If you’re not hitting your close rate goals, going through a diagnostic of every step in your sales process can give you a precise reason why. By asking the right questions, you can determine what’s working and where you need to make adjustments. Here’s a check list of questions we go through when our dealers aren’t getting the close rates they want.  This check list was compiled from our collective experience in working with thousands of dealers.

It’s natural to focus on lead price when you’re choosing a lead provider. But at the end of the day, the most important measurement of the success of your Internet program is the overall return on investment (ROI).  The following tables show, in simple terms, how with Internet leads it doesn’t pay to be penny-wise and pound-foolish. You’ll see that quality Internet sales leads that have a higher probability of closing are worth a higher price point. Plus, leads with higher close rates boost your ISMs’ productivity because they have to manage fewer leads to sell more cars.  

This article will also be published in the July issue of Ward’s Dealer Business.

Running a top notch Internet department involves far more planning than simply allocating a portion of your budget to your Internet or Business Development Center and commanding your staff to “sell some cars.” You need to give your team a solid process, or standard operating procedure, to follow that will accomplish your objectives. When you clearly define your agenda and apply a standard operating procedure to get there, you can maximize your Internet team’s effectiveness.