Keeping current customers and potential leads informed about everything you have to offer is important for your dealership. 

Fortunately, direct mail is a perfect way to engage prospective buyers and delight your loyal clients. What are the top types of direct mail auto dealers should send to their customers? The marketing professionals from Epsilon Individual Automotive are here to provide you with impactful insights. 

Let’s look at some of the best direct mail techniques that’ll maintain the interest of your returning customers and catch the eyes of your targeted audience. 

Model Release 

There are few things that turn heads like a new model or recently redesigned vehicle. Not only do those cars include new technologies, but they also give your buyers the chance to get their hands on a vehicle that stands out from the crowd. 

As the automotive landscape evolves, so does your dealership’s inventory. Whether you’re showcasing an exciting all-electric addition or a popular model with a refreshed appearance, customers have plenty to examine as they shop for a vehicle to replace their current ride. Using a model release mailer not only provides prospective customers with pertinent information but can bring eyes to a vehicle they may not have considered prior to reading your direct mailer. 

It’s essential for your dealership to send out direct mailers that feature information about new models. This will keep your targeted audience and previous customers who may be looking for a new ride in the know about what’s headed to your showroom. 

PURL Mailers 

Regardless of whether you’re courting new customers or engaging with loyal clients, one way to delight any audience is with a personalized URL (PURL) mailer. Personability goes the distance in any marketing strategy, as it provides a nuanced approach to everyday advertising—and by speaking directly to your customers, you can further build rapport with a growing audience. 

Included in PURLs is critical information that could apply to your prospects, such as recent visits, previous purchases, and more. For instance, if your dealership uses an advanced scheduling system for the service center, a PURL can provide current and previous customers with detailed information about their service history, any future appointments, and a garden variety of information relating to their registered vehicle—such as maintenance reminders. 

To make PURL advertising even more successful, you can set up notifications that alert your team when a customer accesses their information using the PURL. That way, your professionals can follow up with them to assist with whatever they need. It’s important to master this technique as it can further streamline your response time and improve overall customer satisfaction. 

Thanks to the tailored nature of PURL mailers, your audience will feel truly cared for by your dealership. It adds an extra layer of personability other dealers may not provide, and it sets the stage for ROI as your business continues to expand throughout the community. 

Congratulatory 

It’s no secret that people like to be praised for their decisions, and this sentiment is no less true for car buyers. Everyone likes to be told good things, and by congratulating drivers, your dealership opens the door to newfound customer satisfaction that extends beyond traditional norms. 

By creating a direct mail marketing campaign that sends congratulatory messages to your customers, they’re more likely to feel good about their decision to buy a car from your dealership. Like PURLs, congratulatory direct mailers up the ante to add an extra layer of personable marketing that echoes the core values your dealership strives to achieve with every customer interaction. 

Every dealership purchase deserves a congratulatory direct mailer. Whether it’s a new, used, or leased vehicle, sending a direct mailer to customers with a new vehicle will give them a reason to consider business with your dealership in the future. Plus, this doesn’t have to be limited to just car sales. Rather, if a customer purchases a special warranty, service plan, or other program, drivers can feel incentivized to keep communication with your sales team. 

As a result of those positive feelings, your business will see more referrals, returning customers, and positive reviews, all of which lead to a better return on investment for you. 

Buyback Letters 

Let’s face it: If you were to receive an offer in the mail from your local dealership with an approximate trade-in value for your current vehicle, wouldn’t you be tempted? Well, that’s precisely what buyback letters accomplish. 

Instead of merely advertising your used car inventory and trade-in opportunities, buyback letters cater the information on your automotive direct mailer to the recipient—including information such as the year, make, model, and trim of their vehicle and an estimated trade-in value. 

With the recent advancements made in marketing data, you can make a direct offer to each of your automotive direct mail recipients, even if you’re sending your mailers in bulk. By giving your buyers an estimate of their automobile, you’ll make the offer even more enticing, which increases the chances that they’ll reach out. 

Financing Specials 

In addition to keeping your audience in the loop, direct mail marketing allows you to refine the recipients of your financing offer direct mailers. Drivers may have a varying degree of assumptions as it relates to financing or leasing a vehicle, whether it’s a generalized belief or just a common misconception. Delivering direct mailers with financing specials and information, your dealership can provide assurance for prospective buyers before visiting your showroom. 

By categorizing your customers by credit score and income bracket, you can more effectively reach out to the individuals with a higher chance of partaking in your special. Financial-based direct mailers provide a great opportunity to speak to your target demographics. For example, if one of your leads has been on the fence about purchasing a new vehicle, reaching out to them with a financing offer in the form of direct mail is likely to sway them to visit your dealership. 

Similarly, financial mailers also allow drivers to learn more about what they can expect as they shop for the right deal. By using concise and clear-cut language, prospective customers can better prepare for their potential car-buying experience with little to no second-guessing. 

Pre-Qualification Notice 

While pre-qualification notices are similar to financing offers, they differ in one major way: Instead of providing customers with a special offer, they simply alert them of their eligibility for pre-qualification. So, if your dealership is eager to move a certain car model off your lot and into local driveways, consider sending qualifying buyers pre-qualification notices. 

Of course, before you do this, you’ll want to examine your customer data to see which members of your targeted audience qualify for financing on the vehicle in question. Details such as credit score, household income, and other information will be ideal for determining which individuals should receive a pre-qualification notice from your dealership. 

All in all, this type of automotive direct mail drives more traffic through the doors of your showroom. When potential buyers know they’re eligible for financing on their favorite model, they’re more likely to take you up on your offer. 

Service Specials 

Even the most informed car owners don’t always know about local service specials. So, to keep your targeted demographic updated on your dealership’s most popular maintenance and repair offers, service special direct mail is a critical direct mail strategy. Drivers looking for a cost-effective service center visit may be more inclined to visit your dealership to bring in their vehicle for maintenance care, general service, or repair. 

Providing prospective customers with incentives is a strategy that works for most direct mailers. For service specials, you should highlight some of the biggest savings your dealership offers for service visits with plenty of options to choose from. If customers feel they have the power of choice, they may further feel compelled to schedule an appointment with your dealership. 

To make your direct mail marketing strategy as timely as possible for the right audience, keep track of your mailing list and send your ad when their next service appointment is approaching. That’ll increase the chances of your leads opting into the promotion. 

Service Options 

It’s simple: Customers are more likely to visit a dealership when they know they’re equipped to handle anything they need. Luckily, automotive direct mail is the perfect way to inform your prospective customers and current clients of your service center’s capabilities. 

For instance, sending your consumers a mailer highlighting some of your dealership’s most popular maintenance services is a great way to encourage more visits to your repair center. This type of automotive direct mailer is especially impactful for drivers who may not know which type of service they need, whether it’s a small or big issue. 

Providing easy-to-understand information about your dealership’s service center and options further helps build a customer base. That way, you’ll continually bring in new customers to help your dealership generate revenue year over year. 

Choose the Right Direct Mail for Your Dealership 

At Epsilon Individual Automotive, we’ve helped over 10,000 auto dealers reach their revenue goals by crafting a customized direct mail marketing campaign that’s ideal for your dealership’s needs. 

With the expertise of our team, you’ll be equipped with a successful advertising strategy that speaks to your audience and keeps your customers coming back to your business. 

Ready to drive more traffic to your dealership? All you have to do is contact Epsilon Individual Automotive today!