AUTOMOTIVE ADVERTISING & MARKETING

Brand Awareness is Essential

JKRAdvertising / Automotive Advertising, Automotive Advertising Advice /

October 20, 2014

Brand awareness is something built over time. Think about it … not everyone who hears your radio or television ads are actively shopping for a vehicle every time they are exposed to them. That does not mean, however, that this is a wasted advertisement; in fact, it’s quite the contrary. When you’re advertising, you are making a sound investment in the future growth of your dealership.

Brand Awareness: Before the Sale

At some point in most adults’ lives, they will need a car. When that happens, they will typically buy from a dealership they knew about before their actual need for a vehicle came about. So it stands to reason, building brand awareness increases the probability customers will know who you are. Because they know who you are, there is a greater likelihood they will buy from you!

If your dealership has not built brand awareness – and therefore isn’t top-of-mind with your local community – there is no question the odds are not in your favor. Consumer studies show that eight out of every 10 consumers turn to brands they are familiar with when a need for something occurs.

You will know you have reached the pinnacle of brand awareness when your local community immediately recognizes your ads just by seeing your logo, hearing a familiar voice, or recognizing your jingle (if you have one).

Can you say your dealership has reached this lofty goal? If not, the folks at JKR Automotive Advertising can get you there. We’ll help you reach the masses with a memorable message … and our savvy media buyers (and state-of-the-art industry software) help you get the most bang for your buck. You’re just a phone call away from brand awareness at its finest; call Eric Tigner at (321) 397-0777 and get the ball rolling.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

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Post-Pandemic Dealer Gross Profits are Down – But They Don’t Have to Stay There!
March 13, 2024
It is no secret that dealer gross profits per vehicle are down sharply in the post-COVID automotive world. According to a recent article in Automotive News, gross profits of the six largest publicly traded dealership groups plunged significantly from Q4 2022 to Q4 2023. One of them was actually down 35% per vehicle!

The article explains: High interest rates, more expensive vehicles and a steadier post-pandemic supply chain continue to soften demand and bring it closer to pre-pandemic levels. Still, new-car buying has remained strong overall …

This means that, while sales volume is similar, overall bottom lines are lower for many dealers due to the reduced gross profits. What about your dealership?

Being Realistic
It’s time to turn the page! The time for dealers to simply be order takers for people willing to pay MSRP for a vehicle (and in some cases more) has passed and dealers have to work hard once again to achieve acceptable gross profits.

Selling a high volume of cars doesn’t control gross profits, no matter how much you wish this was the case. Correct processes and menu pricing – and strict adherence to them – do!

What kind of processes?
∙ Slow down the transaction! Your sales staff has to once again sell the customer on the features and benefits of every new and pre-owned vehicle on your lot.

∙ Your salespeople and managers should devalue the customers’ trade-in value (politely, of course) as much as possible. After all, if the customer expects you to lower your price, shouldn’t you be able to do the same on their trade? Remember, you’ll have to fix it up, put your name on it and resell it to someone else with all the tenacity you would a brand-new car. So make sure you buy it right … because the profit is made when you buy it, not when you sell it!

∙ To that end, management should be ready and willing to leave the desk and do thorough walk-arounds on each trade to ensure the best outcome for the dealership.

The Cure for Low Gross Profits
If you are like a lot of dealers these days, you could use some good news. Here it is: while you may not have the capability to achieve profit margins similar to those you enjoyed during the pandemic, they could likely be improved. JKR’s clients enjoy the benefit of attracting not only more customers, but better ones, too!

If meeting and exceeding your sales goals (and increasing gross profits at the same time) sounds great to you, you need to call us. Don’t settle for reduced gross profits when help is out there to get you closer to where you’d like to be.

Want to know how we do it? Reach out to Senior Partner Richard Brauns (407) 701-4233 or Partner/Vice President Jon Albert (407) 718-2494 today.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.

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