Making the Most Out of the Edmonton Motorshow – Campaign Ideas

Planning Ahead of the Competition

Bearing in mind that it is your OEM’s booth at the Motorshow, it is important to plan ahead in order to maximize your presence and differentiate yourself from the other dealers fighting over the same pool of visitors. We recommend using a multi-platform approach that targets users in several online spaces before the Motorshow even begins. We can use the Google Search Network to reach users searching for your dealership, your OEM, your models–or even for the Motorshow itself. We can use the Google Display Network in conjunction with Facebook and Instagram to drive awareness of your dealership’s presence at the Motorshow. For example, we can create ads that target audiences interested in your new and updated models featured at the Motorshow, and present them with your dealership’s messaging. Additionally, it’s possible to send visitors of your website a specific message about your presence at the Motorshow, where it is likely that someone interested in a new vehicle may already intend to visit. By leveraging online advertising early, we can get out ahead of your competition and advertise your dealership’s presence at shows.

Setting Yourself Apart with Promos

So, you already market your dealership as a place to find a great selection of vehicles and get a great deal, but so does everyone else! Likewise, other dealerships will be vying for the attention of potential customers at the Motorshow. Set yourself apart by advertising special event-related promotions for visitors who stop by and sign up with one of your Sales team members. For example, you can advertise limited time discounts like “the first 50 people to sign up for a test drive with our new model at the Motorshow get a voucher for $2,000 off their vehicle purchase,” or “enter to win a draw for a free detailing package/free tire swap and storage for a year… when you post a picture of yourself with our Sales Manager Dan at the Motorshow,” etc. The potential promotions are endless! Additionally, during the Motorshow, we can drive traffic directly to you at your OEM’s booth by using online advertising targeted at visitors who are already at or near the event!

Following Up After the Show

Put your Sales staff at the Motorshow to work using the event as an opportunity to collect customer contact information for future follow up. This information is invaluable for creating custom CRM lists to market specific offers to customers who visited you at the event. Your ads can link customers to a specific landing page containing a voucher for an additional incentive offer that can only be redeemed at your dealership. We can also use customer information to create custom target audiences of people who are similar to, and who share similar characteristics with, those who visited you at the Motorshow. It is likely that these people are further along in the buying process and will be more receptive to your special-incentive-based advertising. Additionally, it would be a good idea to write a blog post to engage with customers who were unable to chat with your Sales staff at the Motorshow; here too, we can target users who view this blog with messaging demonstrating your expertise and willingness to help. For example, “Missed us at the Edmonton Motorshow? You can still test drive our new model today!” Even after the Motorshow has wrapped up for the year, we can help you reach out to and retain customers from the event with your targeted message!

There are many ways to use online advertising to maximize your exposure when leveraging a special event like the Edmonton Motorshow. We recommend using a multi-platform advertising strategy targeted at potential customers before, during, and after the show–a strategy that uses event-specific advertising and incentives to differentiate your dealership from the competition. Strathcom Media has over 20 years of experience in the online automotive market and can work with you to develop and deploy an online advertising strategy that matches your specific goals. Make your dealership’s presence at this year’s Edmonton Motorshow a success with Strathcom Media’s digital advertising solutions. Get in touch with us today to learn more.