Move cars off the lot faster than you can drive them
Need inspiration on how to respond to internet car leads fast? These easy car sales email responses will ensure you don’t let any leads fall through the cracks.
Think about a typical day at your dealership. What’s it like? As a salesperson, you’re likely taking folks out on test drives, closing deals, prospecting, following up, and making calls. If you’re not the type to sit around and scroll through Facebook all day (and you’re not, right?), then your day is probably jam-packed and full of random surprises sprinkled in.
With all of that in mind, how long would you estimate that it takes you to respond to an email lead once it appears in your inbox? Are you the type to:
a) Prioritize answering the email as soon as humanly possible
b) Let it sit for a while if you have a ton of other stuff going on
If your car sales email responses aren’t going out within 20 minutes, you’re probably letting leads slip through your fingers all day long. We live in an age where if a web visitor contacts you, they expect that you’re sitting right there and ready to answer their question immediately. If you don’t get back to them in an extremely timely fashion, they will move on to the next dealership that does answer.
According to the 2016 Pied Piper PSI Internet Lead Effectiveness Benchmarking Study, dealers monitored by mystery shoppers responded to half of their customer inquiries within 30 minutes. One customer in 11 failed to receive a response of any type within 24 hours.
Be the dealership that’s known for your lightning-fast car sales email responses—even when you have a million other things happening at the same time.
5 things to remember when you’re responding to internet car leads
When responding to leads, there are a few key things to remember.
- Respond in a timely and professional manner
- Personalize your responses
- Have an after-hours game plan so you know all customers are being responded to promptly
- Follow up with leads regularly and make it easy for them to contact you
- Manage your progress with your leads
10 car sales email responses to use when you have to make it quick
When you’re not overly busy and have time to respond to emails and nurture leads, using email templates through your CRM is an excellent way to communicate. You can be sure you’re saying everything you need to and feel confident that the template has already been proofread and is free from grammatical errors.
But other times? You don’t even have a minute to personalize an email template. Sometimes, car sales email responses have to be short and sweet because you’re so busy and only have two options:
- Send a short email back to engage the customer quickly
- Let the email sit too long and lose the customer
This is when you want to plan and have some car sales email responses already committed to memory—quick responses that get the job done professionally, but are easy to remember. The most important part? Always begin your response email with “Dear [Name].” You may be in a rush, but you should never sacrifice personalization for speed.
1. Type of customer email: Asking about the price of a vehicle
Your email response: “Thanks for your email, Andy. We work hard to price our cars fairly, but ultimately, it comes down to how satisfied our customers are with a vehicle’s condition in-person. Can I take you out for a test drive? Call me at XXX-XXX-XXXX to schedule an appointment.”
2. Type of customer email: Asking about availability of a specific vehicle
Your email response: “Jillian, it’s great to hear from you. The Honda CR-V you’re interested in is currently on our lot and available to test drive today. Give me a call at XXX-XXX-XXXX, and I’ll get an appointment on the books for you.”
3. Type of customer email: Wondering if their credit is good enough to get a car
Your email response: “Thanks for reaching out, Jessica. I’ve helped many different customers secure financing, but I prefer to discuss credit in person versus email due to the sensitive nature of the topic. Give me a call at XXX-XXX-XXXX, and we can schedule a time for you to come in and learn about your options.”
4. Type of customer email: Tons of different questions that require research and an in-depth answer
Your email response: In this situation, it may be best for you to ask a colleague if they’re available to answer the email immediately if you simply don’t have the time. It’s disappointing to lose a potential sale, but if your fellow salesperson can respond quickly and seal the deal, it benefits the entire dealership. Don’t sit on email leads just because you don’t have time to answer.
You can adjust any of these car sales email responses to fit your unique voice—you want to communicate your message effectively, but without sounding completely generic. Personality and customer service are so important, even when you’re having a crazy busy day. And, of course, each email you send should have a Call To Action (CTA) that encourages the customer to act. If you’re only going to email a few sentences, those words should encourage the customer to get on the phone with you and schedule a time to meet in person for a test drive.
5. Type of customer email: Asking about trade-in value for their current vehicle
Your email response: “Hello, Derek. Thanks for your interest in trading in your current vehicle. We certainly offer fair trade-in values but for a more accurate estimate, it’s best to bring the car in for an assessment. Could I schedule you for a time? Reach me at XXX-XXX-XXXX.”
6. Type of customer email: Interested in leasing options
Your email response: “Greetings, Susan. Leasing is a great choice for many people and we have various options to suit different needs. To discuss more about these options, let’s meet in person. Can I book you an appointment? Give me a call at XXX-XXX-XXXX.”
7. Type of customer email: Wants more details on a vehicle’s features
Your email response: “Hello, Bob. The vehicle you’re interested in comes with a host of features. However, I think it would be best if you experience these firsthand during a test drive. Can I schedule one for you? My number is XXX-XXX-XXXX.”
8. Type of customer email: Inquiring about warranty information
Your email response: “Hi, Linda. Thanks for asking about warranty information. Our dealership offers comprehensive warranties, but to go into specifics, it would be best if we could talk this over in person. Give me a call at XXX-XXX-XXXX to set up a time that works for you.”
9. Type of customer email: Asking about dealership’s hours and location
Your email response: “Hello, Jake. Our dealership is conveniently located at [address], and we are open from [hours]. Would you like me to set an appointment for you to come in and browse our inventory? Call me at XXX-XXX-XXXX.”
10. Type of customer email: Interested in financing options
Your email response: “Hi, Karen. I appreciate your interest in our financing options. It would be best to discuss these details in person due to their complexity. Please call me at XXX-XXX-XXXX to arrange a time to meet.”
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