15 days til Black Friday: Update your car sales strategy

As the holiday season approaches, car dealerships are gearing up for one of the busiest times of the year. Between eager buyers, end-of-year incentives, and the allure of new models, the winter season is a prime time for car sales. But with the surge in demand comes the challenge of managing increased foot traffic, increased online search and sales, high volumes of transactions, and the need for streamlined processes. With only 15 days until Black Friday, now is the perfect time to look ahead and consider how to optimize your car sales strategy for next year by investing in automation.

The Black Friday and winter car sales surge 

Understanding seasonality in car sales

The holiday season, particularly around Black Friday, has become a high-stakes period for auto dealerships. Each year, car buyers flock to dealerships, and search online, enticed by deep discounts on the current models, special financing options, and the excitement of year-end deals. For many consumers, this is the perfect time to invest in a vehicle, with the promise of new model launches or clearance deals on outgoing models. Dealerships leverage this demand with advertising campaigns and exclusive promotions, making Black Friday and December among the busiest times of the year for car sales.

Why the winter season sees a sales spike:

1. Holiday bonuses and end-of-year financial planning
   • Many consumers receive end-of-year bonuses or adjust their finances to take advantage of tax breaks and incentives before the new year. This added liquidity motivates car buyers to make big purchases.
2. New model year introductions
   • As manufacturers launch new models toward the end of the year, dealerships may offer discounts on previous models, creating a ripe opportunity for buyers interested in last year's inventory. This influx of new and discounted inventory draws more shoppers to showrooms and websites.
3. Holiday promotions and marketing pushes
   • Dealers and automakers alike take advantage of the holiday season to run aggressive marketing campaigns, often with holiday-themed promotions, zero-interest financing, or deferred payment options. These offers heighten customer interest and increase foot traffic.
4. The "End-of-Year" mentality
   • For some buyers, there’s an urgency to finalize big purchases before the year ends, either due to personal goals or financial motivations. This mindset creates a sense of scarcity and urgency, making Black Friday an optimal time to attract those "last-minute" buyers.
     
     

Impact of Black Friday on auto dealerships and lenders

With the influx of eager shoppers comes the inevitable stress on dealership staff and operations. Sales representatives, financing teams, and lenders must work quickly and efficiently to handle the higher demand. Processing financing applications, verifying insurance, and managing paperwork all become more intensive during the holiday season. The need for quick, error-free processing intensifies, and any delays or bottlenecks can potentially sour the buying experience.

For auto lenders, the stakes are equally high. Rapid verification of insurance, financing approvals, and document checks become essential to keep transactions smooth and ensure that loans are processed on time. The faster lenders can support the dealership's sales process, the more appealing the dealership is to customers who are ready to buy.

Automation becomes an invaluable tool here. By reducing manual tasks and minimizing human error, automation helps dealerships and lenders manage peak season demands and deliver a streamlined experience to customers.

Preparing your dealership for peak season with automation

The right automation tools can transform the dealership experience, enabling faster transactions, improving customer satisfaction, and keeping your team focused on relationship-building rather than paperwork. Below, we outline some of the most impactful automation solutions for dealerships to invest in ahead of next year’s Black Friday.

3 key automotive tools to invest in for next year’s Black Friday

1. Automated auto insurance verification and policy updating
   In peak seasons, delays due to manual insurance updating in the finance and insurance (F&I) departments can bottleneck the entire sales process. Automated solutions can help to ensure that every buyer’s insurance policy is up-to-date and meets necessary coverage requirements for the test drive, financing, or ultimately to close the sale. This process can be seamless with automated insurance verification and policy updating by, helping to eliminate unnecessary wait times and giving customers a smoother, more efficient buying experience. For lenders, automated insurance verification ensures that loans are risk-free and assets are protected.
2. Automated inventory management systems
   High-volume sales can put pressure on inventory tracking, and during busy periods, manually tracking stock can quickly become a logistical nightmare. Automated inventory systems allow dealerships to monitor vehicle availability, forecast demand, and adjust pricing based on real-time data. These systems help dealers optimize stock levels, ensuring that they have the right mix of cars on the lot to meet demand and avoid missed sales opportunities.
3. CRM and lead nurturing software
   A robust CRM system can help dealerships keep track of potential buyers, send targeted offers, and stay in touch even after the initial Black Friday surge. Automated CRM and lead nurturing allow dealers to segment and reach out to leads with relevant promotions, helping to close deals faster and maintain long-term relationships with customers. This system is particularly valuable for encouraging repeat business and driving year-round sales.
   
   

The bottom-line benefits of automation during the busy season

Investing in automation not only prepares dealerships for peak seasons like Black Friday but also brings year-round benefits.

• Improved customer experience
  By reducing wait times, simplifying insurance updating or verification, and eliminating paperwork errors, automation allows for a seamless experience that keeps customers satisfied and more likely to recommend the dealership to others.
• Increased efficiency for sales teams
  Automated tools free up your sales team’s time, allowing them to focus on what matters most: building relationships and closing deals. With less time spent on manual tasks, your team can operate at peak performance, even during the busiest times.
• Better compliance and risk management
  Automated verification processes ensure that all data is accurate and up-to-date, reducing risks for lenders and dealerships alike. With automated insurance updates, for example, dealerships can be assured that every sale is fully compliant and that assets are protected from lapses in coverage.
  
  

Take advantage of MeasureOne’s holiday deal

As dealerships prepare for the busy Black Friday season, embracing automation can be a game-changer. MeasureOne’s Auto Insurance Policy Updating and verification solutions address a critical gap in the current market by fully automating insurance policy updates, offering substantial value to both dealerships and their customers.

• Enhanced approvals and faster deals: With automated insurance updates, dealerships can confidently confirm that borrowers have the right coverage in place, increasing on-the-lot approvals and simplifying the F&I (Finance & Insurance) process. This automation reduces manual verification time, minimizes the risk of delays, and delivers a faster, more satisfying car-buying experience.
• Seamless integration: Designed for compatibility with any dealership workflow, MeasureOne’s solution integrates smoothly into existing processes. Whether integrated via API or our no-code solution, enjoy a user-friendly interface that enhances efficiency without disrupting sales activities, making it an ideal addition for dealerships looking to streamline operations.

By investing in automation now, dealerships can tackle high-demand seasons with ease and prepare for an efficient, profitable future. Explore the benefits of automated insurance policy updating and auto insurance verification to bring new levels of efficiency to your dealership today!