Build the foundation for repeatable Australian lead generation, starting with what I believe is true and the questions I'd validate immediately.
Before building any pipeline, I formed a set of beliefs about the AU market based on research. These are hypotheses, not facts, and some of them will be wrong. But they determine where I look first.
Pentana controls ~60–70% of AU franchise dealers. Trying to replace it is a losing fight. AutoPlay's advantage is that it sits on top of the DMS as the pre-sale layer. It complements the DMS rather than competing with it.
New car margins are being crushed by NVES compliance and Chinese OEM pricing. Dealers need to convert more leads faster. That is AutoPlay's core value proposition, and right now the timing feels acute.
AU used car dealer share jumped from 39% to 49% in one year. Speed-to-market and lead conversion on used inventory is where AutoPlay can demonstrate ROI fastest.
Auto-IT, AU's #2 DMS provider, was acquired by Constellation in 2024, the same parent group as AutoPlay. It may not be a ready-made package, but it could be a door no competitor can open. I would pursue it deliberately.
"Easy to use" sells in NZ. AU buyers under financial pressure need to hear ROI: faster response, higher conversion and lower cost-per-sale. Same platform, different language.
AU dealers are skeptical of NZ-based software. The fastest path to credibility is one or two AU success stories. Everything else gets easier once those exist.
Three weeks into a new market, certainty is a liability. These are the questions I would be actively testing in the first 30 days before committing budget or strategy to anything.
The Constellation sibling relationship is real, but whether it translates into a go-to-market shortcut requires direct conversation with Auto-IT's team. That's something I'd want to validate early.
My hypothesis says yes, because decisions are faster and there may be less DMS lock-in. But there may be a regional group or a specific OEM relationship that unlocks scale faster. I would find out in the first 10 dealer conversations.
BYD, GWM, and MG are building AU dealer networks from scratch. If one of them adopts AutoPlay as a preferred tool, it brings a cohort of dealers with it. That changes the economics of AU expansion entirely.
I have hypotheses about AU messaging. But what a dealer in Parramatta responds to may be different from what works in Brisbane or Adelaide. The only way to know is to test it fast, with real conversations.
AutoTalk AU and GoAuto are the obvious candidates. In the first 30 days I would research their editorial focus and attempt to make contact with editors, then commit to a content strategy based on what I learn, not before.
Owner-operated. The principal makes the decision. Not locked into enterprise DMS contracts. High used-car volume means the pain of slow lead response is felt directly. These are the first conversations.
Larger than independents but still regional decision-making. Many may already be Auto-IT users, which creates a natural conversation opener. One win here typically brings multiple sites with it.
Building AU dealer networks from scratch. No legacy DMS baggage. Want modern, AI-capable tooling. They may be slower to close, but they could become strategic anchors. One OEM relationship can bring a cohort of dealers.
AU automotive B2B is relationship-driven. Digital warms the room. Trade media builds credibility. Events close deals. The sequence matters as much as the channels.
Where AU dealer principals, GMs and OEM heads actually spend time. Organic content builds awareness; paid campaigns drive inbound from a precisely targeted audience.
AutoTalk AU, GoAuto, and Dealer Solutions reach exactly the buyers we want. Earned coverage is more trusted than paid in this market.
AADA Convention and state dealer expos are where relationships become pipeline. These close deals that digital only warms up.
Each phase has a clear output and a single success metric. It is designed to run lean and fast, and to produce real pipeline rather than just activity.
The plan above is designed to be run by one person moving fast. AI is what makes that possible without cutting corners on quality.
AI tracks AutoTalk, GoAuto, AADA announcements and LinkedIn for dealer pain signals, competitor moves and OEM news. Briefed every morning before writing a word or making a call.
LinkedIn posts, trade media pitches, outreach sequences and case study drafts produced significantly faster. The human voice stays. The admin disappears.
Every cold message references something specific, such as that dealer's inventory, location or recent news. Real personalisation at scale, not just a promise on a slide.
LinkedIn and email data reviewed weekly. Budget decisions made monthly. Not waiting until the end of the quarter to adjust.
Short-form video for LinkedIn and trade media, scripted, produced and edited fast. 20 years of video production experience combined with AI tools means quality without agency timelines.
Lead capture, follow-up sequences and CRM updates run on automated workflows. The pipeline keeps moving whether I'm in Auckland or on a flight to Sydney.
Here is exactly what gets built in the first 90 days, with real outputs at each stage, not just activities.