Don Erwin, Director of Marketing and Communications for Mtn View Automotive has over 20 years of automotive experience and has seen the value with TradePending almost since our beginning. TradePending was lucky enough to have him sit down recently for an interview.
What are some of the unique things about the Tennessee market?
The Tennessee market is unique, but over the past 18 to 24 months, we’ve expanded well beyond our region and now operate nationally. We’re completely comfortable working with customers anywhere in the country, whether that’s Cincinnati or across the West Coast.
What’s surprised us most is how customers are finding us. It’s not just for specialty or exotic vehicles. Shoppers are looking for the best deal, and while they may begin their search on sites like CarGurus or AutoTrader, many ultimately engage directly with us by completing a trade or payment lead form before we even realize they visited those third-party sites.
Because of that reach, we have to be highly aware of national demographics and buyer behavior across different markets. Our digital presence must resonate well beyond Tennessee.
That also speaks to the importance of what you put on your website?
It absolutely does. We use Clarivoy, so we closely track sales attribution and understand which calls to action perform best.
If I had to describe TradePending in three words, they would be consistency, predictability, and affordability.
With TradePending’s tools, we can forecast our lead volume with remarkable accuracy. Historically, 35 to 65 percent of customers who engage with the trade or payment tools ultimately submit a lead. Beyond volume, we also understand how those leads close.
Payment leads are especially strong because customers provide detailed information upfront — credit score range, desired payment, down payment, trade value, and payoff. That insight allows our sales and management teams to engage with real intent and have highly focused conversations.
From an ROI standpoint, the product is extremely affordable and delivers outsized value. It’s an easy decision for us to continue using it.
It sounds like you were an early adopter with TradePending?
Yes, we were early adopters of both AutoAPR, now Payments, and TradePending’s trade tools shortly after launch.
Before TradePending, we used the standard trade form on our website and averaged about 17 to 20 leads per month. Once we activated the TradePending CTA on our SRPs and VDPs, our trade leads increased almost tenfold, nearly overnight.
The difference was ease of use and clarity for the customer. The tool made the process simple and intuitive, which significantly increased engagement.
Tell us why you’ve stayed with TradePending for so long.
We view vendor relationships as true partnerships. When we implement a product, we use it to its fullest extent. We actively test systems and expect strong support when needed.
TradePending’s support team has consistently been responsive and proactive. When issues arise, they’re addressed quickly. Over time, we’ve built strong relationships with team members who have helped refine scripts and optimize our implementation.
That level of support and collaboration has been a major reason we’ve remained long-term partners.
You added Value Watch recently, tell us about that.
We were early adopters of Value Watch as well. What appealed to us is that it works seamlessly in the background. TradePending leads are automatically subscribed, and the process requires very little management on our end.
I subscribed personally to monitor the customer experience. Once a month, I receive an update showing the current value range of my vehicle. It’s simple, non-intrusive, and informative.
Value Watch strengthens long-term customer relationships. Subscribers aren’t necessarily active leads, but over time we often see them re-engage and convert into trade opportunities. It keeps us connected in a way that feels helpful rather than sales-driven.
Unsubscribes have been minimal, which tells us customers see real value in receiving consistent equity updates.
Is there anything from our products that stands out for your team?
One feature that has had a significant impact is the Hot Leads List. Each morning at 7 a.m., select managers receive a report highlighting leads who have returned to the website and are actively browsing inventory.
That visibility into the customer journey is powerful. When a lead from two or three weeks ago revisits the site and views a different vehicle, we can reach out with relevant, timely communication.
For example, we might mention a specific vehicle they viewed and invite them in for a test drive. That proactive engagement, based on real behavioral data, has been extremely valuable for our team.
Finally, if TradePending were a car, what car do you think it would be?
You know I’ve never driven a McLaren, but if Tradepending were a car, I bet it probably would be a McLaren. It’s that kind of performance for dealership.