STAUNING Traditional Internet Sales Process with Email/Voicemail Templates to Non-Responsive Prospects 2018 Edition Contents 45-DAY INTERNET SALES PROCESS... 2 DAY 1 2018 AUTO-RESPONSE (GENERIC)... 4 DAY 1 2018 AUTO-RESPONSE (AFTER HOURS)... 5 DAY 1 VOICEMAIL #1... 6 DAY 1 VOICEMAIL #2... 6 DAY 1 TEXT MESSAGE REQUEST TO TEXT... 7 DAY 1 IS THIS CORRECT?... 8 DAY 1 PRICE FOR A NEW TRIM-SPECIFIC OR VIN-SPECIFIC VEHICLE... 9 DAY 1 PRICE RANGE FOR NEW VEHICLE... 10 DAY 1 PRICE FOR A USED VEHICLE... 11 DAY 1 NON-SPECIFIC USED VEHICLE... 12 DAY 2 VOICEMAIL #1 OPTION 1... 13 DAY 2 VOICEMAIL #1 OPTION 2... 13 DAY 2 VOICEMAIL #2 (NEW CARS)... 13 DAY 2 VOICEMAIL #2 (USED CARS)... 13 DAY 2 SCHEDULE TEST DRIVE... 14 DAY 3 VOICEMAIL... 15 DAY 3 TEXT MESSAGE REQUEST TO TEXT... 16 DAY 4 VOICEMAIL (NEW CARS)... 17 DAY 4 VOICEMAIL (USED CARS)... 17 DAY 4 SALES MANAGER EMAIL... 18 DAY 5 MANAGER VOICEMAIL... 19 DAY 7 VOICEMAIL... 20 DAY 8 SHAME ATTEMPT... 21 DAY 10 VOICEMAIL... 22 DAY 14 NOT ABLE TO REACH YOU... 23 DAY 15 VOICEMAIL... 24 DAY 20 NEW CHOICES... 25 DAY 28 QUICK QUESTION... 26 DAY 34 SHAME ATTEMPT #2 I GIVE UP... 27 DAY 45 HELP US HIT OUR QUOTA... 28
45-DAY INTERNET SALES PROCESS The Traditional Internet Sales Process is the basic process recommended for most vehicle inquiries where the prospect has provided a working phone number. For credit application leads, trade-in leads, and leads with no phone numbers (or bad phone numbers), please refer to the respective process written for each of these. For 2018, we added a Day 3 texting attempt and one email template in the third week to increase your reconnection results. We kept the Traditional Internet Sales Process for Non-Responsive Prospects drastically streamlined (as first introduced in 2017) to better reflect the current realities in the marketplace. Specifically: Emails sent after the first ten days are rarely opened by previously non-responsive prospects, and those that are opened must provide extremely compelling reasons to drive a reconnection in order to have any impact on prospects. Recent studies reveal that more than nine phone call attempts to non-responsive prospects provides no meaningful return on effort. Sending emails after the first four weeks greatly increases a dealer s chance of being labeled a spammer (without generating enough necessary reconnections to offset this risk). Virtually no dealerships successfully complied with the aggressive call schedules in our 2016 or earlier processes. Our internal data shows that sending the pricing email before your competitors do greatly increases your chances of reconnecting with and closing the prospect. Including a Request-to-Text sent on Day 1 and one on Day 3 increases your connection percentage. (Dealers should consult their legal counsel before texting any prospect that has not expressly opted-in to receive SMS messages.) These changes increase your chances of driving a reconnection, while reducing the amount of perceived Spam a prospect will receive from you. Moreover, this 2018 process more closely matches the most current consumer buying timelines. DEALERS SHOULD CHECK WITH THEIR OWN LEGAL COUNSEL BEFORE IMPLEMENTING ANY PART OF THIS PROCESS TO ENSURE THEY REMAIN COMPLIANT WITH ALL LAWS AND REGULATIONS, INCLUDING THE CAN SPAM ACT AND THE TCPA. Day 1 Lead arrives in CRM; Auto-Response Fires Review lead completely Day 1 Phone Call(s) the first call should be made as soon as you ve read and understood the customer s needs (with a goal of 5 minutes and a maximum acceptable time of 15 minutes). If the lead arrives early enough in the day, at least one additional phone call (utilizing a DIFFERENT voice mail messages) should be made. Successful dealers will make up to 3 calls in the first day, when possible Day 1 MANUAL email Manually send Day 1 email template include hand-typed answers to any questions asked from comments and/or vehicle pricing Day 1 Request to Text Sent from the CRM, & TCPA compliant Day 2 Phone Call(s) At least one, but up to two especially if only one call made on Day 1 Day 2 AUTOMATED email
Day 3 Phone Call Day 3 Request to Text Sent from the CRM, & TCPA compliant Day 4 AUTOMATED email Day 4 Phone Call Day 5 Phone Call Day 7 Manager Phone Call Day 8 AUTOMATED email Day 10 Phone Call Day 14 AUTOMATED email Day 15 Phone Call Day 20 AUTOMATED email Day 28 AUTOMATED email Day 34 AUTOMATED email Day 45 AUTOMATED email After 45 days, Non-Responsive Prospects should be moved to an Active Broadcast status, meaning they will receive no more than one email each month with a sales call-to-action including specials and special offers. To minimize the likelihood of being labeled a spammer, no additional communications should be sent to this group; and if the dealer chooses, they may decide to mark these prospects Lost and send them no further communications after these 45 days.
DAY 1 2018 AUTO-RESPONSE (GENERIC) [Don t overthink the Auto-Response. There are stats out there that say an auto-response sent during working hours is unnecessary. Our data shows that sending a bad auto-response (at any time) is a bad thing, but that an auto-response like the one below will increase the chances that the prospect will take your first phone call.] SUBJECT: Confirmation from <DEALER NAME> Hi <FIRST NAME>, Thank you for contacting <DEALER NAME>. This is an automated response to let you know we ve received your online request for the <YEAR> <MODEL>, and an appointment coordinator will contact you shortly to schedule your Priority Test Drive. We re genuinely excited to help you in your vehicle search. At <DEALER NAME>, we re well known for providing a true no-hassle buying experience every time. If you re ready to schedule your Priority Test Drive now, please respond to this email. Otherwise, we will call you (if you provided a phone number) to help you schedule this. If you d prefer, you may call us at any time at <DEALER NUMBER>. We look forward to assisting you! Best wishes,
DAY 1 2018 AUTO-RESPONSE (AFTER HOURS) (Note: If your CRM is capable of sending a different auto-response based on your business hours, then you should employ an afterhours auto-response.) SUBJECT: Confirmation from <DEALER NAME> Hi <FIRST NAME>, Thank you for contacting <DEALER NAME>. This is an automated response to let you know we ve received your online request. Our dealership is currently closed, though rest assured one of our appointment coordinators will contact you shortly after we open. Please respond to this email if you re ready to schedule your Priority Test Drive on the <MAKE> <MODEL>. By scheduling this test drive in advance, we will have your vehicle cleaned, gassed and parked right out front so that you can be in and out on your test drive in just a few minutes. If you d prefer to schedule the test drive over the phone, we will call you shortly after we open (if you ve provided a phone number) to help you schedule this. We look forward to assisting you! Best wishes,
DAY 1 VOICEMAIL #1 Hi, this message is for (prospect) and I am calling about (his/her) request about the (vehicle) online. My name is (salesperson), with (dealership) and I have the pricing information on the (vehicle) for you; and will just need a couple of minutes to share it with you. Would you please call me back today at (number)? Once again that is (number). And don t worry (prospect), I ll call you later if you do not have an opportunity to call back. Thank you and talk to you soon. DAY 1 VOICEMAIL #2 Hello again (prospect), this is (salesperson) calling back from (dealership). I wanted to leave you a message because I am going home for the day and did not want you to call back and miss me. I will be back in the office tomorrow at (time) and can go over the information about the (vehicle) if you d like to call me then. As a reminder, my number is (number). Once again that s (number). Don t worry (prospect) if you don t reach me, as I will definitely call you again tomorrow. Thank you and talk to you soon.
DAY 1 TEXT MESSAGE REQUEST TO TEXT (NOTE: Dealers should defer to their own legal counsel for advice on texting to prospects who ve yet to expressly opt-in. Additionally, dealers should only allow texting from their CRM tool within the guidelines provided by that vendor.) TEXT: (dealer name) is confirming request to send text messages. Reply YES to allow; HELP for help; or STOP to stop. Message & data rates may apply.
DAY 1 IS THIS CORRECT? (NOTE: This email in the 2018 process because it does a good job of starting a dialog, though we ve found that it sometimes can get in the way of sending the price email after the first phone call attempt. Consider this email as an option for your team especially if you are still of the mindset that the price email should be held until later on Day 1 or even Day 2. Additionally, when a prospect responds with simply yes to this email, this should not count as a reconnection and the prospect should be kept in this non-contacted process until a genuine discussion begins.) SUBJECT: <FIRST NAME>, is this correct? Hi <FIRST NAME>, My name is <SALESPERSON NAME> and I am the Appointment Coordinator at <DEALER NAME>. I appreciate the chance to assist you with your purchase though I ve learned it's better to be safe than sorry so I always try to verify contact information first. Is this a good email to send information to? By the way, if you re looking to save time and avoid waiting around, I recommend you let me schedule a Priority Test Drive for you. This way, we ll have your <YEAR> <MODEL> out front and ready to go when you arrive. If you re ready to schedule that, please give me a call today at <SALESPERSON NUMBER>. Thank you!
DAY 1 PRICE FOR A NEW TRIM-SPECIFIC OR VIN-SPECIFIC VEHICLE (Note: This email must be manually edited & proofed before sending and the WINDOW STICKER for the vehicle of interest should be attached, if possible. Also, the alternate vehicles offered MUST BE PRICED BELOW THE VEHICLE OF INTEREST. A best practice is to include one new vehicle and one better-equipped used vehicle as your two alternates.) SUBJECT: Requested Pricing for your <YEAR> <MAKE> <MODEL> from <DEALER NAME> Hi <FIRST NAME>, I would personally like to thank you for contacting <DEALER NAME> I cannot wait to help you with your vehicle search! Your information request indicated you were interested in the <YEAR> <MAKE> <MODEL>: <Vehicle of Interest Year, Make, Model Stock Number MSRP/Book, Internet Price> You are absolutely going to love this <BODY STYLE>! Of course, with our Lowest Price Guarantee you are always assured of the best deal with no hassles when you buy from us. (For your convenience, I also attached the window sticker for this <MODEL>.) I took a quick look at our inventory for you and found a couple of other options that might also meet your needs: <Alternate Vehicle 1 Year, Make, Model Stock Number MSRP/Book, Internet Price> <Alternate Vehicle 2 Year, Make, Model Stock Number MSRP/Book, Internet Price> I am anxious to schedule your Priority Test Drive at our state-of-the-art facility. Please call me today at <SALESPERSON NUMBER> and I promise to get you in and out in no time. Best wishes,
DAY 1 PRICE RANGE FOR NEW VEHICLE (Note: This email must be manually edited & proofed before sending. It is most often used when you don t have a trim- or VIN-specific vehicle of interest.) SUBJECT: Requested Pricing for your <YEAR> <MAKE> <MODEL> from <DEALER NAME> Hi <FIRST NAME>, I would personally like to thank you for contacting <DEALER NAME> I cannot wait to help you with your vehicle search! Your information request indicated you were interested in the <YEAR> <MAKE> <MODEL>: <Vehicle of Interest Year, Make, Model MSRP Range, Internet Price Range> You are absolutely going to love this <BODY STYLE>! Of course, with our Lowest Price Guarantee you are always assured of the best deal when you buy from us. I am anxious to schedule your Priority Test Drive at our state-of-the-art facility. Please call me today at <SALESPERSON NUMBER> and I promise to get you in and out in no time. Best wishes,
DAY 1 PRICE FOR A USED VEHICLE (Note: This email must be manually edited & proofed before sending.) SUBJECT: Requested Pricing for your <YEAR> <MAKE> <MODEL> from <DEALER NAME> Hi <FIRST NAME>, I would personally like to thank you for contacting <DEALER NAME> I cannot wait to help you with your vehicle search! Your information request indicated you were interested in the <YEAR> <MAKE> <MODEL>: <Vehicle of Interest Year, Make, Model Stock Number MSRP/Book, Internet Price> You are absolutely going to love this <BODY STYLE>! Of course, with our Lowest Price Guarantee you are always assured of the best deal when you buy from us. Of course, at this price, the <MODEL> won t be on our lot for very long, so I am anxious to schedule your Priority Test Drive at our state-of-the-art facility. Please call me today at <SALESPERSON NUMBER> and I promise to get you in and out in no time. Best wishes,
DAY 1 NON-SPECIFIC USED VEHICLE (Note: This email must be manually edited & proofed before sending.) SUBJECT: Your <YEAR> <MAKE> <MODEL> Request Hi <FIRST NAME>, I would personally like to thank you for contacting <DEALER NAME> I cannot wait to help you with your vehicle search! Your information request indicated you were interested in a <YEAR> <MAKE> <MODEL>: As one of the state s top dealers, we have access to vehicles from coast-to-coast, including those at vehicle auctions that are closed to the public. I m going to work overtime to find the perfect <MAKE> <MODEL> for you, though I did want to hop on the phone to be sure I have all the information I need to properly assist you. Please call me today at <SALESPERSON NUMBER> so I can gather just a bit more information. Best wishes,
DAY 2 VOICEMAIL #1 OPTION 1 Good morning (prospect), this is (salesperson) from (dealership) and I am so excited to help you schedule a no-hassle priority test drive for the (vehicle) you asked about. Would you please call me back at (number)? Once again that is (number). And don t worry (prospect), I ll call you later if you do not have an opportunity to call back. Thank you and talk to you soon. DAY 2 VOICEMAIL #1 OPTION 2 Good morning (prospect), this is (salesperson) from (dealership) and I have some additional information about the (vehicle) that I wanted to share with you. Would you please call me back at (number)? Once again that is (number). And don t worry (prospect), I ll call you later if you do not have an opportunity to call back. Thank you and talk to you soon. DAY 2 VOICEMAIL #2 (NEW CARS) Hi (prospect), this is (salesperson) from (dealership) and I wanted to touch base with you on the (vehicle) you asked about. I wanted to know when we could schedule a priority test drive for you? I think you re going to absolutely love the all new (vehicle)! With a priority test drive, we ll have the (vehicle) parked out front for you so that you can get in and out on your test drive in just a few minutes. Would you do me the courtesy of a return call at (number)? Once again that is (number). And don t worry (prospect), I ll keep trying you if you do not have an opportunity to phone me. Thank you and talk to you soon. DAY 2 VOICEMAIL #2 (USED CARS) Hi (prospect), this is (salesperson) from (dealership) and I wanted to touch base with you on the (vehicle) you asked about. I wanted to know when we could schedule a priority test drive for you? This is a really nice (vehicle) and I m sure it won t last at that price. With a priority test drive, we ll have the (vehicle) parked out front for you so that you can get in and out on your test drive in just a few minutes. Would you do me the courtesy of a return call at (number)? Once again that is (number). And don t worry (prospect), I ll keep trying you if you do not have an opportunity to phone me. Thank you and talk to you soon.
DAY 2 SCHEDULE TEST DRIVE SUBJECT: Test Drive Scheduled for the <YEAR> <MODEL> Hi <FIRST NAME>, My apologies that I haven t been able to reach you in person, but I wanted to let you know we ve scheduled a Priority Test Drive for you in the <YEAR> <MODEL>. I ve reserved today at 1:45 PM for you to come in and inspect the <MODEL> you asked about. If this is not convenient for you, please call me as soon as possible at <SALESPERSON NUMBER> so that we can block out something that works better for you. By scheduling a Priority Test Drive in advance, we ll be sure to have your <MODEL> parked out front and reserved for you, so that you can be on your test drive within minutes of your arrival. Our customers love this, because it really gives them a true no-hassle way to shop for cars. Best wishes,
DAY 3 VOICEMAIL Hi it s (salesperson) from (dealership) and I m trying to reach (prospect), but I think I must have the wrong number. I m calling about the information (prospect) requested about the (vehicle), but none of my emails or voicemails seem to be getting to (him/her). I just wanted to be sure I have the correct number and email address, and I certainly don t want to keep bothering you if this is not (prospect s) number. Could you please let me know if I have the correct information? I would really appreciate it. My number is (number). Once again it s (number). Thanks and have a great day.
DAY 3 TEXT MESSAGE REQUEST TO TEXT (NOTE: Dealers should defer to their own legal counsel for advice on texting to prospects who ve yet to expressly opt-in. Additionally, dealers should only allow texting from their CRM tool within the guidelines provided by that vendor.) TEXT: (dealer name) is confirming request to send text messages. Reply YES to allow; HELP for help; or STOP to stop. Message & data rates may apply.
DAY 4 VOICEMAIL (NEW CARS) Hello again (prospect), this is (salesperson) calling back from (dealership). I wanted to let you know that the current factory incentives on the (vehicle) expire soon. We re not sure what (OEM) is going to do after that, as the inventories appear to be coming down. Anyway (prospect), please call me back so that we can schedule a quick test drive on the (vehicle) and then look at how these incentives might make a difference. My number is (number). Once again that s (number). And don t worry if you can t reach me right away, I ll try you again later. Thanks and talk to you soon. DAY 4 VOICEMAIL (USED CARS) Hello again (prospect), this is (salesperson) calling back from (dealership). I wanted to let you know that we recently got some great trade-ins that you might be interested in. Anyway (prospect), please call me back so that we can schedule a no hassle, priority appointment for you and look at these new arrivals. My number is (number). Once again that s (number). Thanks and talk to you soon.
DAY 4 SALES MANAGER EMAIL (Note: You will need to add the sales manager s phone number to this email if it does not automatically appear in the signature line.) SUBJECT: Quick Question Dear <FIRST NAME>, I m not sure why my team has been unable to reach you; though rest assured that we will keep trying. Is there a particular reason we haven t connected yet? If you re still looking for information on the <YEAR> <MODEL>, I wanted to offer you my personal assistance. As the Sales Manager for <DEALER NAME>, I have the ability to answer your questions and make any decisions that need to be made. Please call me or <SALESPERSON NAME> (your Customer Service Coordinator) today to reschedule your Priority Test Drive; or, please provide us with a time to reach you. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you. Sincerely,
DAY 5 MANAGER VOICEMAIL Hi (prospect), this is (name) and I m the (title) at (dealership). I m trying to reach you to let you we re excited about the opportunity to help you find the right (body style or Model), but it looks like we ve so far dropped the ball. Can you call me back today at (number) so that I can make sure you receive all the information you need? Also, I would consider it a personal favor if you would let me know why we ve failed to set a priority test drive for you. So, again (prospect) my number is (number); I will await your call.
DAY 7 VOICEMAIL Hi (prospect), this is (salesperson) checking back from (dealership) to see if you have some time to go over your request for information on the (vehicle). I m sure you re busy, but I feel like I m being a pest since I ve left several messages, but haven t heard back from you. If there is something I ve done to offend you, please let me know and I will hand your folder over to another coordinator who can help. I definitely don t want to be the reason you don t buy from us. Please call and let me know either way, okay (prospect)? My number is (number). Once again that s (number). Thank you and talk to you soon.
DAY 8 SHAME ATTEMPT SUBJECT: My apologies, <FIRST NAME> Dear <FIRST NAME>, I m sure you re busy, but I feel like I m being a pest since I ve left several messages and sent several emails, but haven t heard back from you. Can you tell me if you re still in the market for a <MODEL>? Also, if there is something I ve done to offend you, please let me know and I will hand your folder over to another coordinator who can help. I definitely don t want to be the reason you don t buy from us. Please call and let me know either way. My number is <SALESPERSON NUMBER>. Thanks and best wishes,
DAY 10 VOICEMAIL Hi (prospect), this is (salesperson) from (dealership) and I wanted to touch base with you on the (vehicle) you asked about. I wanted to know when we could schedule a priority test drive for you. By scheduling a priority test drive in advance, we ll have your (vehicle) cleaned and parked out front reserved for you so you can be in and out on your test drive within a few minutes. Would you do me the courtesy of a return call today at (number)? Once again that is (number). And don t worry (prospect), I ll call back if you do not have an opportunity to phone me. Thank you and talk to you soon.
DAY 14 NOT ABLE TO REACH YOU SUBJECT: Call Me Hi <FIRST NAME>, My apologies; although I ve desperately tried to reach you over the last two weeks, we haven t been able to connect. I have some news about the <YEAR> <MODEL> you asked about. Can you call me today at <SALESPERSON NUMBER>; or can you give me a better number or time to call you? Best wishes,
DAY 15 VOICEMAIL Hi (prospect), this is (salesperson) with (dealership) and I didn t know if you d had a chance to review any of the emails I ve sent over the past couple of weeks. As the appointment coordinator, my only job is to make sure you get all the information you need and that you are able to schedule a no-hassle, priority test drive when it s convenient for you. Can you take a minute and call me back today, (prospect)? My number is (number). Once again that s (number). Thank you and I truly look forward to speaking with you.
DAY 20 NEW CHOICES SUBJECT: I think I found what you were looking for Hi <FIRST NAME>, Before I left work last night, I checked to see if we had received any vehicles since your original request that would be a good fit for you. I also wanted to see what new deals were available for you. I found both! If you have a moment for a call I can go over them with you quickly. What time today would work for a quick call? Thanks and talk to you soon,
DAY 28 QUICK QUESTION SUBJECT: Quick Question Hey <FIRST NAME>, I ve got a quick question about your request for the <YEAR> <MODEL>. Can you call me today at <SALESPERSON NUMBER>? I promise to be brief. Thanks,
DAY 34 SHAME ATTEMPT #2 I GIVE UP SUBJECT: I give up, <FIRST NAME> Hi <FIRST NAME>, I realized today that I ve been calling and emailing you for over a month, and have never heard back from you. I m ready to give up; but I really, really want to help you buy your next vehicle. Can you at least tell me this: What could I have done differently? Whatever it is, if I ve offended you, then I am sincerely sorry. Can you call me today and at least let me know where you are in your vehicle search? I can be reached at <SALESPERSON NUMBER>, and I am anxiously awaiting your call. Best wishes,
DAY 45 HELP US HIT OUR QUOTA SUBJECT: We re trying to hit a quota can you help me out? Hi <FIRST NAME>, Our team is furiously trying to hit our quota this month, because it will mean a great deal to us and our dealership. Plus, it means the deals we re writing for our new and used inventory are pretty much unheard of. Please call me today at <SALESPERSON NUMBER>, and we can schedule a time for you to come in for a no-hassle priority test drive. With a priority test drive scheduled in advance, we ll have your vehicle reserved for you and ready to go no hassles and no waiting; just in and out on your test drive. Plus, with our drive for a record month, we re going to make you a great deal! I look forward to your call. Best wishes,