3 Strong Advertising Channels for Dealers

The number one method of advertising used trucks for a while has been classified ads and listings and we’ve seen the stats that prove this.
According to a recent Successful Dealer survey, 87% of dealer respondents find classified ads and listings are somewhat or very effective.
But now that dealers’ advertising reach has been greatly expanded by online marketing, the opportunities for used truck sales are endless. With almost 90% of Americans adults using the internet, it’s safe to assume at least some, if not the majority, of the people you want to reach are a part of that percentage. And with the ability to connect with your audience on multiple platforms on multiple devices using an array of targeting options, the question is no longer, “should you be advertising online?” but “what forms of online advertising work best for you?”
The most important factor to consider when answering that question is finding the specific channels that can connect you with your specific audience. Let’s be honest. When it comes to targeting on social media or Google AdWords, you won’t find criteria like used trucks, route, propensity by used, or warranty cycles. So the best thing to do is to build your list of prospects first and then upload that list onto your chosen advertising channels.

So how do you build your list of prospects?

This list can come from CRM data, trade show contacts, lead lists, or third-party sources. For example, you can build a list using contact information from badge scans or business cards collected at trade shows. Or you can use an online tool tailored to compile a specified list of contacts for you.
An example of such a tool is RigDig Business Intelligence. It gives you access to heavy and medium duty trucking prospects operating in the U.S. With filters like fleet size, CSA history, location, etc. you can zero in on the exact type of prospects you’re looking for, while eliminating those who don’t fall into your criteria for potential customers.
Once you have your list of prospects, what channels allow you to upload your list and offer strong targeting options?
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Facebook Icon

1. Facebook

 
This is the most popular social media platform in the world with over 1 billion daily active users worldwide and 68% of all U.S. adult use it.
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Why Facebook?

 

Your audience is on Facebook:

Of all social media platforms, Facebook is the number one pick for your audience. According to our research:

Facebook allows you to upload your prospect lists:

Facebook is a strong lead generation source for short form leads:

  • Facebook lead ads speed up the process of gaining a lead by bypassing a landing page and directing a prospect from your ad to a pre-populated form, securing them as a lead.

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Search Icon

2. Paid Search

 
Through the use of relevant keywords, such as “used Class 8 trucks,” “2013 Freightliner Cascadia,” etc. potential buyers can find you in the first few search results on a search engine (e.g. Google, Yahoo, Bing, etc.). Once a prospect clicks on your ad, this is a good chance to direct them to a landing page where they can browse your used truck inventory in exchange for basic contact information. Thereby securing leads.
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Why Search?

 

Search connects you with prospects ready to buy:

  • The prospects you’ll find on search engines are further along in the buyer’s journey. They have identified a need and moved on to searching for a solution for that need. In other words, these prospects are actively searching for products like yours.

Search connects you with interested prospects:

  • Because prospects connect with you through the use of relevant keywords (e.g. used Class 8 trucks, 2013 Freightliner Cascadia, etc.) this increases your chances of connecting with potential buyers interested in your specific products and offerings.

Search allows you to upload your prospect lists:

  • AdWords customer match allows you to upload your prospects’ contact information and solely target your prospects.

Search is a strong lead generation source for inbound phone calls:

  • The click-to-call option gives mobile device users a quick and easy means to connect with you.

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Customer Retargeting

3. Retargeting

 
This form of targeting allows you to reconnect with your website visitors. Code placed on your website allows your ads to appear on other websites your website visitors go to. These ads can promote your used truck inventory or even the specific product the website visitor showed an interest in on your website.
 
 
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Why Retargeting?

 

Retargeting connects you with interested prospects:

  • These prospects have already shown interest by visiting your website but did not take action while there. Retargeting presents the opportunity for you to nurture their interest and turn them from a prospect into a lead.

There are platforms available to retarget for you:

  • An example is Web ID. It identifies IP addresses of companies that visit your website and matches them to Randall-Reilly’s researched and verified RigDig BI online prospect profiles. This provides you with a list of qualified leads and allows you to target people who have already shown interest in what you have to offer by visiting your website. You can target these active contacts with your campaigns and reach them with your advertising.

A combination of these 3 channels provides increases your chances of reaching your specific audience. So take advantage of these online channels in your campaigns. They could be the missing link in your marketing.
 
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