e-mail Repsonse Templates that REALLY Work!

Replies to This ADM Discussion

Permalink Reply by Stan Sher on March 2, 2009 at 6:49pm

Hi...

I have a few that I have used in the past from engaging the customer by asking them for a phone number. I also have emails that should be sent out from a management standpoint because sometimes that second face will trigger a customer to build more faith. It is like a TO email. Any help with wording that you need please feel free to email me or call me. Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by mike lesinski on March 3, 2009 at 1:45pm

It's a little bit of a complicated question you are asking. I am attaching a generic template for consideration for immediate/initial response. You will likely require several iterations of the generic (trade-in identified, incentives identified, vehicle in inventory, etc). So, while there can be variations, the generic does work quite well once you have made allowance for the nuances. Beyond that, subsequent follow-up templates are typically dependent upon a number of variables (ie., current/previous customer or not) and are potentially algorithm driven. That is probably too complex to work through in this forum. Happy to take this offline and talk through any questions, comments or concerns you may have.

Attachments:

• 12_ET_withtags.doc, 28 KB

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Permalink Reply by Stan Sher on March 3, 2009 at 7:30pm

The wording in that template is similar to most email templates. I like that it does not push pressure on the customer. However, emails like that will not trigger the customer to come in. They will have three or more similar templates from other dealerships as well. It is great that you are offering up incentives and choices, it is a nice thing. However, I would offer incentives during a conversation. I would state in the email "based on your information and the vehicle that you are interested in, you qualify for certain incentives that we have available, I would be happy to discuss them with you". Now if you get them on the phone you can mention it. Every email needs to have a purpose of getting the customer on the phone and into the showroom. If you do not give them all of the bait at once they have no reason to respond to you. As you give them a little, they will give you a little back. Less is more...

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Permalink Reply by mike lesinski on March 4, 2009 at 6:35am

As mentioned, it is a bit complicated, you will likely require several iterations and this is generic. That said, the objectives (and the field tested results) behind the template are:
1) Earn the consumers trust and confidence
2) Provide the information that
A) They already likely understand
B) Are most likely most interested in
i) Do you have the vehicle of interest in your inventory
ii) Do you have something similar in inventory
iii) Allow them to touch and feel the vehicle (window sticker) to understand package and price (MSRP)
iv) What incentives are available that might make the transaction even more desirable
3) The call to action is the subtle: "we can discuss the details.....as well as others as soon as we can schedule a phone conversation". Obviously a critical path leading to getting the customer to come in.
A) Omitting the incentive information is fine, with a soft cover as you have espoused. However, our testing (with and without incentive reference) showed better results when included. The only real problem is that some incentives can get complex......so they have to be softened at times and the "I would be happy to discuss them with you" element becomes more necessary.
4) Including a "click to call" link reinforces point 3. It is the "easy" button
5) If you are running an OEM enterprise model, then the template information should expand (ie., may include reference to customer marketing campaign offers, etc).

If you do the above correct, then you increase the likelihood that the consumer will engage in/continue a dialogue with you. That continued dialogue is the trigger for a visit. I have not seen a template that will, all by itself, consistently prompt consumers to simply read it and appear in your showroom. However, if someone has discovered that silver bullet, I'm very interested.

Most consumers are already pretty educated on the details. By sharing the details that are most important to them you are either:
1) acknowledging that you are aware of them as well (gains confidence and trust) - when they know
2) making them aware (gains confidence and trust) - when they don't know

We hear dealers say "by the time I get a lead, I'm playing catch up.....the consumer is more educated on the transaction they are considering than we are".

When you omit information, our research shows that this can alienate the consumer, particularly when a competing dealer provides the information......the consumer gravitates to the more open communication. That said, there is still an art and balance......don't respond with an autobiography.

Take a template, create a handful of variations and test them within your trade area. Let us know how things shake out.

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Permalink Reply by Stan Sher on March 4, 2009 at 7:30am

This is great. I would add that you need to personalize the template. Add words that do not make it look like a template so that a customer can feel a personal touch.

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Permalink Reply by Ken Karg on March 4, 2009 at 7:45am

Attached is an example of an email template that I like to call "The Mini Web Page” Each of the navigation buttons are active and allows customer the ability to navigate to multiple locations within your website and discover additional benefits that may move them closer to a conversation with your store. Each click within this email can be tracked and measured to determine the level of interested in a specific vehicle or service.

Attachments:

• Web Page email temp.JPG, 68 KB

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Permalink Reply by Stan Sher on March 4, 2009 at 3:51pm

This is very interesting. I like it.

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Permalink Reply by Wendell Dossett on March 4, 2009 at 8:38am

In this day and age we need to get off the templates. Get personal with every lead (auto builds trust- credibility). Answer their questions, look closely for their real agenda and ask your own question. Provide an up down model. Get off your own mouse and on the phone and drive them in. With numbers like this do we another template. If you get no answer, get more personal. Here's a webcam of me asking why don't I have an answer. Let me in, Im nice, different. Let the other guys send the 2 page templates. Be at their front door digitally ( maybe personally).

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Permalink Reply by Philip Zelinger on March 4, 2009 at 9:43am

Hey Wendell,

I agree! Templates suggest a fast "generic" answer to what is a very personal question and need presented by a new "friend" and potential client - in that order of priority. How can you earn trust and build a relationship based on a standard reply that invariably reads like one. The days of paper and pen may be gone but the message and thought that they invoked from the writer and the recipient are not.

Of course if you are swwamped with leads and you have more buyers and customers than you can handle - never mind! But frankly, I don't think so? My advice, take the time and ask personal questions from your heart and let your head listen. After all, what are friends for!

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Permalink Reply by Wendell Dossett on March 4, 2009 at 10:24am

Good points
Always communicate personally and digitally in a way that reflects the way you always talk. Be yourself. People can always tell when they are templated. They are going to look at a paragraph or two and just say no. You have to grab them in a sentence or two , max. This whole deal is changing fast gang. DO you wait to see a website intro, no, you go away at T1 speed, because you can. You want info now and no bull.

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Permalink Reply by Philip Zelinger on March 4, 2009 at 10:42am

Thanks Wendell,

Relationship based selling is an old wisdom being applied in a new virtual world and first impressions are irretrievable! Say what you mean and mean what you say is not just a political slogan - it is the best way to earn a customer's trust and business - in that order. We all have to accept that the auto industry has a well earned reputation that has to be overcome if we expect to keep up on the Wolrd Wide Web that is the future of the car business and our new online way of life!

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Permalink Reply by Stan Sher on March 4, 2009 at 3:55pm

You bring some great points here my friend. We need to be creative and take new measures to drive traffic. We need to add personality. Now if you are in a low volume internet department with enough time to get personal it works great. If you are in a high volume internet department you need to do somethings to speed it up where templates are important. Now you can make templates look personalized, avoid the automated process and make your reps manually send them out based on a calendar. Now they know on this day this email will go out and teach them to add personal words and evaluate the lead so that they can personalize a message into that template. You are right, do something different.

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