Broadly speaking, motorcycle, boat, and RV dealer owners have two main goals: bring in new customers and gain the loyalty of the customers they already have. By nurturing current customers through various digital strategies, you can gain their loyalty. As a result, this will lead to an increase in repeat sales. This is especially important in the world of Powersports dealer marketing. It can be relatively simple to advertise and get new customers, but it’s sometimes a little trickier to get those previous customers to come back for additional purchases. Here are a few ways to gain current customer loyalty and increase repeat sales.

1. Email Marketing Campaigns

Email campaigns are a great way to get current customers back in the door. Send out emails to customers on your list anytime there is a sale or promotion. This will encourage them to come back and shop if they know they can get a good deal. With email marketing campaigns, you can contact current and previous customers. You can also try offering a special deal to only current customers and not first-time buyers. This will make them feel special and more encouraged to buy products, thus increasing repeat sales.

2. Run Promotions on Social Media

Another great way to gain the loyalty of current customers is to post-sales and promotions on social media profiles. The social media following of your dealership will usually include current and previous customers. Advertising via frequent posts will help draw those customers back into the store.

Dealerships can also hold contests over social media. For example, you may post a picture of an item from your Parts & Accessories catalog and say: Comment below if you are interested in getting 10% off of this product. At the end of the day, randomly select one commenting customer to be the winner. This will get customers interested in current inventory, and it will also encourage them to interact with your company on social media. This practice is also great for gauging interests on particular SKUs, which may help you decide if to stock larger quantities of an item or if to stock any at all. These are all great ways your dealership can increase repeat sales using social media.

3. SMS/Text Campaigns

It is imperative to keep customer profiles saved on your dealer management system (LightSpeed EVO or others). After a customer makes a purchase, be sure to have your sales, parts, and service department staff ask their permission to collect their email address and phone number. Also, ask if they don’t mind being added to text campaigns. Advertising via text messages is a great way to gain repeat business. If there is a sale or promotion going on, send out a text to all current customers. Text messaging campaigns have a very high open ratio. People are much more likely to open and read their text messages than emails, making text campaigns a highly successful marketing strategy.

4. Create a Blog

Blogs are interesting to read and keep customers familiar with your dealer’s brand. Something on the blog may pique their interest and cause them to return to the store for additional purchases. Just make sure to update the blog frequently so that there is always new information for customers to see. Great topics to write about on your blog may include:

1. Safely riding your motorcycle in the rain

2. How to properly secure your ATV or UTV on your trailer

3. Why it’s imperative to change spark plugs in your PWC

4. The most popular local riding destinations

5. Myths about jet boat tracking and handling

6. Benefits of buying used vs. new motorcycles

7. And many, many more…

Gaining the loyalty of existing customers is extremely important for Motorsports dealers, particularly multi-line dealers. It is also a key element in the Powersports marketing formula. While it is always good to bring in new customers, a big part of the success of your dealer is retaining customers and getting repeat sales. By focusing on digital marketing strategies, dealerships can easily attract current customers and continue to gain their loyalty.