Car dealerships are notorious for at times feeling like expansive and exhaustive labyrinths. Rows of car after car after car can make customers feel overwhelmed to the point where the shopping experience is tainted before the purchase process even begins.

Dealerships are already utilizing certain tactics to combat that stigma. Most are spending significant time, money, and other resources to create a certain look and feel, or vibe, for their space. They invest in plenty of visual interest, refreshments, and well-designed lots that are aimed to make the shopping process easier. One area that can offer huge benefits for on-site marketingbut is often forgottenis the audio marketing experience. While in-store audio can support and even amplify other efforts, what is playing over the speakers can have its own unique impact on the overall experience of customers.

Most car dealerships have the ability to target and influence customers through their in-store audio, but they don’t necessarily think of how to thoughtfully use it as a marketing tool. Shoppers are at the dealership because they—for the most part—want to buy a new car, or at least browse the options, or get their own vehicle serviced. That also means they are a somewhat captive audience to the tailored messaging the business wants to impart.

Read on for 3 quick and easy ways to tweak the audio experience to influence potential and current customers at the dealership:

3 Ways Car Dealerships Can Influence Potential & Current Customers Using Audio

1. Create and maintain a smart, carefully curated playlist

The playlist can make or break the mood, particularly when it comes to shopping for a car. The process can be long, and customers can get exhausted and overwhelmed. Keep them happy with an upbeat and fun playlist that aims to keep customers moving while remaining calm, cool and collected. The perfectly tuned playlist can go along way. It’s also helpful to think about the demographic of the dealership. While Sammy Hagar’s “I Can’t Drive 55” may be topical, it’s probably not the best choice if the dealership is trying to move their family sedan inventory.

2. Announcements of Current Offers

Much like in the retail environment, many customers on the dealership lot are generally unaware of current offers. Keep those deals front of mind at the exact right time by announcing details of current offers when shoppers are walking the lot. This can be a successful method on multiple fronts. While in some cases, salespeople can inform shoppers, some prefer to walk the lot alone. This way, they hear the deals in a less intrusive way.

Through custom, on-demand announcements, dealerships can also match the tone of announcements to specific demographics about which cars would be the best fit for their lifestyles. For example, an excited and energetic tone and script for selling sports cars to more adventurous customers versus a calm, warm voice and script for selling safe, pre-owned vehicles for a kid’s first car. It’s a way to speak directly to the customer without actually saying a word.

3. Don’t Forget Service Offers and Special Deals

While many people are walking the lot to buy a brand new car, some are just browsing or are waiting for service to be done on their own vehicle. Make sure all of these crowds know about special deals from the service department. That can include deals on tires, regular maintenance or extended warranty offers. This can also serve as a way to keep customers coming back in so even if they aren’t ready to buy a new car today, the specific dealership will be top of mind when they are.

There are a multitude of ways audio can impact the way customers feel and, thus, their buying behavior in a dealership setting. What is most important, no matter the tactic, is thinking about who the customer is and how to best to market to and educate them. From the service and special deal announcement tones to the flow of music throughout the day—the customer has to be at the core. For a car dealership, that can a bit tricky given the breadth of the audience, but not impossible if salespeople and managers can react in the moment and on-demand.

Interested in learning more? Request a demo of Vibenomics today and learn how you can start creating on-brand music and messaging for your in-store customers.