14 Used Car Marketing Ideas

Selling a used car can be a tough experience. You’ve got to be able to establish a level of trust with people who are already not going to trust almost anything you’ve got to say. How can you overcome these assumptions to be able to do good business? Through a strong marketing effort that helps you establish your own community reputation.

It all begins with your local involvement. People tend to trust businesses more when they are fully involved in community events in some way. Whether that means you network with other business owners, you volunteer for local charities, or you sponsor local events or teams, when people know you, they’re more likely to buy a used car from you.

Best Marketing Ideas for Selling Used Cars

1. Get Noticed
Extending your brand throughout the community is important, especially if you’re competing with major dealerships who have acres of space. Get some vehicles branded and have them drive throughout your community to extend some awareness. You can use vehicles that you’ve got ownership of or you can pay folks a small stipend to have your branding on their vehicles.

2.Have a Centerpiece
If you’ve got a unique item on your lot that draws attention to your business, then you’ve got a marketing idea that will continue to pay off every time people see it. Some used car dealerships have put old firetrucks on their lot with their ladders extended. It could be a classic car, and old car, or a famous replica of a movie car. As long as it fits with your personality, you’ll have a good marketing item.

3.Offer a Shuttle
Provide a shuttle for community events where parking is at a premium and you’ll encourage people to show up for some fun when they maybe wouldn’t otherwise. It’s also another chance to extend your branding, build relationships, and solve a problem all at the same time. The best shuttles are free, but you may be able to charge a small fee for the service in some areas.

4.Provide a Valuable Service
Have a seminar once per month that discusses how car owners can fix common service issues with their vehicles on their own to draw people to your lot. Make the seminar be free and give folks a good discount on a vehicle if they decide to purchase one that day.

5.Form a Partnership
Having a relationship with a local mechanic will always pay off because you can throw business to each other consistently. If you’re offering maintenance seminars, have the mechanic come in to teach some basics. They’ll get exposure too and you’ll get some added exposure at their shop.

6.Hold a Community Contest
Community contests get people all over the community involved because it’s a lot of fun for them. It’s also good press for you because local media outlets love a good interest story! Hide branded items throughout your community and then let people know about a contest that you’re having. Make it a good prize, give people an entry if they take pictures and share them over social media to you, and everyone has a good time.

7.Provide Lots of Information
If people don’t know what your inventory happens to be, there’s a good chance they won’t stop by your business unless they’re looking for something special. Start sending out information about a particular vehicle you have on the lot through your blog, social media, and email feeds if you’re doing email marketing.

8.Bring In Referrals
Offer an incentive for people to speak good things about you to their family and friends. The average person won’t always trust a used car business, but they will trust others who have had a good experience. Help them save money on fuel, maintenance, or other service packages if you have an ambassador helping you out.

9.Manage Your Online Reputation
Set up alerts for new reviews about your business so that you can quickly review them when they are posted. Negative reviews can build up quickly to affect your reputation and if you don’t show an effort to resolve the issue, you’ll lose customers.

10.Help, Help, Help
Utilize apps that can help your customers locate the specific car to meet their needs without having to go through your entire lot. Sit down with them, pull up your inventory through the app, and have them plug-in all of their criteria. In return, they’ll get a list of vehicles to look at and you won’t have to use any sales tactics to have them look at your inventory.

11.Video Marketing Is Massive
Video marketing is making a huge comeback because of its influence on how people interact with each other. A video testimonial is even more powerful than an online review because anyone can see that you’ve got a happy ambassador who trusts you. Don’t buy these testimonials – offer happy customers something in return for some good words on film.

12.Hold Special Events
Host a special event in different locations around your community that will encourage people to have a lot of fun. Bring in some live music, have the event catered, and open up a VIP area that can only be accessed through special invitations so you can give some exclusivity without having to turn people away and create negative feelings.

13.Offer a Gift
Sales today is all about value. Having an affordable is valuable, but adding to that value with a gift package that someone can really use will bring a lot more interest. Even something as simple as adding a stroller to the purchase of a used minivan could be enough to make a deal where others could not.

14.Continue To Build Value
Keep working on your marketing efforts on a daily basis so that you’ll have a hard-working reputation established that will relate to your community. The more you’re seen, the more likely your reputation will be recognized.