Capitalize On Warm Leadslog Page

"So, I have plenty of leads, now what's next? How can I stir their interest, gain their trust, and make them come on my lot?" asks every used car dealership.

If you have similar questions, welcome! This article is all about those exact proven steps you can to take to bring your warm leads closer to the sale.

Let's start by setting up the background of the digital age: identifying what's new and traditional approaches still work. Then, we'll dive into the exact formula top car dealership have been using to turn warm leads into customers!

Prospecting Used Car Buyers in the Digital Age

The marvels of the internet age are taking over the world with readily available information. This means, customers are becoming more aware and taking digitization to their advantage. Like other industries, used car dealerships are also facing immense competition - both in knowledge and products. And as sales processes become digital-centric, dealers need to get innovative to capture and convert leads.

Top car dealerships use new marketing tactics to capture potential used car buyers. In order for your business to rise to the top, you must also use these little-known tactics in your marketing strategies.

The new-normal in the Age of Information

It's no secret that customers find and compare cars, financing options, and dealers online before they even think about visiting a dealership.

It is during this research that the customers make up their mind on which dealership to trust. Customers are more likely to buy from the store they perceive as reputable.

And still, most used dealerships ignore that marketing begins long before acquiring the lead. When you get the lead, the prospect is already in the last stages of their "buyer's journey" - and still unaware of you.

As such, an online presence is imperative for building trust. This means that prospecting in the digital age is all about the buyers journey and meeting prospects where they are. That means, as a dealer, you have to reach prospects with the right personalized message at the right time.

With endless possibilities to attract customers, you must use a blend of modern and traditional tactics. These tactics will help you get their attention and attract them to your store when they are ready to buy.

This basic idea is to make the car buying experience as easy as possible for your customers while being in front of them for most of the journey. If you can do so, you will be able to capitalize on them.

Here is everything you need to know to capture warm leads and convert them into paying customers.

Using the Buyer’s Journey

Prospects are not waking up one morning and decide they want to buy a specific car at your dealership.

"Obviously", you may think - but still most used car dealers market on this premise. And then they aquire leads from various sources and wonder that they have a difficult time converting them.

When thinking about your marketing you need to consider the entire "buyer's journey".

But what it the "buyer's journey"?

The buyer's journey is the process a prospect is going through from the point they experience a problem to when they buy a new used car. In the past most of this journey happend within a dealership.

However, nowadays over 60% of the buyer's journey happens online. That's why top marketers across all industries are now using the buyer’s journey to reach their target audience where they are.

This helps them ensure that the interaction aligns with what resonates with their customers.

Sites such as cars.com, AutoTrader, CarGurus, carsforsales understand this concept. Customers use on them to find and learn everything about the cars they are looking for. As result, prospects are well-informed before they even arrive at your dealership. They pick the 2-3 dealerships they want to visit - hence the 2.4 dealership average.

If you are not on that shortlist, your chances are close to none on getting that sale. No matter if you if they are a lead of yours or not.

Using the Buyer’s Journey

What exactly does a buyer journey looks like? So, there are three stages:

1. Awareness

2. Consideration

3. Decision

4. Action

Prospects in the Awareness Stage are aware they have a problem or desire. They might have a problem with their current vehivle and are looking for a workable solution - i.e. ignoring, fixing or replacing their car.

In the Consideration Stage, a prospect has narrowed down the solution to replacing their car. But they are still unsure of which make or model to buy - and where from. This is when they start their online research. This is could also be when your dealership may already pop into their mind because of past non-commercial interactions with you. More about that later.

In the Decision Phase, they have decided on the vehicle which suits their needs. This is when they need information about your offers to guide their buying decision.

And finally, in the action stage, they have short-listed 2-3 dealerships and send inquiries, call them or drop by. This is usually where you get your leads from the various lead providers.

That means, if you get a lead, it's usually because you made the shortlist. But have you considered the probability of you making their shortlist? How many prospects you are missing because you are not on their radar?

If you think about it you will quickly realize that your lead gen process is likely leaking - big time!

To overcome this, you need to understand your buyers throughout heir journey - and be on their mind even before they are thinking about buying a new car.

By being present throughout their journey, you create your mark, and become their go-to choice when they are finally ready to buy.

This is a truly warm lead.

Now that you have got an idea of the buyer journey it's time to get your hands on the details. Below, you'll find ideas to guide your buyer through their journey and finally close the sale.

Prospecting Used Car Buyers - Ideas that will Increase your Warm Leads

Now, just because digitization is taking over, you must not fill your online space only with promotional stuff about your offers.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of misplaced (non-relevant) information out there. Following it, it is likely that your messages, without a personal touch, will be ignored and sent to junk. Fortunately, here is your opportunity to stand out from the rest and make your mark by being different.

Remember, you do not want to add to the noise, but give genuinely helpful information to win their trust and bring in conversions. Remember, the goal is to warm your customers up before they actually enter the market.

Below is a list of all you can do to achieve this goal.

1. Engage in your Community

Engagement in your local community, supporting a strong cause, and making an impact, is a great way to establish yourself as a reputable and trusted business.

You can organize local events or participate in them. Not only that, but you can donate or become a sponsor to add value to the lives of community members and eventually get noticed.

Most customers are more likely to choose a dealership that provides them with an enjoyable experience. Or that shows that the owner cares about the community.

Sponsoring, donating, participating or hosting events allow you to convey exactly that. And once it's time to buy a new car it's much more likely you will be top of mind of your prospect and get a spot on their shortlist.

2. Build Local Partnerships

Establishing partnerships with businesses in your community can be another way of gaining high-quality leads. This can be businesses that complement your services or share a similar customer base.

For example, you can form a partnership with a ride-share company. Whenever a car is available on your lot, you can notify the ride-share company about its availability. Advertise your lot by having your inventory driving around for you.

Other types of partnerships that you can benefit from are car washes, car detailing shops, spare parts stores, and car insurance companies.

This is a magical tactic! It can bring in a lot of results because you are expanding your potential customer base that might be loyal to the brand you’re partnering with.

3. Be active on Social Media

If used rightly, Social Media can be your best friend when prospecting car sales. More than routine inventory posting, you can leverage your Facebook, Youtube, and Instagram accounts by providing useful and valuable information.

A basic idea is to follow the 70/30 rule – this means posting 70% information that is not directly related to sales. This can include the latest trends, insider knowledge, 2-min video snippets, helpful shares, and other relevant material that car buyers might find interesting. The remaining 30% should consist of your personal insights and in some cases, direct promotions.

Remember, you are using Social Media to converse with your audience. It has to be more about the customer than it has to be about you.

4. Use Email and Texting Campaigns

Used car prospecting is not a new idea in the market, and your competitors are also running some sort of campaigns (especially if they work with us).

And there are surely those with generic messages that lack a personalized tone, ending up in the junk mail of the prospective customers. You don’t want that. You want to send relevant offers only and create awareness among your existing and potential customers.

To bring in conversions, you must send personalized emails relevant to your audience and in line with their buying journey. For this, you must make use of insightful data from your customer database. As an example, you can send customized emails to a group of previous customers who purchased trucks with tips on saving gas money.

Just make sure that you are sharing engaging emails that your audience wants to read. Remember, personalization is the key because people want to feel like you are talking specifically to them.

5. Reach out to your Past Customers

Send offers, event invitations and birthday notes to past customers as a means of reaching out. Along with sending personalized emails, you can also build a heart-to-heart connection by wishing them a happy birthday (how about coupling it with a special discount or a free car wash coupon?). This is a great way to keep in touch with your customers and stay in their good books. And a small investment like this can pay off big time down the road when their next car purchase comes up (or their friends are looking for a referral).

As you gain the support of customers, you are able to reach out to their circles too: that’s how word of mouth works! Moreover, you can give them referral points for every lead that converts which they can use to avail an offer. (the details of such referral programs depend on local laws.)

6. Manage your reviews

The vast majority of prospects will check your reviews before they ever consider paying a closer look to your inventory. Not to mention to shortlist you.

For one, you want to make sure that your reviews are speaking for you and your dealership. A solid number of reviews and a decent average are essential. But that's not all. Managing your review is equally important. This includes responding to reviews and actively collecting reviews from happy buyers.

Don't leave your reviews on Google, Facebook, Yelp and DealerRater up to luck - manage and groom them and they will pay dividends for a long time.

7. Create Infographics and Videos

Video and infographics have become a more popular means for promoting products. Consequently, you cannot miss out on such an amazing opportunity.

There are more than 500 million people watching videos on Instagram and Facebook. Consider it your chance to showcase your inventory on social media. You can do car walk-arounds, talk about a specific car and discuss its features. Through communicating digitally, you are creating the most personalized and enjoyable experience for your customers.

Videos are known to bring in more customers, and your dealership can also step up its game through a perfect video message. It can be your unique selling point with clearer communication and guaranteed delivery of your message.

When it comes to infographics and posting your don't have to do it yourself. There are thousands of freelancers online who will do the bulk of the work for your. Set aside $100 per month and look on Upwork or Fiverr to find a helping hand.

8. Advertise to People who are in the Market

Finally, to stay further ahead of your competition, you can also target people who are already in the market. Your social media content can be directed towards them. Use Facebook and YouTube advertising to target people looking for a specific car. Online advertising can be a powerful tool if done right.

Campaigns and Incentives to attract Leads

Your goal as a used car dealership is to motivate potential car buyers to enter your lot. But to bring them to your door, you need to provide them with a solid reason to come to you. This is why offering something unique is so central. You need to create campaigns and incentives to entice them to come to your dealership first.

A convincing bribe can secure your spot on their shortlist even if you are not necessarily the most attractive option when it comes to all points discussed before.

You should combine these approaches with investing in lead generation tactics. Less and less prospects are visiting your dealership organically as part of their journey. Hence, you need to build your automotive marketing strategy based on customer research. Reaching your potential customers online and offline through paid and organic marketing is key. It can lift your dealership above the noise and put you in front of your competition.

In the End, Used Car Dealership is all about Trust

We are living in a post trust era - customers have been burnt more often than before. That means making a deal is all about trust in the end. If you are serious about building and growing your dealership long term it is more important than ever to establish your brand in your community. You can do this through consistent and useful information that the potential customers value and being present.

As more and more people begin to trust you, they will choose you whenever they want to buy a used car - and happily recommend your to their friends and family.

Remember, it is not about a direct sales pitch. If you can connect with your audience and cater to their needs and emotion, you’ll experience how easy it can be to prospect used car sales in the digital age.

On A Final Note

I hope you found this comprehensive guide helpful and your mind is now filled with powerful ideas. I wrote this guide with the intent to open your mind on how to bring more customers to your lot without relying on cold outreach and leads only!

If you need our help with managing your dealership's marketing, feel free to connect. Let's grow together!

What Used Car Dealerships Must Know To Capitalize On Warm Leads

Prospecting Used Car Buyers in the Digital Age

The new-normal in the Age of Information

Using the Buyer’s Journey

Using the Buyer’s Journey

Prospecting Used Car Buyers - Ideas that will Increase your Warm Leads

1. Engage in your Community

2. Build Local Partnerships

3. Be active on Social Media

4. Use Email and Texting Campaigns

5. Reach out to your Past Customers

6. Manage your reviews

7. Create Infographics and Videos

8. Advertise to People who are in the Market

Campaigns and Incentives to attract Leads

In the End, Used Car Dealership is all about Trust

On A Final Note

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