South Downs automotive dealership Premier GT's social media use praised at Used Car Awards

Premier GT, based at Rock Business Park, Washington, picked up the Social Media User of the Year trophy at the recent Used Car Awards, held annually to celebrate the best and the brightest operators working with used cars across the UK.

Thousands of automotive retailers, plus MOT testing stations and workshops, enter the awards each year – and each one undergoes a rigorous judging process.

A mystery shopping assessment is carried out on those that make it to the Nominations List before the gongs are handed out to the deserving winners at a glittering ceremony in London.

Premier GT are regulars at the awards! The business has won the Best Use of Video trophy twice, and in 2020 was awarded the title of Specialist Used Car Dealership of the Year.

In the 2022 Social Media User of the Year category, assessors weren’t simply looking for a large number of posts on a wide assortment of platforms, they were also scrutinising the quality of those posts – and hoping to find features designed to create engagement among a dealership’s audience and boost business levels.

In awarding the trophy to Premier GT, the judges noted that the dealership consistently produces engaging videos as well as great photography and posts the results so that the maximum number of people can be reached.

David Trigg, owner of Premier GT, said: “We have a great team at Premier GT. It’s a small team but we’ve known each other for many years and Zaak Andrews comes up with all the ideas and is brilliant with how he bounces them on. We get loads of great feedback.”

James Baggott, editor-in-chief of Car Dealer Magazine, said: ‘‘Social media used to be seen as something that is ‘nice to have’ in the used car arena, rather than an essential weapon in a dealership’s marketing armoury.

‘‘These days, all that’s changed – and keeping up with the ever-changing social media landscape seems to be half the battle! Premier GT are absolutely at the top of their game, however, and are to be commended for their achievements in this hugely important area.’’

Wheeler Dealers TV host and automotive industry legend Mike Brewer, who was the awards night compere, said: ‘‘Premier GT truly are social media experts. Whether it’s via Facebook, Linkedin or Twitter, their customers can easily find out what they’re up to and check out the great cars in their wonderful showroom. Nice one.’’

The Car Dealer Magazine Used Car Awards have been celebrating the top operators in the UK’s used car industry since 2012, rewarding manufacturers, car dealerships, workshops, and exceptional people working in the sector. They are organised by the UK’s leading automotive trade title, Car Dealer Magazine.