The importance of ensuring a customer has all the information and resources they need when making a big decision is crucial to turning a stand-offish prospect into a smiling cornstomer (We are in Iowa, of course we use corn references. Keep reading to learn the meaning of cornstomer). Patience, tact and logic seeds are key. 

Occasionally, OK, OFTEN we hear from our prospects about sad news that is keeping them from moving forward with a purchase. As many Americans fall on harder than average times, one common objection is they aren't able to finance a vehicle. We examine one way you may handle this without being pushy. The final draft in this example uses a technique we refer to as "planting seeds". As you will read, we aren't asking them for anything or demanding they do something for us. Remember, they just wrote us to break up. Tear.

Here are two attempts. The first one is pretty standard to the industry and the second one relates while planting a huge seed at the end of the email. As you read these two examples note that we are not sad for them. In fact, we are upbeat and suggest that we may still be able to assist them. Of course, this will be different if we already have their credit information and agree that they are beyond help at this point in time. Until we know for sure, the aim is to be solution oriented.

Examples:

Prospect wrote:

Thank you for your note.  I wasn't able to place an "X" in front of my answer on your note so I am responding directly.  I am no longer looking for a car due to my credit rating and lack of funds!!

Thank you for letting me know you plan on hold off on your search. I would love to help you in any way that I am able to help you find your next vehicle. Would you be interested in filling out a credit application? This way we will be able to determine what we are able to do with your credit and possibly achieve a payment that works for you! >>Click here to fill out our application for financing

notes regarding draft: The first sentence isn't really something to be super thankful for, but we ran with it in both. Sentence two in the draft is lengthy and repetitive. The third sentence is a question that we don't want the answer to and it is buried with the logic/agenda. It is better (but less natural) to put that information before the question or direction we use to end the email.

Final

Thank you for letting me know you plan on hold off on your search. I am sorry to hear that your finances aren't where you would like them to be to move forward with a different vehicle.  If you would like for us to check into a second opinion and work for you to arrange financing, please let me know. We are often able to help people when their local banks will not.

In the first email, we do not show empathy towards the customer and his financial situation. We do offer help, but after being turned down by their own bank, the customer may have a negative image regarding applications for financing and not want to put themselves through the rejection again.

In the Final email, we relate personally to the customer and offer to truly put forth additional effort to help rather than taking an easier route by only sending a link to our credit application. The final line of the second email demonstrates our capability well and inspires the customer to put trust in our ability to help people like him or her.  We plant a seed that we will be able to help when others have not. If they truly want our help, he would respond. If his credit is truly that bad, he knows it and does not feel obligated to email us.

Key Strategies:

1. Avoid questions you do not want the answer to.
2. Plant seeds that will in turn sprout into cornstomers.  Cornstomer = someone who grew from a tiny seed or email into a buyer who drives home in a new vehicle from your dealership.
3. Avoid overusing the same word. Ex: "help" as used in the second sentence of the draft email.
4. Avoid telling the propsect what you would love.  Ex: "I would love" as used in second sentence of draft email. We recommend adopting the philosophy that embraces how no one else cares about you.  We win when we care about what others will love.

This training is one of many free email training blogs designed by Auto iLead to make email easy. The majority of our emails should be written with the intention of earning a response for your efforts. Check back to our blog for more tips on non-verbal communication.