Contacting your customers within 24 hours of delivery, providing additional support if/when necessary and obtaining referrals for additional business are all crucial to your success. Although your dealership may only require you to contact new car customers, you should contact all of your customers.
What am I trying to accomplish?
Thank my customers for their business.Why do I want to accomplish it?
I want my customers to know that I appreciate their business and I take care of my customers.How am I going to accomplish it?
Contact them preferably by phone within 24 hours.
The purpose of the first call is simply to thank your customers for trusting you with their business and let them know that you take care of your customers even after the sale. Here is an example:
“Thanks again for your business. I really appreciate it. I enjoyed working with you. I am sure you are enjoying your new [model]. Please know that I am here for you. Let me know if you have any questions about the features of your new [model].”
Most of the time they will thank you and end the call. If they bring up a question or concern about the vehicle or the deal, address those questions and concerns quickly.
End the call on the following note:
“I’m sure your friends and neighbors will be impressed with your new [model]. Most of my business comes from from repeats and referrals. Who do you know, perhaps a friend, relative, neighbor co-worker who will be the most likely candidate to buy a new vehicle?”
Some customers may share with you the names and contact information at this point. Thank them if they do so and let them know that you will take good care of their referrals.
Some customers may tell you that they that they will share your information with likely candidates. Thank your customer and repeat their commitment that they will refer people know to you and let them know that you will take good care of their referrals.
You made a friend and a happy customer. Now you need to earn your customer’s loyalty and turn them into your advocates. The first phone call is an important step in accomplishing that. Most salespeople fail at staying in touch with their customers. It is not uncommon to observe salespeople complaining about how a customer they sold a few months ago came back and bought another car without asking for him or her. Who is fault is that? When ready for another car, your customer will most likely return to the last place he or she had a good experience. It is a lot less stressful for your customer to go back to a place he or she is familiar with. If your customer is coming back to your dealership but not seeking you out, you dropped the ball. You just missed out on an easier and more profitable deal because you failed to do basic follow-up.
You need to stay in touch with your customers and keep your name fresh in their memory. Here are many things you can do:
Make sure to input all relevant information about your customer into your dealership’s CRM. You should also keep your own sales log. You can use index cards, spreadsheets to do that. I will have a secure online log program ready soon you can use.
Have someone else take a photo of you with your customers in front of the vehicle at time of delivery. Using an app on your phone you can add a note with your name on this photo. Something like “Congratulations to …… – Your name” or “Thank You! — Your name.”
Send your customer a thank you email and attach the photo with the note and your name.
Fill out a thank you card and mail it. If you can print the photo , include it with the card.
Call customer back after three days and ask if they receive the card and the photo. Find out if they have any questions.
Call customer after a month and inquire how they are doing. Let them know you are available for them. Ask for referrals again.
If any of their referrals buy a car from you or your dealership, call to thank them. Send another thank you card.
Email after three months about any specials you are having.
Call a month before their first scheduled maintenance. If they have not scheduled an appointment with your service department, help them do that.
Send a card or email on all their birthdays and anniversaries.
Send a card on their one year anniversary of buying their car from you.
Stay in touch every 3 to 6 months forever.
If you become proficient at managing your time you can do these for all your customers in a timely manner and build a profitable business. You will have a steady supply of customers. You will be selling more cars to the the friends yo made and their family, relatives, friends, neighbors and co-workers. The sales process will be a lot smoother and the deals are going to be much easier to close. It sure beats waiting for a fresh new walk-in customer all day.