Amidst an ever-changing car industry, one critical thing remains the same: the importance of car sales lead generation. Potential customers conduct most of their research online (as discussed below) and no longer rely on salespeople for information. Dealers nationwide must develop a strategy to meet consumers where they are rather than wait for them to arrive in the showroom. 

However, not all dealers are positioned to create digital marketing strategies to connect with potential buyers remotely. This article discusses seven strategies for car sales lead generation that dealers might employ to attract more customers. 

Car Sales Lead Generation: 7 Strategies 

1. Integrate the Best CRM (Customer Relationship Management) Tool 

Dealers can simplify workflow monitoring and lead follow-ups with the right CRM tool and manage each stage of the customer relationship via a sales funnel. The best approach for managers to assign, interact, and follow up with each dealership lead is through these CRM interfaces. As a result, a dealership can benefit from higher conversion rates at a more affordable marketing cost. 

2. Design a Mobile-Friendly Website 

Younger customers are more likely to use a mobile device to access a dealership website. As a result, dealers should confirm that the website is compatible with all mobile devices. Design teams can promote mobile friendliness by using the following guidelines. 

• Using brief, concise paragraphs 
• Avoiding small print 
• Periodically testing and verifying the website’s mobile responsiveness 
  
  

3. Write SEO-Driven Blogs 

People considering a vehicle purchase typically conduct extensive web research before stepping inside a showroom. Dealers can capture more of this audience by creating SEO-driven blog posts that appear early in search engine results and boost the website’s visibility. 

The following steps can help dealers generate SEO-optimized blogs that increase website traffic: 

• Focus on thought leadership, not selling 
• Include problem-solving content that addresses typical customer pain points 
• Enrich the text with popular keywords (words and phrases the target customer base is likely to enter during an internet search) 
• Finish the article with a call to action 
  
  

4. Increase the Community Presence 

Dealerships can increase their popularity in the community by sponsoring and hosting local events and cross-promoting with other local businesses. These strategies might include the following: 

• Supporting local college, high school, and amateur sports teams 
• Contributing to and volunteering at charity events 
• Offering gift cards to a nearby store after scheduling a test-drive 
  
  

5. Offer Incentives in Exchange for Contact Information  

Email campaigns are almost always a reliable lead source, but customers typically will only provide their contact information after coaxing, even if they intend to buy a car. 

To increase response rates, dealers must provide something of value in exchange for emails. Examples include: 

• A prescheduled test-drive 
• Valuable learning materials such as eBooks, whitepapers, and case studies 
• Service discounts 

Additionally, the dealer can always nurture leads by email and phone once they receive the prospect’s contact information, maximizing lead conversion. 

6. Build a Facebook Following 

The most impactful social media channel for auto dealers is Facebook – so it’s critical to grow a sizable following on that specific social media platform. Strategies to do so might include the following: 

• Posting often. Dealers should strive to post at least once daily.  

• Asking questions and requesting feedback. Increasing interaction and quick market research are possible with questions and polls. 

• Incorporating videos. Videos can get people to stop scrolling and focus on the dealer’s content or advertisement. 

• Announce upcoming events like those discussed in section 4 above. Facebook is an effective means for communicating forthcoming events that attract more foot traffic. 
  
  

7. Create a PPC Campaign 

One of the most efficient ways to create leads is through PPC (Pay Per Click) marketing, allowing dealers to geo-target their audience using ad platforms like Twitter, Google, and Facebook. 

Dealers should retain marketing personnel with PPC experience to maximize ROI. These PPC experts can split-test the advertising campaign, determine the best targeting, and reduce the cost for each lead. 

Dealers can run PPC advertisements on social media platforms to target potential customers who express interest in the brand. By finding users who have “liked” a given vehicle page, dealers can generate a profile to run on Facebook that includes the following demographics: 

• Age 
• Gender 
• Location 
• Marital status 
• Family size 
• Liked dealership pages 
  
  

Improved Car Sales Lead Generation Requires the Right Digital Solutions 

Quality leads are the cornerstone of any successful dealership, and with them, you stay a step ahead of competitors in a saturated and fast-paced market. 

However, making the most of lead opportunities means moving away from outdated, in-person marketing and towards today’s more modern digital strategies. And making this transition requires the right CRM tool that helps you decide what information to provide consumers (and when to offer it) by tracking online activity to identify the leads most likely to buy from your lot. 
 
Contact us today and discover how Affinitiv’s XRM can help maximize your car sales lead generation by identifying the right target audience and designing marketing strategies tailored to that audience.