“I think the first response is the most critical response because it is like the first impression when you are meeting someone. If you do well with the first response, they will likely open your next email.”
 
-David Kain, President of Kain Automotive
 
Today, progressive dealers are proving the importance of branded emails, using them to create a good first impression and develop strong relationships with their Internet prospects. From simple text Web links to cutting edge video emails, dealers are taking advantage of every possible chance to truly reach the customer.  
 
 
The Bad Auto-Responder 
 
Here’s an example of a poorly crafted auto-responder that isn’t going to win any awards. Sure, it’s an out of office reply; but the truth is, for some prospects – this may be the first email they receive from a dealership after they submit a lead. Both your regular auto-responder emails and your out-of-office replies should share the same high standards for branding, grammar, and content.
 

 
This email is simply an ineffective message. While it does make contact between the dealer and the prospect, there is no mention of a car purchase, a dealership, or a sales person’s name. This kind of auto-responder gets lost in the average person’s inbox, and can easily be mistaken as junk mail. 
 

The Good Auto-Responder
 
A simple text email can make your dealership stand out - and give you a better chance of attracting a sale.
 
Dealers can brand text emails by including: 

• An email address that clearly represents the dealership
• Clear, brief subject lines including the desired car and name of the dealership
• Personal, letter-form emails, using correct spelling and grammar
• Sales person’s contact information

Cory Mosley, founder and chief consultant for automotive sales training company Mosley Automotive Group, says personal messages are essential:
 
“Personal messages allow you to become an actual person to the prospect instead of an electronic pricing system.”
 
In addition to detailed information in text, you can also use a variety of visual elements to promote your brand in your email communications:  

• Logos and tag lines
• Dealership, franchise, and OEM Web addresses
• Photographs of ISMs and the dealership

The auto-responder below takes advantage of several of these branding opportunities:
 

 
According to David Kain, a dealer’s Web address is an essential component to a successful auto-responder:
 
“I always recommend this information since you want to invite the customer to your house as often as you can. Your house in this case is a virtual dealership where you can meet all their needs. If you can create a habit of visiting your dealer website, they will likely choose your dealership as the one they prefer to buy from.”
 

Video - The Cutting Edge Auto-Responder
 
Right now, the most cutting edge auto-responder used by dealerships is the personal video message. Dealers like Florida’s Infiniti of Coconut Creek send personal video messages to prospects who submit a lead. In their personal video message, Internet salespeople record a message introducing themselves and confirming their prospect’s desired car.
 
According to Cory Mosley:
 
“Video communications allow you to create more excitement than any standard email can.”  
 
Below is a screenshot of a video email. Click the image for a video message from Dealix powered by CoVideo Systems. Video message hosting companies, like CoVideo, specialize in email services for auto dealers.
 

 
Coconut Creek’s Internet manager Michael Silver says video responders make it a more personal impression than a regular email. “Of course, any picture can increase the WOW factor, but video is even better. Our personal emails make the buyer think: ‘This dealer really cares about my sale.’”  
 
With top dealers and industry experts touting the importance of branding auto-responders, the practice seems to be making itself a permanent fixture in the online automotive sales process. As Cory Mosley confirms, well-written, branded email communications can change the entire dynamics of selling a car:
 
“The more things you can do to create value, the further you can move away from selling based on price. I don’t know a lot of high grossing Internet sales professionals who sell price over value.”


Additional Information
 
For more information on building a better auto-responder, check out David Kain’s article from the September 2005 issue of the Dealix Dealer Newsletter:
 
Create an Effective Auto Response Email  
 
And click here to read the full interview with Michael Silver in this issue of the Dealix Dealer Newsletter.
 
David Kain is the President and Automotive Internet Training Specialist for Kain Automotive, Inc. He can be reached by phone at (866) 546 - 3428, or by email at dkain@autosuccess.biz, or on the Web at www.kainautomotive.com.
 
Cory Mosley is the Founder and Chief Consultant of the Mosley Automotive Group.
He can be reached by email at cory.mosley@mosleyautomotive.com or on the Web at www.mosleyautomotive.com.
 
For more information on CoVideo Systems and video email, visit: www.customervideo.com