17 Unique St. Patrick's Day Marketing Ideas for Car Dealerships to Drive Traffic, Boost Sales, Attract New Customers, Increase Trade-Ins & Foot Traffic.
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Lets dig deeper into how to implement these ideas across social media and your website.
Each idea includes How to Do It, Where to Post, Why, Goal, Objective, and How to Track Success sections.
$17 Down Payment Deal
How to Do It: Select a range of vehicles that qualify for this offer. Set up signage and digital banners promoting the deal. Ensure your sales team is prepared to explain the financing details.
Where to Post: Facebook, Instagram Stories, and Google Ads.
Why: Facebook allows targeted ads to reach local buyers. Instagram Stories create urgency with a 24-hour window. Google Ads captures searchers looking for car deals.
Goal: Generate leads for sales inquiries.
Objective: Secure at least 20 qualified leads.
How to Track Success: Monitor website clicks, lead form submissions, and phone inquiries related to the $17 deal.
This strategy revolves around promoting a compelling $17 financing offer to attract potential car buyers through a multi-platform marketing approach. It begins by selecting a range of eligible vehicles and ensuring both on-site and digital marketing materials—such as signage, website banners, and social media graphics—clearly communicate the deal.
The campaign leverages Facebook’s advanced targeting capabilities to reach local buyers based on demographics, location, and interests, ensuring the offer appears directly to those most likely to be in the market for a vehicle. Simultaneously, Instagram Stories create a sense of urgency with their 24-hour expiration window, encouraging quick action from viewers.
Google Ads capture demand from buyers actively searching for car deals or financing options, positioning the dealership at the top of relevant search results. A trained sales team is crucial, prepared to confidently explain financing terms and convert inquiries into qualified leads.
17-Minute Car Deal Dash
How to Do It: Create a streamlined purchase process for pre-approved buyers. Use timers and signage in the showroom. Prepare a prize for successful participants.
Where to Post: Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Facebook Live.
Why: Short-form video platforms capture excitement and can showcase quick wins in real-time.
Goal: Close quick sales and generate social media buzz.
Objective: Sell at least 5 vehicles through the dash event.
How to Track Success: Count cars sold during the event and measure social media engagement.
Core Content Plan
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Pre-Event Hype (3-5 Days Before)
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Short teaser Reels/TikToks: Showcase cars, highlight limited-time deals, and emphasize urgency (e.g., “These deals won’t last!”).
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Countdown graphics on Instagram Stories.
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Behind-the-scenes setup footage on TikTok.
Event Day Content
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Facebook Live (Primary Driver): Stream key moments—car reveals, customer excitement, and team energy.
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Instagram Reels & TikTok Updates: Rapid clips of deals being closed, happy customers, and featured cars.
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Use engaging CTAs: “Come down now!” / “Don’t miss out!” / “We’ve already sold 3 cars!”
Post-Event Follow-Up (Next Day)
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Recap video: Celebrate success, showcase happy buyers, and hint at future sales events.
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Customer testimonials for social proof.
Spot the Leprechaun Car
This interactive campaign leverages a wrapped vehicle with St. Patrick’s Day-themed graphics, parked at different community spots, to drive social media engagement and increase brand visibility. Clues will be posted daily to encourage participation and follower growth.
Where to Post: Facebook, Instagram Stories, and TikTok.
Why: Visual platforms like Instagram and TikTok boost engagement with interactive, clue-driven content.
Goal: Increase brand visibility and social media followers.
Objective: Gain 150+ new social media followers.
Vehicle Preparation
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Wrap a car with eye-catching St. Patrick’s Day graphics, incorporating branding elements such as the dealership’s logo and social media handles.
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Include a QR code on the car that links to the dealership’s social media pages.
Community Placement & Engagement
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Park the vehicle in high-traffic locations such as shopping centers, parks, or local events.
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Post daily clues about the car’s location on social media to encourage engagement.
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Encourage people to take a photo with the car, tag the dealership, and use a campaign-specific hashtag (e.g., #LeprechaunCarHunt).
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Offer an incentive (e.g., gift card, free car wash, or discount on service) for those who find and tag the car.
Social Media Posting Strategy
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Facebook & Instagram: Post a daily clue and engage with comments. Use Instagram Stories for real-time updates and polls.
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TikTok: Create fun, engaging videos of the car in different locations with trending audio. Encourage user-generated content by resharing participant posts.
17 Cars for $17,000.
This limited-time promotion highlights 17 pre-owned vehicles priced at $17,000 each, leveraging both digital and on-lot marketing to attract buyers. The goal is to sell all 17 cars by March 17, using a combination of high-visibility signage, digital listings, and social media marketing to drive leads and conversions.
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How to Do It: Choose 17 pre-owned cars and price them at $17,000. Create eye-catching on-lot signage and digital flyers.
Where to Post: Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Instagram.
Why: Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist attract price-sensitive buyers; Instagram showcases the lineup visually.
Goal: Sell all 17 vehicles by March 17.
Objective: Achieve 17 sales within 2 weeks.
How to Track Success: Record the number of cars sold and leads generated.
Vehicle Selection & Pricing
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Choose 17 quality pre-owned vehicles that align with customer demand and have strong value at $17,000.
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Ensure competitive pricing and financing options to attract price-conscious buyers.
On-Lot Marketing
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Create eye-catching signage highlighting the 17 for $17,000 deal.
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Place banners, balloons, and window decals to draw attention from walk-in customers.
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Train sales staff to emphasize the limited-time urgency of the deal.
Digital Promotion Strategy
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Facebook Marketplace & Craigslist:
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List all 17 vehicles with detailed descriptions, photos, and pricing.
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Refresh listings daily for visibility.
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Respond quickly to inquiries.
Green Delivery Service
This festive campaign turns standard deliveries into exciting, St. Patrick’s Day-themed experiences, featuring a costumed delivery team, surprise gift bags, and free delivery from March 1-17. The goal is to create memorable moments that boost brand perception and social media engagement through highly shareable content.
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How to Do It: Train your delivery team, prepare festive attire and gift bags. Offer free delivery for purchases made March 1-17.
Where to Post: Facebook, Instagram Stories, and YouTube Shorts.
Why: Videos of surprise “green” deliveries create shareable content, enhancing reach.
Goal: Enhance customer experience and brand perception.
Objective: Conduct at least 10 festive vehicle deliveries.
How to Track Success: Collect customer feedback and measure video shares and comments.
Delivery Team Preparation
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Train delivery staff on customer engagement and brand messaging.
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Provide festive green attire (hats, vests, bow ties, or leprechaun costumes).
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Prepare gift bags with small branded items (keychains, air fresheners, chocolates).
Promotional Offer
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Free delivery for purchases made between March 1-17.
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Highlight the limited-time festive experience to encourage participation.
Content Creation & Social Media Promotion
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Facebook & Instagram Stories: Share daily clips of surprise deliveries.
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YouTube Shorts & Reels: Capture short, engaging videos of customer reactions.
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Customer Involvement: Encourage recipients to film and share their deliveries using a campaign hashtag (e.g., #LuckyDelivery).
Lucky License Plate Contest
This interactive contest encourages customers to share photos of their license plates for a chance to win. Whether judged on creativity or a random draw, the contest generates user-generated content (UGC), increases engagement, and strengthens brand interaction on social media.
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How to Do It: Encourage customers to share photos of their license plates. Select a winner based on creativity or random draw.
Where to Post: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Why: User-generated content builds engagement and brand interaction.
Goal: Increase online engagement.
Objective: Receive at least 100 user submissions.
How to Track Success: Count contest entries and social media interactions.
Contest Setup & Rules
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Announce the Lucky License Plate Contest with clear instructions:
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Tag the dealership and use a campaign hashtag (e.g., #LuckyPlateContest).
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Engage with other participants by liking and commenting on submissions.
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Post a photo of their license plate (no personal info visible).
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Choose a prize (e.g., free car wash, gas gift card, or St. Patrick’s Day gift pack).
Social Media Promotion
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Instagram & Facebook:
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Create eye-catching posts, Stories, and Reels explaining the contest.
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Feature weekly user submissions in Stories to encourage participation.
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Twitter (X):
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Post daily reminders and highlight entries.
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Use trending St. Patrick’s Day hashtags for visibility.
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Engage Participants:
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Reply to comments and submissions to boost interaction.
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Encourage users to tag friends to join.
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Winner Selection & Announcement
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Select the winner based on creativity or a random draw.
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Announce the winner live on Instagram or Facebook for added excitement.
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Feature the winning plate in a special thank-you post and encourage continued engagement.
St. Patrick’s Day Themed Trade-In Bonus.
This limited-time St. Patrick’s Day Trade-In Bonus encourages customers to upgrade their vehicle by offering a $500 bonus on trade-ins. The promotion is designed to increase trade-in volume, attract potential buyers, and drive showroom traffic during the campaign period.
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How to Do It: Offer customers a $500 bonus if they trade in their car during the promotional period.
Where to Post: Website banners, Facebook Ads, and in-showroom signage.
Why: Encourages trade-ins and increases sales volume.
Goal: Boost trade-in volume.
Objective: Secure at least 25 trade-ins during the campaign.
How to Track Success: Track trade-in transactions and lead conversions.
Promotion Details & Incentive Structure
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Offer a $500 trade-in bonus for customers trading in their vehicles between March 1-17.
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Ensure the trade-in process is quick and transparent to improve the customer experience.
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Train sales staff to highlight the benefits of upgrading now, including St. Patrick’s Day pricing on newer models.
Marketing & Advertising Strategy
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Website Banners:
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Add a St. Patrick’s Day-themed banner to the dealership website.
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Create a dedicated landing page explaining the trade-in bonus details.
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Facebook Ads & Social Media:
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Run Facebook Ads targeting car owners likely to trade in their vehicles.
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Post engaging visuals and videos on Facebook and Instagram showcasing the ease of the trade-in process.
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Use urgency-driven messaging: "Trade in your car before March 17 and get a $500 bonus!"
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Lead Follow-Up & Conversion Strategy
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Capture trade-in leads through a simple online form on the website.
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Assign sales reps to follow up with interested customers via calls, emails, and SMS.
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Offer personalized trade-in evaluations to make the deal more appealing.
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Schedule in-person appointments to streamline the trade-in process and increase the likelihood of a sale.
Pot of Gold Scratch-Off Giveaway.
The Pot of Gold Scratch-Off Giveaway is a fun and engaging promotion designed to increase test drives and showroom visits by offering customers a chance to win prizes. Customers receive a scratch-off ticket when they test drive or purchase a car, with prizes ranging from discounts, free oil changes, and a cash prize.
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How to Do It: Hand out scratch-off tickets with different prizes—discounts, free oil changes, or a cash prize. Customers get a ticket when they test drive or purchase a car.
Where to Post: Instagram Stories, Facebook, and TikTok.
Why: Encourages engagement and gets customers into the showroom for a chance to win.
Goal: Increase test drives and in-store visits.
Objective: Give out at least 250 scratch-off tickets and convert 30% into sales.
How to Track Success: Measure test drives, showroom visits, and scratch-off redemptions.
Promotion Setup & Prize Structure
Design St. Patrick’s Day-themed scratch-off tickets with various prize tiers:
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Consolation Prizes: Small giveaways (e.g., branded keychains, air fresheners).
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Mid-Tier Prizes: Free oil changes, car washes, or service discounts.
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Grand Prize: Cash prize (e.g., $500) or a major dealership discount.
Eligibility:
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Customers receive one scratch-off ticket for a test drive.
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Customers receive two tickets if they purchase a car during the event.
Marketing & Advertising Strategy
Social Media Promotion (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok):
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Create Reels and Stories showing people scratching off their tickets and winning prizes.
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Post customer reactions and testimonials to build excitement.
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Run a countdown to March 17, reminding customers to visit the showroom.
In-Showroom Promotion:
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Use festive signage and banners to promote the scratch-off giveaway.
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Have sales reps mention the promotion in every test drive conversation.
Email & SMS Campaigns:
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Send promotional emails to existing leads encouraging them to book a test drive.
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Use SMS reminders for customers who inquired about vehicles but haven’t visited the showroom.
Lead Follow-Up & Conversion Strategy
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Track all test drive appointments and offer a limited-time bonus (e.g., double scratch-off tickets for weekend visits).
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Assign sales reps to follow up with test drivers and encourage them to redeem their prizes quickly to drive conversions.
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Announce prize winners on social media to create FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and bring in more participants.
St. Paddy’s Parade Sponsorship.
Sponsoring a St. Patrick’s Day parade float is an excellent way to increase local brand awareness and community goodwill. The dealership will decorate branded vehicles, hand out giveaways, and engage with the crowd to create a lasting impression.
How to Do It: Partner with a local parade by sponsoring a float with dealership branding and decorated vehicles. Hand out branded swag.
Where to Post: Facebook Events, Instagram, and YouTube.
Why: Community involvement builds brand awareness and goodwill.
Goal: Strengthen local brand presence.
Objective: Reach at least 500 parade attendees with branding materials.
How to Track Success: Count social media mentions and engagement from parade-related posts.
Parade Sponsorship & Branding Setup
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Partner with the local St. Patrick’s Day parade committee to sponsor a float.
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Design a visually striking float featuring the dealership’s name, logo, and festive Irish-themed decorations.
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Feature new or pre-owned vehicles in the parade, decked out with green decorations, shamrocks, and banners.
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Train a street team to walk alongside the float, interacting with attendees and handing out branded giveaways.
Marketing & Promotional Strategy
Social Media Promotion (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube):
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Create a Facebook Event page to promote the dealership’s participation.
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Post behind-the-scenes Instagram Stories of float preparations.
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Use YouTube Shorts to showcase the float-building process and parade day highlights.
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Go Live on Instagram or Facebook during the parade to engage the online audience.
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Encourage attendees to tag the dealership in their parade photos for a chance to win a prize.
Lead Generation & Follow-Up
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Create a parade-exclusive offer (e.g., “Mention the parade and get $500 off a new vehicle”).
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Have the sales team follow up with anyone who engages with the event page or tags the dealership on social media.
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Post a recap video of the parade experience on social media and encourage customers to visit the showroom.
Branded Giveaways:
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Hand out branded merchandise (e.g., hats, T-shirts, reusable bags, keychains).
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Include special dealership offers on flyers attached to the giveaways.
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Offer a QR code on merchandise that links to a special St. Patrick’s Day dealership promotion.
Shamrock Selfie Contest
The Shamrock Selfie Contest will drive social media engagement by encouraging customers to visit the dealership, take festive selfies, and share them online using a branded campaign hashtag. The contest will generate user-generated content (UGC), expanding the dealership’s organic reach while creating a fun, interactive experience for customers.
How to Do It: Set up a St. Patrick’s Day-themed photo booth at your dealership. Customers take selfies, tag your dealership, and use a campaign hashtag.
Where to Post: Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook.
Why: User-generated content spreads brand awareness organically.
Goal: Increase social media reach.
Objective: Get at least 200 customers to participate and tag your dealership.
How to Track Success: Monitor hashtag usage and photo entries.
Set Up the Shamrock Selfie Booth
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Create a St. Patrick’s Day-themed photo booth inside the dealership.
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Include green decorations, oversized shamrocks, gold coins, and fun props like leprechaun hats, fake beards, and four-leaf clovers.
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Add a branded backdrop featuring the dealership’s name and logo for visibility in every photo.
Social Media Promotion
Launch the Contest on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook:
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Announce the contest with an eye-catching post and video showing off the photo booth setup.
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Use Instagram Stories and TikTok videos to demonstrate how customers can participate.
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Encourage dealership employees to take sample selfies and tag the dealership to start the trend.
Contest Entry Requirements:
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Customers take a selfie at the Shamrock Selfie Booth.
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They must tag the dealership and use the campaign hashtag (e.g., #ShamrockSelfie2025).
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Each tagged post counts as an official entry into the contest.
Incentives for Participation:
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Offer a grand prize (e.g., free car detailing, an oil change, or a $250 gas gift card).
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Additional small prizes for most creative selfie and best group photo.
Engagement & Lead Generation
Boost Visibility:
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Repost customer selfies on Instagram and Facebook Stories.
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Engage with participants by commenting and sharing their posts.
Encourage Referrals:
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Customers who bring a friend to take a selfie earn an extra contest entry.
Drive Foot Traffic:
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Promote the contest with on-site signage and tell showroom visitors about the promotion.
Irish Trivia for Discounts
The Irish Trivia for Discounts campaign will increase social media engagement by encouraging followers to participate in daily Irish-themed trivia. Customers who answer correctly earn exclusive discounts on vehicle services or accessories, keeping the dealership top-of-mind throughout the St. Patrick’s Day season.
How to Do It: Post daily Irish-themed trivia questions. Customers who answer correctly get discounts on service or accessories.
Where to Post: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram Stories.
Why: Increases engagement and keeps your brand top-of-mind.
Goal: Boost social media interaction.
Objective: Achieve 500 total comments across all trivia posts.
How to Track Success: Count engagement levels on posts.
Trivia Content & Discount Structure
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Create a List of 14 Trivia Questions (March 1–17, excluding weekends).
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Focus on fun, engaging Irish facts (e.g., Irish history, St. Patrick’s Day traditions, famous landmarks, pop culture).
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Example: “What is the national symbol of Ireland? 🍀 A) Shamrock B) Harp C) Celtic Cross”
Discount Incentives:
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Correct answers earn $10 off an oil change, 15% off accessories, or $25 off a service package.
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Bonus entry: Participants who engage every day for a week get entered into a grand prize draw (e.g., free car detailing).
Social Media Promotion
Where to Post:
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Facebook & Twitter: Daily trivia question posts.
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Instagram Stories: Interactive poll-style trivia (correct answers get a DM with the discount code)
How to Increase Engagement:
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Add GIFs, emojis, and countdown timers to trivia posts.
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Tag participants and encourage them to tag friends.
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Run Facebook & Instagram ads promoting the daily trivia challenge.
Customer Engagement & Lead Generation
Encourage Repeat Participation:
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Customers can redeem only one discount per week to keep them engaged throughout the campaign.
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If they visit the dealership to use a discount, they get a bonus trivia question in-store for an extra prize.
Drive Website Traffic:
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Link to a special landing page where customers can see leaderboards, past questions, and current discounts.