Let’s be honest about your CRM. It’s full of “dead” leads. But are they actually dead, or did your team just bury them with incompetence?
The data doesn’t lie. Most dealerships are seeing a massive influx of digital inquiries, yet their closing ratios on internet leads remain abysmal. Why? Because most salespeople—and frankly, most managers—treat an internet lead like a casual inquiry rather than a ready-to-buy customer.
If you are looking for effective internet auto sales training, you have to stop focusing on the “template” and start focusing on the conversion.
The “Auto-Response” Trap
Your CRM is likely set up to fire off an immediate generic email: “Thanks for your interest in the 2025 Sedan. When can you come in?”
That is not selling. That is spamming.
The customer submitted a lead because they want information, usually price or availability. If your team is hiding the price or demanding an appointment before providing value, you have already lost. Our Internet Auto Sales Training program teaches a specific methodology: give value first, then ask for the commitment.
Speed vs. Quality
Speed matters, but quality wins. A 5-minute response time with a garbage script is worse than a 20-minute response with a personalized video.
Are your BDC agents or salespeople trained to send a personalized video walk-around within 10 minutes? If not, you are losing to the dealership down the street that is.
Stop Blaming the Leads
“These leads are weak.” “They’re just tire kickers.”
I hear this in dealerships every week. The leads aren’t weak; your process is. When you invest in proper automotive sales training, you realize that an internet lead is a customer raising their hand. If you can’t get them on the phone, it’s because you haven’t given them a reason to answer.
The Fix
- Audit your templates: Delete anything that sounds like a robot wrote it.
- Pick up the phone: Internet leads are just phone ups waiting to happen. Stop emailing back and forth and call them.
- Train your team: If they don’t know what to say when the customer actually answers, all the technology in the world won’t save you.
Stop burning through your ad budget on leads you can’t close. Check out our Internet Auto Sales Training module today and turn your CRM into a goldmine.
