Introduction.
In the competitive landscape of car dealership sales, effectively distinguishing between genuine purchase intent and mere interest is vital.
The advent of online trade-in valuation tools has simplified the entry point for potential buyers and sellers.
However, valuation inquiries are often neglected by dealership staff due to the high volume and low engagement rate of consumers who are simply curious about their vehicle’s worth.
The Challenge.
JT Hughes encountered a significant challenge: their Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system was overwhelmed by leads generated from their online trade-in valuation tool.
While this tool provided a low-commitment entry point for customers, offering a guaranteed valuation valid for seven days, the sheer number of submissions made manual follow-ups impractical, leading to lead leakage and lost sales opportunities.
Strategic Overhaul: From Manual to Automated.
Recognising the need for a more efficient system, JT Hughes embarked on a strategic shift from manual follow-up processes to an automated lead nurturing system.
This transformation aimed to maximise lead potential while minimising the administrative burden of manual follow-up.
Streamlining Lead Qualification.
The first step was refining the online valuation tool to include qualifying questions, thus better assessing customer intent.
This enabled JT Hughes to capture buyer preferences and timing, crucial for targeting follow-up efforts.
Are you buying or selling?
Buying new or used?
What brand are you interested in?
Which model are you interested in?
How soon are you looking to buy?
Implementing Marketing Automation.
By integrating the valuation tool with our marketing automation software, we facilitated hyper-specific audience segmentation and initiated personalised email campaigns.
This automation workflow ensured that each valuation submission triggered a tailored process, encouraging customers to book a physical inspection within their valuation's validity period.
Effecient Prospecting.
High-intent prospects:
Recognising that not all valuation leads are created equal, our automation platform initiates the dispatch of hyper-personalised emails to buyers who indicate an intent to purchase within the next 90 days, targeting these high-value 'in-market' prospects.
The sales team prioritises these leads for manual follow-up to provide dedicated attention to potential buyers.
Even if contact is not made during dealership office hours, our robust automated email campaign takes over, continuing to engage and nurture these leads, thus seamlessly bridging the gap until the next personal interaction.
Long-term prospects:
For those buyers in the window-shopping phase, indicating a purchasing timeframe of 6 to 12 months, we enrol them in a long-term automated nurture program designed to maintain their interest.
"Post-setup, Buyer Intent Tracking quietly drove lead prioritisation, yielding significant results"
Paul Tench, Group Sales & Marketing Director.
Results and Impact.
The strategic overhaul led to improvements in lead management efficiency, significantly reducing lost leads.
By enabling the sales team to concentrate on high-intent leads, we saw an uptick in the rate of finalised sales.
The automated system not only streamlined the lead management process but also enhanced the overall sales strategy, underscoring the importance of targeted automation in optimising sales funnels.
Conclusion.
Investing in marketing automation is not just wise; it's essential.
With our solution, JT Hughes now effectively scores and routes leads, ensuring that the most promising prospects are immediately prioritised.
Long-term engagement programs keep the dialogue with 'uncontactables' warm, nurturing the potential for future sales.
Every lead is a potential customer; the key is in how you engage and convert them.
Transform your lead management strategy with our proven solutions. Contact us today to elevate your sales performance.