You can’t keep your auto dealership running without revenue, and you can’t generate revenue if you don’t have customers. In order to have customers, you need to reach out to them in all the right ways – and in today’s world, that means via the mobile web. Below, you can learn more about the various ways in which some of the most successful dealerships are leveraging mobile technology for loyalty and growth.

Personalized Communication

The internet is certainly nothing new, and most of the bigger auto dealerships in the nation have websites that provide vast amounts of information for the consumers who want and need it. Something that many dealerships do not do, however, is provide truly personalized communication to interested buyers. Fortunately, there are mobile platforms that allow you to text with potential customers about their wants and needs, then send them short, high-quality videos that home in on the auto features those customers want most. You can personalize this video to show them the engine compartment, the interior, or even the perfect paint job.

Virtual Test Drives

According to data from Google, one of the fastest-growing trends in mobile technology is the virtual test drive. In fact, per their research, some 64% of shoppers said that 360-degree test drive videos could help them decide to make purchases without even test driving a vehicle. What’s more, on YouTube – which is the world’s largest video platform – the watch time for videos that included “test drive” in the title have grown by 65% in just two years. This is a tremendous surge and one that auto dealers would be wise to capitalize on now.

Communication via Text

Thanks to SMS text technology, fewer people than ever before actually enjoy talking to someone on the phone – even when it’s about buying a car. They would rather get matter-of-fact information in a text message and respond in their own time. Information provided by Experian Marketing Services proves that about half of all young people between 18 and 24 years old – a significant portion of auto buyers in the US – believe that a text message is just as meaningful as a phone call. For many people, texting is a more personal form of communication than drawn-out phone calls or even email.

Mobile Apps

Finally, developing a mobile app specifically for your dealership can also be beneficial in creating loyalty. Not only can your app show off your entire selection and catalog, but it can also give you the ability to reach out to customers via push notifications or text (with their consent, of course) to inform them of special events that may be going on at any given time. When you combine this with virtual test drives and personalized communication, it is one of the best things any dealership can do.

Mobile technology is growing in importance, and according to Pew Research, of the 96% of Americans who own cellphones, 81% own smartphones that they use to research their purchases. It is up to auto dealerships to find the best ways to capitalize on the mobile revolution, and the ideas above can certainly help.