Even if you have all the leads in the world, if they’re not converting, it does you no good. The good news? With smart lead generation strategies, you can turn casual prospects into loyal customers.
In this article, we’ll look at the most effective auto lead generation strategies for dealerships, as well as how you can use a few simple lead generation techniques paired with the right tools to increase your conversions.
Understand Your Audience
Before you think about starting new lead generation strategies, you need to know who you’re targeting. Who are your ideal customers? What are their pain points? What type of vehicle are they looking for?
Understanding your audience means you can come up with messages that speak to them. To do this, you’ll want to use insights from website analytics and customer feedback. If you have strong CRM software in place, much of this can be automated. The more you know about your leads, the easier it is to nurture them into buyers.
Create High-Quality Auto Lead Generation Content
Content marketing is one of the most powerful lead-generation techniques you can use. When you give people valuable content, you build trust and establish yourself as an authority in your industry.
Think about what type of content will attract your ideal car buyer. Blog posts, videos, infographics, and eBooks can all serve as lead magnets, which is a marketing term that refers to free resources you can give away in exchange for people’s information. If you’re able to give people resources in exchange for their contact information, you’ll be able to capture leads who are interested in what you have to say.
Use Email Marketing to Nurture Leads
A good email marketing strategy means crafting a sequence of emails that will guide potential customers through your sales funnel.
Generally, we suggest starting with a welcome email that introduces your brand and offers value from the get-go. For example, you could send an email that describes your commitment to customer service and offers people a free oil change when they take some sort of action. From there, use automated follow-ups to nurture leads with testimonials from other happy customers. Keep your emails personal and add videos or stories occasionally since nobody wants to read a boring sales pitch.
Not sure how to automate email follow-ups? TECOBI’s CRM software takes care of the process for you.
Use Social Media for Auto Lead Generation
Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow you to connect with potential customers and drive them toward making a purchase. When you choose to market on social media, you can go two routes, either paid or organic. For organic reach, you’ll want to post consistently and take advantage of higher-performing forms of content like videos and reels. Additionally, you can try running ads, engaging people in conversation, and using lead-generation forms that are available directly on social media platforms.
Keep in mind that the type of content you post will change depending on the platform since different users expect different types of content. No matter which platform you’re using, the goal is to create content that feels organic rather than overly promotional, and when done right, social media can be a steady source of hot leads.
Optimize Your Website for Conversions
Your website can be one of your best lead generators if it’s set up right. Make sure you use clear call to action (CTA) buttons, make your contact forms simple and easy to fill out, add testimonials for social proof, and use live chat to help answer people’s questions in real time.
Here at TECOBI, we’ve designed the TECOBI Auto Bot to help car dealerships automate things like online chats and follow-ups in the car sale process. Our bot not only re-engages conversations with smart follow-ups, but it can also reach out to older leads with personalized interactions.
Use Paid Ads as Part of Your Smart Lead Generation Strategy
While organic strategies are great, paid lead generation allows you to target specific audiences and get instant visibility. You can launch a campaign today and start getting leads within hours. It’s also highly scalable, meaning if something is working, you can increase your budget and get even more results.
If you choose to try paid advertising like social media ads or Google PPC, make sure your ads are targeted, well-designed, and have a clear call to action. Test different ad variations to see what works best with your audience. A great paid ad campaign can bring in high-quality leads who are ready to buy.
Analyze Your Lead Generation Techniques
The best way to improve your lead generation techniques is to track your results. Monitor metrics like conversion rates, bounce rates, and customer acquisition costs, and then use this data to tweak your approach. If something isn’t working, test new strategies. The more you work on your methods, the more leads you’ll turn into buyers.
Use Tools to Improve Conversions
Many dealerships lose potential customers simply because they don’t follow up. Leads need multiple touchpoints before making a purchase, and you can make sure this happens by setting up automated follow-ups using email or SMS.
Don’t have the time to follow up with each lead personally? Having the right software in place can help. At TECOBI, our CRM system is built to capture leads and follow up automatically, so no one slips through the cracks.
Learn More About Smart Lead Generation Strategies
By using smart lead generation strategies, you can boost your conversion rates and drive more sales. No matter which method you choose, having an AI-powered CRM system in place can improve the way you do business. Here at TECOBI, we’ve developed intuitive AI-driven automotive CRM software that allows you to divide leads based on their stage in the sales funnel, track conversations, automate follow-ups, and more. To learn more about how you can include our software in your marketing, contact us today.
