How many new and used car leads do you receive each day? Do you work every lead, or cherry pick through what you think are the best ones? Top online sales reps realize that it is a numbers game and that they need numerous leads daily and a strong follow up system. They do not cherry pick leads. What is a good lead? What is a generic lead? I get a lot of generic leads. Some of the leads are no good, they don't put enough info on it or the pricing they asked for is insane. These are statements made by sales reps that either do not want to follow up on every lead, don't have the time to personalize replies, or they just do not understand the Internet shopper and how he operates. Remember, these people took the time to fill out the form and asked to search your area. Many people will screw up the request form and it is usually just an honest mistake. If you are personalizing each response you can address these areas. If you are receiving more leads than you can handle, rather than cherry pick, you must get additional help. Important tip for Internet sales reps: Most leads you receive are from shoppers that have asked for a search in your area. Keep in mind that 92% of online car shoppers prefer to be contacted by email. If you still require a phone number for follow up, you are living in the past. The Internet is about email and you need to use it effectively to sell more cars. Never assume! Just like a lot up, you do not know which lead will result in a sale. Unless you are psychic how do you know which ones are good or bad? If you delete leads you don't like, it is guaranteed you won't ever sell them anything. Many shoppers will fill out forms wrong or leave out parts purely by accident. Many online shoppers are inexperienced and you should contact these people to verify incomplete information. Many online sales reps simply delete these leads. Big mistake! People will travel for the right vehicle! The Internet is breaking down traditional territories. Top Internet Dealers are reporting that their customers are averaging more than 90 miles away, and even further in more rural states. People will drive if they are treated right and given the proper follow up. If you have the vehicle a person wants and provide them with the info they ask for, they will come in. Treat each lead like a Lot Up! Always read the entire lead. Many times a shopper will ask for one model in the model box and then put several others in the comments box. Always read the entire lead. If a shopper requests a vehicle thousands below book value, remember this. They are no different than any other lead. Everybody wants a vehicle at cost so just approach it the same way. Never assume! If they email you direct on a vehicle they saw online: Be prepared to do business. If they need more info, give it to them. Don't waste their time with a sales pitch unless you have answered their questions first. You are being contacted by shoppers that have already looked at your vehicles online and are ready to buy. If you handle them properly and get them in, you will probably sell a car. Treat each lead as an individual. Every "one to one" relationship that you can create and maintain is a step closer to selling more vehicles via the Internet. If you create ongoing dialogue with online shoppers and follow up promptly you will sell cars using the Internet. Follow-up on every lead. If you cherry pick your leads you will not do well. If you do not have time to work all of your leads get help, or the Dealership will suffer. If you do not have the used vehicle, offer alternatives and invite them to visit your inventory online. Some shoppers will go there and find another vehicle. Develop a consistent Sales Strategy and treat every online shopper like a lot up! Where are they in the buying cycle? Are they still in the research mode or are they ready to buy? Maybe they just want to test drive a vehicle and compare. Work with people and determine what mode they are in. Keep in mind if you are an information provider, you are building credibility and will not chase away buyers with canned sales pitches. Why should the Shopper contact you back, or come in to see you? Although every prospect is different and expects to be treated as an individual, it is important that your Dealership create a common strategy to deal with both used and new shoppers. Canned responses with sales pitches are ineffective. Be friendly, informative, and differentiate your message from your competitors. Picture yourself as a shopper online, or actually send out a request to some of your competitors. How did they respond? Did they respond? Was it a pushy, no information, you have to hurry in sales pitch? Or was it a warm personalized response that showed true concern and answered your questions. If a customer contacts you that already has seen invoice prices online and knows your invoice price, how will you respond? If you simply ignore these informed shoppers they will buy elsewhere. When someone requests a price on a used car, are you prepared to give it to him? The main thing is to have a common strategy and be prepared to upgrade and improve it continuously. Are you a one time hit or miss follow up person? If you are only responding to your leads once and sending out canned responses you will not sell many cars. Developing a sales pipeline requires a good lead tracking database for consistent and constant follow up. Don't be one of the many online sales reps that start everyday fresh with no pipeline. Although it is time consuming to personalize every response, especially if you are handling hundreds of leads per month it is the key to selling more cars online. Top online reps develop templates for every follow up situation that arises. Click here for sample They then personalize the template before sending it. The main thing they do, is follow up on all leads. You should be working each lead until it is dead! Some deals may take several months to get done, but without a good follow up system you will never get to them. Templates vs Canned responses: Create multiple templates for follow up. Personalize each one depending on the situation. Here are a few suggested Follow up templates for CarFinder leads and price quote requests. Many top online reps have dozens of templates for different situations. 48 Hour second email: Contact them again to ensure that they received your first email. Save the sales pitches and canned responses. At least 8 more follow up messages. Many buyers will not answer your first response. This does not necessarily mean they are dead. You should follow up until they respond Have vehicle: Give good info and prices and if possible actual photos. Invite them in to see you. Click here for sample Need more info: If they did not complete form or left out important info. Be specific when asking for more info. Don’t have vehicle: Offer suggestions and invite them to your vehicles online page so they can look through your inventory. Create follow up templates for every possible situation, but make sure you personalize each one before sending. When they are looking at your Inventory online and email you about what they are viewing. Follow up for direct emails and requests about your online inventory. Most of these requests will be regarding availability of the vehicle they are looking at. You should answer each request individually because it is a direct hit on an actual vehicle in stock. The more vehicles you have online the more direct hits you will receive and the more vehicles you will sell. Keep your inventory fresh and bring buyers in on actual vehicles. Many serious shoppers will see your online inventory and call, or drive right in. 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