Autotrader, Cars.com or KBB?

[ddavis]

I take a bit different look at lead sourcing. It's a FAIL if you leave it up the the reps because customers are preparing for negotiation and...

• Customers hate sales reps asking probing source questions
• Reps hate asking source questions until they've "won them over". Then, you rep has to circle back and enter the lead source before the close? ahhh... NOT in my world.
• Reps will "plug in any source" to sastify the wonks upstairs.

Add another layer of complexity that you can't ignore is that 19 hour multi-month shopping journey. In 99% of the ups, can there really be a single lead source?


SUMMARY: In my view (only), the DESIRE to match an up to a single source is an error in the making... and, if you lean on these numbers, they can skew your decision making.

"wonks upstairs" has the potential of being the longest thread on DealerRefresh.

Years ago, I was the GSM of a store and wrote all the copy and produced our TV spots at one of the local stations. As our success grew, every idiot, in the store, became an advertising guru. If you run a successful internet department, all the "experts", in the store, will tell you what you are doing wrong.

 

[joe.pistell]

We do a one page delivery survey here too AJ. Here it is:http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/uncle-joes-make-over-diary-1683-13.html#post19931

I launched this my first week as Marketing Dir. in 07. I've got 25,000 delivery surveys recorded via:SurveyGizmo - An Online Survey Software & Questionnaire Tool



Question 10.
Do you consider yourself a frequent Internet user?
____ Yes (30 mins or more per day) ____ No
Findings: Yes = 75%
more thoughts: as expected, the yes group uses AT, Cars.com and KBB far more than the others.


Question 11.
Did you shop online at: (check all that apply)
____ AutoTrader.com
____ Cars.com
____ Syracuse.com
____ KellyBlueBook.com
____ None of the above
Findings: 52% said none of the above. THINK ABOUT IT. Surveys are not perfect so there is a margin of error... BUT 50% of my buyers were on AT, Cars, Local Newspaper site or KBB prior to purchase.


THINK ABOUT IT!!
The "key question" that reveals the most info is "none of the above". I don't care about AT vs Cars, it's "none of the above" that contains info that is directly connected to decision making.

 

[john.quinn]

We spend too much time over-thinking advertising.

Let me ask you this: why don't you fish in the sink?
Answer: because there are no fish in the sink.

Advertising/Marketing Rule #1 Ladies and Gentlemen: Fish Where the Fish Are!

Are there fish at AT & Cars? Yes. Period.

So if there are fish, why are you not catching them? Now there's a discussion.

Now maybe you'll have luck in a different pond, but chances are good that if you can't catch any in one place, your luck will continue until you change HOW (not where) you fish.

 

[Stefan]

We spend too much time over-thinking advertising.

Let me ask you this: why don't you fish in the sink?
Answer: because there are no fish in the sink.

Advertising/Marketing Rule #1 Ladies and Gentlemen: Fish Where the Fish Are!

Are there fish at AT & Cars? Yes. Period.

We purchased almost all Alpha Positions and Power Positions available in our market. When I asked for the increase in budget, I asked two questions:

What is the value of 1000 people seeing your ad/name/inventory?

What is the value of 1000 people LOOKING FOR A CAR seeing your ad/name/inventory?

People go to this websites to look for cars. I want my ad/name/inventory everywhere.

 

[ajholland]

We do a one page delivery survey here too AJ. Here it is:http://forum.dealerrefresh.com/f43/uncle-joes-make-over-diary-1683-13.html#post19931

I launched this my first week as Marketing Dir. in 07. I've got 25,000 delivery surveys recorded via:SurveyGizmo - An Online Survey Software & Questionnaire Tool



Question 10.
Do you consider yourself a frequent Internet user?
____ Yes (30 mins or more per day) ____ No
Findings: Yes = 75%
more thoughts: as expected, the yes group uses AT, Cars.com and KBB far more than the others.


Question 11.
Did you shop online at: (check all that apply)
____ AutoTrader.com
____ Cars.com
____ Syracuse.com
____ KellyBlueBook.com
____ None of the above
Findings: 52% said none of the above. THINK ABOUT IT. Surveys are not perfect so there is a margin of error... BUT 50% of my buyers were on AT, Cars, Local Newspaper site or KBB prior to purchase.


THINK ABOUT IT!!
The "key question" that reveals the most info is "none of the above". I don't care about AT vs Cars, it's "none of the above" that contains info that is directly connected to decision making.

Joe, I might try this. When do you have the customer fill this out? Does the Survey program compile all of the results for you?

 

[jssimonton]

I started reading this thread because I'm not used to seeing KBB mentioned along with AT & Cars. That didn't last long, but I'll agree with the "go big or go home" plan of either spending more on AT or nothing. Cars doesn't have this issue, but on AT it's hopeless to be on page 5 of the listings. As for the TrueCar bashing... I'd grab a bat, but that disease hasn't come to our neck of the woods. It's an evil plan with some evil players. Can't someone please start TrueFurniture? We've got enough problems with CarFax and AutoTrader.

 

[joe.pistell]

Joe, I might try this. When do you have the customer fill this out? Does the Survey program compile all of the results for you?

AJ,

SurveyGizmo.com is VERY VERY HIGHLY recommended by me. I've used it for 3-4 years now. It does everything you can throw at it and more than you never thought you could do. It's got crazy horsepower, but, it's very easy to use.

Example: Conditional Questions

• If answer is 'yes' then ask question 14a.
• If answer is 'no' then ask question 14b.
• (I never use this feature, but, it's just an example of what it can do... if I need it

.

Example: Conditional Reporting:
Compare shoppers that consider themselves "frequent internet users" (>10hrs per week) vs "non-frequent internet users".

• KBB, AutoTrader.com and Cars.com use?
• How did they hear about us?
• Where did they get most of their ideas?
• etc..

Because it's so easy to build an internet form or survey, when I get a quick idea, I build it and send the link to our web team so all they have to do is insert the link (or embed the code).