Resource Center - Industry Articles
Converting a Lead – The Need for Speed
by Jeff Ward , March 18 2010
Everything else being equal – Speed is the game-changer. Speed is your “not-so-secret” weapon. Speed is a key element in lead conversion maximization.
In the world of sports we hear about the importance of speed from the broadcast announcers as they call a game and we read about its importance in articles written by sports writers in their analysis post-game. You hear phrases like “with his speed they will never catch him” and “their speed on the base paths makes them a dangerous team anytime” and “his lightening fast reflexes makes him one of the best defenders in the league”.
In your dealership you are the team leader….the quarterback. You work at surrounding yourself with the best talent available to run your offense, defense and special teams. As a team you develop processes that are designed to create maximum returns efficiently and consistently. Your team keeps a high level positive attitude and trains hard to become proficient at communication skills, relationship building, conversions, profit maximization, lead development, appointment setting and much more.
When the modern consumer enters “the game”, because they are motivated to purchase a vehicle, they often will begin their journey with a search on the web looking for potential opportunities that match their need-want-desire parameters or they may go straight to your website. Do you know how many unique visitors are reaching your site? How many become leads? What is your percentage of UVs (unique visitors) to lead conversion? Is there an opportunity for improvement in conversion ratios? When they get to your website what do they experience? Are they drawn in deeper into the site? Is it user friendly? Is the site information up-to-date and useful? Are there obvious specials that are current? Let’s assume that all is in perfect order on your functional and attractive website.
When a consumer fills out a form on your website (or a form that reaches your internet sales team from a third party provider) and submits it, how quickly does the team respond? Modern shoppers shop the web like people ten years ago would walk in and out of mall stores. Many consumers will do a quick look-see and within seconds they are off to your competition. To capture these browsers, convert them to appointments and eventual sales it usually comes down to speed – everything else being equal. What if you could simultaneously convert that web lead to a real-time phone call, using text to audio translation technology, and connect the prospective buyer with your best appointment setters? How many more connections, appointments and sales could you make? CallSource’s new Lead2Call® product does just that. In the battle for website lead conversions, using Lead2Call is like bringing a bazooka to a knife fight (remember that scene from Indiana Jones when Harrison Ford shoots the guy with the big knife?). You do not have to play the game with outdated technology or technologies that keep you behind the leaders….or merely at their level of proficiency. You can lead the pack.
In the end, in today’s world, it is important, if not critical, to always consider speed and how it relates to connecting potential buyers of your product to your best people and processes. It is good offense, good defense and always good business.
Jeff Ward is a CallSource Regional Sales Manager and CallSource consultant and President of Rhino Advantage, Inc. Jeff has personally consulted with and supplied cutting edge web-based technologies to more than one thousand franchise auto dealers over the last twelve years. For more information please call 1-888-496-1162 or email Jeff Ward.
