Don’t you just hate quote requests for standard-equipped cars you never have in stock? You know the sort. On a dropdown list someplace on the internet, a shopper selected the most basic and primitive vehicle that no one ever really wants anyway. For Honda, that’s the DX Civic. It has a hole where the radio should be and no air conditioning. I’ve never sold one in my life, yet it seems like the most popular Civic model – judging solely by the price quote requests flying into my CRM, anyway.

How do you respond to these lead types?

First, let’s put ourselves in this price-shopper’s world for a few moments. “I just want the most basic Civic model. I don’t need frills. I saw a section of Civic models in a dropdown menu and picked the lowest-priced.”

Here’s what this shopper will receive from dealers and what I imagine they think about them.

1. A few great price quotes on the Civic DX: “I’m liking these dealers.”

2. A dealer offering me a great quote on the Civic DX and a “popular” model called the LX: “This dealer is already trying to pull a bait and switch on me.”

For years, I tried both approaches. And for years, neither seemed to work out. But I don’t like to give up. After all, this is the most popular quote request, and giving up on them or writing them off as “mooches” won’t help me make a paycheck.

I tested different types of responses until I finally nailed down an effective one. Here’s a response that generates a fairly detailed reply from this lead type – 4 out of 5 times, I’d guess. I assure you these aren’t lifeless mooches. These people are actually serious about getting a car.

What response am I sending?

Hi <custy first name>,

Your quote request came through as a DX Civic. I wanted to reach out and let you know first that this model has no AC or radio. I thought I should make sure it’s indeed what you were looking for, since I often find it isn’t. Please let me know.

I hope to be a big part of your Honda shopping experience.

Sincerely,

Dave

What have I done with this email?

• · Acknowledged their request
• · Made myself available to price the DX, if that’s what they want
• · I’m not suggesting another model, but rather leaving it to them to tell me something about what they want – either by model, feature, or deal
• · Lastly, I’ve shown that I’m extremely eager to be part of their shopping experience in helping them find the right car and all the information they need

From the prospect’s perspective, I’ve read their request, I’m ready to supply a price, and I want to make sure I’m helping them. This is a very easy email to respond to. It’s short, eager, and doesn’t require consideration of a lot of information. Doing so may require a delayed response, and I don’t want to encourage that. I want this person to know that all they have to do is give me a little information. I’ll do the hard work.

So, what are you waiting for?

If you sell Hondas and use this response, I assure you’ll find similar results. If you sell something else, you’ll need to craft a response matching this lead type for your brand.

If you’re worried that a competitor may get wind of your new base-model email template and copy you, I suggest you stay one step ahead. Ask yourself whether an SMS (text message) version might be smart, too. And why not take it even further? Create a video and/or blog post with one of these cars, showing a prospect what they’ll find when they finally meet one.

After all, these are the most-requested vehicle leads. The more serious you are about them, the more serious they’ll be about your car.