If you are a fellow Gen-Yer or Millennial you have undoubtedly seen this spiky-haired blue fella here. For the handful of you that have never played the old Sega Genesis game, there are two basic strategies for gameplay. You can either rush through the game because you are in control of the fastest animal on the plane, or you can strategically use your speed to get from the beginning to the end of each level, picking up extra bonuses along the way.
If you use strategy number one, you will miss a lot of those little gold rings that in a simplified way are the essence of your life in the game. You will also be more prone to running into the enemies and scenery that cost you these life-giving gold rings as you can see in the picture above.
Choose option two, and you will still achieve your goal of reaching the end of the level, but you will do so with more rings, more lives, and other perks that the rings give you.
I know this is an odd comparison, but these two choices of gameplay are very similar to the choice we have as automotive sales professional.
You can try to take the easy route to your career and not working on building your industry knowledge and the knowledge of your dealership's processes and inventory, or you can be a true student of your craft.
Choosing option one in the video game is a lot like rushing through a sale and skipping steps like a world-class walkaround, not going on a test drive with your customer, or not giving your customer information about the history of a used car.
Many will say that the sale starts the moment you meet the customer. They are not wrong in saying that it should start at least that early, but I believe a sale really begins before you even meet the customer, and if you don't approach it that way you will be losing a lot of "gold rings" in the form of car deals and profit.
Before the Sale: I'm a big proponent of ongoing training. Otherwise, I wouldn't be putting my content out there to try to help you grown (and hopeful learn some things from you all in exchange.) There are many things you can do before your first interaction with a customer to make sure you make the most out of every meeting.
Read: I won't be one of those guys that says you have to read a book a week or ten books a year or anything crazy like that. I don't think it is about the amount of content you take in. I think it is the value of the content and the constancy with which you take it. If you pick a book (say 10X Rule by Grant Cardone) and you read a half a chapter a day and it takes you 2 months to read it, that is fine. If you are constantly taking in the insight and inspiration in this book, and more importantly, using it in your daily routine you will grow a lot faster than reading 10 times the content and not retaining 90% of it. I think this delivery system of snippets of valuable information is so valuable that that's why I chose to share my insights in blog form instead of book form.
Know How Your Dealership Works: Knowing how your dealership does business, who is in charge of different tasks or possesses the best knowledge about specific subjects can make your job so much easier. My dealership doesn't offer a new truck, and because of that I don't see a lot of trucks come through our lot, and when we do I may know the biggest selling points or the biggest issues a buyer may be looking to avoid. I am lucky enough, however, to have a used car manager that used to run a family-owned GMC dealership and knows trucks very well. I know he is my go-to guy if I have a truck question. On a higher level, knowing who possesses certain knowledge can help you hack into selling success in a way many other salespeople may not see. Let's stick with my truck example. It's gotten to the point now that when I have a truck customer I will use a quick TO to our "truck manager" who will often close the deal for me. I still make the same commission (maybe even more than I would have trying to fumble through it myself), but I didn't flub up a sale because of a lack of knowledge, and the customer is probably happier leaving with more of his questions answered.
Know Your Inventory: You lose a lot credibility with a customer if you can't rattle off 2 or 3 alternate choices when they tell you they are looking for a certain kind of vehicle or vehicle that fits in a particular budget range. They're only going to buy one, and there is a good chance that they know before they come to your dealership which make and model they want, but you must be able to let them know what trim levels you have available as you uncover their true buying motives. You don't want to let them wander around the lot or pull out their phone and start looking or you are doing nothing but giving up gross. No automotive sales professional wants to sell a car for the internet price.
EXTRA Look the Part: I don't believe in having some cheesy greeting. A sincere hello and welcome will suffice, but I am a true believe that you must appear put together. Don't be smoking, make sure your hair is well-kept, and even if you are not required by your dealership you should wear dress pants, a dress shirt, and a tie. I even suggest wearing a nice watch or bracelet, something that not everyone has but is an easily-noticeable sign of success. These appearance items are not about vanity, it is about the idea that this is what your customers expect a successful person to look like, and even if you are not the top salesperson in your dealership, if you look the part then customer will not know the difference.
During the Sale: We've all heard about "The Road to the Sale," and I would guess most of us have failed to do at least half the steps more than we have done all of the steps, but there are some parts that are absolutely not to be skipped.
Build Rapport: This always appears toward the top of the list, but I think you are fooling yourself if you think you can build enough rapport in the first three minutes to sell a car. Start early and never stop. Find common ground, let them know things that you would try as a consumer, and do this all the way to the close.
Fact Finding: I believe in starting broad and working down to specifics. If someone comes into my dealership and asks to see a Honda Odyssey EX-L, I'm going to start with a question like "Great! What is it that has you interested in the Odyssey?" Then I'd follow with "What is it you like best about the EX-L package?" If I find out that they want a feature on the 2016 that was available on a 2014, I now have ammo to switch them to a Certified Pre-owned 2014 if price on the 2016 becomes an issue.
World-Class Walkaround: With the facts that you have gathered you need to perform and hold their attention for 2-3 minutes with the best feature/advantage/benefit walkaround you can provide. Don't drag it out, but don't shortcut it, and you sure as hell better not skip it. Hood open, doors open, trunk open. Get them touching, laughing, and telling you "YES."
Go on the Test Drive: No explanation needed. You are costing yourself money if you don't do it. Unless are selling motorcycles without sidecars you better be on that test drive.
Trade-in Walkaround: You have to do this so that you and your customer can come as close to possible as seeing their trade-in in the same light before you discuss numbers. Let them know you see the positives and appreciate the opportunity to purchase it from them, but also make sure you point out some of the flaws that will either cause you to have to spend additional money in service or price the car lower to be considered a value in your market.
Change Hats: Everything up to this can be really light and fun, but there comes a point when you have to sell them a car. I too this in two very obvious ways. Immediately following the test drive I ask "What did you think?" As long as the response to that is positive I follow with "Great! As long as the numbers are agreeable, is this the one you want to take home with you today?" I gave them an out, but I just very clearly asked them to buy a car. Sometimes, if my rapport is good enough, I later will sit down with the customer between the test drive and the delivery of numbers and say "OK, I'm going to sell you a car now. Are you ready?
Don't take shortcuts. Would you rather do the right thing and fail or do the wrong thing, fail, and spend the rest of the day/week/month knowing that you had the power to potentially make it different?
Choosing option one in the video game is a lot like rushing through a sale and skipping steps like a world-class walkaround, not going on a test drive with your customer, or not giving your customer information about the history of a used car.
Many will say that the sale starts the moment you meet the customer. They are not wrong in saying that it should start at least that early, but I believe a sale really begins before you even meet the customer, and if you don't approach it that way you will be losing a lot of "gold rings" in the form of car deals and profit.
Before the Sale: I'm a big proponent of ongoing training. Otherwise, I wouldn't be putting my content out there to try to help you grown (and hopeful learn some things from you all in exchange.) There are many things you can do before your first interaction with a customer to make sure you make the most out of every meeting.
Read: I won't be one of those guys that says you have to read a book a week or ten books a year or anything crazy like that. I don't think it is about the amount of content you take in. I think it is the value of the content and the constancy with which you take it. If you pick a book (say 10X Rule by Grant Cardone) and you read a half a chapter a day and it takes you 2 months to read it, that is fine. If you are constantly taking in the insight and inspiration in this book, and more importantly, using it in your daily routine you will grow a lot faster than reading 10 times the content and not retaining 90% of it. I think this delivery system of snippets of valuable information is so valuable that that's why I chose to share my insights in blog form instead of book form.
Know How Your Dealership Works: Knowing how your dealership does business, who is in charge of different tasks or possesses the best knowledge about specific subjects can make your job so much easier. My dealership doesn't offer a new truck, and because of that I don't see a lot of trucks come through our lot, and when we do I may know the biggest selling points or the biggest issues a buyer may be looking to avoid. I am lucky enough, however, to have a used car manager that used to run a family-owned GMC dealership and knows trucks very well. I know he is my go-to guy if I have a truck question. On a higher level, knowing who possesses certain knowledge can help you hack into selling success in a way many other salespeople may not see. Let's stick with my truck example. It's gotten to the point now that when I have a truck customer I will use a quick TO to our "truck manager" who will often close the deal for me. I still make the same commission (maybe even more than I would have trying to fumble through it myself), but I didn't flub up a sale because of a lack of knowledge, and the customer is probably happier leaving with more of his questions answered.
Know Your Inventory: You lose a lot credibility with a customer if you can't rattle off 2 or 3 alternate choices when they tell you they are looking for a certain kind of vehicle or vehicle that fits in a particular budget range. They're only going to buy one, and there is a good chance that they know before they come to your dealership which make and model they want, but you must be able to let them know what trim levels you have available as you uncover their true buying motives. You don't want to let them wander around the lot or pull out their phone and start looking or you are doing nothing but giving up gross. No automotive sales professional wants to sell a car for the internet price.
EXTRA Look the Part: I don't believe in having some cheesy greeting. A sincere hello and welcome will suffice, but I am a true believe that you must appear put together. Don't be smoking, make sure your hair is well-kept, and even if you are not required by your dealership you should wear dress pants, a dress shirt, and a tie. I even suggest wearing a nice watch or bracelet, something that not everyone has but is an easily-noticeable sign of success. These appearance items are not about vanity, it is about the idea that this is what your customers expect a successful person to look like, and even if you are not the top salesperson in your dealership, if you look the part then customer will not know the difference.
During the Sale: We've all heard about "The Road to the Sale," and I would guess most of us have failed to do at least half the steps more than we have done all of the steps, but there are some parts that are absolutely not to be skipped.
Build Rapport: This always appears toward the top of the list, but I think you are fooling yourself if you think you can build enough rapport in the first three minutes to sell a car. Start early and never stop. Find common ground, let them know things that you would try as a consumer, and do this all the way to the close.
Fact Finding: I believe in starting broad and working down to specifics. If someone comes into my dealership and asks to see a Honda Odyssey EX-L, I'm going to start with a question like "Great! What is it that has you interested in the Odyssey?" Then I'd follow with "What is it you like best about the EX-L package?" If I find out that they want a feature on the 2016 that was available on a 2014, I now have ammo to switch them to a Certified Pre-owned 2014 if price on the 2016 becomes an issue.
World-Class Walkaround: With the facts that you have gathered you need to perform and hold their attention for 2-3 minutes with the best feature/advantage/benefit walkaround you can provide. Don't drag it out, but don't shortcut it, and you sure as hell better not skip it. Hood open, doors open, trunk open. Get them touching, laughing, and telling you "YES."
Go on the Test Drive: No explanation needed. You are costing yourself money if you don't do it. Unless are selling motorcycles without sidecars you better be on that test drive.
Trade-in Walkaround: You have to do this so that you and your customer can come as close to possible as seeing their trade-in in the same light before you discuss numbers. Let them know you see the positives and appreciate the opportunity to purchase it from them, but also make sure you point out some of the flaws that will either cause you to have to spend additional money in service or price the car lower to be considered a value in your market.
Change Hats: Everything up to this can be really light and fun, but there comes a point when you have to sell them a car. I too this in two very obvious ways. Immediately following the test drive I ask "What did you think?" As long as the response to that is positive I follow with "Great! As long as the numbers are agreeable, is this the one you want to take home with you today?" I gave them an out, but I just very clearly asked them to buy a car. Sometimes, if my rapport is good enough, I later will sit down with the customer between the test drive and the delivery of numbers and say "OK, I'm going to sell you a car now. Are you ready?
Don't take shortcuts. Would you rather do the right thing and fail or do the wrong thing, fail, and spend the rest of the day/week/month knowing that you had the power to potentially make it different?