Back to all articles

Back to all articles

When one of our dealers said they were no longer impressed with their Craigslist results, we were shocked. But as we listened to the store’s call recordings, we realized three things: 1) two of the callers never reached a salesperson, 2) three of the callers were never redirected to a second vehicle option, and 3) we really needed to write this article.

When exploring any new digital marketing channel, there needs to be trial and error so that you can understand what doesn’t work before mastering what does.

Luckily, we’ve done the trial and error for you. So whether you’re doing Craigslist in-house or through an agency/vendor, your dealership NEEDS this Survival Guide:

Have A Plan And Stick To It

So you have a dedicated ad spend for Craigslist advertising! Great—now what?

Here’s what you should nail down on Day 0:

• Who’s logging into the Craigslist portal and checking CRM leads?
• Who’s listening and auditing your recorded calls? (All calls should be recorded!)
• What’s the process for leads to be added into the CRM?
• How are Craigslist leads followed-up, if at all?
• Do you have Craigslist listed as an advertising or lead source to track its ROI?

Optimize Every Listing

The results don’t lie, Craigslist moves pre-owned cars. So why isn’t every dealer on Craigslist? Most dealers’ Craigslist ads simply aren’t optimized for conversions.

To get the most calls, clicks, and sales from your Craigslist ads:

• Add your dealership’s accolades and “Why Buys”
• Unless you are EXTREMELY competitive with price, don’t include it in your ads
• Know your markets: not all markets are the same, and not every day is a good day to post vehicles
• Know your audience: use the right language (even different ones) to appeal to your specific target audiences

Route Leads Like You Mean It

Be thoughtful and strategic about who will be assigned to handle your Craigslist inquires.

The Craigslist shopper notoriously closes FAST (about 13 days faster than traditional online leads, to be exact). This makes it imperative for your team to have a routing process that gets leads to your team as quickly as possible.

Be A Salesperson, Not An Order-Taker.

When a Craigslist lead calls in about your vehicle, the first question you’ll likely hear is, “Is it still available?”

Remember, your #1 priority is to set an appointment and get the customer into the dealership. (Duh, Cara.) But check out this example:

Here are some tips to keep the conversation going:

Walk The Walk

As with every digital marketing channel, education is key.

If your team has never spent time in Craigslist’s auto section, there may be a disconnect between your employees and your customers when trying to relay information.

Encourage your team to go through the site just as a shopper would. Observe how listings are laid out, and how you would reference a vehicle to a sales rep if the tables were turned.

Track + Monitor Your Leads

Your dealership will never be able to gain value from Craigslist if you’re not tracking and monitoring your inbound leads.

Make The Most Out Of Craigslist

Despite the fact that Craigslist can rake in hundreds of leads for your dealership, making the most out of those leads takes strategy, processes, and careful monitoring.

It’s easy to let things fall through the cracks, but remember that Craigslist shoppers are motivated buyers. These aren’t the leads you want to miss out on.

Not using Craigslist yet? Let us show you how our vetted Craigslist partner uses proven data and science to get listings to the top of the Search Results Pages. Get the tour.

Back to all articles