If you’ve been noticing that your leads aren’t converting or that you aren’t getting enough inquiries in the first place, it’s time to take a look at what’s going wrong. The good news is that with the right strategy and strong CRM software in place, most issues are entirely fixable.
In this article, we’ll break down why your lead generation strategies might be failing and how to turn things around with effective tactics that work.
You’re Using Outdated Tactics
If your lead generation approach hasn’t changed in years, that could be part of the issue. Cold calling and generic email blasts aren’t as effective as they used to be. Customers today expect personalized messages, and they will usually go elsewhere if you don’t provide that.
Here, we cover a few ways you can modernize your strategy.
Try Digital MarketingTry using social media ads and PPC campaigns to reach car buyers where they spend most of their time. You can also incorporate the best SEO tactics into your website to drive more organic traffic.
Use AIAI tools like chatbots on your website can interact with visitors for you and capture their information. 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 messages.
Create Targeted EmailsInstead of blasting the same message to everyone, segment your audience depending on where they are in the sales funnel and use this information to personalize each of your messages. The more a message speaks to where a person is in the car-buying process right now, the more likely they are to take interest.
Your Website Isn’t Effective
Your website can be a powerful part of your lead generation strategy if it’s used correctly. However, if it’s slow, outdated, or difficult to navigate, visitors will leave before they even consider visiting your dealership.
To fix it, make sure you check your load times, use clear CTAs, and install forms that convert well.
Check Load TimesCustomers won’t wait around for slow pages to load. To improve load times, you should make sure your image sizes aren’t too large and get rid of unnecessary scripts.
Use Clear Calls to Action (CTAs)A CTA is a prompt that encourages a person to take a specific action. For example, a good CTA might be “Schedule a Test Drive Today.” On your website, it should be easy for visitors to take the next step, whether that’s scheduling a test drive, applying for financing, or something else. You can look at CTA examples to get an idea of how you might word yours.
Create High-Converting FormsKeep your lead forms simple, ideally only asking for a person’s name and one other item, such as their email or phone number. Asking for only the essential information can make people more likely to fill out a form and can improve your overall lead-generation strategy.
You’re Not Following Up Quickly Enough
One study found that contacting a potential customer within five minutes of their inquiry increases the chance that they’ll convert 100 times compared to waiting just 30 minutes. This means an inquiry is only valuable if you act on it quickly. If your team takes days to respond, chances are the customer has already moved on to another dealership, and it could be the cause of your failing lead generation.
Of course, for many car dealerships, responding to every inquiry within five minutes is unrealistic. That’s where AI automation can help. Automotive software powered by artificial intelligence can automatically reply and follow up with people so that every inquiry gets attention without adding to your workload.
Your Social Media Presence Could Be Better
Social media is great if you’re looking for lead gen that works, and if you’re not yet using platforms like Instagram and Facebook, now is a great time to start. Of course, simply having a Facebook page isn’t enough. You’ll also need to be active to draw in new customers.
Post ConsistentlyShare updates regularly. We suggest starting by posting 2-3 times a week and increasing your rate from there.
Run Video AdsOn average, video ads have a 25 percent higher impression rate than static ads since they grab attention fast and keep people interested longer. Video ads are great for showing off vehicle features and creating an emotional connection with potential buyers.
Create a Nurturing StrategyGetting a new prospect through social media is a great first step, but if you don’t have a solid nurturing strategy in place, you may end up losing those individuals. To get started, look into CRM software that can automatically reply and follow up with prospective buyers for you.
You’re Not Offering Enough Value Upfront
Consumers are wary of sales pitches, but they love helpful content. If you focus only on selling, it may lead to failure in attracting potential customers.
To fix this, try creating informative content, offering free resources, and hosting live webinars.
Create Helpful ContentThere’s a lot your dealership can teach people about cars and the car-buying process. Try making blog posts or guides about car-buying tips.
Offer Free Resources If you want to fix lead gen failure, offer things like trade-in calculators and free e-books.
Host Live Q&AsHost a live Q&A on your social media to answer common car-buying questions in a live setting.
Your Lead Forms Are Too Complicated
If your forms ask for too much information, people will abandon them. Luckily, if your lead generation is failing due to bad forms, it’s a simple fix.
Keep your form short. Make it mobile friendly so that it’s easy to fill out on a smartphone, and use progressive profiling, which means gathering more details over time instead of all at once. The less work people have to do, the more likely they are to fill out your form, and it’s one of the easiest ways to increase your inquiries.
Learn More About How to Fix Failing Lead Gen
Fixing generation failure is possible with the right tools and strategy. If you’re ready to learn more about effective generation, explore TECOBI’s software solutions today.
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