Beyond the Web: The Real Origins of Internet Leads

Have you ever wondered about the real origins of Internet leads your dealership receives? Think about this: your customers are exposed to multiple touchpoints – online and offline – before they get to the point where they’re ready to buy – and your dealership’s online leads are no exception.

It’s easy to just assume that someone discovered your dealership through an Internet lead or even a Google search, but the reality is that dealers should look beyond just the World Wide Web.
The truth is, when a customer responds directly to an Internet lead, their journey to that point in time often begins offline with something else driving them there. It could be the captivating jingle of a radio advertisement, the visual impact of a TV commercial, the recommendation of a trusted friend, someone reading the dealership nameplate on the car in front of them at a traffic signal, or even someone searching for a dealership selling your brand through an online map service. These avenues act as catalysts, sparking curiosity and prompting individuals to seek further information online. In other words, while the Internet provides a vast array of platforms to engage potential customers, it is quite often not the initiator of the actual journey itself!

Why This Matters
When you understand the origin of Internet leads, you are better able to plan, project and allocate to get the biggest bang for your proverbial buck.

Knowing the true sources of your leads allows you to invest more in channels proven to drive leads, and make the necessary adjustments to the ones suddenly exposed as being less effective than you may have initially thought.

You only know for certain that you have a successful Internet lead when that person actually engages with you. And when you can be sure your Internet leads are truly authentic, your number of good leads goes up and your spend decreases because you’re ridding yourself of the hidden waste. And if/when this happens (we can show you how to make it happen), will your store be ready? An upcoming blog post will tell you how to be sure you’re prepared, because most Websites actually deter leads from becoming real customers.

The Takeaway
So remember, while the Internet plays a crucial role in attracting leads to your dealership’s Website, it’s also vital that you recognize the multifaceted nature of the customer’s overall car-shopping experience that got them there.

When you acknowledge and optimize all these different and diverse channels so they work in concert together, you’ll enhance your dealership’s online presence, maximize its potential and, most important, sell more vehicles.

If this blog has you curious … or even left you with a question or two you’d like us to answer, please feel free to give us a call at (321) 397-0777.

JKR Automotive Advertising: We Move Cars.