It’s a great day when you get a lot of new leads in your dealership’s CRM. Now it’s time to follow up and start the buying conversation– but not every shopper is in the same stage of the buying process. How to proceed?

We’ll start with overarching best practices for lead follow-up. Then we’ll dive into some more detailed nurture ideas, divided by lead type, so you can provide the most value, make the best use of your BDC and sales teams’ ever-limited time, and move the buying conversation forward.

Best Practices for Follow Up: All Types of Leads

1. Follow up immediately. Whether by phone, by text, or by email, follow up as soon as you can when a lead comes into your CRM. Let them know you value their business and are there to help.
2. Read the lead. Before you make that first phone call, read all the lead information in your CRM carefully. Make sure you know what they’ve been doing on your site, and note any specific questions or requests.
3. Don’t give up. If you don’t reach a lead the first time you reach out, try again. Leave voicemails, but don’t expect the lead to call you back– instead, try them again later. Persistence, within reason, shows the customer you are willing to do the work to earn their business.
4. Don’t automate first responses. Automated emails typically do not answer customers’ questions. Worse, they do not refer to the information the lead submitted, making them unhelpful for moving the buying process forward. It can be difficult to respond to all your leads, especially after business hours, but not automating will go a long way toward making a customer feel valued.
5. But automate your segmented campaigns. Despite the ineffectiveness of automated response emails, automation can be a great tool for lead nurture. Use your CRM data to segment your leads by interests and stage in the buying process. Then, set up automated campaigns with valuable information and resources to stay in touch and offer help to each one.
6. Offer value–different value–every time. Each time you reach out to a lead, in whatever format, offer them something new: a test drive, a special offer, the opportunity to start financing over the phone. Don’t be repetitive, but instead, anticipate what your customers might need at their stage of the buying process.

And to that end, here are some of the major lead types, how to spot them in your CRM, and what content you can offer to keep the conversation moving forward and provide continuous value:

Early Stage Leads

How to spot them:

• Converted on a gift incentive
• Viewed only one page on your website
• First-time visitor
• Spent very little time onsite before converting

Early stage leads are still doing research, and don’t often convert at all. If you find yourself lucky enough to hear from one, it’s a great opportunity to become a resource in their buying process. They are looking for a brand they can trust, and are likely still flexible about which car they will choose.

What to offer:

• Guides for choosing the right model for you
• Guides to trade-ins and financing
• Comparisons between popular models
• Holiday offers and storewide specials
• New technology to get excited about

Late Stage Leads

How to spot them:

• Converted on a specific model
• Spent extensive time on your site
• Viewed the same VDP numerous times
• Viewed similar VDPs repeatedly

These leads are closer to buying, so the goal is bring them into the dealership and simplify their buying process as much as possible.

What to offer:

• A test drive appointment
• Options for beginning the financing process online or over the phone
• More information about VDPs they’ve checked out
• Comparisons of models similar to the ones they’ve been looking at

Duplicate Leads

These leads have converted on your site more than once. They are ultra-qualified since they have shown repeated interest in your dealership.

What to offer:

• Immediate attention. This customer has converted twice, so make sure to reach out immediately.
• Specific information in response to the form they converted on. Pay extra attention to the second conversion, as it is likely what they are more interested in right now.

Lost Leads

These are all the leads that have been languishing in your CRM: for whatever reasons, they were never followed up with, or never successfully reached

What to offer:

Enter these leads into your early stage lead funnel. General information might do the trick in bringing these leads back

Previous Customers

These leads have already bought from you, or from a competitor.

What to offer:

• Service reminders and offers
• Maintenance tips
• Birthday cards
• Specials, after a few years

Use these tips to keep the relationship going with all your leads and customers. Wherever they are in the buying process, your dealership can offer them exactly what they need.