ticket repairs​.


Dealer Insight:
Building long-term service loyalty is more profitable than relying on short-term discount-driven visits.

7. Customer Engagement Between Purchases
Unlike retail businesses, where customers return frequently, dealerships have long gaps between major transactions. Keeping customers engaged means:

  1. Sending timely maintenance reminders.
  2. Offering seasonal service specials (e.g., winter tire promotions).
  3. Providing exclusive content, such as new vehicle sneak peeks and trade-in value updates​.


Dealer Insight:
Engagement isn’t just about selling—it’s about keeping your dealership top-of-mind for when the customer is ready to buy again.

8. Seamless Digital-First Experiences
Today’s car buyers and service customers expect convenience. Successful dealerships invest in:

  1. Online service scheduling.
  2. AI-powered chatbots for instant customer service.
  3. Mobile-friendly offers and reminders.
  4. Customers want the ability to interact with a dealership without always making a phone call. Digital tools that streamline the customer experience are now a necessity, not a luxury​.

Dealer Insight:
A frictionless digital experience can be the deciding factor between a customer choosing your dealership or a competitor.

9. Clear ROI Measurement & Reporting
Dealers want to see clear, data-backed proof that their marketing dollars are working. This means:

The best marketing partners provide clear, actionable reports—not just vanity metrics.

 

10. Scalability & Adaptability for Market Shifts
With shifts toward EVs, digital retailing, and changing consumer behaviors, dealers need marketing strategies that can evolve. The most forward-thinking dealers:

  1. Adjust marketing messages for EV service education.
  2. Leverage AI to adapt campaigns based on real-time customer behavior.
  3. Invest in scalable marketing solutions that grow with their business​.


Dealer Insight:
Future-proofing your dealership’s marketing ensures you stay ahead of the competition.

 

Final Thoughts

Auto dealers face a unique set of marketing challenges, but those who leverage data, prioritize retention, and engage customers across multiple channels see the greatest success.

Marketing isn’t just about making the next sale—it’s about building lifetime relationships with customers. Dealers who master this balance will drive more service visits, retain more customers, and ultimately sell more cars.

Ready to Take Your Dealership’s Marketing to the Next Level?
Dealerwing specializes in AI-driven marketing solutions designed to increase service retention, optimize ad spend, and drive measurable results. Let’s build a smarter, more profitable marketing strategy for your dealership today.

David Lampel is the CEO of Dealerwing LLC

With a background in finance from Virginia Tech, Lampel began his career in car sales and dealership management, later transitioning into data-driven marketing to help dealerships optimize customer retention and revenue growth. Under his leadership, Dealerwing has developed proprietary marketing and data solutions that enhance dealer profitability by streamlining customer engagement and improving data accuracy.