Follow-up Road Map (Part I): When opportunity knocks

By Bob McCann

I’m loyal to my bike guy, Brian. For the past seven years, every time I roll into his shop, he’s ready for me and greets me by name with a big smile. He always does a great job on my bike, and occasionally, he throws in a few free tweaks. Brian has a customer for life.

This is a perfect example of relationship marketing, which begins with a genuine desire to understand and meet the customer’s needs. This personal bond is then fostered over time — fueled by excellent customer service — to generate repeat business.

As a dealer, you too can create this ideal scenario, which starts with your first interaction with prospects, no matter which channel they use to communicate with you — walk in, phone or email. When opportunity knocks, you must have an organized, well–executed, follow–up strategy in place, combined with a real desire to serve — not just sell.

Setting the stage for a sale

When prospects first raise a hand for more information, you must answer immediately. Whether they sent an email inquiry or called your dealership, your goal is to meet their initial needs, make a positive first impression, and secure an in–store visit if need be.

First, you should focus on establishing the comfort level that any potential buyer would expect, especially when it comes to a big–ticket item. Though most customers are focused on price, be sure to promote your long–standing reputation, your extensive sales experience, and your service track record. You’re not selling a product as much as you’re selling a positive buying and ownership experience. What differentiates you from the big–box stores is top–notch service. Unlike them, you will be there for your customers when they have a problem. Be sure to weave that key point into your conversation with potential buyers.

With online inquiries, your first response must be designed to set the stage for a phone call — not to press for a sale. Given the opportunity, you must pick up the phone to create a connection with online leads rather than rely on the convenience of emails (see sidebar following article).

First, a timely phone call demonstrates a strong desire to reach out to prospects proactively. Second, the phone is a direct two–way communication whereas email just doesn’t allow you to pick up the context clues, such as tone of voice and shades of meaning, that a person–to–person conversation can relate. Once you’ve engaged potential buyers via phone, you’re much more likely to keep them interested in your dealership.

 “No” doesn’t mean “never”

Despite your best efforts, you weren’t able to convert a prospect — regardless of the source — into a customer. That’s when keeping in touch will help you turn a visitor into a potential future buyer.

First, always get the contact information, including email, and make a note of the product of interest, ideally in your lead management tool if you have one. That way, you can keep prospects up–to–date on what may be of interest to them in the future, including new inventory, service specials, and other promotions.

When unsold prospects leave your showroom, take a moment to send an email to thank them for their interest and time — preferably by the end of the day. Include a link to the product you discussed and remind them of the reasons why they should consider you as their dealer of choice for future purchases. This email alone will demonstrate the kind of personalized attention that they would never get from a big–box store.

These steps are neither difficult nor time–consuming, but the challenge is to make sure that your lead–nurturing strategy is followed to the “T” with every prospect. Consider publishing a process that becomes policy at your dealership. Whatever process you choose to implement should not only produce the desired results, but also fit with your dealership culture. Getting everyone onboard is essential to your success on this front.

A good lead management strategy starts with a solid plan and a proven tool designed to facilitate the commitment and compliance of your team. With the right platform in place, you can generate reports and make sure that every lead is accounted for and properly taken care of. You can also adjust your efforts for continuous improvement and convert more leads into sales over time. In part two of this series, we will discuss a follow–up strategy designed to turn first–time buyers into loyal, long–time customers.

 Bob McCann, a 20-year sales education veteran, is the author of the nationally recognized e-business sales method known as TIPS (Traffic, Interactive Website, Process, Sales). As Director of Education at ARI, McCann has developed proven e-business sales processes to support the company’s growing list of dealer and manufacturer clients in the outdoor power equipment, powersports, marine and RV industries. McCann can be reached at (877) 806-2150 or mccann@arinet.com.

There’s no app for that

Email is a sales tool, not a crutch. It’s a great electronic handshake to acknowledge an online inquiry immediately. It’s also an effective tool to follow up after a phone call. But if you want to get more prospects in your showroom, you must pick up the phone to create the desire to come in.

Following are proven phone follow–up best practices that have helped hundreds of dealers bring more online visitors and phone leads to their brick–and–mortar store.

Know who and why you’re calling

Keep notes on your conversations with prospects. The most productive calls are about something you know or believe they want from you, rather than something you want from them. Ask yourself how you can best serve them. Both prospects and existing buyers should receive VIP treatment.

If this is your first time on the phone with a prospect, make sure you show that person that your inventory can fulfill his or her needs. Based on the nuances in a prospect’s voice, you can begin building a relationship by learning about that person’s wants and needs. It will help you determine which units best fit the goals of a prospect, and increase the chances of success and satisfaction.

Draft a script

Begin with a brief introduction of yourself and the purpose of your call. Say just enough to answer the unasked question: “What’s in it for me?” Assuming they have time to speak with you, your talking points should contain mostly questions you wish to ask them, and answers to questions they may ask you. Keep them short. If you have to inhale several times, you’re making a speech.

An effective open–ended question to increase your chances of securing a showroom visit is: “Were you planning to visit the dealership sometime this week or over the weekend?” You’ll either uncover potential objections to overcome or get the prospect to commit to a date and time.

Have a conversation

Your talking points should be a loose framework — not an outline that must be covered. Speak briefly, listen closely, and let the customer’s responses guide the direction of the call. Focus on learning, especially at the beginning of the conversation, then respond based on feedback. Be sure to rely on open–ended questions to identify prospects’ needs and remedy potential trade–in or financing issues.

Serve instead of selling

Focus on helping. That mental shift may be the most important thing you can do to make follow–up calls easier. If your intention is to help people instead of selling to them, not only will you find it easier to call, but the people you talk to will appreciate your business and the value that comes with it.

Over the years, we’ve found that most showroom visits are the result of timely, effective phone calls — not emails. Despite all the advances in technology and the rise of virtual communications, one thing hasn’t changed about selling: Calling prospects to create a connection and get them to take the next step in the buying cycle is essential. There’s no app for that. Pick up the phone and call prospects, and you’ll see the difference it makes in your sales.