The automotive industry is always on the move, and as marketers, we need to keep up with the pace. One thing's for sure: defining what a Customer Data Platform (CDP) means for car dealers is a big deal right now. CDPs bring together all the data sources a dealership has, like the DMS, other 1st and 3rd party data, and digital interactions, giving dealers a complete view of their customers and data for marketing. A big trend in automotive marketing? CDPs, multichannel automation, good customer data, and tailored marketing strategies. Let's get into what you should stop doing and start doing to stay ahead in this ever-changing industry.

⛔ Stop the Grunt Work: 

In today's data-driven world, having accurate customer info is crucial. Forrester says that 25% of marketing campaigns suffer from poor data management. And get this: 37% waste money because of poor data quality, and 35% target the wrong audience, leading to a 30% loss of customers. Accurate data helps dealers understand and personalize their marketing. Spending hours fixing bad data is a waste. It's time for automotive marketers to use advanced Customer Data Platforms (CDPs) that automate data correction, letting them focus on more impactful activities.

Instead of spending valuable time correcting bad or incomplete customer data, automotive marketers should leverage advanced Customer Data Platforms (CDPs). These platforms seamlessly connect various data sources, including 1st-party and 3rd-party data sources, creating a unified view of customer information. By automating data correction processes, marketers can redirect their efforts toward more impactful activities, such as personalized marketing campaigns and customer engagement strategies.

✅ Start with Seamless Connectivity:  

Connect your data sources into one solution for streamlined sales, enhanced after-sales care, and targeted customer offers. A CDP gathers and unifies 1st-party customer data, creating a comprehensive profile for each customer. By harnessing the power of CDPs, dealers can achieve validated, corrected, and unified data that can serve as a foundation for streamlined sales, enhanced after-sales care, and targeted customer offers. Integrating your DMS with a CDP lets you quickly access and leverage customer records for personalized marketing campaigns.

For car dealers to effectively use a CDP, they should establish seamless connectivity with their DMS. The DMS holds a treasure trove of valuable customer data, and integrating it with a CDP creates a centralized hub for customer insights. Choosing a vendor that can swiftly implement the data management layer is crucial. This ensures marketers can quickly access and leverage the primary customer records needed for targeted and personalized marketing campaigns. By initiating this connectivity, marketers pave the way for a more data-driven and efficient approach to customer engagement.

⛔ Stop the Scattergun Approach:

Sending marketing through multiple disconnected vendors can confuse customers. Today, 72% of customers expect companies to understand their needs and expectations. Stop relying on disjointed marketing vendors and opt for a centralized approach. Use a vendor that offers a comprehensive, integrated multichannel solution to ensure a cohesive brand message across various channels. 

By integrating multichannel marketing journeys with a CDP, you can deliver personalized messages through email, text, direct mail, and more, providing a seamless experience for customers. A study by Google found that 95% of car buyers use digital channels to research vehicles, with 41% using multiple devices during the process. A unified marketing strategy enhances brand consistency and provides a more seamless customer experience, fostering brand loyalty and retention.

✅ Start with Turnkey Multichannel Activation: 

Partner with vendors capable of promptly initiating multichannel marketing. This agility is essential in responding to market trends and launching timely campaigns. According to a report by Capgemini, 71% of car buyers say that they would prefer to buy a car from a dealer that offers an end-to-end digital experience. By engaging with turnkey solutions vendors, automotive marketers can unlock the full potential of automated multichannel marketing, reaching customers across various touchpoints with a cohesive and impactful message.

⛔ Stop Targeting Misfires: 

Stop marketing to customers who no longer own a vehicle, and avoid sending service offers to people who just serviced their vehicle. This wastes resources and risks annoying customers with irrelevant communications. 

Instead, use advanced analytics and data segmentation to focus on promising customer segments. This involves understanding customer lifecycles, predicting purchasing behavior, and tailoring marketing messages accordingly. By avoiding generic marketing to inactive or recently serviced customers, marketers can improve the effectiveness of their campaigns and overall customer satisfaction.

For example, according to Activator's sample of 300 customers, on average, 20+% of customers no longer own their vehicles within a dealer's DMS. They also found that duplicates account for 15-33% of the customer records in a dealer's DMS. You can convert your data into actionable insights by utilizing Activator's turnkey, Hybrid CDP, and Multichannel Marketing Journey Builder. This data can now be used to send new and used car marketing, ensuring a positive experience for returning customers, and send service-based marketing to the new vehicle owner, adding to your new customer base. In fact, Activator's Top 20 dealers see an average of 48 handraisers a month. That's 48 customers who are marketing qualified leads prepared to upgrade, sell, renew, or pre-order a vehicle.

✅ Start Collaborating for Success: 

Collaborate with partners who understand each dealer's unique campaign needs. A one-size-fits-all approach is no longer sufficient. By partnering with campaign-centric vendors, marketers access tailored strategies that address individual dealerships' specific challenges. This collaboration can help reduce churn, stimulate equity conversations, and ultimately contribute to retaining valuable customers. A Harvard Business Review study found that customers with the best past experiences spend 140% more than those with the poorest past experience. A personalized and targeted approach ensures that marketing efforts align with each dealership's unique characteristics and objectives.

Demand More From Your Dealership Marketing

Activator's turnkey solution is powered with Salesforce, giving birth to a hybrid CDP and Multichannel Journey Builder. Salesforce helps build strong customer relationships, grow revenue with a single source of truth, and drive productivity with automated marketing processes.

With this foundational framework in place, Activator now incorporates additional 1st-party and 3rd-party data sources, creating a comprehensive customer profile of each customer. This interconnected solution facilitates the creation of personalized customer journeys that engage with individuals based on their interactions and preferences. Over time, the data collected during these interactions is channeled back into the CDP, creating a picture of the customer's preferences and ensuring continuous refinement and personalization of marketing outreach. 

Learn more about Activator's latest CDP integrations, which include Equifax Spending Power and Income Data, Digital + Social Advertising, powered by Fluency Automation, Activator's 1st-party Website Data with Custom Landing Pages, and Activator's Custom Campaigns. Or schedule a demo today for more information on Activator's capabilities and how it can enhance your dealership's performance.