Marketing to Millennial & Gen Z Car Buyers

Marketing to Millennial & Gen Z Car Buyers

Marketing to the newest generations of car buyers will present some challenges to the status quo. Traditional sales pitches and promotions are not enough to motivate this group of savvy shoppers to make a purchase. Implement some of these changes and build a trusting relationship between millennial and Gen Z shoppers.

1. Mobile-friendly website. About 65 percent of millennial car buyers begin searching online using their smartphones. With that statistic in mind ensure that each page on your website is optimized for mobile use, has current and relevant information, and loads within two seconds. Following these basic website rules will ensure that your potential customers can find you online and gather some basic information.
2. Don’t bury the lead. Do you offer additional warranties, rebates in your service center, or free car washes? Make sure offers and perks are prominent on your website and in social media posts. Also, include it in sponsored ads on Facebook or Yelp so your dealership appears more often in their search. All customers love perks, but when millennials and Gen Z shoppers are searching online, they will take these offers into consideration when making a final decision.
3. Manage your customer reviews. Customer reviews are no longer a nice to have. Millennial and Gen Z shoppers rely on customer reviews to determine the reliability of a company and their products before making a purchase. Post customer reviews on your website, and manage your reviews on Google, Facebook, and Yelp. Respond to positive and negative reviews and always look for a way to resolve any issues presented.
4. Focus on their values. As opposed to the values held by baby boomers and Gen Xers, this group of car buyers prioritizes safety, technology and reducing carbon emissions over flash and status. Couple those values with a large percentage of the demographic using rideshare services as opposed to choosing car ownership, and you begin to understand the importance of addressing their specific values and concerns.
5. Social media. Social media is one of the main tools for communication and finding new brands among this age group and they prefer using YouTube and Instagram. Create unique, value-added content that helps them understand the brand, its values, and the product.