For many Americans, October marks the beginning of fall. For some of the country, the leaves have already started to change and the weather is getting cooler, but for the automotive industry, October is known as Fall Car Care Month.
The month of October presents the perfect opportunity for Service Departments everywhere to increase traffic by reaching out to customers about needed fall maintenance. Most dealerships will be offering tips and savings to drive people into their service drives and this type of marketing is a great idea and probably much needed.
But, what if you did something a little different this year? What if you decided to get really creative with your fall car care marketing? Instead of just delivering tips and savings to customers, what if you hosted targeted events at your dealership? Check out these two event ideas to promote fall car care by getting creative.
Host a DIY New Owner’s Clinic
This year think about hosting a DIY event in your Service Department. Invite customers who have recently bought a vehicle from you and may or may not have visited your service drive yet. Have a technician, or two, on hand to demonstrate simple DIY services that the customers can complete on their own, such as changing windshield wipers, checking tire inflation, inspecting hoses, or checking engine fluids.
This type of event will not only educate your customers and teach them about their newly bought vehicle, but it will also introduce them to your Service Department staff. This type of targeted event will get these new customers comfortable with your service team to ensure they come back to you for future vehicle needs.
Host a Vehicle Check Up Event
The National Car Care Council encourages service facilities to host vehicle checkup events for their communities. If your dealership decides to host an event like this, you can register with the national website and leverage the free promotions, tools, and resources available at http://www.carcare.org/industry-participants/host-an-event/. All you’ll need for an event like this is to communicate with current and prospective customers to generate participants, set up a clearly identified and designated drive-thru lane, and create a checklist for your technicians so all wear indicators are clearly checked and a completed list is returned to the participants. If you want, you can offer free maintenance brochures, refreshments, entertainment, and more. The list goes on and on.
Now is the time to put together your October fall car care marketing! If you’re looking to put a spin on your marketing and go for something a little different, try out one of these event ideas and remember to get creative.