Driving success in automotive marketing: 5 key advantages of Call Tracking

Automotive marketing can be tricky.

Whether you are a manufacturer, dealer, rental business owner, or marketer, you already understand the ins and outs of automotive marketing. 

Cars are certainly not a fast-moving good. When was the last time you bought or rented a new one? And when are you planning to do it again? That’s right. You probably aren’t even planning for it, at least not yet.

Cars are high–ticket products. They are expensive, even the cheaper or used ones. People save up for years or take out loans. And before they buy, the research. A lot! They do that mainly through digital channels. Company websites, car magazines, forums, etc. 

And when the time comes for a purchase, it doesn’t! Buyers, even after they have decided on a car to buy, they want to talk to an expert. They will come into the shop, speak with a sales rep, and most of all, will ask for a test drive.

No one in their right mind would buy a car without testing it first, right? According to Cox Automotive’s “Future of Digital Retail Study” report, 80 percent of consumers stated that they would never purchase a car without a test drive.

So, customers will call the dealer, book appointments, and talk to experts on the phone, before stepping foot in the dealership. For automotive marketing, inbound calls are probably the most effective and valuable lead source.

You can imagine then, why it is important to have tools at your disposal that will help you create a calling experience, that your customers will love and make them take the next step. You wouldn’t buy from someone who is rude or doesn’t know what they are talking about, right?

Customer service and expertise. That’s what they are looking for. And we will see, how you can offer those things with call tracking and what other benefits, it can offer to your business.

What is call tracking?

First things first, let’s dive into the fantastic world of call tracking.

Call tracking is a marketing technology that allows businesses to track, monitor, record, and analyze incoming phone calls. You generate unique phone numbers that you then assign to various marketing campaigns, landing pages, websites, emails, etc. Using these tracking numbers as they are called, you can determine which marketing sources drive phone calls.

When a customer calls a tracking number, the tool routes the call to the business’s main line and at the same time records essential data, such as the caller’s location, call duration, and time of the call. With this information, you can identify which channels work best and which ones need refining for better ROI.

Most call tracking tools also offer features that go beyond call recording and transcribing. Features like detailed caller analytics, integrations with other tools, AI solutions like keyword and phrase spotting in a conversation, automatically generated call summaries, etc.

For the automotive industry, personal interaction is paramount and so is call tracking. It helps car dealerships and auto service providers understand which marketing efforts are leading to inquiries, test drives, or appointments, enabling more data-driven decisions and better allocation of marketing budgets.

Attribution & marketing ROI

In automotive marketing, tracking the effectiveness of different marketing campaigns and channels is crucial. Otherwise, you won’t know what works, what needs tweaking, and what should be stopped altogether. 

Call tracking shines in this regard.

You can accurately track the success of your marketing campaigns, by assigning unique tracking numbers to each one and see exactly how many calls they generate. Google Ads, social media ads, and even offline promotions, all sources can be tracked separately. You will have a level of attribution you didn’t think possible before and be able to pinpoint which channels generate the most leads.

Customers rarely interact from a single only touchpoint, before making a decision. Maybe they start with a Facebook ad, click on it, and browse your website. Maybe they read an interesting post in your blog and signed up on an online form. Whatever the case, call tracking can connect the dots between touchpoints and give you a clear picture of your customer’s journey.

All these data are your weapons. Armed with them, you can make smarter decisions and allocate your marketing budget more effectively. If a particular PPC campaign doesn’t work, no matter what you do, then you know to cut down on it and route the money somewhere else. Or maybe if it does work, then you can increase its budget. 

Deep customer insights

Call tracking in automotive marketing can provide a wealth of customer insights.

Insights that are not limited to simply knowing which campaigns drive calls, but also what these customers are looking for when they call.

With call tracking, you can analyze call data to see what motivates customers to reach out. Do they want to inquire about a specific car model? Maybe schedule a test drive or discuss financial options? You can spot patterns and tailor your messaging and campaigns to address issues that arise more commonly.

You can also capture valuable demographic data, such as the caller’s geographic location, the time of day they called, and other demographic information. This will allow you to create an ideal customer profile or segment your audience and target your marketing more effectively.

We mentioned AI features above. Conversational intelligence is one of them. With it, you can analyze the content of calls in real-time, and detect keywords, sentiment, and the overal tone of conversation. You can probably already imagine what you can do with data such as these. Adapt your approach, fine–tune your messaging, and optimize your marketing campaigns accordingly. 

Call tracking in automotive marketing combined with conversational intelligence will uncover the full picture of your customer profile.

Automate lead qualifications with AI

In automotive marketing, not all leads are created equal. Some are ready to buy right away, some hesitate and need nurturing, others are still in the research phase and others just stumbled upon your business by accident.

It’s up to you to surmise which leads are the most promising ones. It’s a process that takes time and effort, but with AI and call tracking, you can speed it up exponentially.

With AI-driven call tracking, you can analyze conversations in real-time and score leads based on customer intent, tone, and keywords used during the call. The call tracking tool can then score and tag the lead according to your criteria, saving you plenty of time and lifting a burden from your shoulders. Instead of relying on guesswork, you do the job with data! Nimbata can also send direct email alerts to sales teams when high-priority leads are detected, ensuring a timely response.

AI also automates lead categorizations based on purpose, value, or whatever other criteria you have. For example, it can differentiate between sales inquiries, service appointments, or general questions. That way, calls can be routed directly to the right team, sales rep, or department immediately, reducing the chances of mistakes and losing leads. 

Convert leads & boost revenue

You have spotted the high-quality leads, now it’s time to convert them. That’s a whole different game.

With a tool such as call tracking, that automatically captures data from every call, including call source and details, you can streamline lead management and tailor your approach to each lead individually.

Another big advantage that call tracking systems offer, is their direct integrations with CRMs and other marketing automation tools. This way you can trigger follow-ups based on customer behavior during a call. For example, after a call where a customer expressed interest in a particular model, the system can automatically send a follow-up email or text message with more information, pricing details, or an invitation for a test drive.

This way, you can improve your conversion rates, replicate successful tactics, or improve on others.

Create a satisfying customer experience

When people buy a car, they want to talk to someone they can trust. It’s a big and expensive purchase, and rightfully they want an expert’s opinion. Call tracking technology, along with AI, conversational intelligence, and automation, helps dealerships ensure that every customer interaction is seamless and satisfying. With it, you can eliminate common issues, such as unanswered calls and long wait times.

You, as a customer, have you ever called a business, only for your call never to be answered? It’s frustrating, right? It surely must have happened to your business too. Call tracking tools can solve this problem. For instance, dealerships can adjust staffing levels based on call volume patterns or use automated responses to handle overflow during busy times. By ensuring that every customer call is answered, dealerships can avoid missed opportunities and deliver a more reliable customer experience.

Call tracking systems also improve the customer experience by efficiently routing calls to the appropriate department. Whether a customer calls for sales, service, or general support, the system can automatically direct them to the right team without unnecessary transfers or long hold times. This reduces the customer’s frustration and ensures that their inquiry is handled promptly by someone with the expertise to address their specific needs.

Takeaway

Automotive marketing has certain complexities that differentiate it from other industries. Cars are significant investments and customers go through many steps before buying one. Personal communication and phone calls play an important part in the whole process.

This makes inbound calls a vital lead source in automotive marketing. That’s why having the right tools, like call tracking, is crucial to manage these valuable customer interactions. Not only does it help create a better calling experience, but it also equips your business to respond professionally and efficiently to each lead.

In automotive marketing, customer service and expertise are everything. Call tracking helps ensure that your team can deliver on both fronts—making sure no call goes unanswered, and every interaction moves customers one step closer to conversion. By utilizing call tracking, you can improve customer satisfaction, streamline processes, and increase the likelihood of a sale. After all, customers want to feel valued, and providing them with a smooth, informative, and personal experience over the phone is one of the best ways to achieve that.