Used Car Dealer CRM: Tracking Marketplace Lead to Sale
Used Car Dealer CRM: Tracking Marketplace Lead to Sale
Capture DMs, qualify fast, schedule test drives, and attribute every sold unit back to the source that earned it.
Compliance: Respect local advertising rules, properly disclose fees/taxes, secure consent for texting (opt-in/STOP help), and protect PII. Blur partial VIN in public media.
Introduction
Used Car Dealer CRM: Tracking Marketplace Lead to Sale turns scattered Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and OfferUp messages into one clean pipeline. You’ll get stage definitions, required fields, automations, reply scripts, dashboards, and a 30–60–90 rollout that connects every test drive and deal back to its source.
Expanded Table of Contents
- 1) CRM Pipeline for Used Car Dealers (Stages & Exit Criteria)
- 2) Essential Fields & Data Model (Lead, Vehicle, Deal)
- 3) Marketplace Lead Capture & Webhooks
- 4) SLAs, Auto-Replies & Qualification Scripts
- 5) Test Drive Scheduling & No-Show Prevention
- 6) Attribution: UTM, First/Last-Touch, Multi-Touch
- 7) Automations: Tasks, Nurture, Status Changes
- 8) Inventory Sync, VIN Decoding, Photos & Pricing
- 9) Call/Text Tracking, A2P/Consent, Transcript Logging
- 10) KPIs & Dashboards (From DM to Sold)
- 11) Security, PII & Roles
- 12) 30–60–90 Day Rollout Plan
- 13) Troubleshooting & Optimization
- 14) 25 Frequently Asked Questions
- 15) 25 Extra Keywords
1) CRM Pipeline for Used Car Dealers (Stages & Exit Criteria)
| Stage | Goal | Exit Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| New (Unassigned) | Triage & route | Owner set, first reply sent |
| Contacted | Get basics & consent | Qualified questions answered; contact method verified |
| Qualified | Match unit & timing | Vehicle of interest set; budget/trade/timeline captured |
| Test Drive Set | Appointment booked | Date/time/location confirmed; reminder scheduled |
| Test Drive Held | In-person demo | Outcome recorded (proceed / alternate / not interested) |
| Deal Proposed | Numbers on paper | OTD presented; finance app started (if applicable) |
| Sold | Close & deliver | Payment complete; delivery & review request logged |
| Lost | Learn & nurture | Reason tagged (price, unit, timing, financing) |
2) Essential Fields & Data Model (Lead, Vehicle, Deal)
Lead
- Full name, mobile, email, city/ZIP
- Source (Marketplace/Craigslist/OfferUp/GBPs/Ref)
- First touch timestamp, consent status (opt-in/STOP)
- Budget band, trade-in Y/N, timeline
Vehicle
- VIN, year/make/model/trim
- Miles, price, lot location, status
- Photoset ID, hero/cabin/engine 3-pack
- Reconditioning notes & costs
Deal
- OTD, fees/taxes, holdback
- Finance/Cash, lender, approval
- Gross/unit, trade allowance, payoff
- Close date, attribution model
Webhook/Event Naming
lead.created, lead.updated, message.inbound, message.outbound, appointment.booked,
appointment.no_show, appointment.held, deal.proposed, deal.closed, attribution.updated
3) Marketplace Lead Capture & Webhooks
- Connect each channel to your CRM inbox. Use unique numbers/links per source.
- Auto-create lead with source, message transcript, unit clicked, and timestamp.
- Deduplicate via email+phone heuristic; merge threads but keep source touchpoints.
Sample Payload
{
"event":"message.inbound",
"source":"facebook_marketplace",
"lead":{"name":"Sam R","phone":"+15551234567","city":"Tulsa"},
"vehicle":{"vin":"1HGCM82633A123456","stock":"A197","price":12990},
"message":"Is this still available?",
"first_seen":"2025-11-13T14:05:00Z"
}
4) SLAs, Auto-Replies & Qualification Scripts
SLAs
- First reply: < 3 minutes open hours; < 10 minutes after hours via SMS handoff
- Follow-up: 3-2-2 cadence (Day 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21)
- Test drive confirmation: T-24h + T-2h
Script (First Reply)
Hi {First Name} — yes, the {Year Make Model} is available.
Are you near {City}? Trade-in? Cash or financing?
Two test drive times: {Today 5:30} or {Tomorrow 11:00}. Reply "BOOK" to lock one.
Txt STOP to opt out.
5) Test Drive Scheduling & No-Show Prevention
- Auto-create calendar event with stock#, lot location, and staff owner.
- Send map pin, parking note, required docs, and rain plan.
- No-show sequence: quick reschedule + two alternates + nurture tag.
6) Attribution: UTM, First/Last-Touch, Multi-Touch
- First touch: Where they discovered you.
- Last touch: What triggered the appointment.
- Multi-touch: Weight Marketplace view + SMS + phone call to split credit.
Use unique tracking numbers and parameterized links (e.g., utm_source=marketplace&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=used_car_2025).
7) Automations: Tasks, Nurture, Status Changes
- New lead → assign owner, send first reply, create “Call in 10m” task.
- Reply received → set stage to Contacted; start qualification checklist.
- Appointment booked → stage: Test Drive Set; schedule reminders.
- No response 48h → move to Nurture; send alt unit list.
- Deal closed → request review; trigger post-sale service campaign.
8) Inventory Sync, VIN Decoding, Photos & Pricing
- Nightly sync: status, price, miles, photos. Lock price changes to audit trail.
- VIN decode to auto-populate trim, engine, options; attach reconditioning costs.
- Photo standard: hero, cabin, infotainment, engine bay, wheels/tires, CarFax badge (if licensed).
9) Call/Text Tracking, A2P/Consent, Transcript Logging
- Provision unique numbers per source; auto-log calls and recordings to the lead.
- Texting: capture opt-in, include HELP/STOP, respect quiet hours.
- Summarize transcripts with action items; tag objections (price, payment, timing).
10) KPIs & Dashboards (From DM to Sold)
Top
DMs, calls, qualified %, time-to-first-reply
Middle
Test drive set %, held %, proposal rate
Bottom
Close %, gross/unit, CAC, days to close
Quality
Flag rate, refund/return %, review velocity
Sample SQL (Median time lead→test drive)
SELECT PERCENTILE_CONT(0.5) WITHIN GROUP (ORDER BY EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM (td_time - lead_time))/3600)
AS median_hours
FROM deals
WHERE source='marketplace' AND td_time IS NOT NULL;
11) Security, PII & Roles
- Restrict export of full lead lists; mask partial phone/email in reports.
- Use least-privilege roles: Sales, Manager, Admin, Marketing.
- Rotate API keys and phone numbers; audit login and data exports.
12) 30–60–90 Day Rollout Plan
Days 1–30 (Foundation)
- Define pipeline stages and exit criteria; add required fields.
- Connect Marketplace/Craigslist/OfferUp; provision tracking numbers.
- Install instant replies + qualification script; set SLAs.
Days 31–60 (Momentum)
- A/B test first replies and appointment CTAs.
- Launch dashboard; review by source weekly.
- Enable nurture sequences with alternate units.
Days 61–90 (Scale)
- Expand to nearby cities; add inventory syndication.
- Boost only high-converting units; prune low performers.
- Create 2 case studies; systematize review asks.
13) Troubleshooting & Optimization
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| High DMs, low appointments | Slow replies; weak CTA | SLA alerts; offer two times in first message |
| Appointments set, low show rate | No reminder; vague directions | T-24/T-2 reminders with map pin & docs |
| Sold units not attributed | Missing tracking numbers/UTMs | Unique numbers per source; enforce required fields |
| Duplicate leads | Multi-channel inquiries | Heuristic dedupe + merge history; keep source touches |
14) 25 Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is “Used Car Dealer CRM: Tracking Marketplace Lead to Sale”?
A CRM framework that standardizes capture, qualification, scheduling, attribution, and close.
2) Which channels are supported?
Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, OfferUp, Google Business Profile (calls/messages), referrals.
3) Do I need paid ads?
Not to start. Proven workflows can later be scaled with ads.
4) What reply time wins most deals?
Under 3 minutes during hours; under 10 minutes after hours with SMS handoff.
5) How many follow-ups before nurture?
Use a 3-2-2 cadence over 21 days, then move to nurture.
6) How do I prevent duplicates?
Match by phone/email; merge with a master lead while preserving source events.
7) Can I track calls and texts by source?
Yes—provision unique numbers; auto-log recordings and transcripts.
8) What consent text should I include?
Opt-in confirmation with HELP/STOP language; honor opt-outs quickly.
9) What fields are mandatory?
Source, owner, timestamp, vehicle of interest, budget band, timeline, consent status.
10) How do I handle trade-ins?
Capture VIN, miles, photos; set conditional range pending inspection.
11) What about price shoppers?
Offer two similar units; move fast to a test drive with clear OTD context.
12) Should I send a CarFax link?
If licensed—yes. Otherwise summarize reconditioning and inspection notes.
13) Best time slots for test drives?
Late afternoon weekdays and weekend mornings; confirm weather and route.
14) How do I reduce no-shows?
Map pin, document checklist, and easy reschedule link in reminders.
15) What KPI is most predictive?
Time-to-first-reply and test-drive held % strongly correlate with close %.
16) How do managers coach from transcripts?
Tag objections and wins; run weekly call reviews with outcomes.
17) Is multi-touch attribution worth it?
Yes, once volume grows. Start with first/last-touch, then add weights.
18) How do I track inventory changes?
Nightly sync; lock pricing to an audit trail; notify owners on status change.
19) What if the unit sells before a test drive?
Auto-send alternates and invite to pre-approval to hold another unit.
20) Can assistants manage the inbox?
Yes—use canned replies, clear SLAs, and escalation rules.
21) Should I watermark photos?
Small corner logo; avoid heavy overlays that reduce reach.
22) How do I capture reviews?
Trigger review ask after delivery with simple stars → open text path.
23) What’s a healthy close % from test drives?
Varies by market; track per model and per source to set local baselines.
24) How do I protect PII?
Role-based access, masked exports, and regular audit logs.
25) First step today?
Define stages and required fields, connect inboxes, and enable instant replies.
15) 25 Extra Keywords
- Used Car Dealer CRM: Tracking Marketplace Lead to Sale
- used car crm pipeline
- facebook marketplace automotive leads
- craigslist car lead tracking
- offerup vehicle lead conversion
- auto dealership attribution
- test drive scheduler crm
- call tracking auto dealer
- a2p texting compliance auto
- tcpa consent dealership
- lead scoring automotive
- deduplicate crm leads auto
- vin decode crm
- inventory sync dealership
- otd price tracking
- gross per unit dashboard
- marketplace dm to sold
- auto reconditioning tracking
- appointment show rate auto
- crm webhook automotive
- multi touch attribution auto
- sms templates dealership
- review generation auto sales
- used car sales kpis
- automotive crm 2025
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7) Facebook & Instagram (Visual Proof + DM Booking)