Capturing the attention of customers takes a savvy strategy. From social media to television commercials and radio ads, customers are hearing a lot of marketing noise. To gain new auto sales leads, you need a plan. How can you stand out from this noise and offer an experience that not only leads to a sale, but also has your customers talking about your dealerships to others?
There are three great practices that can give you the edge when it comes to connecting with your potential customers and growing your auto sales leads:
Offer live chat. The days of your customers coming by to kick a few tires and shoot the breeze are likely over. By the time they walk onto your lot, they probably know exactly which car they want and are in the final stages of their decision-making process. This has its positive aspects, but every dealership must think about all the customers that ended up on someone else’s lot.
You need to capture the attention of your potential customers early in the process. Implementing live Internet chat is a great way to connect with a customer and influence the outcome of their decision. Much of their research for their car purchase is happening online, so be at the ready to answer questions, discuss features and offer incentives.
Know your customer. Customers expect their experiences to be focused on their needs and preferences, so get proactive about anticipating them. Using a customer relationship management (CRM) tool is a helpful way to store information about customers, including their browsing history, purchasing behaviors and preferences. As you have conversations with the customer over email, chat or in person, you can capture more details that help you understand their needs for their ideal purchase.
Create customer partnerships. The days of pushing a customer towards a purchase are certainly over. Customers have access to a lot of information about their options and they are looking for a sales rep that will offer insight and guidance, not pushy gimmicks. Be sure to view your customer interactions as working on a partnership to pair your customer with the right car. In the long run, if they experience your interactions as a partnership, they’ll be likely to return to your dealership again when it’s time for the next purchase.
Growing your auto sales leads and getting an edge on the competition requires some new ideas for cultivating sales. Getting to know your customers through live chat and personal conversations can help them see your interactions as forming a partnership, rather than experiencing a hard sell.
