Customers are more likely to buy from someone they feel they can relate to, trust, or idolize. This is why endorsements by celebrities work so well for businesses. Celebrities can do a good job of persuading hesitant buyers to buy.
A research study carried out recently by Havard found that endorsements by celebrities can increase sales for a company by about 4%. Celeb endorsements are more different than they used to be. In days gone by, top celebrities would only be seen endorsing brands on Billboard ads, print media, or TV commercials. Today, we advertise in a whole new way. We focus on the connection between the celebrity and the customer.
Celebrities are not chosen at random based on their popularity, their career choices and lifestyle matter a lot in helping brands decide if they’ll make good endorsers. Own a small dealership and want your cars to get endorsed by a celebrity? Here’s how to go about it.
1. Choose Passionate Celebrities
Passion plays a huge role in influencing buyers, they tend to listen to celebrities who are passionate about their work. It might be a top tier athlete or a YouTube superstar. Find an influencer who is passionate about your mission to build your brand authenticity and grow your business.
We all know some celebrities who are passionate about cars. Their social media accounts are filled with amazing car images that make their followers drool. Choose one of these celebrities to market your dealership. It’s also much easier for them to endorse something they already like. To find the perfect celebrity, identify potential customers for your dealership, learn where they like to hang out, then choose a celebrity who is popular on the platform
2. Set a Budget
Celebrity endorsements make brands and products conspicuous in a competitive marketing environment, but celebrities are not cheap. That’s why it’s important to set a budget. Decide how much you’re willing to spend on celebrity endorsements and stick to your budget. If the endorsements have a good return on investment, you can hire the celebrities again.
3. Consider Hiring Micro-Influencers
Micro-influencers are influencers with 10,000 to 50,000 followers. They tend to charge less than celebrities and might be more suitable for endorsing your small dealership.
82% of the people surveyed in a research study said they would buy a product recommended by a micro-influencer. Their content is usually customized for their audience and very relatable.
4. Know Your Target Audience
Sure, your target audience is car buyers, but what kind of car buyers? Do you want to market to those who buy cars online, those who buy luxury cars, or those who buy eco-friendly cars? Before you approach a celebrity or influencer, figure out who you want to target with your marketing efforts. If you want to sell cars to families, hire a celebrity with a family; if you’re marketing to young professionals, choose a young celebrity.
Your dealership may be small, but its size doesn’t matter when it comes to celebrity endorsements. It can greatly benefit from endorsements and grow. But before hiring a celebrity, have a clear vision of what you want.