Getting your consumers to do something can be challenging. As humans, we need a specific reason to do just about anything. The same can be said for your consumers. Unless they see some sort of benefit or reason, what’s the point? This can be particularly challenging when you’re attempting to get your consumers to take action. I’d go as far as saying that there are few things more difficult than trying to convince a consumer to offer their contact information. Here’s how to encourage your consumers to take certain actions on your lead capture platform.

Allow Consumers to Evaluate & Assess Their Situation


Although many car buyers have a fairly solid idea of what they want, it’s very rare that they’ll casually waltz into a dealership and buy a car right on the spot. Car purchasing is a process that generally consists of several steps or stages that consumers typically have to complete before reaching a concrete purchasing decision. Here’s a great example scenario: Let’s say you have someone who’s interested in a car. First, they’ll sift through your dealership’s inventory to determine what kind of vehicle they’d like to purchase (a truck, a sedan, a convertible, etc.). The next thing they’ll do is narrow down their search to specific car type, and then maybe they’ll look at particular brands (or vice versa). Once a few vehicles have been chosen, the next thing the car buyer wants to do is learn more about financing options; or perhaps, inquire about their trade-in. You get the idea. 

Whether you want to believe it or not, your dealership possesses a lot of power. There are a number of different ways to persuade car buyers into making important decisions that move them further down the purchasing funnel (from discovery to the actual purchase phase). And no, this doesn’t necessarily mean doing a ton of schmoozing or sweet-talking (not for those brand new customers anyways). There are a plethora of tools and car dealer software out there that you can integrate onto your dealership’s website that can help consumers to evaluate their situation, or allow them to learn more about the resources that might have access to.

Trade appraisal tools, or even a quiz that provides vehicle suggestions based on their situation allow consumers to finalize one step, so that they can move onto the next. If, for example, a consumer knows how much their trade-in is worth, they can determine other things — like what type of vehicle they should purchase (based on price) or whether or not they should apply for financing. When consumers have a solid idea of what they can and cannot do (or what they can/cannot afford), it opens up more options to them. The aforementioned tools help speed up the process. If your consumers can get answers to their questions and come to conclusions, they’ll be more inclined to relinquish their contact information. 

Incentivize Consumers with Instant Gratification 

I’ve said it many times before and I’ll say it once again — everyone loves free stuff. Whether it’s a coupon for a free service, a discount, or money to put towards a new vehicle, consumers will jump through a few hoops if it means saving a few extra bucks. Heck, some folks will jump through a few hoops if it means the chance to win something really awesome.

Now, folks aren’t going to fill out a million different forms and provide you with their blood type or social security number (that’s a little crazy, no?); but many would be willing to provide their email or phone number. So long as they don’t have to spend too much time on a form, consumers will happily provide you with their information — that is, if they’re able to get something immediately in return.

This is why I’ve often said that “lead forms are dead.” Consumers don’t want to submit their information to a unknown realm; only to be called by one of your guys trying to set up a test-drive. Sure, your consumers might want to set up a test drive at some point; but the conversation (at that point) is one-sided. Consumer contact information is extremely valuable, no? Well then, you need to provide them something of equal value. Saving money, getting free services, and being provided with necessary resources is all extremely valuable to consumers. 

Once again, you can leverage your dealership’s website to provide these incentives to your consumers. There are many providers that can integrate “spin-to-win” or “instant win” games onto your website that make the experience both fun and valuable. Additionally, trade appraisal and e-price experiences can provide just as much value — arguably more since they’re providing more relevant information. 

Pique their Curiosity

It’s generally safe to assume that most consumers are very aware of the majority of issues with their home, appliances and modes of transportation. However, there might be a few here issues here and there that you might actually NOT be aware of. It’s very possible that the things you view as normal can actually be alleviated somehow, someway. For instance: your 7 person household might fit pretty comfortably into your mini van — but all that extra weight might impact gas mileage and efficiency. You’re paying tons of hard earned money on filling up your gas tank, and you really don’t know why. It’s just normal for you, and you’ve accepted it as what it is.

For some folks, paying extra for gas isn’t the worst thing ever (especially if they have a vehicle that’s solving one major problem — lots of people), but those dollars can add up. I can guarantee that if that consumer realized just how much extra they were spending on gas, they’d think of switching vehicles pretty fast. One way you can make these big reveals to consumers is by providing them with experiences that pique their curiosity. Some providers have simple quizzes and evaluations that they can easily integrate onto your dealership’s website. Using the scenario I used before, a great example of this would be an evaluation experience entitled “Does your current vehicle suit your needs?” With this experience, the consumer I discussed before could easily figure out if their vehicle isn’t efficient. Once they’ve figured out they have an issue, they can then be provided with practical suggestions and take a look at inventory on your website. They supply you with valuable lead information, and they gain useful insights. It’s a win-win.