RV Consumer Lead Follow Up – How to Make It Matter …
It’s absolutely crazy, but do you ever find that RV Sales Team members can see things one way – while RV dealer Principals or Sales Managers can see the very same things – in a completely different way? 
Can you say, “disconnect?”
In fact, there can sometimes be a very wide “gulf” between the way Reps and dealers view different aspects of the business which – truth be told – are mission-critical to the success of the dealership.
Here’s one example where there MIGHT be …
A Classic Dealer/Sales Team “Disconnect”: Lead Follow Up
Ah, yes … the age-old question: How many times is “enough” times to follow up a lead?
- Dealer: “Is the person dead yet? Good, then keep following up!”
- Salesperson: “I could tell before I even read that web lead email, he ain’t a buyer, OK?!!”
So, here’s the dealer’s challenge: If your Sales Team member knows …
- That he knows –
- That he knows –
… that a certain family is NOT EVER going to purchase an RV, how is the dealer going to convince that Salesperson to continue “working” that lead?
From my 20 years’ experience implementing lead follow up systems, it’s true, virtually all business people know follow up is key. There’s no debate. But it’s just not easy to do. Consistently. Effectively.
Hey, if follow up was easy, everyone would be doing it.
Look at Your Lead Management “Systems”
Want your Reps to improve their follow up? What kinds of tools and training have you given them? Have you given your Sales Team a “fighting chance” at the lead follow up game?
DMS’s vs. CRM’s vs. LMS’s vs. Lenny & his Hot/Cold & SOLD File Folder “System”
Don’t get me wrong. If you’re (still) using a MANUAL Lead Management system, that can be absolutely fine. But. Be honest with yourself … is it a “great” manual system? Or, is it only so-so?
- Assess it
- Test it, try to break it
- Know where the holes are
- Then, improve it.
Continuous improvement in lead follow up will pay you handsomely.
Same goes for automated systems. They can be truly empowering, productivity-enhancing tools that cause Sales Reps to excel at staying in touch with prospects.
One word of caution however, because they can be complex and involve different departments in the dealership, implementation, set-up and maintenance have been known to “go sideways” on occasion resulting in frustration all around.
I was talking with 2 dealers about this very fact at the Show in Vegas in October ’12.
Putting Your System to the Test
Use regular “test and assess” times to:
- Build team
- Garner support and leverage stronger buy-in through
- Listening to and
- Honoring staff suggestions for improvements wherever possible.
You just might find the result is better lead follow up – good for dealer, good for Sales Team and – imagine this – good for customer too!
Are you researching Lead Management tools? Have a look at: IDS, ADP Lightspeed and Quantech Software’s Q-GPS systems.
Crucial to Improving Your Lead Follow Up …
We’ll be discussing Lead Management in much greater depth over the coming months. But here’s a taste-test of important items to consider:
Lead Management Reports:
- Decide the metrics that are important to your top line (sales)
- Keep reports short
- And, do the work of looking at your reports!
Remember, (who was it that said,) “Staff does what you INSPECT, not what you EXPECT.”
Get Your Web Leads Rolling into Your Lead Management System – Automatically …
Just say, “No!” to data entering web leads.
Let us know which Lead Management system you’re using and RVT.com will help you get ALL your web leads rolling DIRECTLY into your software. Good-bye data entry! Every lead accounted for, every lead in the system. Let me know. Here to help.
Auto-create a New Follow Up Task After Each Activity
This is a nice feature if you deem follow up is important to your organization.
Turn “on” (or if you’re just converting from a manual system, ask for) auto-create a new follow up task after each activity.
Here’s how it works: Until a deal is marked “Lost” (and therefore shows up in your reports as Lost) the system always automatically creates a “next task” as soon as any activity is completed.
This may seem like a small thing, but it’s actually a decent way to require your team to think about next actions with every prospect at every step. I.e., if he’s not dead, follow up!
Hey, you’re no stranger to staying in better touch with leads. What has been your secret weapon in winning the game of Lead Management?
