Branding Success In A Mobile-first World

Smartphones have now become a constant companion for most people - chances are, wherever you are and whatever you're doing, you have your smartphone with you. Is it in your pocket, your bag, or maybe sitting right in front of you at this very moment?
 
Your customers are also on their phones at all times - which creates both opportunities and barriers when it comes to marketing your dealership. People are constantly looking online not only to find local businesses that match their needs, but also to get more information about a store's inventory and browse.
 
While smartphones do create a better ability for your customers to be more efficient, they have also caused a separate issue by giving people shorter attention spans. When everything is so easily accessible, people get impatient. Consumers have constant access to the Internet - meaning both yours and your competitors' online stores - so it's important to set up your online presence to best capture those prospects.
 
We've covered the importance of a mobile-optimized website many times before, but we'll briefly reiterate.
 
Studies show that people are okay with waiting 3-5 seconds MAX for a page to load on their mobile device before leaving the website. Many will leave the website after 1-2 seconds. This shows the importance of optimizing your website for mobile - people are impatient and unwilling to wait, and you WILL lose customers if you aren't accommodating to this fact.
 
It's clear that consumers are, at the very least, beginning their shopping experience via their smartphone. They are researching the nearest dealership on their phone, taking a quick look at the website, browsing the inventory, etc. And conversions DO happen via mobile devices. For all of these reasons, it's very important to consider how accessible your dealership's website is for all of the potential customers who won't tolerate slow loading times and an online shopping experience that isn't up to par.
 
Okay, so you've made sure that your website renders correctly and looks awesome on mobile devices. Now you need to think about your mobile marketing strategies.
 
According to research by Forrester, over 30 BILLION “mobile moments” happen every day - people surfing online, checking emails, etc. - and 86% of people who have smartphones use them for more than 2 hours per day. Think of the insane amount of opportunities to reach people on their mobile devices during all of that time. It's crazy to think how much of an influence your brand could have if you were to take full advantage of those opportunities, and across more than one mobile channel.
 
A smart strategy is to find ways to connect your customers' online and offline behaviors. A cross-channel experience is the most effective way to do this - reaching your customers in “real life” as well as online, and on multiple platforms like social media, email, search engine marketing, and more. It requires a shift in focus for your dealership as an advertiser. Instead of moving customers through a marketing funnel, you are adapting to your customers' lifestyles.
 
Here's an example of how targeted outreach across channels can make a valuable impact on your audience -
 
Let's say your dealership's data shows that a certain customer visits your dealership once every 3 months for service. You could offer a discount on your dealership's social media page every 6 months. That would encourage them not to take their business somewhere else, because every other time they needed service they'd have a discount coupon to use. It also wouldn't cost too much extra money for you. If 3 months go by without his or her usual visit, you might be worried they've gone to a competitor. To draw them back in, you could entice them with something like a free inspection offer email sent to the customer's inbox.
 
There are fairly simple methods that can keep your dealership at the forefront of your customers' minds, and ensure that they don't get pulled in by a competitor. The most important thing to remember is that we live in a mobile-first world, so your online strategy should reflect that.
 
Get creative, and keep the customer #1 in your mind. If you were a customer at your dealership, what kind of posts on social media would make you want to return? How could an online ad entice you to make a second purchase? Chances are, your answers to these questions are very similar to those of your customers.