Buying used versus new shouldn’t matter when it comes to accessorizing. Options to personalize used cars abound. In fact, accessories may be all the more enticing to a used car buyer who is likely settling for what works for them now rather than purchasing their dream car.

Ahh, Spring. The season of new life, raging pollen, and warmer weather accessories. As the country begins to thaw, dealerships across America look for a seasonal accessory shake-up. Bid farewell to ski racks and snow tires adorning your showroom vehicles. Retire your pitch for heated leather seats. Put your hero vehicle’s winter gear in storage. It’s time for a new outfit and a new lead-in product. 

Make no mistake: customer retention is a full-time job. The process of cultivating and maintaining loyal customers should be emphasized as highly as the sales process itself. There are many opportunities, between introduction and post-sale, to build a lasting relationship with a customer. So many of those opportunities involve Vehicle Personalization. From building rapport as you start at the trade, or inviting customers to relax between F&I, as well as offering a tune-up service six months later—accessories are integrated in all of it. This makes personalization the key to customer retention. 

There’s no customer more coveted than the repeat customer. Now, more than ever, dealerships must stand out in the crowd and maintain a good reputation. Loyal customers achieve both those ends. Practice these three strategies to keep your customers pleased. In turn, those loyal customers will refer their friends and utilize your store for all their automotive needs. 

Who better to focus your efforts on than the prospect in your backyard? Local marketing is a form of both traditional and digital marketing that dealerships need to be heavily involved in, if they want to compete for the market share of the automotive industry, in 2021. 

As much as we’d like to, we can’t all approach 2021 with arms crossed, waiting patiently. We’ve got to be on our toes, arms wide open, to every possible lead. Despite the cold, it’s time to take off the mittens and embrace the metaphorical snowball of online car buying. (Unless you live in the North; then you should definitely keep the mittens—frostbite is no joke.) 

When it comes to using Vehicle Personalization to increase revenue, there is more than one way to skin this highly accessorized cat. Offering accessories at the point-of-sale is sure to add to your front end gross, so what about using accessories to get the customer in the door in the first place? Here are some ideas. 

Here's hoping 2021 won't throw us for quite the loop that 2020 did while we prepare for precisely that. Now is the time to get in the game with these evolving automotive marketing trends.

The year was 1997. Blockbuster looked down from its throne to scorn the new court jester. The jester danced with enthusiasm and grit, smiling warmly at the King of Video Rental. Blockbuster rolled its eyes and signed off on a late fee for Good Will Hunting. There are a few details to spare, but the King later died a tragic death. The jester took the throne, and quadrupled the kingdom. The jester is Netflix, and his legend is clear: don’t get too comfortable or the joke is on you.