See How this NY Dealership Yields Great Results with Travel Incentives
It goes without saying that New York state is full of competitive auto dealers and auto malls that are slugging it out to win customers business. If you type in “auto dealers in new york state” into Google, unsurprisingly you get hundreds and hundreds of results – and many of these results show dealerships with ratings of 4 stars and higher.
In such a saturated market of well-regarded dealerships, you need to make a good first impression. We’ve spoken about this in the past, such as with Sutherlin Nissan in Florida, but the ways in which travel incentives can be utilized to give your dealership that much desired edge are never a one-size-fits-all affair.
In this blog, the focus is going to be on Driver’s Village in Syracuse, New York – particularly, a client who runs a Kia, Fiat, and Mazda dealership within Driver’s Village.
1. A Competitive Edge
No doubt having a competitive edge over your direct competitors is something you want. But what you may not have otherwise considered are those less obvious competitors – those other companies offering a completely different product/service that your customer is also taking into consideration. In the event your prospective customer opts to invest in that product or service, they may no longer have enough money to invest in buying a new vehicle from your dealership.
Travel incentives provide you with a solid competitive edge. Say, for example, that other product/service a potential customer is considering is a vacation. If buying a car from you meant they could still go on a vacation, but for much less, don’t you think that would give you a competitive edge? And not just against your direct competitors, but the very vacation your customers were otherwise in the midst of funding.
General Manager Willis Amica uses the power of these vacation offers to his advantage, candidly stating, “One thing I alway say is, ‘Hey, you’re gonna buy a car, anyway; you might as well take a vacation.’” It’s simple, but powerful; because suddenly you’re not just a car dealership, but you’re also a place of business that can offer customers an emotionally rejuvenating experience. From time to time, everyone needs a vacation – that invaluable experience of simply letting everything from their day-to-day life go.
2. Postcards
Another approach Willis likes to take is to have customers who end up going on a vacation to send through postcards and/or photos of their trip. Not only does it show him that his customers make use of the provided travel certificates, but it also allows him to show these postcards to other prospective customers. Instead of having generic stock imagery, he has real-world examples of prior customers who had amazing experiences thanks to his dealerships. These authentic examples make new customers feel more confident about the travel offers he and his sales team put forward.
Another important aspect of this practice is that it helps reinforce the positive association customers form with the dealership. If you encourage your customers to send through a postcard or photo of their vacation once they return home, it reminds them of the fact that you’re the reason they were able to go on it in the first place – those fond memories mix with an even stronger fondness and appreciation of your dealership.
3. An Undeniable Perk
Touching on the competitive edge offered by incentives again, another key perk is how travel incentives deviate from the more typical customer rewards such as cashback offers, gas cards, tablet devices, etc. Many of these rewards have become so commonplace and short-lived in terms of the positive affect they have on consumers, that they can hold little perceived value in the long run.
For vacations, however, this perceived value increases substantially. As Willis notes, given travel incentives are infrequently offered when compared to other rewards (such as those mentioned above), they will set you apart. At Odenza, we offer local exclusivity to our clients, which means they don’t have to worry about a nearby competitor being able to offer the same travel product or incentive. This will undoubtedly help your business maintain its competitive edge.
To learn more about our travel incentive products and marketing services, get in touch with us online, fill out the below form, or call 1-866-883-2968.
