Driving Leads Through Third-Party Email Campaigns

Background

DriveTime noticed a big gap in how our 3rd-party leads were being treated compared to our direct GA2 customers. Customers coming through partners like ACE, LendingTree, and Quality Leads were getting injected into our system as if they were GA2 customers—but they weren’t getting the same experience.

Most had no idea they were approved with DriveTime, or what that approval actually meant. Some went through multiple forms and touchpoints before ever seeing our name. By the time we reached them, they were confused, unengaged, and unlikely to click through.

Strategic Approach

I developed and executed the content strategy for DriveTime's third-party lead generation campaigns across multiple platforms:

Strategic Planning

• Identified key messaging gaps in third-party customer journey (lack of awareness, unclear next steps)

• Developed platform-specific email strategies for CarGurus and Detroit Trading based on customer behavior patterns

• Created hypothesis that early engagement messaging would increase lead-to-sale conversions

Copywriting & Messaging

• Wrote all email copy, including subject lines, body content, and CTAs

• Developed messaging hierarchy emphasizing partnership credibility, approval validation, and inventory showcase

• Crafted tone balancing excitement about approval with clear, actionable next steps

Results

Full results are still rolling in, but the new content strategy is expected to:

• Increase site traffic and GA2 submissions by meeting customers earlier in their buying journey.

• Improve lead-to-sale conversion through more personalized and trustworthy messaging.

• Strengthen ROI from paid 3rd-party sources by clarifying DriveTime’s role and reducing drop-off after referral.