Capitalizing on tax season

Now is the time to start planning tax season. That’s right, the holiday season will be over before you know it, and consumers will begin thinking about that tax return check. Consumers will quickly shift from holiday mode to spending that hard-earned tax refund check. Tax return checks could arrive as early as the second week in January, so get started now. Many consumers have had a new motorcycle, dirt bike, ATV or side-by-side on their mind for a while, and now is the perfect time for them to spend that tax check with your dealership.

There will be a lot of choices for consumers to decide where to spend their refund. How will your dealership earn that consumers tax refund business?

Here are 4 tips to a successful tax season:

• Put together an advertising strategy that hits the first of the year and attack that advertising. Be the first business they hear to start promoting tax refund sales. You have to convince consumers to spend that refund with your dealership. If your dealership does not convince them, car dealerships, travel agencies, boat and RV dealerships will. Advertising this program is the most important part of your tax season strategy. Experts even say this is the best time all year to advertise. Find an advertising medium or two and own those mediums. Hit them hard and often. This has to be a strong campaign and your dealership will need to invest in it for it to pay off. A strong tax season will really give your dealership an amazing start to the year and prove worthwhile.
• Collaborate with OEM manufacturers. Collaborate to find out what incentives will be out there or what non-currents your dealership may be able to offer at great deals to consumers. Consumers are looking for deals and incentives to get the most out of their refund check. Give them the deals they are looking for!
• Put together a variety tax refund incentives. Maybe offer lifetime oil changes if someone puts their refund down on a new machine. If the deal is right, offer the extended warranty for putting a tax refund down payment. Perhaps throw in an upgrade or some accessories. Think outside-the-box on what might incentivize consumers to spend that refund with your dealership.
• Get all the departments involved. Maybe not everyone gets a return of several thousands of dollars. Some consumer tax returns may only be a few hundred dollars, but your dealership needs that sale also. Consumers are looking for that perfect new accessory or apparel item that until tax time they just could not afford. Get that consumer in to spend that money at your dealership. Hold a meeting to get all managers involved and have each department come up with tax specials or incentives. By involving all departments your dealership as a whole will adopt the tax season campaign and your dealership will win. Advertise all your department tax specials and word will spread rapidly about all the great deals at your dealership for tax season.

Capitalize on this and promote the start of riding season with tax refund sales. Put together a strong advertising strategy that pushes consumers to want to spend their refund with you.

Don’t be a dealership that sits around idle complaining about January. Use the tax season to your dealership’s advantage. Capitalize on this and promote the start of riding season with tax refund sales. Put together a strong advertising strategy that pushes consumers to want to spend their refund with you. It will start your season off with a bang and get momentum rolling for the riding season. Everyone wins when a dealership is proactive with an aggressive tax season sale campaign. Get your 2018 started off right with a great campaign!

Ryan Brown is an account executive at Big Time Advertising, a full-service advertising agency with years of powersports industry experience and success. Brown has more than 15 years of experience in the powersports industry as a rep and also GM of a national Top 10 multi-line dealership. Brown uses his knowledge of the powersports industry and digital advertising to put together winning advertising plans that deliver more leads to dealerships across the country.