Basic Suggestions

[bassador]

A quick note on the quick quote thing. Our dealership clients had a lot of shoppers out there surfing for quotes. One observant dealership noticed that if the prospect didn't provide a valid phone number on the form, then they were just looking a $number to show around.

We started requiring a name, email address and valid phone number on those forms. The internet sales department would first verify the phone number before discussing prices. The number of "shoppers" declined and the closing ratio increased.

I know it sounds simple, but it worked.

[tbrowder]

Here is a perfect example of a "price quote". Two weeks ago I delivered a new Accord to an attorney from Miami, 4 hours away from my store in Tampa. We had emailed each other back and forth for a week or so when he finally decided to buy from me. When he came to my store and got his car I said "you obviously drove by alot of Honda dealers coming to Tampa, why me?". He said that he first started the process by emailing every Honda dealer in south Florida a request for a price quote on a particular model. Every response he got was vague or no response at all, so he started going farther north, and, at the end of the day, I was the only one that gave him what he wanted, did I have the car and how much was it.
When they get to your site they've done their homework, probably driven the car and all they want is availability and price.
Give 'em what they want and you'll sell more cars!

[lugs]

Hi Folks

My name is Kevin and live in East London Republic of South Africa, were the net has been available for about 18 months.

I am a Sales Consultant in a dealership that has the following products:

1) Nissan:
Sentra,Primera, Maxima, Hardbody ldv's, Terrano11, and I think a unique ldv in little 1400cc. half ton Nissan.

2) Alfa Romeo:
Alfa Romeo 156 2.0lt twin spark,
2.5 24v, 145 twin spark, 3.0lt Gtv, 3.0lt Spider, 166 3.0lt Sportronic.

3) Fiat:
1100cc Uno 3door and 5 door, (New lauched 6th March2000) Project 178 in Palio 3 door 5 door hatchbacks, Siena sedans, and Palio Weekend.

Now for reason for communicating with yourselves is that I have recently set up a website www.datnisnissan.co.za. and I am hoping for some help in getting my local public to become aware of this site by the quickest means. Iam currently using the local
media, and on the back of my company demo, but this seems as if it may take for ever, if there may be some other proven method someone has used it would be appreciated.

Best regards
Kevin

[jimmuntz]

Welcome Kevin-

The best advice I can give you is have patience. If the Net is new to yourself and your customers it will take some time before they are entirely comfortable with using it for car shopping.

You are doing the right things. Here in the U.S. it is very clear that anyone wishing to attract maximum traffic to a Web site, must use traditional media to get the message out.

All advertising should mention your URL. All printed material within the dealership should also carry the URL and email address. Every ad, print or broadcast should mention it. Just be persistent.

Researchers tell us that over 50% of the car buying public will go on the Web to reasearch their purchase. Not all will actually contact a dealer electronically.

Are any of the referral services active in S.A.? At least when you are starting buying Internet leads from a widely advertised lead generator can help you get your dealership's Internet selling skills up to speed.

Please visit often and share with us how it is progressing.

By the way, one of our guest experts, Jeff Sacks is a native South African. Feel free to post a message and say hello. I am certain he would love to hear from someone from "home."



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

[Pat]

I was just cruising websites of our competitors (yes this means you), and just saw the most beutiful thing. After 3 years of working on the Internet I can't believe I never thought of it. I was cruising a site profiled by an online dealers magazine

(sorry not sure if it was yours or theirs

They had put their inventory search on the index page. I mean I have made it easy to get to the inventory, but I mean DUH! I have incorporated that into our site, it only makes sense as one of the most requested features and pages to start em out there. Great Idea!

[lugs]

Hi Jim
jimmuntz@dealersedge.com

Tanks for the words of encouragment.

I am a very patient persons, sometimes to much so.

I love this biz, there is not enough time in the day to sell motor vehicles. I work on my own on Sundays. It must be the pleasure of a satiesfied customer (now a friend) driving out of the doors in their new vehicle.

I have as yet not linked to any other sites, which I am hoping will start taking place shortly.

I do not normally take so long to reply to my mail, it is just that we have recently launched FIATS PROJECT 178 and this has taken up more of my operating time than I expected.

Best Regards

Kevin

[GriffinCars]

I just started our Internet Department 3 months ago and WOW!! I am currently overwhelmed by all the leads that come in and I can't possibly respond to each one like I'd like to. We have 8 different dealerships (Pontiac, GMC, Buick, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Toyota, Chrysler, Olds, Jeep, Dodge and Plymouth) I am responsible for receiving the requests for all the dealerships at one site and then distributing the leads to the appropriate internet representative at each of our dealerhsips. That way the whole organization can be assured that these things will happen:

1. Every morning, first thing, my assistant will print up all of my Auto-by-tel leads, send the initial template email and enter the lead into our Internet Lead Database (created simply by using Microsoft Access).

2. She then 3-hole puches it and places it in my 3-ring binder of Internet Leads. I start at the beginning and start calling. Quickly eliminating leads like a 16 year old playing on the internet wanting information about a Trans Am or someone who already purchased a vehicle and just wants to see if they got a good deal is my top priority.

3. When I actually talk to the person and confirm thier request, I have the invoice in my hand. In the beginning I priced everyone at $292 over invoice (our new car pack) so I wouldn't show a loss on these deals. Then I tried something else. I started just discounting the vehicle $500 below MSRP and found that I got the same interest levels. These people want a better system and they'll pay for it. They want a deal too, but I believe the system is what they're after.

These things seem to be working but I'm holding a thimble underneath Niagra Falls right now. I want to turn more of these leads into sales, but I'll admit that after my initial email to these customers sometimes a lot of them don't ever get called. You know how busy we can be.

I'll be at the AROW IV conference in Las Vegas next week. I hope to learn more there. But hey, I'm having fun and looking forward to earning the type of money that I know is waiting for me out there in Net land!

Bob Owen, Internet Sales Manager
Griffin Motor Company
Monroe, North Carolina
(704) 242-1059

[Andy P]

Bob, I hear you! I only have 3 franchises but they are Toyota, VW and Jeep. I get swamped everyday! We are still new (1 1/2 months) and I am still alone in this department but we are hiring an assistant to help with things. I did well last month all things considered but I can definetly see the potential for bigger and better. I started reading the letters in this forum a couple of days ago and I've gotten some very good insight. Thanks Pat! I hope I can learn from your experience! I will continue to read hear and maybe I will be able to put in my two cents when I get that far.
Andy

[Steve Blake]

Hello everyone. I might be considered the exception to the rule hear as I have managed our dealer's web presence for over two years now.

I am also somewhat involved in training dealers on how to successfully retail on the Web, via a private site that I operate for Ford, Lincoln Mercury dealers.

I am in full disagreement of dealers using services such as Autobytel. If a dealer markets themselves properly with an excellent site and responds quickly to inquiries, you do not need those services.

I have built up our site to be one of the most popular Ford dealers on the Internet.
If you have any questions regarding site design, content issues, selling or marketing online, please feel free to drop me an email at sblakesr@yahoo.com.


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Steve Blake
sblakesr@yahoo.com www.gabusford.com www.flmdealer.com

[This message has been edited by Steve Blake (edited 04-06-2000).]

[Andy P]

Steve, I agree with you that at some point I need to make the move from the buying services to just my site plus the manufacturers sites but for now, being new and my paycheck depending on it, I have to use them. It's not that I like them but that I feel I need them. Does anybody else feel that way?

Andy Patton
Internet Manager
Haltermans Toyota/Jeep& VW