15 Questions to Ask a Facebook Sales Event Vendor
Every pitch sounds good in the demo. These are the questions to ask a Facebook Sales Event vendor before you sign, grouped by topic, with a note on what a solid answer sounds like.
Before the questions: decide what you are buying
A sales event is not a list of names. You are buying showroom traffic during a defined window. Keep that in mind as you listen to the answers below. Any answer that drifts toward impressions, reach or clicks is steering you away from the thing you are paying for. Bring your GSM and whoever runs your BDC into the meeting, and write the answers down so you can compare vendors on the same sheet.
Questions about the commitment
- What exactly do you commit to in writing? Look for a set appointment minimum. Be wary of anyone promising shows or sales, since no outside company controls what happens on your lot.
- How do you define a set appointment? A real one has a name, a phone number, an email and a specific day and time the customer agreed to.
- What happens if you fall short of the minimum? The remedy should be spelled out in the agreement, not left to a conversation later.
- How long is the event and how long is the contract? Know whether you are agreeing to one event or a term.
Questions about the advertising
- Whose ad account and page do the ads run on? Ads should run under your store’s page so the engagement and audience stay with you.
- Who writes the offer and who approves it? You should approve every ad and disclosure before it goes live. Review advertised offers and disclosures with counsel.
- How is the ad spend handled and can I see it? Ask for a clear statement of what goes to media and what goes to management.
- How do you choose the targeting area? A good answer references your sold data and drive distance, not a default radius.
Questions about the people answering
- Who responds to the shoppers, and when? Ask whether real people cover nights, weekends and holidays, and in which languages.
- Where is that team located? You are trusting them with your store’s name. Know who they are.
- What channels do they use? Messenger, text and email cover how most social shoppers prefer to communicate.
- How do appointments get to my team? Look for real time delivery into your CRM or a shared sheet, with the conversation history attached.
Questions about proof and reporting
- What will I see during the event? You should be able to watch appointments, confirmations and shows as they happen, not wait for a recap.
- How do you measure sales after the event? The right answer is a sold match against your DMS or CRM by name, phone and email.
- How many dealers come back for another event? Rebooking is the cleanest test of whether stores got what they paid for. For reference, Willowood works with 600+ dealer partners and has a 90% dealer rebook rate.
After the meeting: score the answers and prepare your store
Give each answer a simple mark: clear, vague or avoided. A vendor does not need a perfect score, but pay attention to where the vague answers cluster. Vague on the commitment means you carry the risk. Vague on staffing means your leads may sit unanswered. Vague on reporting means you will never know whether it worked. Ask for two dealer references you can speak with directly, preferably stores of similar size and brand, and ask those dealers the same fifteen questions.
What your store needs to bring
Even the best partner cannot sell the cars for you. Before the event starts, agree on who greets appointments, how they are logged, which inventory is featured and who confirms that the offer is honored at the desk. Events fail far more often from a cold handoff at the door than from a shortage of appointments.
Frequently asked questions
Should a vendor promise a number of sales?
No. A responsible vendor commits to set appointments, because closing depends on your inventory, pricing and sales process.
Is it a problem if ads run on the vendor’s own page?
It is worth questioning. When ads run on your page, the comments, followers and audience data build your store’s presence.
How far ahead should an event be booked?
Ask each vendor about their setup timeline. Allow enough time to approve the offer, creative and targeting without rushing.
See what an event would look like for your store
Willowood Ventures runs Facebook Sales Events for 600+ dealer partners and manages $4 million per month in social advertising. Dealers see approximately 800% average ROI, and 90% of them rebook. Book a demo and we will walk through your market, your inventory and your set appointment target.
