The Influence of Text Message Promotions for the Automobile Dealerships

Automobile dealerships face two critical factors in their attempts to generate leads. 1) The

preconceived notion a potential buyer has about a brand 2) The attainability of the product for

the potential buyer. For dealerships, managing these two ideas have been the focus of

marketing campaigns since advertising was ingrained in business strategies. As the market

diversified, so did the techniques and technology used to deal with those two factors.

In recent years, many dealerships and others in the automotive industry have been turning to

promotional SMS text messaging services. With 95% of all text messages opened, it appears to

be a noteworthy addition to any marketing campaign. In the following document, the impact of

text messages in marketing will be examined in their relation to how they affect a potential

buyer’s opinion on a brand and the buyer’s view on product attainability.

Text Messaging Services and Buyer Opinion:

The objectives of group text messaging and buyer opinion have been utilized on a primary and

secondary measure. The primary utilization of mass texts is to affect a potential customer’s

opinion on the automobile through promotions and newsworthy updates. Mobile text marketing

campaigns can be generalized or specific, with its main purpose to act as a bridge to stay

connected and relevant to the market.

The secondary objection of text messaging is to collect market research data in order to form an

analysis of the market makeup. This research can either be conducted explicitly as a customer

satisfaction survey or be drawn from customer responses to general mobile advertising. The

information collected in both formats is vital in understanding and responding to market needs,

which will in turn form public opinion.

Product Attainability and Text Messages:

Allowing the market to believe a vehicle is obtainable to them is the second and perhaps more

important focus of text messaging campaigns, particularly when the economy is unstable or

recovering from instability. The representation of product attainability is achieved through

promotional sales and discounts either for selected guests or all customers. Businesses have

the ability to utilize tracked keywords and messages to establish the profitability of such

promotions in third party provided databases or by their own organization.

Using SMS notifications to inform the public of discounts and vehicle financing options can also

in turn be manufactured to add an air of exclusivity to a brand image. Text messages can be

written to inform the reader they are a part of a select group of customers that are receiving the

discount or they are receiving a promotion based on a model of vehicle they possess. At the

end of the day, the image of exclusivity can either be real or perceived. Whatever the case, the

purpose of these touches is to make the customer or potential customer feel their needs are

recognized by a dealership and will be met with that in mind.

Final Word:

The culmination of mass text message promotions and buyer opinion is in their final decision of

whether or not to finance or purchase a vehicle. Campaigns of any format can only do as much

as the customer allows it, as advertisements cannot address all of the extenuating

circumstances that affect a customer’s purchase. However, what separate text messaging from

other mediums is the ubiquity of its existence and the almost instant speed at which it delivers.

With that in mind, implementing a correctly strategized mobile advertising campaign can be

beneficial for dealerships of any size and location.