Introduction
Conquest email campaigns—targeted messages aimed at prospects already engaged with competing dealerships—are a powerful way to steal market share and grow your customer base. But poorly executed conquest campaigns can fall flat, ending up in spam folders or generating unsubscribes. In this guide, we’ll walk through every step of building and optimizing a conquest email program that resonates with competitor customers and drives them to your showroom.
Building Your Conquest List
The foundation of any successful conquest campaign is a high-quality list of prospects:
- Third-Party Data Providers: Partner with reputable vendors who supply email lists segmented by geography, vehicle make/model interest, and recent purchase intent (e.g., credit inquiries).
- CRM & DMS Signals: Identify existing leads in your CRM who visited competitor pages on your website or showed interest in competitor models. Leverage your dealer management system to flag service customers who haven’t bought recently.
- Audience Suppression: Exclude your own customers and opted-out contacts to comply with CAN-SPAM and maintain list hygiene.
- Segmentation by Intent Level: Create separate segments for “actively shopping” vs. “service only” to tailor offers and messaging.
A clean, well-segmented list ensures your conquest emails reach receptive inboxes and deliver maximum impact.
Crafting an Irresistible Offer
Competitor shoppers need a compelling reason to switch:
- Exclusive Trade-Up Incentives: “We’ll beat any local dealer’s trade-in allowance by $500.”
- Limited-Time VIP Events: “Join us this Saturday for a private, no-pressure test drive and receive complimentary detailing.”
- Special Financing: “Zero-down lease deals available this month only.”
- Value-Added Services: “Free first-year maintenance when you purchase by month’s end.”
Your offer should be clear, tangible, and time-bound—promote it front-and-center in both subject lines and body copy.
Structuring Your Email for Maximum Engagement
Once you’ve defined your offer, design your email to guide readers toward action:
Subject Line & Preview Text
Subject: “$500 More for Your Trade-In—Exclusive Offer Inside”
Preview: “Beat rival dealerships’ quotes with our VIP event this Saturday.”
Personalization Tokens
Use merge fields to insert the recipient’s name and—even better—their current vehicle make/model if known.
Hero Image & Header
A clean, brand-aligned banner highlighting the core offer and a prominent call-to-action button (“Claim My Offer”).
Body Content
- Opening: A concise, benefit-focused sentence (“Ready to get more for your trade-in?”).
- Bullet Points: Summarize key perks (e.g., “$500 extra trade value,” “VIP test drive,” “Zero-down leasing”).
- Social Proof: Include a one-sentence testimonial from a recent conquest customer.
Footer & Compliance
Provide an unsubscribe link, your dealership’s physical address, and any legal disclaimers.
Designing for Mobile & Accessibility
Over 60% of emails are opened on mobile devices—ensure yours render flawlessly:
- Responsive Templates: Use single-column layouts with scalable images.
- Button Size: Minimum tappable area of 44×44 pixels.
- Alt Text: Provide descriptive alt text for images to support screen readers.
- Contrast & Font Size: At least 14px body text and a contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for readability.
Rigorous email client testing (Litmus or Email on Acid) will catch rendering issues before you hit send.
Automation & Send Timing
Timing is everything in conquest campaigns:
- Automated Triggers: Enroll new conquest prospects into a multi-touch sequence—initial offer email, follow-up reminder after 3 days, and a final “last chance” message before the offer expires.
- Best Send Windows: Test weekday afternoons (2–4pm) vs. Saturday mornings for your audience.
- Frequency Cap: Limit to one conquest campaign per prospect every 30 days to avoid fatigue.
Automation platforms like Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or your CRM’s built-in tools can handle enrollment and sequencing.
Tracking, Testing & Optimization
Evaluate performance and refine continually:
- Key Metrics: Open rate, click-through rate (CTR), conversion rate (form submits or calls), and unsubscribe rate.
- A/B Testing: Experiment with two subject lines, two hero images, or two offer formats.
- Deep Click Analytics: Track which links prospects click (e.g., “Learn More” vs. “Schedule Test Drive”) to inform future design.
- CRM Attribution: Tag conquest-driven leads in your CRM to tie email sends back to sales outcomes.
Conclusion
Conquest email campaigns offer a cost-effective way to capture high-intent shoppers already considering your competitors. By investing in list quality, crafting compelling offers, designing for mobile, automating follow-up, and rigorously testing, your dealership can convert more prospect clicks into showroom visits. Ready to launch a high-impact conquest program? Get in touch with our email marketing specialists at Conquest One Marketing and start stealing market share today.
