Maximum success with a qualified lead is done with the transfer!

Leads come in many shapes and sizes. Every lead, including the leads that you get from a CCC or BDC (internal or external), is unique. The best chance of a successful conversion is the qualified lead, so a lead that has already been prepared and tested before you get it as a salesperson. This lead is the starting point of a dialogue. Below, you can read what we mean by this and how you should treat this lead with the greatest chance of success.

Qualified

When a CCC / BDC calls potential customers on behalf of your company, the CCC / BDC has two objectives in mind. First of all, they want to convince the customer to make an appointment with you, so that he is prepared for the start of the dialogue. After all, an appointment gives you the best starting position to eventually conclude a deal.
If this does not work, the CCC / BDC will ask if the client wants a quotation. The CCC / BDC would like to know whether the customer is already ready for a quotation. In both cases the lead is qualified. This means that there is serious interest in the customer. You know in advance that you do not put time and effort into a customer who is not interested in buying a car at your company. However, there will always be people who ‘suddenly’ drop out. I’ll explain why.

Origin

Leads can come from different sources. There are online leads that are leads from people who have left their contact data on their own initiative via a portal or your website. The conversion to a conversation, appointment and then a sale is the largest in this group. After all, the customer has spent many weeks researching all kinds of possibilities and has decided to request more information. Therefore it is a given that these leads make more appointments.

DM leads – Direct Mailing

In addition, there are leads that come from direct marketing. The big difference with an online lead is that these people have not taken the initiative to provide their data. Immediate follow-up may lead to the customer dropping out, because this group of potential buyers is not sure whether an appointment or quotation is something they would like to do at that moment. These leads less often lead to a concrete appointment, but relatively often to an offer or quotation. If the CCC / BDC calls these leads, and there is an appointment, and you, as a salesman, call to confirm that appointment, it is quite common that one has thought about it and changes his mind. After all, it was the car company that has planned the seeds to grow, but the customer did not need it and was briefly tempted to make an appointment.

Sales manager

There are also leads for example from a ‘lost sale’ campaign. These customers have already had contact with you or a colleague, but they did not buy a car after all. However, they still appear to be in the market and in practice these people seem to want to be approached by the sales manager rather than by the seller they have already spoken to. This information is relevant in order to make a success of these qualified leads.

More than 20% of the qualified leads are immediately rejected, after the first contact with the seller. They no longer want an appointment or quotation (suddenly). Is that bad? Yes, the CCC / BDC rather brings that percentage back to 0%, but the CCC / BDC sells in steps and with each step, leads fall off!

Which rules?

With this basic knowledge of leads, it is important to think of a number of golden rules when following up these qualified, and therefore potentially successful, leads:

• A qualified lead is the starting point of a hopefully long dialogue between you and the potential customer.
• Always personally confirm the appointment that has been made. The confirmation can be done by telephone, by e-mail or – even better – by video.
• First sell yourself, then the appointment and then the car!

Being successful in selling cars with online leads is like running a marathon, so it is not a sprint! Take the time, because it costs to sell more cars. The transfer of the lead from the BDC to the seller is the most crucial step in the online lead follow-up.
Understand the origin of the lead like you learned how to read. There is an essential difference between an online lead, a DM lead and a lost sale lead.

Take these rules and understand that we all pursue the same goal: to sell more cars.

RDR – Reactive Defensive Response

There will always be potential customers who become scared or insecure during the first contact with a salesperson. Then it is only human and normal that there is going to be an RDR (Reactive Defensive Response) reaction. A good salesman understands that, shows understanding and cannot be distracted by it. After all, he strives for success. Not for success in the short term, but in the long term. Selling is a marathon, not a sprint!

About Paul de Vries

Paul de Vries became a Key Automotive Spokesperson at eBay (Marktplaats) after selling Nieuweautokopen.nl to eBay back in 2015. Paul is the founder and CEO of the #DCDW Academy and the presenter of the #DCDW Podcast. He is also a by dealers and importers frequently asked speaker in the online automotive industry. Paul is the winner of the prestigious Lighthouse Award 2016 in the U.S.! `Lead the Way op de digitale snelweg’ is Paul’s new book, which can be used as a guide in the online automotive industry. More information is available at: DCDW.nl.