Today's Lifestyles Could Lead to Tomorrow's Hot Prospects

by: Jon Lintvet

I spend all of my free time on the water. I am a guy who loves boats. Last fall, I saw a camper parked behind a boat slip at a marina in North Carolina. As I waited in line at the boat ramp, I noticed a couple step out of the camper, and enjoy some coffee prior to jumping onto their boat. They grabbed their gear form the comfort of their second home, and were on their way. This all happened before I parked my truck and fueled up my boat. What really grabbed my attention was the fact that I had already been up for three hours, on the road towing for two, and it was 5:30 a.m.

I called my wife that afternoon on the drive home, pre-selling her on why we needed an RV. Later that evening, I visited www.gorving.com and requested the Go RVing DVD to figure out what we might want to purchase. I didn't have any idea about what brand to look at, and I am unlikely to buy before next fall, but I love the lifestyle.

Dealerships across the country wrestle daily with prospects like me. I am early in the buying process, and purely attracted to the lifestyle. I tell dealers that I have no interest in spending my available free time, looking at units at the dealership. I am too busy fishing and am not interested in buying until next fall.

How many prospects like me are out there? How many dealers are unsure how to handle these prospects? According to Go RVing, nearly 80 percent of consumers who requested more information were not planning a purchase in the next six months. As of this summer, that group of prospects accounted for more than 130,000 leads in 2007. Can we afford to ignore these customers, especially lifestyle leads who are responding to an experience, not traditional advertisement, and are willing to buy, just not today?

In conversations with leading manufacturers and dealers, several themes emerged which will help increase sales with buyers early in the sales process, including Go RVing leads.

Don't Ignore the Early Buyer - Build a Relationship
Manufacturers and dealers tend to group all kinds of consumers together; classifying lifestyle leads as "low priority" which, in my experience, often leads to forgotten and lost sales.

At this stage, prospects need relevant information and a sustained personal relationship. Maintain ongoing contact with buyers early in the process to satisfy their growing needs, and take advantage of the opportunity when the time is right.

We find that successful dealerships capitalize on those prospects, and keep the process simple by leveraging key sales and management solutions. Prospect categorization, e-mail marketing, calendar management, and reminders all have their place. Have you considered assigning a single sales representative to these leads, unique marketing campaigns, or Go RVing only demo days?

Engage Prospects on Their Terms
If we don't engage prospects on their terms, we don't have a chance at closing the sale, whenever that may be. Lifestyle leads tend to fear commitment. This is where dealerships use various, powerful website and lead management solutions. You can create a buyer profile and notify prospects of related inventory without ongoing maintenance. In this environment, prospects have a continual connection to a sales person, without the commitment of regular dealership visits. Have you considered dedicating sections of your website designed to connect these prospects with aspects of the lifestyle? For example, show different destinations and events to sustain enthusiasm and excitement throughout the process.

Minimize the Effort and Maximize the Return
Successful execution requires time and money. In a challenging market, how do we make investments in lifestyle leads, while building the pipeline for future sales?

Keep it simple. I believe the key is effective use of web-based solutions to automate the sales process and to maintain customer relationships. Many of the examples I've shared can be accomplished manually, but automated solutions make it easier for everyone.

Fortunately, world-class website and lead management solutions, along with onsite education and sales training, are more affordable than ever. Take a moment to ask yourself one question: Is your dealership doing everything it can to earn the business of lifestyle prospects? If not, that's OK, as long as it is a conscious decision.

Jon Lintvet is the director of business development for Channel Blade Technologies. He has 10 years of experience in new business and product development. Channel Blade Technologies provides website, lead management, and education solutions to the RV, marine, and powersports industries. For more information visit www.channelblade.com or email Jon at jon.lintvet@channelblade.com.