During the 2026 NADA Show, PureCars CEO Lauren Donalson and President and CRO Jason Wiley spoke with CBT News about the shifting pressures dealerships face as marketing becomes more sophisticated and profit margins tighten. They highlighted how dealerships can gain clearer insights into performance, leverage accurate customer data, and integrate sales and service marketing into a seamless strategy that delivers measurable results throughout the entire ownership journey.

Key Takeaways for Dealerships

1. Accurate data is the foundation of effective marketing
Dealers continue to struggle with determining which marketing investments actually drive results. Many dealership databases contain outdated or incomplete customer records, leading to wasted ad spend and poor customer experiences. PureCars helps dealerships consolidate and cleanse their data through a customer data platform (CDP), ensuring messages—whether digital advertising or personalized direct mail—reach the right customers at the right time.

2. Service marketing is no longer an afterthought
As vehicle sales slow, dealerships are recognizing service as a dependable revenue stream. PureCars leverages AI-driven insights to identify high-value service customers, predict maintenance opportunities, and deploy targeted campaigns that drive them back to the service lane. Dealers who prioritize service marketing as a strategic function see stronger retention and long-term profitability.

3. Unified lifecycle marketing breaks down silos
Sales, service, and marketing teams often operate with disconnected tools and strategies, limiting overall performance. PureCars advocates for a holistic approach where customer data, media execution, and communication strategies work together. Dealers who align these efforts create consistent customer experiences and generate stronger results over time.

4. Personalized outreach still works—when done right
From trigger-based emails to programmatic direct mail, personalization remains a powerful tool. PureCars’ experience shows that campaigns tailored to individual customer behavior—like service reminders or promotional offers—deliver measurable engagement and revenue impact. The key is starting with a clean, accurate dataset to avoid wasted outreach and frustrated customers.

5. Advanced reporting drives smarter decisions
It’s not enough to simply run campaigns. Dealers need actionable insights to understand performance across every channel. PureCars provides tools that simplify reporting, helping dealerships make data-driven decisions without getting bogged down by complexity.

“The next phase of dealership marketing depends on connecting the dots across sales, service, and marketing. When done correctly, dealers see measurable results across the entire customer lifecycle,” said Lauren Donalson.

The 2026 NADA Show reinforced that technology, AI, and clean data are no longer optional—they’re essential for dealerships looking to thrive in a competitive marketplace. PureCars is helping dealers embrace these tools and strategies, ensuring every marketing dollar is maximized and every customer experience is optimized.

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE

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