As you advertise to those in the market to buy an electric car, do you know how effective your dealership marketing strategies are for this customer base? To become an EV matchmaker in your area, your EV ads must include heart-stopping creative tailored specifically for the right customer segment—those who are most likely to purchase an EV.

To ensure you reach the right audience and drive EV intenders further down the funnel, here are some marketing strategies to help you pinpoint the marketing segmentation that empowers your store to capture the ideal customers and sell more EVs.

Are You Targeting the Right Customer Segment with Your EV Ad?

Finding the One: Your EV Car Buyer Persona

Simplify your search for customers interested in buying an EV by developing and utilizing a clearly defined EV car buyer persona. Gather data on your current customers (especially those who’ve shown interest in EVs), reviewing demographics, purchase history, and online behavior. And consider the type of vehicle they currently own: according to our consumer survey data, EV shoppers are loyal to their vehicle type and most likely to purchase a vehicle of the same build. In addition, hybrid owners are 64% more likely to purchase an electric vehicle compared to conventional ICE owners.

With this data and insight, build your customer segments using:

• Basic demographics such as age, gender, income, occupation, and education can all provide insights into needs, preferences, and buying behaviors.
  
  
• Geographic location can help guide you on determining vehicle requirements due to driving conditions, seasonal weather, and EV charging availability.
  
  
• Marital status and household size can influence a car buyer’s must-haves and deal-breakers, such as cargo space, advanced safety, and tech features.

While not strictly demographic, lifestyle and psychographic factors are closely linked and essential for creating well-rounded personas. Activities, interests, and opinions can provide insights into values and preferences, helping you dive into what your prospective buyers prioritize in an electric vehicle. Understanding how comfortable customers are with technology will influence the marketing channels and messaging that connect best with them, as well.

As you create car buyer personas by blending demographic data with lifestyle, values, and behaviors, utilize CRM data and customer feedback to refine your personas over time. Your dealership caters to a diverse customer base, so develop multiple personas to address different segments. A few example customers your store might encounter:

• Eco-Conscious Commuter: Young professional, environmentally conscious, drives short distances daily in their compact/mid-size sedan or CUV, values practicality and efficiency.
  
  
• Tech-Savvy Luxury Seeker: High-income tech enthusiast, early adopter, drives a coupe or SUV, desires performance and cutting-edge technology, values brand prestige.
  
  
• Cost-Conscious Family: Practical family with budget constraints, relies on the spacious and affordable aspects of their SUV or van/mini-van, concerned about charging infrastructure.

Win Over the EV Customer Segment with Smart Marketing

You want to make the most of every dealership marketing dollar, so it’s important to have your marketing segmentation set to target the right customers. Your EV car buyer personas will help guide your marketing campaigns, so you can create personalized messaging and optimize the customer journey.

Use your customer segments to create EV ads tailored to the unique lifestyles, budget constraints, most-interested model type(s), or desired vehicle features of these customers. If you have a selection of EV SUVs on your lot, create targeted ads, website content, and social media campaigns that resonate with current hybrid or ICE SUV owners, such as families and outdoors enthusiasts.

In addition to a smart marketing strategy, be sure to highlight the expertise your store has in the electric vehicle landscape, going beyond a simple sale. EV customers often prefer a digital-first shopping experience, including online research, virtual test-drives, and digital payments. These shoppers expect salespeople to have in-depth knowledge about electric vehicles, and they value comprehensive after-sales support, including charging assistance and maintenance guidance.

Supercharge EV Sales with Our Dealership Marketing Solutions

If you’re looking for solutions to help you find in-market customers and stay ahead in the electric vehicle movement, we’re here to help. Affinitiv Essentials goes beyond multi-channel campaigns that feature engaging designs—our all-in-one marketing solution is backed by real-time reporting and industry experts to help guide you every step of the way. Contact us today for your live demo.

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