Question

Topic: Copywriting

Copywriting Help For Car Dealerships

Posted by Anonymous on 3/5/2006 at 4:13 AM ET 125 Points
I am planning to approach a local car dealership with the idea of sending out a short quarterly newsletter to previous customers. I was a customer a few years ago and am now on their mailing list, and UGH! The stuff they send is awful - cheap, ugly one-page ads, cheap Christmas cards, etc. - all stuff we throw right in the trash, often without bothering to read. For the same postage they could easily send something that I haven't seen any other local places do - a newsletter with some useful content, and of course info about upcoming sales, promotions, etc. But the content would be the star - promoting them as the car dealership that continues to care for you after the sale.

In addition, I'd like to be able to propose other improvements to their direct marketing programs. I did come across the string, "Car Dealership Needs Increased Customer Traffic" and some of the information in there was awesome. I'd like to find out more about what works/doesn't work in DM for car dealerships, though. We have a lot of local dealerships around here with ad campaigns that make us cringe (the hokey TV ads are even worse than the mailings!), and I would like to break into this niche (copywriting for dealerships) - I just see so much room for improvement, for the same postage prices they're already paying. My biggest obstacle, though, is finding articles and tips related JUST to copywriting for car dealerships. I understand that all the basic rules of copywriting apply, of course, but am still hoping to find some more specific information if it's out there.

Thanks so much,
Colleen
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Frank Hurtte on 3/5/2006 at 1:18 PM Accepted
    The unfortunate part of all this is that often the person responsible for marketing at Dealerships is the owner or general manager. Hense the hoky adds.
    Here are some suggestions... focus groups, The Powers people, and AAA would be good sources of information.
    Another point to consider, what does the dealership feel their most profitable areas are? some think only about pushing more "units" out the door, others look for ways to promote their shop.
  • Posted by Deremiah *CPE on 3/5/2006 at 2:59 PM Accepted
    colleeninbama,

    feel free to share your findings with the owner or GM. Most problems with dealership advertisement is that a great deal of them are stuck in a traditional spirit of advertising.

    THEY TEND TO BE OLD SCHOOL SALESMEN
    They tend to be old school in their approach. Which include a long list of out dated philosophies like...

    "Throw enough up against the wall and something's bound to stick"

    A POOR WAY TO REACH CUSTOMERS...
    This philosophy is true and it does work but only for those who are afraid of trying to build geniune long term relationships. And it's also one of the poorest approaches in a marketing plan. It fails to deal with the real reasons, beliefs and biases of why people purchase cars.

    (Not all) but a great deal of car dealers are not long term in their approach (from a relationship stand point)as you can judge from their short term approach advertising. Page after page of cars and prices as if everyone is motivated to purchase the same way. They'll send you letters after a sale for years but I've never received a follow-up call on the phone or a personalized thank you note from anyone who has ever sold me a car.

    HERE'S MY RECOMMENDATION...MAKE THEM FAMILIAR WITH THEIR OWN...
    You might be better off buying them all a copy of Joe Girard, "How to Close Every Sale" Since Joe was a great sales man. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0446389293/qid=1141588030/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1...

    Well you might be better off just trying to share your advice and then trying to get an appointment unless you know someone who knows the owner (of course this is always the best way to approach it). Is there anything else I can do for you?

    Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE, (Customer Passion Evangelist)

    C-ar P-romotional E-nthusiast
  • Posted on 3/7/2006 at 4:37 AM Member
    Colleen - I noticed your question because I work in a niche marketing area too - subscriptions copywriting. I am afraid it's unlikely you will convince anyone to even try your work out as you will need to impress them with your knowledge and experience in the car sales market.

    My own market - publishing - is tough for similar reasons: publishers are mostly small-business types and very careful with their money. They sent out me-too promotions that show very little creative thought. But if you start from the premise that their work is crap, you'll get no-where. You will need to give examples of your work that have pulled good results so they can recognise the benefits of hiring you. In other words, you will need to sell YOUR benefits, just like you are offering to sell theirs!

    In my country - the UK - I publish the only newsletter on subscriptions marketing for both online and traditional publishers. There are only two other people here that are any good, and one of those subscribes to my newsletter. Even then, copywriting and marketing advice is not easy to sell - there is not room for even one other person.

    I am not trying to be negative, just realistic. I advise talking to a dealership owner to hear what he says to you -- there will be echoes of what I have written here. But it will be a valuable lesson in how to start in creative writing!

    If you talk to the talented copywriters posting messages here at Marketing Profs, you will find they have one thing in common: all have learned their craft through hard times. Good copywriting reflects wisdom. And wisdom usually comes at great personal cost.

    Peter Hobday
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