The dealerships that truly thrive are the ones that take a real interest in their local community.

By creating a unique and memorable experience for attendees, car dealerships can establish a strong brand image within their local community, build relationships with customers, and ultimately drive sales. 

In this blog post, we’ll explore 8 creative car dealer event ideas that will help you boost sales and leave a lasting impression on your audience. From test drive events to charity drives, these ideas will inspire you to plan an event that will engage and excite your customers. 

So, let’s dive in and see what you can do to bring in more business and make your dealership a hub of excitement!

Create a Test Drive Promotion

A Test Drive Promotional Event is a great way for car dealerships to showcase their vehicles and encourage potential customers to experience the thrill of driving a new car. 

By offering test drives, dealerships can highlight the features, performance, and handling of their vehicles, making it easier for customers to make informed purchasing decisions.

Dealerships can also incorporate other elements to make the experience enjoyable and memorable for attendees.

Here are some ideas:

1. Offer Refreshments: Provide light snacks and drinks to keep customers refreshed and hydrated while they wait for their turn behind the wheel.

2. Provide Incentives: Offer incentives such as free car wash, a gift card or oil change vouchers to encourage customers to take part in the test drive.

3. Highlight Vehicle Features: Set up interactive displays or demonstrations that highlight the unique features of the vehicles being offered for test drives.
4. Create a Theme: Give your event a unique twist by creating a fun theme that ties in with the vehicles being showcased. For example, a beach-themed event for a convertible car or a race-themed event for a sports car. You can even do themes by season, such as Halloween or Christmas.

5. Partner with Local Businesses: Partner with local businesses, such as food trucks or a nearby restaurant, to create a complete experience for attendees.

Not only will customers get to experience the cars they are interested in, but they will also walk away with a positive impression of the dealership and a deeper understanding of the vehicles they may want to purchase.

Host a New Parent’s Night

New Parent Night is a unique event that car dealerships can host to connect with new and expectant parents and provide valuable information on car safety. 

This event provides an opportunity for dealerships to showcase the safety features of their vehicles, while also helping parents prepare for the arrival of their new baby.

Here’s how dealerships can host a successful New Parent Night:

1. Partner with Local Experts: Partner with local hospitals, pediatricians, or certified child passenger safety technicians to provide information and hands-on demonstrations on installing and using car seats.

2. Highlight Safety Features: Display vehicles that have advanced safety features, such as rearview cameras, blind-spot monitoring, and lane departure warning, and provide demonstrations on how they can help keep children safe.

3. Organize Interactive Activities: Organize interactive activities for children, such as face painting, balloon animals, or a bounce house, to make the event fun for the whole family.

4. Provide Take-Home Materials: Provide take-home materials, such as brochures on car safety and child passenger safety information, to help attendees remember the important information they learned at the event.

By hosting a New Parent Night, car dealerships can not only demonstrate their commitment to customer safety, but also establish a positive relationship with new and expectant parents.

Giveaway Free Carwashes

Hosting a free car wash event is another fun and effective way for car dealerships to engage with the local community and promote their brand. 

This event can not only help dealerships show appreciation for their customers, but also attract new customers and provide an opportunity for dealerships to showcase their vehicles and services.

Here’s how car dealerships can monetize a free car wash event and keep it engaging for attendees:

1. Promote Lease Deals: Promote any new lease deals, such as offering a year of free car washes for new leases, to incentivize customers to make a purchase.

2. Provide Information on Services: Set up informational displays or hand out flyers that highlight the dealership’s services, such as oil changes, tire rotations, or battery replacements, to educate customers on the dealership’s offerings.

3. Organize Interactive Activities: Organize interactive activities, such as a raffle or prize giveaway, to make the event more engaging and memorable for attendees.

You could even do something like Daytona CDJR who has taken it a step further and offers “Free Car Washes For Life”.

Host a Ticket Giveaway

This event can provide an exciting opportunity for customers to win big ticket items, such as TVs or tickets to local events, and also provide a way for dealerships to show appreciation for their customers.

Here’s how car dealerships can host a successful ticket raffle or giveaway:

1. Partner with Local Businesses: Partner with local businesses to provide a variety of prizes, such as gift cards, or even tickets to local events.

2. Offer Ticket Sales: Offer ticket sales at the dealership or through a designated website, with a portion of the proceeds going to a local charity or non-profit organization.

3. Announce the Winners: Announce the winners through social media, email, or at a special event, and provide a way for winners to claim their prizes.

Hosting a ticket raffle or giveaway can not only provide an exciting opportunity for customers to win big prizes, but also help build brand awareness and customer loyalty for the dealership. 

By partnering with local businesses and promoting the event through various channels, dealerships can reach a wider audience and drive business to the dealership.

Host a Holiday Event

Hosting holiday events is a fun and effective way for auto dealerships to engage with their customers and build community connections. 

From toy drives and trunk or treats to old-fashioned easter egg hunts, there are many holiday events that dealerships can host to create a positive, family-friendly atmosphere.

Here’s how auto dealerships can host successful holiday events:

1. Partner with Local Organizations: Partner with local organizations, such as schools, charities, or non-profits, to increase community involvement and maximize the impact of the event.

2. Offer Family-Friendly Activities: Offer a variety of family-friendly activities, such as face painting, balloon artists, or games, to keep attendees entertained and engaged.

3. Promote the Event: Promote the event through social media, email newsletters, or local advertisements to reach a larger audience.

4. Encourage Attendees to Donate: Encourage attendees to bring toys or non-perishable food items to support local charities and families in need during the holiday season.

5. Provide Refreshments: Provide light snacks and drinks to keep attendees refreshed and comfortable during the event.

By hosting holiday events, auto dealerships can create a positive, community-focused event that will leave a lasting impression on attendees and help drive business for the dealership. 

And by partnering with local organizations and promoting the event through various channels, dealerships can reach a wider audience and make a positive impact in the community.

Host a Car Show or Cruise-In Event

Hosting a car show or cruise-in event is a great way for car dealerships to engage with their local community of car enthusiasts. These events provide a fun and relaxed atmosphere for people to show off their vehicles and appreciate the work of others.

Here’s how car dealerships can host successful car show or cruise-in events:

1. Partner with a Charity: Partner with a local charity to turn the car show into a fundraiser, and raise money for a good cause while having fun.

2. Invite Local Car Enthusiasts: Invite local car enthusiasts to bring their vehicles to the event and show them off to the community.

3. Offer Prizes: Offer prizes for the best-looking cars, the oldest cars, the most unique cars, and other categories to encourage participation and create a competitive atmosphere.

4. Organize a Raffle: Organize a raffle with prizes for attendees, such as car accessories, car care products, or even a new car.

5. Promote the Event: Promote the event through social media, email newsletters, or local advertisements to reach a larger audience.

Invite Local Food Trucks

Hosting a food truck event is a great way for car dealerships to engage with their local community and offer a fun, relaxed atmosphere for customers. By partnering with local food trucks, dealerships can offer a variety of delicious food options and create a memorable experience for attendees.

Here’s how car dealerships can host successful barbeque or food truck events:

1. Partner with Local Food Trucks: Partner with local food trucks to offer a variety of food options and build relationships with local businesses.

2. Make It a Weekly Event: Make the event a weekly occurrence with different food trucks each week to keep customers coming back and add variety to the event.

3. Provide a Relaxed Atmosphere: Provide a relaxed atmosphere for attendees to enjoy their food and check out the dealership’s vehicles.

4. Promote the Event: Promote the event through social media, email newsletters, or local advertisements to reach a larger audience.

5. Encourage Attendees to Browse Vehicles: Encourage attendees to browse the dealership’s vehicles while they enjoy their food and create a memorable experience for them.

Sponsor a Local Group or Event

Sponsoring a marathon or local event is a great way for car dealerships to give back to their community and build brand awareness. By sponsoring an event, dealerships can show their support for their local community and create positive brand associations.

Here’s how car dealerships can effectively sponsor a marathon or local event:

Choose the Right Event: Choose an event that aligns with your dealership’s values and interests and will allow you to connect with your target audience.

Provide Vehicle Support: Provide vehicle support for the event, such as shuttle services, or offer test drives to participants to create a positive brand experience.

Promote the Sponsorship: Promote the sponsorship through social media, email newsletters, or local advertisements to reach a larger audience and build brand awareness.

Engage with Participants: Engage with participants at the event and create a memorable experience for them.

Follow Up: Follow up with participants after the event to thank them for their support and continue building relationships.

In conclusion, hosting events is a great way for car dealerships to engage with their local community and drive sales. 

From test drive promotions to barbeques and food truck events, there are numerous creative event ideas that dealerships can utilize to build their brand and connect with customers. 

By choosing the right event and promoting it effectively, dealerships can create a positive brand experience for attendees and drive business to their dealership. 

Remember, the key to a successful event is to have fun, connect with your community, and provide value for your customers. So, get creative and plan an event today!