Driverdeal.ca is an emerging startup on a mission to modernize the car dealership experience through a streamlined, user-friendly digital platform. Focused on simplifying the vehicle buying and selling process, it aims to deliver a smooth and intuitive experience for both dealers and customers.
Operating in a highly competitive automotive industry, Driverdeal.ca faced the challenge of building brand awareness, driving qualified traffic, and generating leads to support early-stage business growth.
Our client reached out for two specific asks. First, a design strategy for a lead generation website. Second, a digital marketing campaign that would drive the right audience to the lead generation site to achieve their goal of creating a competitive position before launch.
How might we help DriveDeal.ca establish brand awareness and attract strong prospective clients as it launches a reliable product designed to streamline client negotiations for car dealers, so that it can secure a competitive position in the market?
Though the ask had two distinct components, our strategy focused on establishing consistent communication and branding across both the website and marketing channels. I led two dedicated workstreams—one focused on designing the lead generation website, and the other on developing and executing the digital marketing campaigns from ideation to final design.
We began by helping our client gain clarity on who we were designing for—their target audience's behaviors, needs, and motivations. With insights from the client's market guidance, I led the team in developing a proto-persona. This persona served as a foundation that shaped both the design direction for the website and the strategy for the digital marketing campaigns.
Our research revealed that,Car Dealers were seeking a platform that would boost their confidence in managing daily operations.
With this insight, we positioned Driverdeal.ca as a trusted partner—empowering dealership owners with a sense of confidence and control as they navigate their business through the platform.
Building on these insights and our refined brand positioning, we identified four strategic pillars to address the challenge:
Find and reach people who are actively searching for an automotive management system.
Connect with the right leads through targeted messaging and relevant channels.
Clearly communicate our value proposition to build trust and credibility.
Educate potential leads and guide them toward taking action.
To increase product visibility and attract high-intent users, we launched targeted SEM and SEO campaigns focused on keywords relevant to automotive management systems. This approach ensured that Driverdeal.ca appeared in front of dealership owners actively searching for digital tools to streamline their operations. By aligning search intent with tailored ad copy and optimized landing content, we were able to drive qualified traffic to the platform efficiently.
In parallel, we deployed a cold email marketing strategy to directly engage with potential leads. This allowed us to initiate one-on-one conversations with decision-makers in car dealerships and introduce them to Driverdeal.ca's core offerings. Each email was crafted with a focus on relevance, clarity, and value—helping to spark interest and prompt follow-ups from recipients who fit our proto-persona.
To reinforce the brand’s value proposition, we executed a creative banner ad campaign on LinkedIn, targeting users within the automotive and dealership space. These ads highlighted key benefits of the platform while maintaining visual consistency with the website experience.
To support ongoing education and lead nurturing, we also designed a focused drip landing page—structured to address common pain points, build trust, and encourage users to sign up or request a demo.
To develop a targeted keyword strategy for both SEM and SEO, I began with a thorough competitor analysis using SEMrush. This helped uncover high-performing organic keywords that were driving traffic to similar platforms in the automotive space. These insights enabled us to identify what potential customers were already searching for, allowing us to tailor our messaging accordingly. The final keyword set was integrated across various digital marketing executions, as well as the lead generation website.
Next, I conducted a focused contact generation effort using LinkedIn Sales Navigator to pinpoint and build a list of high-potential prospects—specifically targeting car dealership owners and decision-makers. This ensured our outreach efforts were not only relevant but also highly personalized, increasing the likelihood of engagement and conversion.
With the keyword strategy and audience data in hand, I crafted a LinkedIn campaign that included custom messaging and an animated banner ad designed to both raise awareness and reinforce our value proposition. Additionally, the UX copy for the landing page was directly informed by the keyword research, allowing us to create a cohesive narrative across all touchpoints—from initial ad exposure to landing page interaction.
This project has since been handed over to the client, with full execution currently on hold as they prioritize other initiatives. However, the foundational work delivered equips the team with a comprehensive and ready-to-deploy marketing toolkit.
I developed a fully implementable digital marketing campaign that the client can activate as needed. This includes a detailed keyword strategy, high-fidelity LinkedIn carousel ads, an animated banner GIF for brand reinforcement, and a curated list of 291 qualified email contacts. Each contact is paired with a thoughtfully crafted cold outreach message designed to engage and convert.
One of the key lessons learned from this project was the value of building marketing assets that are not only strategically aligned but also execution-ready. By grounding every deliverable in research and aligning design with user intent, we ensured the client is set up for success when the timing is right to launch. This project reinforced the importance of flexibility, foresight, and cross-functional thinking in early-stage startup support.