Client

Regional Material Handling Equipment Dealer
Location: Charlotte, North Carolina
Industry: Forklifts, Warehouse Equipment, Fleet Maintenance

Background

A long-established forklift dealer serving the greater Charlotte logistics corridor had built a strong reputation over the years selling and servicing material handling equipment.

The dealership’s core offerings included:

• New and used forklifts
• Fleet replacement programs
• Preventative maintenance contracts
• Warehouse floor sweepers and allied equipment

Charlotte had experienced significant growth as a distribution hub for e-commerce and logistics companies. New warehouses were opening throughout the region, and many existing facilities were expanding operations.

Despite the favorable market conditions, the dealership found that many of these new facilities were sourcing equipment vendors online rather than relying solely on referrals or manufacturer relationships.

Sales leadership realized that companies searching terms like “used forklifts for sale” or “forklift dealer near me” were often buyers actively evaluating equipment.

However, those search results were dominated by national rental companies and competing dealerships with stronger digital advertising.

The dealership wanted a reliable way to capture those high-intent buyers at the moment they were researching equipment vendors.

Strategy

To address this challenge, the dealership implemented the LEAN Industrial Lead Generation System™, a targeted paid advertising program designed to capture active equipment buyers.

Google Search campaigns were built around high-intent commercial searches such as:

• used forklifts for sale near me
• forklift service company
• forklift dealer Charlotte
• warehouse floor sweepers

When buyers searched these terms, the dealership’s ads directed them to dedicated landing pages where they could request:

• Equipment quotes
• Fleet evaluations
• Service consultations

Display retargeting campaigns ensured that companies who visited the site continued seeing the dealership’s brand while comparing equipment options.

Results

Within the first few months of running the program, the dealership began seeing a steady stream of inquiries from warehouse operators and logistics companies researching equipment.

On average, the advertising program generated approximately 10 qualified sales meetings per month.

Over a typical 90-day forklift purchasing cycle, those meetings accumulated into a pipeline of roughly 30 qualified opportunities.

Historically, the dealership closed around 14 percent of qualified opportunities. Applying that conversion rate meant approximately 4.2 deals were expected to close during each 90-day period.

The average equipment sale or package deal—including forklifts, attachments, and service agreements—was approximately $21,000.

Revenue Calculation:

30 meetings × 14% close rate = 4.2 deals
4.2 deals × $21,000 = $88,200 revenue

Program Investment:

$3,500 per month × 3 months = $10,500

After subtracting the program cost, the dealership realized approximately $77,700 in net new revenue.

ROI: $77,700 ÷ $10,500 = 740%

Over the course of a full year, the dealership projected that the program would generate more than $350,000 in additional equipment and service revenue.

Beyond the revenue impact, the dealership noticed an important operational shift: many prospects entered conversations already prepared to purchase equipment, significantly shortening the early stages of the sales cycle.