On a recent trip to Detroit I hopped on the people mover and headed into Greek Town for a meal. As I arrived at the station, I noticed the only way to get to the street was through the Casino. "No big deal!" I thought to myself, but then I realized that they had strategically placed the directional signs to lead people past every possible form of gambling on the way to the street. Once outside, I took an escalator up to a Steak House and, finding it closed, was forced to exit back through the Casino again.

While the experience left me a bit irritated, it reminded me of a powerful sales tool called the Pattern Interrupt. In the same way that I was interrupted from my focus on finding a restaurant, the Pattern Interrupt helps you take the customer's focus off their agenda for a moment and gives you an opportunity to show a benefit early in the sales process.

Pattern Interrupt Role-Play

A good greeting includes an introduction and a transition to a needs assessment that is conducted while sitting down with the customer. A salesperson might transition to the needs assessment by saying, "I'd like to ask you a few questions so I can make sure to show you the vehicle that will best meet your needs and save you some time."

On the way to his or her desk, the salesperson provides a tour or asks a few questions. Along the way, the dealership has strategically placed a marketing display for their special lease option program. This is where the Pattern Interrupt is used. The salesman stops, points to the sign and says, "You know folks, here's something you might want to consider. It's the Toyota Touch Lease plan. (Or any Plan) It's a smart way to get a new vehicle from the people at Toyota. Let me show you how it works (explain the visual)."

After completing the explanation, the salesperson continues:

"But that's not important right now! What's important right now is that we select the vehicle that's right for you, and then when we come back inside, we'll see if the program is your best option for saving you the most money."

The Pattern Interrupt allows you to take charge of the presentation and plant the seed for a powerful finance option. It also adds to your credibility as a sales professional and gives you the edge over other salespeople.

We teach these and other powerful concepts at our Sales and Service Workshops. Contact us today about training for your team, or about where to attend the next workshop in your area.