by Terry MacCauley - Posted 15 hours ago
As the automotive industry rounds the corner into the final stretch of 2025, one truth is impossible to ignore: women are not just participants in the car-buying journey, they are the engine driving it forward. The industry has acknowledged women’s influence for years, but has often failed to act on it entirely. The numbers are too significant to overlook. Women account for roughly 62% of all new car purchases in the United States and influence more than 85% of all household buying decisions. Globally, they control over $31.8 trillion in consumer spending, shaping over four out of five purchases across industries, including automotive.
And yet, today, many dealerships, both traditional and Buy Here Pay Here (BHPH), still fall into the trap of marketing and selling as though the decision-maker will always be a man. Ads, follow-ups, and sales interactions often speak to him, not her. This oversight perpetuates distrust. 43% of women report feeling wary of dealerships, leaving enormous revenue on the table.
For BHPH operators, the gap is even more critical. Women make up 58% of BHPH customers, with an average age of 39, often managing households with lower incomes and complex financial realities. These buyers value reliability, affordability, and financing they can trust. Too frequently, however, they face higher markups, dismissive treatment, or one-size-fits-all advertising that assumes their needs are secondary in an environment where every sale matters; failing to connect with women is not just a missed opportunity but a costly mistake.
The data makes it clear that women are not just influencers in decision-making; they are primary buyers, advocates, and repeat customers. Women in the general automotive market spend more than $200 billion annually on vehicles and services. They are methodical researchers, spending more time online than men comparing safety ratings, fuel efficiency, and reliability before setting foot on a lot. Over the next decade, projections suggest women will control two-thirds of consumer wealth, further cementing their dominance in shaping dealership success.
The Hidden Skew in Digital Reporting
One of the dealers' most significant mistakes is assuming digital reporting tells the whole story. Women spend more time in the research phase reading reviews, comparing safety scores, scrolling social feeds, and digging into financing calculators. After investing hours online, many give the final “go-ahead” to their spouse or partner. That is when the male counterpart often takes the last step: typing the dealership’s name directly into Google or clicking an organic listing before visiting the site.
On the surface, your analytics report shows a male user, a direct visit, and an “organic” conversion. But the real driver was her research journey sparked by ads, reviews, and social content you might have dismissed as underperforming. This disconnect is why campaigns that target women, like Facebook video ads or OTT placements, often appear weaker in ROI dashboards. In reality, they are doing the heavy lifting by shaping perceptions and decisions long before the final click. Dealers who understand this hidden skew reframe their metrics: not as isolated channels, but as stepping stones in a larger buying journey where women quietly lead.
A dealer runs a Facebook video ad campaign highlighting family-friendly SUVs with strong safety ratings.
Step 1 – Awareness (Female Buyer): A woman watches the ad, clicks through to read reviews, and spends 20 minutes on the dealer’s website comparing features.
Step 2 – Consideration (Female Buyer): She discusses the options at home, then gives her partner the go-ahead.
Step 3 – Conversion (Male Buyer): The partner later types the dealership’s name directly into Google, clicks the top organic result, and fills out a lead form.
Analytics Report Says: Organic lead, male user.
Reality: The Facebook ad sparked the sale and was guided by her research.
In the BHPH segment, the story deepens. Women not only represent the majority of buyers but also lean heavily on trust and transparency in their decision-making. Research shows they are 50% more likely to visit a dealership after a positive social media interaction and respond best to empathetic, straightforward messaging about financing. Conversely, when advertising leans on outdated stereotypes or financing conversations turn patronizing, the result is predictable: distrust and disengagement.
And representation matters. Women account for just about 21% of dealership employees nationwide. For an industry built on relationships, that lack of visible representation sends the wrong signal. The disconnect is especially damaging in BHPH, where financial trust is the deciding factor between a signed contract and a lost lead.
Dealerships often sabotage their own efforts by clinging to outdated practices. Consider these pitfalls:
Stereotypical Ads:
A dealership runs a TV or social ad showing a man talking excitedly about horsepower, towing capacity, or performance, while his wife sits in the passenger seat smiling politely. The focus is entirely on him, the features he cares about, the excitement he feels, while she is presented as a sidekick or silent supporter. Or in BHPH: the ad leans on “credit rescue” language with lines like “We’ll help your family get back on the road, Dad!” again framing the man as the decision-maker and financial authority, while women (who represent 58% of BHPH buyers) are overlooked. In fact, 71% of women say they are turned off by such messaging. In BHPH, mistakes often surface as assumptions about vulnerability during credit discussions.
Ignoring Partners in the Process: Women are overwhelmingly involved in the decision, even when a man initiates contact. Too many lead follow-ups speak only to one person, undermining trust.
Overly Generic Messaging: Women want clarity and transparency. Automated, impersonal responses or opaque financing terms erode confidence.
Lagging Digital Experiences: Women do their homework. Dealerships without mobile-friendly sites, clear financing info, or strong social content miss where women are already making decisions.
Each of these missteps compounds a cycle of distrust, pushing women toward competitors who listen better and communicate more effectively
.
When a Toyota dealership in suburban Chicago overhauled its advertising last year, leadership made one change that paid off: featuring women authentically in their campaigns. Instead of stock photos of families or men touting horsepower, they launched a digital series spotlighting real female customers explaining why safety ratings, reliability, and child-friendly features drove their decisions.
The result? Female engagement with their ads grew by 28% in three months, and conversion rates for leads tied to those ads outpaced the store’s overall average by double digits. Just as important, the dealership’s reputation shifted from transactional to trustworthy, making it a magnet for repeat buyers and referrals.
For general dealerships, the path forward is straightforward: respect women as their core buyers and align strategy accordingly. A few high-impact moves include:
Evolve Your Advertising – Focus on safety, reliability, and features that support busy lives rather than horsepower alone. Use diverse, authentic visuals that showcase women in real driving situations.
Reimagine Lead Follow-Ups – Address both decision-makers and personalize messaging. A simple, “What features matter most to you and your family?” feels inclusive and engaging.
Showcase Women’s Voices – Use female testimonials and peer stories to build trust. Women trust other women’s experiences more than any sales pitch.
Hire and Train Differently – Increase female representation among staff and provide training on gender-neutral selling. Low-pressure “women’s car care” events can further break down barriers.
Strengthen Digital Tools – Ensure websites are intuitive, mobile-friendly, and filled with clear comparison tools. Integrated chat or AI-driven support can enhance accessibility.
Measure What Matters – Track conversions by gender to see where improvements are working.
In Ohio, a BHPH dealership noticed that over half of its buyers were single mothers juggling tight budgets. Their previous ads were big banners screaming, “Bad Credit? No Problem!” and they were falling flat. So they pivoted. Instead of focusing on credit woes, they highlighted customer success stories, like a mom who was approved quickly for a reliable SUV she needed for school runs.
They also introduced women-focused “Financing with Confidence” workshops a female finance manager hosted. Attendance was not huge at first, but the impact was undeniable: trust skyrocketed. Within six months, the dealership's female lead-to-sale conversion rate climbed by 32%, and referrals from female buyers became one of their strongest lead sources.
The stakes for Buy Here Pay Here dealers are higher because the challenges are unique. These customers are not just buying cars. They are navigating financing hurdles and seeking trust in an industry where skepticism runs deep. Tailored strategies include:
Empathetic Messaging – Replace boilerplate “Bad credit? No problem!” with language that emphasizes dignity: “Reliable vehicles. Affordable payments. Support for your busy life.”
Segmented Communication – Single moms, young professionals, and blended families have distinct needs. Target them with personalized offers via SMS or social.
Leverage Female Testimonials – Share authentic stories of approval and trust. Partner with female influencers in your community to extend reach.
Be Transparent About Financing – Highlight no-hidden-fee programs, explain credit-building benefits, and use content to teach rather than obscure.
Build Trust Through Representation – Recruit more women into sales and finance roles. Host community events or workshops on budgeting, EV or Hyreadiness, or vehicle maintenance.
Monitor Gender Engagement – Analytics can reveal whether female customers are responding differently, helping you refine efforts.
At a Chevrolet in the Southeast, leadership recognized that their all-male sales team was a barrier. Female shoppers often walked in skeptical and left unconvinced. The solution? They invested in hiring and training more women in sales, service, and finance.
Within a year, the number of female staff grew from 0% to 14% and then to 27%. The difference was immediate. Shoppers reported higher trust scores on post-sale surveys, and overall sales volume rose 11% YOY. The dealership did not just improve representation; it rewired its culture to be more welcoming, empathetic, and transparent.
Let's face it. Women represent the majority of automotive buying power. They drive more than six out of every ten vehicle purchases and influence nearly every decision surrounding them. For dealerships, whether general or BHPH, the message is simple: ignoring women is not just short-sighted; it’s financially reckless.
By shifting toward inclusive advertising, transparent communications, and greater representation, dealers can turn one of the industry’s biggest blind spots into its most significant advantage. Women do not just want to be part of the buying process they already are. The question is whether dealerships will recognize their power and adapt accordingly.
At Big Time Advertising & Marketing, we specialize in helping dealerships make that shift. From building empowering campaigns to crafting BHPH-specific messaging that resonates, our team knows how to turn overlooked opportunities into real growth. If you are ready to maximize sales and loyalty before 2025 closes, it is time to reimagine your approach.
Let’s put women where they belong: confidently in the driver’s seat of the buying journey.
-by Terry MacCauley, Founder & CEO
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