Implementing Corporate Benefits Programs (CBP) to employees of small/large corporations is nothing new. Manufacturers have been doing it for some time -- Ford’s X-Plan pricing, for example. But, typically, these corporate discount programs are isolated to large national corporations with which the OEMs have successfully partnered. What if you could increase your market share by offering an instant CBP to local large corporations, colleges, military bases, warehouse or distribution center that are conveniently located near your dealership? Prior to technology just introduced, it was close to impossible – now it is instantaneous!

In the past, a fleet manager would typically attempt to reach out to these companies to get their offer mass communicated to employees via e-mail. Or perhaps get it included in a company newsletter. But, it can be highly competitive as many retail companies in the same area may have the same idea. In addition, human resource departments for these companies can be difficult to convince. And then there is the rest of the red tape that kills most of these attempts – I know, I did it at my dealership for 5 years with special employees hired to do nothing but build these relations.

With the advanced targeting of social media platforms, some aggressive dealers have been able to reach out to these employees with a bit more success. However, these efforts are hit or miss. In addition, if your dealership doesn’t have a perpetual social media ad campaign that is continuously targeted to these individuals, it’s very likely that they won’t remember your program when it comes time for them to buy.

Beacons, and other technologies, have also arrived on the scene. And, while these technologies sound great, the challenge is that consumers must already have an app installed on their mobile devices to receive your messages and push notifications and they must be turned on.

And then there is “Geo-fencing.” The original technology has been around for a while. However, unless you’re advertising with a major cellular carrier, and the customer has opted-in to receive push ads, the chances are pretty good that only a handful of consumers will receive your messages.

But there is a solution dealers have been using for a while now that works! The evolution of geo-fencing has actually taken dealers to a place where they CAN target these employees without the need for beacons or apps on the consumer’s phone. Through one simple website line of coding, this exciting, and highly innovative technology, can exist on your website as a simple plug in widget. It immediately welcomes and notifies a consumer in your target fenced area, such as an existing corporation/workplace, of a special benefit that is relevant to them whenever they access your website within the boundaries of the established geo-fence – mobile or PC.

Imagine an employee at a local business or corporation clicking onto a dealer website to surf for cars (on a break of course, wink-wink) and seeing a unique welcome message with your dealership’s name informing them of an employee discount program for their workplace. This is shocking, exciting, useful and relevant to that employee. Those things combined provide a powerful incentive and an engagement that’s hyper-interesting for that car buyer. That same

geo-fence technology can work regardless of the device the consumer uses to accesses your site, which makes it even more powerful.

This technology has possibilities far beyond a simple outreach to an employee of a specific company. It can be used to target welcome messages and unique incentives to neighborhoods, cities, or even competitors. Consumers are shopping online in droves. The ability to push a relevant message to them in real-time the moment they access your website represents an incredibly powerful engagement tool. It enables you to instantly build trust and a type of relationship you did not have before.

If you haven’t researched this technology, it should be on the top of your to-do list. I am always amazed how we as dealers and GM’s have accepted a 2-3% conversion ratio. We just spend more money to bring more leads knowing 2-3% will convert. Doesn’t it make more sense to engage all those unique visitors you are paying to get to your site and raise your conversion ratio first? Geo-fencing technology has evolved by leaps and bounds -- to the point that it is a no-brainer for dealers and has become a necessity.

Geo-fencing technology allows you as a dealer to stop trying to be all things to everyone with your marketing messages and start being the only thing that matters, by delivering the right unique, pertinent message to every consumer at the right time. Research geo-fencing technologies and do not jump om the first technology that claims a solution. First and foremost the most important things to look for are solutions that offer no apps to download or advertising messaging inside social media or on ad sites. This must be no strings attached and the fence must be small enough to fence a small business and must also work on both mobile and PC. It just makes perfect sense. We all like to feel special and have unique and pertinent messaging delivered to us – now you can.