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After a record-shattering 2016, automakers are dealing with the difficult task of maintaining or growing volume and margins in a market that is expected to decline by 6 percent or more from last year’s high.

Inventories are on the rise, prompting car companies to try and boost sales through their standard marketing strategies of increasing advertising and improving purchase incentives, such as cash rebates, lease offers and low-cost loans. Yet those strategiesif executed in the usual waymay not deliver more than the usual results, causing a negative impact on residual values and brand equity.

Although unit sales might have hit a peak in 2016, the months and years ahead are expected to be strong by historical standards. However, to avoid a sharp decline in top- and bottom-line results, marketers should make more effective use of digital channels and tools to optimize spend per vehicle and more precisely target buyers with a higher propensity to close.

Continue reading at AdAge.com