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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 short answer is yes—in due time.

The need for more commonplace electric vehicles is growing. In some areas of the world, cutting down on carbon dioxide emissions is reaching critical importance. China and India are already visiting the need for electric buses, because air quality stays consistently in a dangerous range. Collectively, we're all concerned about global warming and increasingly so. Today, revamping the way the world drives isn't priority number one, and that’s not to say it isn’t in the back of everyone's mind. 

The pandemic rocketed the automotive industry forward one to three years in accepting digital retailing. Years before COVID, we knew Carvana and Vroom were changing the way consumers bought cars. The option to buy online affected dealerships some, however, we weren’t comparing apples to apples.

Consumers did, and still do like to sit in a car before they buy it. With the majority of customers buying cars traditionally, online retailing was a secondary focus. Just one year ago, merely having a web inventory and an active social media presence made your store competitive in the digital space.

Well, now, everything’s changed.

Why Does Automotive Digital Retailing Matter? 

Google published some astonishing statistics about online buyers. Their data showed that 84% of Americans are shopping for something in any 48-hour period. Additionally, 63% of all shopping began online. The research went further, examining trends when people buy specific products. Those in the market for a car took to Google to gather information. Said consumers ranged from 20 to 68 years old. Over time, these shoppers researched the best dealership, brand, and trade-in online. We can infer the end result. The consumer likely bought a car they chose from their research. The vehicle was likely purchased from a highly-rated dealership, also found online. 

Cut the fluff. We might be shutting down again.

This time, rather than lamenting, we focus on preparation. In the end, if everything is able to stay open, we’re only that much more prepared to do business.

Don’t even try to spook anyone this Halloween. We’re all in a state of hyper-vigilance from 2020, and masks aren’t amusing anymore. When you greet your customers in October just give them some apple cider and a hug. We’ve all been through enough.

Instead, deliver a memorable car-buying experience by lavishing your people with sweet goodness. Vehicle Personalization is all treats and no tricks for everyone involved. From your customer to your General Manager, accessories give everyone just what they want. 

It’s probably tempting to think end-of-year sales objectives are out the window at this point. After all, 2020 has thrown us for loops and there’s still a quarter left. Overcoming is our theme, and it’s not over till it’s over!

How can Insignia help you finish strong this late in the game? The answer is still accessories.

The OE brands that Insignia supports showed an average increase in order value of over 18% in 2020 compared to 2019!

These are unique times for the automotive industry. Online car sales are surpassing what we're used to, while in-person sales are transforming to fit the times. Unfortunately, accessories can fall by the wayside when we're hyper-focused on moving metal. After all, many dealerships are merely surviving. How can a salesperson offer accessories online without losing the customer's interest? How can an in-person sale survive the perceived "extra step" of an accessory presentation?

The reality is, accessories can cushion your bottom line. After all the hard falls we had this spring, we could all use some extra cushion now. So don't neglect the incredible profit potential Vehicle Personalization has to offer! Lead in to your lead-in products for an easy transition from car sale to accessory presentation.

Once upon a time, cars from every walk of life lined football stadiums for tailgating season. The year was 2019 and the fall air was crisp. Truck beds donned flat screens and chicken wing buffets. Jeeps displayed elaborate pop-out tents. Ford Focuses pulled up with a lone fold-out chair in their trunk, but we accepted them. Football meant community, frenzy and fabulous accessories.

Though the current state of affairs looks different, the football fan lives on. It’s time to replicate tailgating in our driveway and we need accessories to do it. According to The Sports Daily, the average NFL fan is willing to spend about $200 per tailgating party. That's just for one event. Imagine what a true fan would spend on an accessory that will last them through many seasons. With fans trying to replicate an experience remotely, this could be a banner year for tailgating accessories.

No dealership has escaped the evolution of the automotive industry due to COVID-19. Since the onset of the pandemic, businesses around the globe have had to respond accordingly. As the world slowly re-opened in a new way, consumers were quick on the draw to review businesses' safety precautions, interactions, conveniences and more.

Those who rose to the occasion attracted clients. Those who made mistakes, no matter how small, suffered at the hands of the Internet. How you continue in your COVID-19 response will set you apart as the pandemic and coming months unfold.