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Internet Prospect Followup Schedule

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DanMorgan

DanMorgan

Over the Curb
Nov 13, 2009
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#1
Theres a ton of different schedules out there in the ISM "world". I do what I can to stay on top of my leads for at least 60 days from putting the lead in but wanted to get some others thoughts on how they do it. I guess my main reason for this thread is to get some thoughts and ideas on the longer term folks and the type of general info I send to prospects to illicit a response but not be to over bearing.

Personally I have a good schedule to stay on top of prospects for the first few weeks at least 4 times a week. Once I get 2wks out then it's a once or twice week for a few weeks and then after a month and a half and 2 months they just go in my once a month no response blitz folder and they just get a bulk mail from myself once a month.

What are you some of your guys schedules like and how much info do you get into? Me personally I find that my "one liners" get more response than my 2 paragraph templates I have that have dealership info and model specific research info but do not want to rely on just the one liners since I want to promote the dealership as well, and hopefully stand apart from the other dealers Internet Depts I'm competing against.

:hello:
 
#2
DanMorgan said:
Once I get 2wks out then it's a once or twice week for a few weeks and then after a month and a half and 2 months they just go in my once a month no response blitz folder and they just get a bulk mail from myself once a month.
Click to expand...

I do the same thing except I do not schedule any contacts. Since we send a newsletter to every email in our CRM, the leads will get that once a month plus whatever web ads we send out. I have actually had some success with that as far as people returning to the website and becoming fresh leads.
 
#3
J.D. Power did an "Online Automotive Shopping" study about 2 years ago. (I have a copy of the .ppt if you want it). It studied prospect shopping activity during a 16 week period and, among other things, noted how many weeks/days they spent on research, when they decided to test drive, when they decided to purchase, and other milestones during that timeline. I used that to come up with a prescribed email and phone f/u schedule and to determine what content message I want in the emails corresponding to where the customer supposedly is at on that day/week in the shopping process.

Hey, it ain't perfect, but it least it gave me some quasi justification for coming up with a prescribed f/u schedule.
 
#8
Dan, some ILM's think there is a secret sauce to this...and hey maybe there is but I think it's deeper than the follow-up schedule. You can have a stellar follow-up schedule but without the "right message" what good is it?

There is "A Message" and then there is "The Message". Some say as long as you have a message and you are getting in from of the customer good things will happen but I believe you need to have the right message when you get in front of your potential customer.

DanMorgan said:
thoughts and ideas on the longer term folks and the type of general info I send to prospects to illicit a response but not be to over bearing.
Click to expand...

Inventory is your biggest asset! It's exactly why your potential customers contact you. It's one way of grabbing your customer attention with each and every email.

DanMorgan said:
after a month and a half and 2 months they just go in my once a month no response blitz folder and they just get a bulk mail from myself once a month.
Click to expand...

Have you considered a true email marketing campaign?

DanMorgan said:
]Me personally I find that my "one liners" get more response than my 2 paragraph templates I have that have dealership info and model specific research info
Click to expand...

It's not so much that the 1 liners WORK it's that you are answering the customer question and getting to the point. What you need to ask is..what happens after these 1 liner emails? Are you getting these customer to the phone or are you answering their questions getting a response and then they disappear?

DanMorgan said:
]I want to promote the dealership as well, and hopefully stand apart from the other dealers Internet Depts I'm competing against.
Click to expand...

There are many ways of adding a quick soft value proposition sell inside of your emails. Sounds simple but the P.S. note is often overlooked.
 
#9
#10
October to November is a transitional month. Inventory levels in October were low, so our prices were high. Now that inventory levels are high, our price has come down. That presents an opportunity. Honda announcing special fiance rates for all vehicles is another opportunity. Combine reduced prices & special rates has helped bring customers from 90 days out, back to the table. Or at least get some type of response as to where they are in the buying process.

We had 2 or 3 sales from people who were 60 to 90 days out.
 
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