In today’s high speed world, it is important to remember that “How your customers feel is the critical link in making a sale.” Especially when using the internet.
Sure, speed of contact is important. But it’s your message that begins creating the relationship with the customer. Price and terms become variables only after someone likes you. The question is “How Can You Make Someone Like You Using Email”?
The number one reason people do business with someone is because they like them! Most dealers would never employ a salesperson that was rude to customers, right? A salesperson’s ability to quickly develop rapport is their most important skill.
Internet sales departments are no different. Unfortunately for many dealerships their internet sales departments have never learned how to apply the same rapport building skills used in person to their emails. That’s what we teach at Don’t Hit Send.
When someone sends you an email or text they give you many clues on how they like to be communicated with. We teach sales departments how to recognize these clues to build better relationships quickly. At the 14th Digital Dealer Conference we will teach three secrets to creating great emails that sell cars.
Many dealerships use templates in their automated response systems. There is a lot of great technology to select from. The breakdowns most dealership experience is NOT due to the technology. It is a result of poor messaging. Poor messaging comes in several forms:
- Too much information
- The wrong Information
- Too many emails
- A call to action too soon
- A perceived lack of listening and caring
Selling more vehicles using email and text is easy once you realize you are in the Communication and Relationship business. The auto industry today is about connecting with your customers at “their level.”
For dealerships that use templates in their auto-responders, special attention needs to placed on the messages. In many dealerships the messages used have been created by their marketing departments or salespeople. Unfortunately most marketing and salespeople are not communication experts. Not from the standpoint of using email and text to develop relationships.
The truth is, people are very predictable. Communication with customers needs to be personal in nature. Stepping into someone’s phone or email is like walking into their home. Maybe we should treat email and text with that kind of respect! If you do… you will sell more vehicles!
In many industries, communication experts are being engaged to develop and train sales and marketing teams on how to connect with their customers faster. Learning how to connect with customers “virtually” (using text & email) includes learning “What Not to Do”.
By simply stopping the common mistakes most dealerships make daily – your internet sales will increase dramatically.
Your message to a potential customer will either attract or repel them. If your conversion rates are not where you want them, start at the basics and look at your message. Here are two things potential customers don’t care about in an email message:
- What your dealership looks like
- How outstanding your customer service is
Most dealerships include these two items in their virtual communication with customers.
So how is your internet sales team doing? For fun, secret shop your own internet sales team and bring a copy of the results. The members of our Don’t Hit Send team are virtual communication experts. We’ll let you know.
We are going to help you and your dealership make more sales by creating better messages!
Michael Carrigan will teach email marketing during the session How To Write Email Messages That Really Work! at the 14th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition.
