getting a response

One of the things that makes me crazy is not getting a response from Internet car shoppers. They fill out a request for quote with their email and even a real phone number sometimes. Then you provide them the things they requested and solicit a response, but nothing. You call, you email, and you might even text them, but nothing. You continue to hammer them day after day and nothing.

It makes it difficult to keep doing what you are supposed to be doing when you’re not getting a response. All you can think about is that they are just wasting your time. Time that you could be used to work other leads and customers.

If you have been doing this for a while you probably know that some of these Internet car shoppers are your competition. They are checking out your BDC, your pricing and/or your process. It’s very rare that they will ever answer you. Plus you might be getting shopped by your manufacturer or even dealership management.

Either way, it’s very frustrating to be spending time every day trying to connect and getting nowhere. Here are a few tried and tested tips for getting a response from those Internet leads.

Tips for Getting a Response from Internet Shoppers

If you believe you have a correct phone number and call make sure you leave a message. You would be surprised how many people don’t. They need to hear a voice so they can connect it to the email. In your message make sure you let them know that you will be calling back and when you will be calling. You could even say “I will call tomorrow morning and I if we don’t connect I will call in the evening”. You want to let them know that you are going be calling all the time. Plus tell them they can also respond to your email if they prefer that over a phone call.

Let them know both in the message and in the email that you don’t want to be a pest and that you are just trying to help them. Tell them if something has changed please call or email you so you don’t keep calling and emailing.

After a few days with no response send a short email. No templates, graphics or headers. Make the subject line “Hey” and nothing else. The body should be short and to the point.

Hey (Customer Name),

I have been trying to get a hold of you about the (make and model of car) that you requested. You must be busy, but don’t worry I will keep trying because I have some great news for you.

If something has changed on your end please let me know and I will stop calling and emailing.

 

Thank You

Your Name

Dealership Name

Phone Number

Email Address

 

This usually gets a response, but not all the time. It’s short enough that people usually read it. Plus emails with the subject line of “Hey” are the most opened emails of all emails. You just want to let them know that you are going to keep calling and emailing until they respond. Even if they don’t want a car anymore they will often respond so you stop. However, if they respond to tell me to stop I usually send a reply asking if they bought unless they told me that they did and where.

Still, nothing get creative. Do something different, send them a few pictures of the car. Send them a video of the car or a video of yourself asking for a response. Send them reviews or the car or your dealership. Just do something different. Remember the rule of working leads, you work them “Until they buy, die or get a restraining order”. 

I have seen many customers say that they already bought only to come back to life a month later. Once they respond they will often reply again. You don’t want to stop trying to sell them a car unless you are certain they are out of the market. Even if they say stop calling or emailing them it’s worth a quick email in a few weeks to a month.

When you are getting a response from your customers you are moving in the right direction. But when you get absolutely nothing you just feel like you are wasting time. Give these tips a try because 90% of customers that submit leads will buy a car within the next 90 days. It doesn’t mean that they will buy it from you unless you are the one that stands out from the crowd.

Later, Fresh Up on the Lot

KB

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