Why Your Auto Company Needs Direct Mail

In the age of smartphones and tablets, we assume that the most effective way to reach customers is through their devices.

However, no matter where you live or what age you may be, one thing remains a constant: the after-work habit of collecting the day’s mail. Recent studies suggest that the majority of people check their mail every day. So, what does that mean for your automotive company?

Put simply, these statistics mean that direct mail is more important to your advertising strategy than ever before. Fortunately, Aspen Auto Marketing is here to provide you with the automotive direct mail program that’s ideal for your dealership. Let’s take a look at how we can assist you in reaching your customers.

1.Highly Targeted

First and foremost, direct mail marketing allows your team to more effectively engage with customers who may be interested in purchasing a vehicle from you. By accessing a list of potential customers through a mailing list distributor, your business can create direct mail marketing materials that fit the demographic you’re targeting.

So, regardless if you’re looking to inform your existing customers about an upcoming promotion or want to grab the attention of potential buyers, direct mail allows you to personalize your ad to align with the needs of the audience you have in mind.

The more you tailor your message to your customers, the better chance you have of getting them to visit your showroom.

2.Increased Conversions

When it comes to your marketing strategy, the best way to ensure its success is to create an ad that’s put directly in front of your customer, rather than filtering to their spam inbox.

Well, with the right automotive direct mail marketing strategy, your advertisement will more easily reach your intended recipient, thereby increasing the chances that your customers will opt into your promotion or special program.

The result? A higher return on investment for your automotive company. Of course, there are a couple of reasons why automotive direct mail leads to more conversions. Let’s take a look at a few of the most prominent:

Audience Reach

According to the United States Postal Service, of the 98 percent of individuals who bring in their mail the day it’s delivered, 72 percent of them sort through it immediately.¹

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about your email marketing open rates. This is one of the main ways in which automotive direct mail wins out against its digital marketing counterparts.

Due to its physical presence, direct mail takes up space and acts as a reminder to the recipient to open it and see what’s inside. On the other hand, email sits out of the recipient’s sight making it less likely that they’ll be encouraged to open it.

At the end of the day, the physical presence of automotive direct mail results in improved response rates for your dealership.

Memorability

Your audience’s ability to remember your brand and your advertisement is paramount to getting them into your showroom. According to the Canada Post, direct mail results in better brand recall and 21 percent less cognitive effort.² What does that mean for your dealership’s direct mailers?

They’re more likely to not only be understood but also remembered when it’s time for your leads to purchase a new car. Once you’ve become recognizable to your potential customers, you’ll start seeing returns on your direct mail investment in the form of sales.

3.Measurable Results

Thanks to the ease of direct mail marketing, your business can calculate the results of your campaign with little effort.

By utilizing coupons, codes, and/or expiration dates on your mailer, measuring the success of your program or promotion is as simple as evaluating the amount of people who used the code or responded to the program in comparison to the number of mailers sent out.

That means that you can quickly quantify the results of your campaign and measure its profitability. When combined with the highly customized message of your direct mail marketing strategy, you can even narrow down your results based on geographical and demographical groups.

4.Flexibility

Depending on your automotive company’s overall goal, the type of direct mail that’s best for you can vary. From promotional tools to informational guides and more, direct mail provides your business with a sturdy foundation for a variety of different revenue-generating campaigns.

For example, if you’re looking to spread awareness about an upcoming incentive, our POP Card Promotions are a perfect way to make your advertisement stand out.

If you’re interested in really standing out from the crowd, consider a more unique approach like 3D mailers and boxes. These automotive advertisements add another level of interest to your message and tempt your customers to open the package to reveal its contents.

Within the package, your dealership can place a branded keychain, bumper sticker, or another type of accessory that helps your targeted audience remember your dealership in the future.

Alternatively, digital and email marketing options don’t provide the same level of versatility. Without the ability to vary the format of your message, it’ll be more difficult for you to grab your customers’ attentions.

By creating a direct mailer that captures the curiosity of your intended audience, you’re more likely to see profitable sales at your dealership. Furthermore, recipients of your automotive direct mailers will look forward to the other creative ways in which your dealership encloses your promotions.

5. Better Revenue Generation

At the end of the day, the amount of revenue that your automotive marketing campaign reels in is most important, right?

Luckily, automotive direct mail generates five times more revenue than email marketing campaigns.³ Ultimately, that means that you’ll drive more profit by opting for physical mail over digital alternatives.

What’s the reason for the increased revenue associated with auto direct mail? First, 82 percent of millennials view printed messages as more trustworthy than digital messages.⁴ Second, receiving direct mailers made 75 percent of millennials feel special.⁵

The takeaway? Thanks to the combined powers of its physical presence and rarity, automotive direct mail makes a sound impact on its recipients, which helps boost your dealership’s marketing success.

6. High Return on Investment

Not only is automotive direct mail more trustworthy, but it also provides you with a higher return on investment than both paid search and online display ads.⁶

Although direct mail does trail behind mail and social media marketing, it still wins out against both of these digital marketing giants when it comes to its response rate. Overall, direct mail boasts a response rate of 5.3 percent for house lists and 2.9 percent for prospective lists.⁶

With that kind of response rate and ROI, you can feel confident that the investment you’re making in automotive direct mail will provide your dealerships with results that drive more traffic to your showroom.

7. Personalization Freedom

Think about it: it’s much more difficult to add a personal touch to your dealership’s email marketing and social media campaigns. However, direct mail affords your team a much more significant breadth of creativity due to the simple fact that it can be held in the hands of your customers.

For instance, let’s say you want to make your next automotive marketing strategy feel more unique. You can easily do this by incorporating a special font that mimics the organic look of handwriting. Even details as small as this can have a substantial impact on how the recipient feels when reading your dealership’s message.

A small adjustment from serif font to handwriting font makes the customer experience that much more personal, which can boost brand awareness and trustworthiness amongst your consumers.

Furthermore, mentioning any previous purchases that your customers have made at your dealership provides them with that extra level of care and consideration that buyers appreciate. Instead of feeling like a face in the crowd, they’ll read your personalized direct mailer and know that they’re a valued customer.

Some other small touches that breathe more life into your automotive direct mail campaigns are:

New model unveilings
Personalized photos
The customer’s first name
Customized map to your dealership
Service reminders and more

The type of personalization that you include on each mailer will be determined by the audience segment and your consumers’ familiarity with your brand. So, if you’re sending a portion of your direct mailers to prospective buyers, you may want to stick with some basic personalization techniques before you dive into more complex customization details.

Learn More About Our Automotive Direct Mail Options Today!

At Aspen Auto Marketing, our priority is to help your dealership see measurable results by designing a customized automotive direct mail strategy that fits the needs of your business.

With our expertise and insight, you’ll more effectively reach your ideal customer and turn visitors into loyal customers. We serve the entire nation, with lead markets in New York, Texas, and California, so the paths are limitless.

To get boost your dealership’s sales and generate revenue, contact our dedicated team or give us a call today!

Why Your Automotive Company Needs Direct Mail