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Blueprint Series: Third-Party Lead Providers

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#12
Jeff: The last thing that the 3rd party lead providers want to do is become transparent. They don't want you to know where you got the lead generated (remember your point of womanmotorist.com some time back?) and they certainly don't want to integrate with something like lead scoring. That'd be like the proverb of taking off the nose to spite the face.

Chris: There are certain technologies and services available to those in Internet auto sales to help manage the various lead channels and restore some transparency.

Joe & Paul: Here's an idea that I'll give to this community. (It's definitely a Web 2.0 approach) Instead of being charged to send your inventory and descriptions (the valuable content) to a site like cars.com or autotrader.com? Why are the dealerships not getting the service free - oodle.com or vast.com -and actually being PAID a percentage of the ad revenue that each of their vehicles generates? Here's the point: If you have hundreds of vehicles and you have popular vehicles in stock then you should be generating quite a bit of eyeball traffic. If these companies are really partners then shouldn't both parties be more equitably profiting?

Better yet, why don't they adopt the floor salesman compensation model and be paid more for a sale versus an up?

Mike Muncy / Founder & CEO / Carfeine.com
 
#14
"They both have let the boat pass them"...

I agree totally with you Paul it has and just because you can still see the boat, doesn't mean it hasn't passed.

The big reason that Cars and Autotrader still exist is that although it cost big $$$$ to list aggressively, it's still cheaper than a dealer trying to launch a nationwide campaign on their own to reach that large of a targeted audience.

Kaboom! and they will both be gone once someone gets enough wind at their back to offer the listings for free.

I have had a discussion with the newest big man on the internet block and we'll see if it all comes together in time.

I have some foresight opinions here that once Microsoft takes over Yahoo and the time is right Yahoo autos and Msn autos combined just put together a one two punch knockout if they decide to offer to list for free in lieu of placed ads.

Hey Cars.com and Autotrader want to stay in business?

Start reading Jeff's Blog and hire us all here as independent ISM marketing consultants for big $$$ because the more powerful that Jeff Kershner's blog becomes we may all power info together and buy you out to go away...☺☺☺☺all the way to the bank!!!
 
#15
So nobody say first "they are already free listing services"...I know that but none have any "wind" because they all are waiting to catch a free wave that dealers will jump on magically and they can sell their company for big money, NOT going to happen.

When I see them at the stores hustling to get dealers signed like Autotrader then maybe they will make it. Cars is backed by a multi billion dollar company that will lose money and squash the college kid start ups.

Does anybody know of the one that just spent 6million in six months and is gone already?

I apologize in advance for commenting on my own comment, bad blog manners.

Take care and all the best to everyone.

This has been fun and so long,

Pete from the Windy City
 
#16
Sorry - Had to jump in here to respond to Joe Pistell who wrote: "Why don't we have a personal video from the hard working and passionate ISM rather than "YOU MUST PRINT THIS PAGE AND ASK FOR PAUL H JOHNSON FOR YOUR TRUE INTERNET PRICE"."

That's already available at no charge Joe and you can probably guess where. :)

Unfortunately, as simple and easy as shooting a brief video is, it's mind-boggling how few dealers will make the effort to better merchandise themselves this way, even when the opportunity is right in front of them. Only the relatively few "enlightened" dealers are doing so. I suspect it's because many others don't see an immediate cause & effect (i.e., post videos = X more sales per month) so they aren't interested in investing the time or effort.
 
#18
----From Classified Sites, what do I need? I want *Web 2.0! I need them to give me tools to create content, then get out of my way!---

This is already being done it is just unfortunate it is not in a classified vendors style site. I was able to sell 8 used cars that was directly attributable to one page because I was able to get instant SEO from this platform for the term "Market Area Brand" searches for a brand we do not carry, which was also the name of a local dealer.

It was a little work. Maybe 30 minutes to set up and 5 to 10 minutes a week to maintain.

Best of all it is free and the traffic is monetized. :P
 
#19
As for AutoTrader and Cars.com, both are price gouging and supplying Dealers with reports to justify their value. It is advertising but bottom line - what is the ROI. The value is in delivering good leads to Dealers and inturn, the Dealers being able to justify the ROI. Paying $1400 for 14 leads translates to $100 per lead. From there, look at how many leads actually purchased and then what is the ROI per lead or program. Some cost $3500 but do not guarantee any lead volume.

The newest player is www.UsedCars.com which is based on a per lead charge. Lead costs are $25 per lead. Plain and simple. It's the lowest cost per lead model available (I think).
 
#20
RE: 3rd Party Leads.....

3rd Party leads provide access to some of the most trusted and branded websites in the world. These sites spend large amounts of money to be of value to the purchasing public. Much more than Dealers can get thru their own marketing SEO/SEM efforts. And they are unbiased for the most part. They provide valuable information to the consumers.

3rd party lead providers move these leads to the Dealers in the most efficient manner possible. Without these leads the Dealers would have few prospects in their sales funnel. Each 3rd party provider has different features and benefits all of which allow the Dealers to do their jobs more efficiently - thus lowering the costs per sale.

There are 3 big Lead Aggregators - Dealix, AutobyTel and AutoUSA.
 

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