I didn’t start my career in AI, I started in marketing. Long before automation became mainstream, I learned something that still holds true today: great marketing isn’t about volume. It’s about relevance. It’s about showing up with the right message, at the right time, in a way that feels intentional.
At our first NADA Show, I had dozens of conversations with dealers who told me the same thing, which is, they aren’t short on technology. They’re overwhelmed by it. CRMs layered with add-ons. Automation tools that don’t integrate. Separate systems running email, SMS, calls, and campaigns. Each platform promises efficiency. Together, they create fragmentation.
These customers receive a generic outreach. Then the follow-up falls through the cracks. Sales teams chase cold leads while warm opportunities sit untouched in the CRM.
What I’ve learned is, dealers don’t have a personalization problem. They have an execution problem.
Most stores already have thousands, sometimes even hundreds of thousands, of customer records sitting inside their CRM. The data is there. What’s missing is consistent activation.
To make that happen, here are five lessons I always keep front of mind when engaging customers.
1. Segment by Intent (Not Just Demographics)
One of the most common mistakes I see is pulling one big list and sending the same promotion to everyone. It feels efficient, but it’s not personal. It’s broadcasting.
When I talk about intent, I mean paying attention to where someone actually is in their ownership journey. The customer nearing equity is in a different mindset than someone who just bought. The owner who hasn’t serviced in months needs a different message than the shopper who visited last weekend and didn’t purchase.
Instead of asking, “Who fits this demographic?” ask, “What just happened in this customer’s world?”
You don’t need dozens of segments. Start with five or six high-intent groups. When your message reflects someone’s real situation, it feels less like marketing, and more like you’re paying attention.
2. Treat Personalization as a System, Not a Campaign
I’ve seen too many dealerships treat marketing like a light switch. They turn it on for a promotion, blast a message, then go quiet until the next idea. It feels active, but it’s reactive. And it doesn’t scale.
What I’ve found works best is treating personalization as a system that runs in the background every day. Service reminders. Equity outreach. Follow-up for missed showroom visits. These steady touchpoints keep relationships warm without anyone having to remember to “launch” something.
Then, when you do roll out a seasonal offer or inventory push, it doesn’t feel random. It lands inside an ongoing conversation.
These kinds of workflows are the ones that create consistency and the campaigns that add energy.
3. Use Multiple Channels, But Tell One Story
I’m a big believer in using multiple channels, but only if they work together.
What I’ve seen too often is this: an email goes out with one offer, an SMS promotes something slightly different, and the voicemail mentions another angle entirely. From inside the dealership, it feels like strong coverage. From the customer’s perspective, it feels confusing.
When I think about multi-channel marketing, I aim for consistency. If I send an email, a text, and a follow-up call, they should all tell the same story. Same offer. Have the same reason for reaching out.
Because customers don’t think in channels the way we do. They experience one relationship with your dealership. When your messaging is unified, it feels coordinated and intentional. When it’s not, it feels like noise.
4. Trigger Outreach from Real Customer Events
Personalization was just putting a first name in a text. At least, that’s what I thought at first. But over time, I’ve realized it’s so much more. It’s about responding to what actually happened with a customer.
Whether a service visit was completed, a showroom appointment didn’t convert, a trade appraisal was given, or an equity position changed, these moments are opportunities to connect in a meaningful way. I’ve seen firsthand how sending a message at the right moment makes customers feel seen, not forgotten. When follow-up happens within days, not months, the difference is remarkable.
One dealer told me they were blown away by how many customers re-engaged simply because someone reached out while the experience was still fresh. I’ve experienced it myself, timing isn’t just a detail, it is personalization.
5. Take Execution Off the Sales Floor
After countless times of seeing through the execution of campaigns, I’ve learned that sales teams should be focused on conversations, not juggling workflows. True personalization at scale only works when execution is built into the system, not left to individual effort.
Let the system handle consistent outreach, and let your sales team focus on the relationships. They’re separate roles, but when they come together, the results are game-changing. I’ve seen it happen, and it’s impressive every time.
The Real Opportunity Is Already in Your Database
I see dealers pouring money into new leads, but honestly, some of the best opportunities are already sitting in their CRM. Past buyers, service customers, recent showroom visitors, equity-positive owners. These aren’t strangers; they’re people you already know.
That’s why we built Ribit. Not just another tool, but something that helps you actually activate the customers you already have. Because technology doesn’t build relationships, people do.
AI just helps us show up smarter, at the right time.
