In today's intense competitive marketplace, car dealerships are doing everything possible to lure in customers and keep them coming back. Dealerships employ a variety of marketing efforts to reach out to the customer. One approach that has proven to be immensely effective and quite affordable, and which has also gained considerable popularity in recent years, is using email marketing solutions to deploy targeted email campaigns. This article explores the ways car dealerships can use email marketing solutions as a key ingredient of their marketing plan.

Any business person will inform you that is it far easier to keep an existing customer than it is to acquire a new one. That is well known business knowledge and it is no different in the automotive industry. A happy customer who bought or leased a car from a dealership several years ago will be very inclined to return to that same dealership. Deploying a targeted email marketing campaign can help give that customer the extra push he or she needs. Since the dealership already has all the customer's information (including permission to contact them via email) the dealership can send this person (and all the other people in the same group) an email promoting new cars that are available for sale or lease.

For example, a car dealership may have a group of customers that leased an SUV, with the lease expiring in the upcoming months. This dealership can use email marketing solutions to send campaigns specifically targeting to these people. It can inform these people all about the latest lineup of SUVs they can choose from when their lease expires. This email campaign not only provides detailed information to the customer (ie. What cars are available), but also keeps your dealership's brand in front of the consumer. After all, if they were happy with their experience and they're consistently reminded of your dealership, why would they look anywhere else?

Email marketing solutions also acts as a great method for bringing customers back into the car dealership for maintenance. For years dealerships have been calling customers informing them that it is time for their 'vehicle service'. Now, in the day and age where many people check their email more rapidly than their voicemail, it can be very effective to send out an email reminder instead of (or in addition to) the courtesy call.

This email does not just have to remind customers that they are due for service; it can also entice them to return to your specific dealership, as opposed to a competitor or generic auto shop, by offering a certain discount or eCoupon. For example, many car dealerships have found that if they include a coupon for a discount oil change, that it drives the customer back to them for service. After all, they simply have to print the eCoupon and go back to the dealership that they trust anyway, so why even consider the thought of bringing their vehicle somewhere else!

Email marketing solutions are also very effective for promoting events like customer appreciation days, grand openings, new location announcements and more. With just a few clicks the dealership can send a targeted email marketing campaign to its customers and instantly spread the word about an event or important announcement. Since most email marketing solutions include full tracking capabilities, it is easy to track the effectiveness of the campaign, as well as event RSVPs.

Email marketing solutions are very easy to use and can be incorporated into any dealership's marketing plan without any severe learning curve. Since a lot of solutions are designed for small business email marketing, the costs are very low and the email campaigns produce a very high return on investment.