Buying a car is rarely an impulse decision. Customers research for weeks or months, comparing models, reading reviews, visiting websites multiple times before ever stepping into a showroom. For Hyundai, the challenge was clear: how do you understand what each individual visitor is interested in, and how do you communicate with them in a way that feels relevant rather than generic? We developed a marketing automation strategy with SharpSpring that builds comprehensive customer profiles, scores leads based on their behaviour, and delivers personalised content at every touchpoint.
360-degree customer profiles tracking behaviour across website, forms and email interactions
Lead scoring model qualifying prospects based on engagement and purchase intent signals
Personalised content delivery matching vehicle interests to individual customer profiles
Custom API integration connecting SharpSpring with external CRM systems
Automated email flows nurturing leads through the automotive consideration journey
The challenge
How do you increase engagement and conversion by communicating more relevantly with potential car buyers throughout their consideration journey?
The solution
A marketing automation strategy built on SharpSpring, featuring 360-degree customer profiles, lead scoring, personalised content and custom API integrations with external systems.
Hyundai x iO: making every customer interaction count
Hyundai is one of the world's largest automotive manufacturers, known for innovation in electric vehicles and a commitment to accessible mobility. In the Belgian market, Hyundai competes not just on product quality but on customer experience throughout the entire journey from first website visit to purchase and beyond.
We partner with Hyundai to transform how they understand and communicate with potential customers. By implementing intelligent marketing automation, we help Hyundai move from mass communication to personalised engagement, ensuring every touchpoint adds value to the customer relationship.
Why automotive marketing needs 360-degree customer understanding
The automotive customer journey is complex. A potential buyer might visit your website dozens of times over several months. They compare different models, read about features, check prices, download brochures, sign up for test drives. Each of these interactions tells you something about their interests and where they are in their decision process.
Without the right systems, these signals are lost. Marketing becomes generic: the same message to everyone, regardless of whether they are interested in compact city cars or premium electric SUVs. Hyundai wanted to change this. They needed insight into individual visitor behaviour to communicate more relevantly and convert more effectively.
How to implement lead scoring in automotive marketing automation
Understanding behaviour is only the first step. The real power comes from knowing which visitors are most likely to become customers, and when they are ready to take the next step.
Together with Hyundai, we developed a lead scoring model that assigns values to specific customer actions. Visiting the website repeatedly earns points. Opening specific mailings earns points. Filling out forms, requesting test drives, downloading brochures: each action contributes to an overall score that reflects engagement level and purchase intent.
This score allows Hyundai to qualify and categorise leads systematically. High-scoring leads can be prioritised for dealer follow-up. Lower-scoring leads receive continued nurturing until they are ready. The system ensures that sales effort is focused where it matters most, while no potential customer falls through the cracks.
How to personalise content based on 360-degree customer profiles
First impressions matter enormously in marketing communication. Consider a mailing header: if you are interested in Hyundai's premium IONIQ electric range, a header featuring compact city cars will feel irrelevant. And vice versa.
The 360-degree customer profile we built captures exactly these preference signals. Based on which pages someone visits, which content they engage with, and which forms they complete, we build a picture of their interests. This profile then drives personalisation across touchpoints:
Website content can adapt to show relevant models and offers
Email headers and content match the visitor's demonstrated interests
Follow-up communications reference what the customer has already explored
The result is communication that feels relevant rather than random, increasing both engagement and conversion.
How to integrate marketing automation with an external CRM via custom API
Marketing automation tools like SharpSpring are powerful, but they rarely operate in isolation. Hyundai needed to connect SharpSpring with multiple external systems, including their CRM, to create seamless data flows and enable advanced use cases like automated email sequences triggered by CRM events.
We built a custom API integration that does more than simply exchange data. The integration applies smart logic: interpreting data from external systems, triggering appropriate actions in SharpSpring, and ensuring both platforms stay synchronised. This technical foundation enables sophisticated automation workflows that would be impossible with disconnected systems.
Automotive email flow automation: the Hyundai Electric Academy
One standout application of the marketing automation platform was the Hyundai Electric Academy. This email flow educated potential electric vehicle buyers through a structured learning journey.
Participants received five videos by email over a set period, teaching them everything about electric charging and driving. When they completed all videos, they received a certificate of participation and an invitation for a test drive. The entire flow was automated: tracking which videos had been watched, triggering the next email at the right time, and managing the certification process without manual intervention.
This type of drip campaign automation demonstrates how marketing automation can deliver genuine value to customers while efficiently nurturing them toward purchase.
A unified database replacing fragmented systems
Before the implementation, Hyundai's customer data was scattered across multiple systems with no unified view. Now, all customer information flows into a single database with comprehensive 360-degree profiles. All email communications run through one system rather than fragmented tools. The marketing team has received training on SharpSpring's capabilities and can set up smart email flows independently.
From generic communication to personalised engagement
The marketing automation implementation transforms how Hyundai communicates with potential customers. Instead of sending the same message to everyone, Hyundai can now tailor content based on demonstrated interests. Instead of treating all leads equally, they can prioritise based on engagement scores. Instead of manual follow-up processes, automated flows nurture leads at scale.
SharpSpring is proving to be much more than a marketing automation tool. Hyundai is progressively adopting additional functionalities: the 'My Hyundai' customer environment, CRM capabilities, social media monitoring and the service module for customer questions. Each expansion allows them to set up processes more efficiently and reduce costs while improving the customer experience.
The foundation is now in place for continuous optimisation: testing different content, refining lead scoring models, and expanding automation to new use cases as the partnership evolves.
