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Why we use data from Indicata

Even though we only have a small store, we use data to determine the value of trade-in and sales cars. We do this using data from Indicata • Netherlands. We use this data to stay on top of our inventory cars, but also for bidding on trade-ins.

Our strategy is as follows: we divide the cars into three buckets: gold, silver, and bronze.

Did you know that you need to follow up on leads quickly? Of course, if you read my articles regularly, you know that the best approach is to call immediately once the request comes in. After all, the customer wants information, and the faster you call, the better! The chance of making contact is much higher after 1 minute than after 10 minutes. See below the chart from Calldrip, based on thousands of calls we monitor monthly. You go from 75% connections to below 40% in just 10 minutes. That means you need to call, email, and message much more often to even get in touch with the customer. Call after 10 minutes, and you’ll have much more work!

Google My Business was originally developed not for automotive, but for restaurants.
For dealers and car companies, Google My Business (GMB) is extremely important. Contrary to Google’s usual practice, it is still free. But are you really making use of it? Have you optimized your GMB profile for what matters to you? This week I’m speaking at Wash Expo Europe about the importance of GMB for car washes. And what applies to car washes naturally also applies to automotive.

On November 4 and 5, it’s that time again: the #DCDW Events in Antwerp and Houten (no, this time not in Almere, that was fully booked)! These promise to be full days with speakers from both home and abroad providing more insight and context into the fascinating world of online automotive!

Last week I heard it again: dealer managers (not the owners) believe that active leads – potential customers who themselves take the effort to contact the dealer or car company – should first be “pre-qualified” by a call center before being passed on to the salesperson.

The past six months — actually seven — have flown by once again! This means we can take stock at the Experience Store Doesburg: what have the marketing investments, and in this case specifically the portals, delivered? Especially now that we enthusiastically started with AutoScout24 as of September. We can include the results from that portal next time.

This week it suddenly caught my attention that we received a lead for a new Ligier via our own website, with the referral: ChatGPT! A quick look in GA4 (where, to be honest, I still don’t always fully find my way) showed that this was not the first lead coming in via ChatGPT! Especially for […]

Years ago, I think it was more than ten years ago, I was on a Monday morning, the last morning of the NADA in Las Vegas, in one of the last workshops of that year. There was almost no one left; most people were already packing up. The topic of that workshop seemed interesting to […]

My father called me recently with a story. He is still an entrepreneur and drives his van all over the country selling belts and textiles to small shop owners. Nice work: it keeps him busy and among people! My father therefore drives a van of brand X. He is very satisfied, has his maintenance done at the dealer, and has been driving it for four years already.

Over the past two weeks, it has once again become clear to me: leads are expensive! Getting opportunities and investing in them through marketing is costly, and the tangible outcome — an online lead — therefore is as well.