Not only does Laval Land Rover offer top of the line vehicles, but they’re on top of their game when it comes to social media too.
Laval, located just outside of Montreal, is focused on more than likes and followers. They claim a long-term, strategic strategy to connect with customers and prospects on social platforms.
Laval Marketing Director, Adrienne McGrath, says social media is the future of advertising.
“With social media, content is instant, communication is instant, sharing is instant. If young men and women see Jaguars and Land Rovers enough times to see the product’s evolution, advancement in style and technology, they’ll look forward to seeing our content and eventually purchasing one for themselves in the future. Social media gives people the power to see what they like, give them ideas, give them possible goals to attain.”
It’s a long-term approach that many dealerships lack the patience for, and miss the benefits. Laval, being in a bi-lingual area, also takes the time to include a French and English interpretation for each post, as to not get stuck catering to just one demographic.
Instant gratification, on the other hand, is also something they take seriously.
“Followers ask us questions all the time, regarding a vehicle’s price, availability, financing options, etc. Having our social media management run in-house rather than through a company that manages several different social media accounts for several different businesses, we have that freedom to get the answers to these questions a lot quicker, since we work hand-in-hand, and respond instantly to one of our inquiring followers.”
We asked Laval about content, and how to grow in sync with what customers really want to see. Industry trends with emphasis on customer experience and convenience, like online showrooms, video, and VR, are evident in their strategy.
“Much like a website, social media is the extension of providing the “online showroom” experience. People that are interested in the Jaguar or Land Rover brand don’t necessarily want to walk into the physical store right away. So how can we show them the product without meeting them in-person? The answer is social media. In our case, we like to couple photos and videos of certain vehicles with links to our website, so that way the user who is interested in seeing more has the ability to still do so from the comfort of their smartphone or computer.
In terms of content, we try to provide variety and visually-stimulating images and videos so our followers can connect with us and actually enjoy scrolling through our pages or our photos on their timelines; a healthy mix of artistic shots and close-ups of our vehicles, subtle advertising, events, and people (customers and employees).”
When it comes to video, Laval says video and Stories are key to today’s social media audience, who want an instant experience.
“Stories also offer a quick way to cover our dealership’s everyday lifestyle, events, vehicle details and other interesting snippets that we wouldn’t necessarily dedicate to a timeline post. Using tools like geo-tagging, if users flip through and enjoy the content that they see, they can easily click onto our page and follow us.”
With automotive being a “slow-to-change” industry, Laval is a breath of fresh air in the digital space. They unapologetically represent dealerships looking into the future, refusing to be stagnant in the ever-changing digital landscape.
“Since the whole world is paying more attention to online and social media activity than ever before, expanding your “online showroom” can only benefit you in the long-run. It’s the equivalent scenario of when the Internet first became popular. Those that did not believe in websites and online marketplaces provided their competition with the advantage. It’s the same thing with social media now; if you aren’t on it, then your competition is winning.”
