New Chrysler Marketing Push Rewards Web-Savvy Dealers

DETROIT – Starting this year, Chrysler will reward dealers that respond quickly to online inquiries that lead to sales, the auto maker’s sales chief says.

Reid Bigland, Chrysler’s president of U.S. sales and also president and CEO of the Dodge brand, says the auto maker noticed at least 31% of sales stemmed from customers creating models on its website or browsing dealer inventory.

But dealer response time lagged, Bigland says during the Automotive News World Congress here. “The average response time was almost a day later.”

In recent months Chrysler has challenged its dealers to get in touch with online shoppers more quickly, and Bigland says response has decreased to an hour or less among most of them.

Variable compensation will be added to dealers’ rewards depending on how promptly they follow up and how successful they are at converting those leads into actual sales.

“We’re embracing digital in a big way this year,” Bigland says. “If you don’t have an online presence, you’re going to be really at a significant disadvantage relative to your competition.”

Bigland says Chrysler will spend $300 million on digital advertising and other marketing efforts this year, more than in years past. Initial investments include an online registry program launched for the Dodge Dart this month.

Potential Dart buyers can add options donated by friends and relatives accessing DodgeDartRegistry.com. It’s a new spin on the bridal-registry tradition, substituting heated steering wheels or custom wheels for bread makers or down comforters.

After the Dart is registered, buyers can spread the word or thank their contributors via Twitter, Facebook or other social media.

“Establishing an online registry is another example of how Dodge continues to create new rules with the Dodge Dart,” Olivier Francois, Chrysler’s chief marketing officer, says in a news release. “The registry is designed to make the process of configuring and buying a new Dart more social than ever, in a way that has never been done before.”

Besides digital advertising, Bigland notes Chrysler will be returning to Super Bowl advertising this year, but does not reveal what the auto maker has in store. The auto maker’s 2011’s Super Bowl ad unveiled the “Imported from Detroit” campaign, while last year’s spot featured actor Clint Eastwood.

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