As we hear time and again, your website is your virtual showroom.As a forward-thinker, I’d like to go one step farther.I believe your showroom should be your second website.As a matter of fact, your entire dealership should double as another digital extension of your website and internet marketing efforts.How, you may ask?You can achieve this by infusing your store with the latest in technological solutions, digital signage.
Through digital signage platforms and interactive media screens, you can create your own in-house advertising network to deliver targeted messages to your customers.From experience, I know that dealers cannot guarantee a member of their sales staff is always sitting in the service waiting area, chatting up customers about the newest sales specials.It is impossible for a dealer to ensure the sales team is preparing customers for the many financial options that will be presented to them in the business office.Even in these economic times, dealer management often searches for a sales associate to assist a showroom up.Lastly, dealers cannot guarantee that the people walking in front of their showroom windows or driving by their storefront are being reached by their advertising efforts.Employing a digital signage solution gives dealers the ability to immerse their in-house (and out-front) customers with their own advertising and marketing messages.
Many say that a dealership’s most important commodity is their loyal customer base.If this is the case, you should not only attempt to retain those customers through email marketing while they are in the comforts of their own home, but you should be “selling” to them as they sit at the point of purchase.The Arbitron Retail Media study found that 65% of those that watched digital signage advertisements and in-house video agree that it would influence their decision when making a purchase.30% of consumers that have viewed retail videos have made an unplanned purchase based on the digital message.The potential revenue stream available by marketing to your current patrons must be considered and new avenues must be taken to tap into this all-important resource.
While this technology is just now beginning to pop up in the automotive marketplace, there are already some “Best Practices” to achieve.
Best Practice #1:If a customer is sitting in the service waiting room watching television while their vehicle is being dissected, why not use that very television to brand yourself?Digital signage networks allow you to display your logo, manufacturer incentives, dealership specials, in-house videos, dealer commercials, and digital ads to your customer while they are in your house and you have their undivided attention.Why not use the most popular medium available to engage your customers and cross-promote departments?
Best Practice #2 
igital Signage allows you to educate your loyal customers (and your staff) on everything from new models, available inventory, discount pricing, vehicle features, parts specials, and service/maintenance offerings, and more.With the deployment of interactive touch screen kiosks in the showroom, dealers can engage customers with vehicle details while they wait to be assisted.
Best Practice #3:By displaying (more futuristic) media screens in the windows facing the street, dealers can literally change the face of their dealerships and broadcast digital messages, images.This can convert walk-bys to walk-ins and drive-bys to drive-ups.
Best Practice #4:Imagine filming your top salesperson giving a professional walk-around on your oldest vehicle in stock.Now imagine in mere seconds being able to upload and broadcast that video throughout your dealership (every three hours, two hours, 20 minutes).Lastly, imagine the service customer dreading the cost of work needed to be done on her/his vehicle and then viewing this engaging video.The potential for return on investment is endless for those dealerships interested in taking the next step from being a dealer with an Internet department to a true Internet dealer.
If you are dropping thousands upon thousands of dollars on the creation of television commercials, digital ads, or vehicle videos, don’t let them go to waste when they’ve run their course.You should broadcast them proudly through your own on-premise advertising platform.It not only gives you more “bang for your buck”, so to speak, but it will save printing costs as well.Customers are blind to the static billboards and banners that hang in dealer showrooms around the nation.However, to have moving flash video and automotive “infotainment” playing across your existing television screens will allow you to become your own profit center.
As ecommerce consultants, we consistently look for new ideas, processes, and tactics to bring our dealer clients into the 21st century and beyond.These innovative, technological solutions just beginning to appear in the automotive market must be considered for a myriad of reasons.While it may be forward-thinking, now more than ever, dealers must continue moving forward.
