What's your process for a follow-up plan for car buyers?

1 Set your objectives

Before you start following up with your car buyers, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Do you want to get referrals, reviews, feedback, or repeat sales? Do you want to offer additional services, products, or incentives? Do you want to check on their satisfaction, needs, or concerns? Having a specific and measurable objective for each follow-up will help you tailor your message, timing, and method.

2 Choose your methods

There are many ways to follow up with your car buyers, such as phone calls, emails, texts, social media, cards, or newsletters. Each method has its pros and cons, and you should consider your customers' preferences, expectations, and habits. For example, some customers may prefer a phone call for a personal touch, while others may find it intrusive or inconvenient. Some customers may appreciate a handwritten card, while others may ignore it or toss it away. Some customers may respond well to social media engagement, while others may not use it or follow you. The key is to choose the methods that suit your objective, your brand, and your customers.

3 Plan your timing

The timing of your follow-up is also important. You don't want to be too pushy or too passive, too frequent or too sparse. You want to strike a balance between staying in touch and giving space. A good rule of thumb is to follow up within 24 hours of the sale, then within a week, then within a month, then every few months, depending on your objective and method. For example, you could call your customer the next day to thank them and ask for feedback, then send them an email a week later with a referral request, then text them a month later with a service reminder, then send them a newsletter every quarter with relevant tips and offers.

4 Track your results

To make sure your follow-up plan is effective, you need to track your results and adjust accordingly. You can use a CRM system, a spreadsheet, or a calendar to record your follow-up activities, outcomes, and feedback. You can also use metrics such as response rates, referral rates, review ratings, repeat sales, customer satisfaction, and retention to measure your performance. By tracking your results, you can identify what works and what doesn't, what needs improvement and what needs reinforcement, and what opportunities and challenges you face.

5 Be genuine and helpful

Finally, the most important tip for a successful follow-up plan is to be genuine and helpful. You want to show your car buyers that you care about them, not just their money. You want to provide value, not just sell. You want to build a relationship, not just a transaction. You can do this by being friendly, respectful, professional, and honest. You can also do this by offering useful information, advice, solutions, and support. By being genuine and helpful, you can earn your car buyers' trust, loyalty, and advocacy.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?