Heavy-duty commercial trucks can be very expensive. The initial purchase can be upwards of $120,000. Then there is the cost associated with merely operating the vehicle and keeping it properly maintained to stay in safe working condition.
Even with these high costs it may make financial sense for a company to buy a new rig with the expectation that the cost of maintenance on a new vehicle and the efficiency it provides will outweigh any savings they would would have had if they purchased a used truck. However, that is not always the case, and with some fleets, used heavy-duty trucks are the better option. And with used truck sales on the rise this year, dealerships with used truck inventory need a way to reach prospective customers.
[hr style=”3″ margin=”40px 0px 40px 0px”]
Digital Marketing for Dealerships
The digital marketing landscape has developed and become more refined and effective. It has added a whole new layer to how companies are able to approach marketing to their prospective customers. Simply targeting truck fleets can generate some business, but such a broad generalization can also waste time on targeting unresponsive audiences and waste valuable marketing funds. Building and employing custom digital audiences helps to alleviate this.
Dealers can now use custom digital audiences to match potential customers through multiple digital channels such as Facebook and Google Search and YouTube. The use of custom audiences matched through these platforms helps identify and target fleets that may be in the market for a used truck. It’s not enough to know you are reaching fleets with your messaging. The idea is to reach fleets who are in need of what you have to offer, and to make contact at the right time.
Custom audience targeting allows you use layers of data and build a finely tuned audience. Doing this will increase dealerships’ chances of successfully selling a used truck to a prospective customer and hopefully gaining their loyalty.
Here are three ways to target and build a custom digital audience for used heavy-duty trucks.
[hr style=”3″ margin=”40px 0px 40px 0px”]
1. Look for Smaller Fleets Close to Your Area
Locating any smaller fleets in the general or surrounding area is a great starting point. Small truck fleets make a large segment of the trucking industry, with 97.3% owning 20 or fewer trucks, and 90.8% owning 10 or fewer.
Source: American Trucking Associations
These smaller fleets may be interested in trying to save money by opting for used vehicles as opposed to making the large investment associated with a brand new truck. Offering them savings on a product they need, while being conveniently located nearby could give your dealership the edge over a competitor further away.
[hr style=”3″ margin=”40px 0px 40px 0px”]
2. Target by Brand
Some fleets have developed a strong brand loyalty towards a particular truck manufacturer. This would be an excellent way for dealers to pinpoint their potential customer audience. Even if a fleet owns multiple brands, if the majority of their trucks are a particular brand, that could indicate an affinity or preference for said brand.
By knowing what brand of trucks a fleet prefers to own and operate, a dealer can know whether to target the fleet or exclude them entirely. For example, if a dealership has several used Peterbilt trucks in their inventory they are trying to sell, they could immediately discount fleets that own exclusively Freightliners.
Conversely, identifying and targeting those fleets that ran a large number of Peterbilt trucks and pursuing them could be very effective. Playing on brand loyalty could prove to be a major selling point to that targeted audience and help the dealership move their inventory while providing their customers with a quality product.
[hr style=”3″ margin=”40px 0px 40px 0px”]
3. Target Based on Age
The simple fact of the matter is that older working trucks have more wear and tear. The older a truck gets and the more miles that it logs, the closer it becomes to eventually needing to be replaced. However, replacing or updating with a brand new truck is not always the best option. Fleets operating a high number of older model rigs could be a prime target for dealerships.
Heavy-duty trucks are designed to take a lot of punishment and designed to last. If well maintained, these trucks can surpass a million miles or more in their lifetime. That allows used trucks in good working condition to remain an attractive option. Though they may not be latest and greatest, they can still do the job for quite some time.
[hr style=”3″ margin=”40px 0px 40px 0px”]
Using RigDig to Build Your Custom Audience
Data from RigDig can be used to filter and build these custom audience. Fleet size, location, brand, and truck age (currently the only database to offer truck age as a criteria) are all variables that can be used to identify and target the ideal prospect for your services.
Used truck sales are currently experiencing a surge. Being able to identify and market to those who would most likely be in the market for a vehicle for their fleet and open to purchasing a used truck can lead to a company or dealership’s success.
[acf field=”cta_11″ post_id=”option”]
