How can I get more (real) phone numbers in my leads?

[Jerry Thibeau]

So basically what you''re saying Ryan, the more leads they get the tougher it gets to make videos. Let's do the math. A dealership gets 300 leads spread amongst 3 reps. They do personalized videos and close at a 20% rate resulting in 60 sales. Lead count is now 600 per month and because it has gone up, the reps don't have time to make the videos. The close rate now drops to 15% and the dealership is now selling 90 cars a month from Internet leads.

I would not suggest my team make videos, I would demand it. I would also hire three more people and get the close rate back to 20% thus my Internet sales total 120 per month.

Now if every dealership were doing this it would be tough to maintain a 20% close rate. Since very few do this, it's easy to see why a person would be successful doing this. When the day comes that everyone is doing video, well then those who want to separate from the pack will have to come up with a better way to engage customers. Until then make videos!

Do the things that others won't and you'll have the things that others don't!

 

[ryanabbott]

Jerry, you are a trainer. And you talk and think like a trainer. Until MY name is on the front of the store, some things just aren't possible. I have four stores to cover and all four are all managed different. I've had all these ideas long before anyone in my area did. The problem is having everyone else buy in to all this. My umbrella is very full with duties I have everyday now and I'm okay with that. I love my job and our numbers are very good for where we are. Hiring 3 more people to do videos just isn't realistic in this market. Maybe these decisions aren't the "right" thing to do but we are just fine and will continue to advance.

 

[SeanWoodruff]

It's not hard to find time to make videos. It is hard though to make 1st response videos catered to each lead. My reps are busy enough as it is, having them make 1st response videos for each lead that I can put together and email out in less than 15 minutes is really not a feasible option. We get 500-700 web leads a month. I don't see any real way to get this done. Maybe once in a while but for every lead, or even most leads, I don't see how I would ever do that.

 

[SMStan]

A customer holds back giving all their information on an internet lead/inquiry because of FEAR. As a customer who has this instinctual fear of a "car salesman": an email is perceived to be much less personal than a phone call or having to speak to a car salesperson at the dealership in person-so they will put in to "contact via email only" with no phone number or a bogus phone number. Writing an email as a customer is a customer that is keeping all of their boundaries up-they are looking to buy a car, they just want to keep control of the situation and not be "hounded with calls" or "pushed into a sale by a pushy salesperson": they are going to keep as much control of the sales process they can by communicating only by email. By doing this the customer does not have to rush-and they can feel control of their buying decision because of FEAR.

Email is easier for the customer and they feel like they have control, which is why they often don't put their phone numbers in anymore of they will put fake ones.

88% of adults 45 and younger prefer SMS to voice or email communications. The close rate when text messaging is used to communicate with guests 'quadruples' according to Paul Potratz and is 50% according to another study of 3 dealerships and 30,000 leads.

One day dealerships will realize no one wants to TALK to a sales rep but they will TEXT freely. Texting gives your prospects even more of the control they have with email but it is immediate and extremely convenient to your guests.


If you want to capture a valid phone number change your forms to say - "we understand you may not want to get calls from sales people. We respect your privacy and if you prefer, we are happy to only use text messaging to communicate with you and you can opt-out at any time by replying STOP to any message and we will never contact you again."

 

[Jeff Kershner]

88% of adults 45 and younger prefer SMS to voice or email communications. The close rate when text messaging is used to communicate with guests 'quadruples' according to Paul Potratz and is 50% according to another study of 3 dealerships and 30,000 leads.

One day dealerships will realize no one wants to TALK to a sales rep but they will TEXT freely. Texting gives your prospects even more of the control they have with email but it is immediate and extremely convenient to your guests.

Spoken just like vendor selling a text service.

Several publications in 2011 reported that around 30% of US adults prefer to be contacted via text message when someone needs to reach them. 53% said they preferred a voice call to a text message.

One day dealerships will realize no one wants to TALK to a sales rep but they will TEXT freely. Texting gives your prospects even more of the control they have with email but it is immediate and extremely convenient to your guests.

That's a strong statement with little to back it up, other than your agenda of course.

Again, I believe there's a time and a place for texting. I've personally been successful with direct text. BUT it was nothing more than a step to get the customer...onto the phone.

In order to achieve either one of these, we need to get a valid phone number.

Would allowing the consumer to choose text as a initial form of communication result in more valid phone numbers? I guess it's possible but I have not seen this to be proven.

 

[john.quinn]

Would allowing the consumer to choose text as a initial form of communication result in more valid phone numbers? I guess it's possible but I have not seen this to be proven.

"Give us your phone number, but we're not gonna use it... Yeah...yeah, that's the ticket!"

 

[ed.brooks]

I know this will sound plumb crazy but... why not let the customer tell you how they would like to be contacted? Get rid of all the 'required' fields on the contact form and let the customer decide what they want to reveal. Yes you will get fewer phone numbers - but they will all be real.

I know we have all been taught to stay in control but why not let the customer have some of that control - they might reward you with their business.

 

[SeanWoodruff]

I know this will sound plumb crazy but... why not let the customer tell you how they would like to be contacted? Get rid of all the 'required' fields on the contact form and let the customer decide what they want to reveal. Yes you will get fewer phone numbers - but they will all be real.

I know we have all been taught to stay in control but why not let the customer have some of that control - they might reward you with their business.

Because this is sales.

 

[ed.brooks]

Because this is sales.

But Sean, sales is about making sales. I contend that in the internet age, we need to throw out some old strategies and tactics and embrace some new ones. Instead of controlling the customer down a predetermined path to a sale, you might very well find that you can sell more by letting them choose their own path (with your guidance) - Think HELP instead of CONTROL

 

[Elise Kephart]

It's not hard to find time to make videos. It is hard though to make 1st response videos catered to each lead. My reps are busy enough as it is, having them make 1st response videos for each lead that I can put together and email out in less than 15 minutes is really not a feasible option. We get 500-700 web leads a month. I don't see any real way to get this done. Maybe once in a while but for every lead, or even most leads, I don't see how I would ever do that.

Any video, is better than no video:

When I left Sunset Honda, I made a templated video for the replacement Internet Sales Manager-it was not customer specific, but it still is a short video introducing the salesperson to the customer with some brief testimonials.



OR, what about even doing a video more "funneled in" to a new car specific: this one is for customers interested in a 2012 Honda Civic. You can make one similar for each "new car"