If you run an auto dealership, you may have noticed that your dealership is not converting the leads it receives from Facebook Messenger at the rate you would like. The inability to convert Facebook messenger leads is a common problem among dealerships that can be extremely frustrating–especially if you put a lot of effort into the marketing campaigns you run via Facebook Marketplace.

It can also be discouraging to hear what a great source of leads Facebook Messenger can be if you aren’t achieving such successful results for your own dealership. It is true that Facebook Messenger can be a very lucrative place for auto dealerships to market their available vehicles. However, there are some key strategies that many dealerships do not use that can help improve your dealership’s chances of success with marketing on Facebook Messenger. If your dealership is currently striking out on lead conversions on Facebook Messenger, keep reading to learn five top tips for improving your conversion rate on Facebook Messenger.

Respond ASAP

When converting Facebook Messenger leads, response time is everything. Chances are good that the potential customers who message you about a vehicle on Facebook Messenger have also sent similar messages to other auto dealerships.

 

Responding to all messages your dealership receives on Facebook Messenger is one of the most effective ways to convert potential customers into customers before they lose interest in what you have to offer and turn to another dealership instead.

Offer Details

Make sure your responses are as thorough as possible. Don’t send one-word answers, even if that one word answers the question the customer asked. For example, don’t answer the question “Which trim is this model?” with the answer “Limited”.

Instead, offer as many details as possible about the model in question that pertains to the customer’s inquiry. Instead of responding “Limited” to the example question about a vehicle’s trim level, answer something along the lines of “The trim level for this particular model is Limited. The Limited model offers abundant standard features, including a wide variety of advanced safety and tech features that are in high demand. Give us a call to learn more about this popular model before it’s gone!”

Be Friendly

A warm, friendly voice can go a long way when it comes to interacting with potential customers via Facebook Messenger. It can be tempting to send messages that aren’t particularly warm or friendly in order to save time.

However, maintaining a friendly tone in all of your messages to customers is most definitely worth the extra time it takes in order to convey to potential customers that your dealership team provides caring, top-quality customer service.

Redirect When Needed

Many Facebook Messenger inquiries your auto dealership receives regarding a certain vehicle model probably say something along the lines of “Is this still available?” When you are about to respond to a message like this one, make sure your answer includes more than just “No, this model is no longer available”.

In cases when a vehicle model someone is interested in is unavailable, you should attempt to redirect the potential customer in your response message to them. For example, you could respond something like “Unfortunately, that particular model is no longer available. However, we have a few other models available on the lot with very similar features to the model you asked about. Can I send you some information on those models?” This type of redirection encourages potential customers to consider alternative options rather than automatically turning to another dealership if they are not able to get immediate access to the one specific model they originally inquired about.

Be Responsive During Business Hours

While this tip might seem similar to the tip of responding ASAP to all messages you receive via Facebook Messenger, there is a key difference here. Some auto dealerships make the mistake of sending automated responses to customers during business hours.

While sending automated responses can be a helpful way to make sure that your dealership’s response time stays short even outside of business hours, it is important to send genuine, human responses during business hours in order to make clear to potential customers that your dealership is attentive and truly cares about their customers.

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