Choosing a lead provider

Choosing a lead provider

Postby andone » Fri May 12, 2000 11:08 am

Just wanted to post a note for users considering a lead provider that may not use or considered CarSmart.com.

Having been an internet manager for a few years myself, I know it's important for the internet sales people to receive quaility leads. CarSmart can provide those type of leads with their positioning and filtration system on their application process.

While not any one provider is the total solution, as an I.S.M. you need to continually evalute your processes and providers of all e-business.

Keep CarSmart.com in mind if considering a new lead provider.
andone
 

Choosing a lead provider

Postby Key Olds » Sun Jun 25, 2000 2:14 pm

I just dropped CarSmart! Granted business is down all around Ohio for alot of dealers. But that shouldnt affect the lead providers, providing they are marketing themselves properly. Logically, you would assume the consumer would be researching the web more during slow periods. If that were the case and the lead providers were consistently in the spotlight with their marketing efforts, the acceptable amount of leads would follow.
This hasn't been the case for me.
I try not to rely so heavily on outside sources to bring destiny to me. Instead I do market my sites very heavily as far as search engine presence (having just achieving #1 on AltaVista for "used"!!) plus updating my inventories daily. I control my sites from content to editing to inventory.
You should too. Feel free to take a look at www.keyolds.com or www.certifiedgmcars.com
Template based driven, yet I have total autonomy...for the most part! Your website is an AD....until they get in it. Then it IS a store. And they are there for information and to review your wares. Your inventory. Control your own destiny.
Key Olds
 

Choosing a lead provider

Postby stcrim » Sun Jul 09, 2000 9:54 pm

Well said Key Olds. Cindy and I are web developers for several dealerships. We discovered that there are really only two important things to having a successful dealership web site - well, four!

1. Make it easy for the customer to request a quote or more information. We developed a quick quote system with completely personalized auto responder. The response appears to be coming from a person. This buys the dealership time for the quote and it avoids the kiss of death "not getting back to the customer quickly". Plus lots of other features.

2. The dealer web site has to be found in order for them to get customers. Search engines are vital - we also use a couple of dozen marketing methods on the local level.

3. This one goes back to number one. "GET BACK TO THE CUSTOMER QUICKLY" and if you don't, don't waste your money on the internet. Our quick quote system sends out a six question survey five days after the quote. One of those question is, "Did we get back to you quickly with the information you want?" Another is: "Was our web site helpful? It's incredible what your web customers will tell you if you just ask them.

4. Make the dealer web site extremely easy to get around in and never have any hot links that lead people off your site - they'll leave soon enough without your help.

Lead providers will be a thing of the past when dealers discover they really can generate and handle the same leads for themselves.

Steve
stcrim@prodigy.net
stcrim
 

Choosing a lead provider

Postby Andone » Mon Jul 10, 2000 1:48 pm

The thing that the last two reviews forget is that the local dealer will never have the market reach as on of the top 3-4 lead providers. Those guys will generate MORE qualified leads in a day, in your area, than the local dealer will in a few days. That will always continue.

Another point is, "B" lines such as Oldsmobile don't do anything across the country on the internet anyway, so deriving value for that line is extremely difficult in any capacity.

Also if you want to be listed with every other dealer in the area, use the search engines....there is no exclusivity in that, who cares if your listed at the top, that's not value. Theres a bunch of others listed also.

As stated in other discussions, having a top notch website is important, but it will not be the only tool, in the e-business toolbox, for dealers. As for processes and implementation, that's another topic......
Andone
 

Choosing a lead provider

Postby jimmuntz » Mon Jul 10, 2000 2:30 pm

We try to police the postings on all our discussion boards to remove any inappropriate or purely marketing motivated messages. The lead posting in this string is one that we considered removing. The follow up comments convinced us that we were correct in leaving it up- allowing other members the opportunity to express themselves. In every case, forum readers should, for themselves, consider any potential bias of the participant. Please don't take offense at my comments- we make no value judgments except as we believe that they will impact the usefullness of this forum.

------------------
Jim Muntz
Publisher WD&S Publishing
jimmuntz@dealersedge.com
Phone 800-321-5312
FAX 800-314-4770

[This message has been edited by jimmuntz (edited 07-10-2000).]

jimmuntz
 

Choosing a lead provider

Postby bblackburn » Tue Jul 11, 2000 3:27 pm

With third party lead sources often delivering the same "lead name" we have found them becoming worthless. Our own websites now generate far more leads and a much higher quality lead than any third party lead provider. We define a quality lead as a lead where an actual two way communication can and does take place. We recieve over 1200 leads per month. 70%+ of the leads provided by third parties result in absolutely no return communication of any kind from the person who has requested a "quote" or more information. Get real guys, if we can't communicate with the prospect we will never sell them. Over 90% of the leads from our own websites are qualified based on our definition. Two way communication and sales. The online referral lead providers are quickly going the way of the their real world counterparts, brokers. Consumers are more than willing to get rid of this additional middleman. Good Selling!
bblackburn
 

Choosing a lead provider

Postby jimmuntz » Tue Jul 11, 2000 3:41 pm

At DealersEdge and the Auto Retailing on the Web newsletter, we have long contended that lead providers will eventually die away. However, until dealers can actually produce the kind of quality leads from their own Web sites - (as described by bblackburn above) - then the lead generators will remain a factor. Our readers tell us over and over again that leads from their own sites are of much greater quality. You guys are getting better and eventually you will win in spite of all the efforts of those who are trying to steal your customers.

------------------
Jim Muntz
Publisher WD&S Publishing
jimmuntz@dealersedge.com
Phone 800-321-5312
FAX 800-314-4770

jimmuntz
 

Choosing a lead provider

Postby stcrim » Wed Jul 12, 2000 2:55 pm

Jim,

Our experience is, most automobile web sites are run by companies like "Cobalt" that don't have time to participate in the marketing part (or for that matter even keeping the site fresh and new) or by mom and pop site builders who don't know how to deal with online marketing.

An automobile site needs to be ever changing, offer printable coupons for service and internet sales, have a mailing list where service specials can be offered at the drop of a hat. Going to do an off site sale, got 10,000 people in your e-mail list - mailing them is free - "FREE"

The internet customer already knows how vehicles are priced - treat him or her with the old school of thought and you might as well just ask them to leave, they won't be as insulted as they are with the pricing game. Remember, they already know how it's played.

Lead Providers are very good at networking like amazon.com did and does. They pay sites a bounty for quailfied leads and turn around and sell them to dealers.

A dealer can easily do the same thing in their own area without paying for it - through a link or banner exchange with local, non-competing web sites. The lady who looks at the web site for your local quilt shop drives a car, doesn't she?

Every envelope you send out needs to have your web address on the back of it (where it's opened). Your company shirts "must" have your web address on them. (they will be seen everytime someone wearing one goes anywhere...)

And this is just the tip of the iceberg for what you can do to market your site with little or no cost involved.

Local radio and TV web sites love link exchanges - it cost nothing and provides you both with traffic...

Sit down with your team for an hour and brainstorm.

Steve
stcrim@prodigy.net

[This message has been edited by stcrim (edited 07-12-2000).]

[This message has been edited by stcrim (edited 07-12-2000).]

stcrim
 

Choosing a lead provider

Postby andone » Thu Jul 27, 2000 1:07 pm

Your Attention Please! This just in. The big 5 automakers, and several others, have just inked deals with several of the top lead providers to mine their data in real time. They are using this data in their B.T.O. (Build to Order)or B.T.D. designs for the production plants coming soon,according to Ford Motor Co. in 2002.
This means that the manufacturers find the lead providers very valuable and don't forsee these top providers going away any time soon.

It also will allow a more efficient way to facilitate the requests for the dealers, as the manufactures are closer to the knowledge of what the end consumer wants, they are able to more accuratley build the vehicles being requsted in real time and get them to the dealers in a much more efficient manner.
The millions of requests being sent monthly through the major portal sites is to much info. to just try and turn through the local dealers. The VAST majority of the researching and buying public are going through these portal sites according to J.D. Power as of June! It's important, pick your provider carefully and have enough support to work your programs effectively.
andone
 

Choosing a lead provider

Postby WebManager » Sun Aug 06, 2000 9:57 am

Can someone give me a list of lead providers. How much does it cost and how good are the leads? I have had no success with lead providers.
WebManager
 

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