Ancaster enlists AI-powered emails to maximise lead conversions

The Ancaster Group is stepping up its digital communications activity across all 14 of its sales sites with the introduction of AI-powered email alerts to generate greater volumes of new and used car sales leads and maximise conversions.

Led by digital marketing firm Marketing Delivery, AI-powered email alerts will replace multiple labour- and time-intensive lead management processes.

The Ancaster group has sites in South London, West London, Surrey, Kent, and Berkshire selling new and used cars. Representing six volume brands, the group requires the continuous management of an extensive and complex database of current and prospective customers.

Marketing Delivery’s VoiceBox software supports digital interactions with prospects via a suite of messages that include bespoke post-enquiry touchpoints, lost sales, stock alerts, self-serve email campaigns and organic social media. 

This will enable Ancaster to alert potential customers about new-in vehicle stock that meets their requirements, drawing on the latest leads and supply data held within the group’s lead management system, Dealerweb. When relevant stock enters that retailer’s inventory, Stock Alerts issues a tailored, automated email informing prospects of a new match with their desired vehicle.

An easy-to-use self-serve platform also means that Ancaster’s marketing department can send ad-hoc email campaigns that match its corporate identity and a full suite of automated sales messages, so branding across communications is aligned. The self-serve social media feature within VoiceBox means organic content can be scheduled across Ancaster’s Meta and LinkedIn profiles in advance. 

Carly Keeler, head of marketing at Ancaster, said: “During our pilot phase the automated emails generated a huge response for our sales teams to follow up on, and we are now using the self-serve element for our weekly email updates. Having the data pull straight in from our DMS and CRM systems is making life in the marketing department a whole lot easier.”