What free report to offer...

hmm, interesting that offering a market analysis to car dealers area gets any traction, especially via cold call. I worked with several car dealerships for variable print data, personalized marketing etc.. and they already knew their market very well. Of course they were large dealerships.

Anyway without knowing your niche tough to give advice.

Strictly online you can put out a free lead magnet that would be appealing for quick reference then off the thank you page give them a survey with the promise of some sort of prize.

You use the survey to find out what their biggest problems are then create a product you know they want.

I would not leave the data gathering with survey part to online only. The people you're likely to attract aren't right. Not developed far enough, not committed, not aware of what they know or don't know. And you can't tell whether they're making up their responses or not. Maybe you could supplement results with an online survey, but it's not what I'd do. Live conversations with prospects you know are at the correct level is the best way to get market information. You can hear their tone of voice. Hesitancy. Whether they actually believe in their response or are just filling in 'C' because they have to pick one of the choices you put up for them. You never get to hear "None of these really make sense for us" with an online survey.

Once again I have to say this exemplifies how this forum wants to run in the opposite direction of what actually works in the hope of a quick and easy solution. Put in your effort at the beginning. Get the reality of your market fully understood and in their own words before you start making any marketing collateral. Don't skim this stuff over or try to rush through it. Getting your pain points right is the most important thing you can accomplish, because the market will tell you in the most attractive words to themselves how to get their attention. And if all you're relying on is an online survey limited to the words you chose...you're not going to get that result.

Why wouldn't you follow the already-successful company's process? Look at what they start with: a LIVE conversation. Why do you think they do that? Why don't they begin with an online method? Do they give a one-size-fits-all report? What does their process result in, in terms of how they interact with the prospect and how they are viewed?

I feel you are trying to short circuit their process...which everyone thinks they're so smart and wants to try to do, even with my sales training ("Jason says we do Steps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...but I'm smarter and I think I can take out Steps 2 and 4...oh why didn't it work?"). The process steps are there for a REASON. It's clear to me why their process works.

Do they need a "believable reason for a second meeting"? What are they doing that makes that meeting a no-brainer to the prospect? Stop trying to put the cart before the horse and follow their process.