Very few people I know are born to sell. Most of us require training, practice and on going support, along with an honest desire to excel, before we reach the level of success that would define us as a “Top Performer”. What we’ve learned along the way is that processes, skills and sales tools all work together to help us increase the value proposition to our customers. Leave out a part of the process, or fail to use your tools with appropriate skill, and your odds of success decline dramatically.

There are literally thousands of selling tips and techniques. There are equally as many selling tools, and more are hitting the dealership every day. But the most important selling tool is always available and has always been available for us in the car business. Simply put, it’s the car and all of her wonderful accessories.

Products are tangible. That makes them easier to sell than services that a customer cannot touch and experience. So why is it that we spend so little time with the customer in and around their car? From the sales side, we’re lucky if we see a canned 2 minute walk around and 5 minute demonstration drives; then we get the customer away from the car to talk price. From the service side, most ASM’s still sit at their desk trying to upsell when the most powerful selling tool at their disposal is sitting outside on the service drive.

The vehicle represents the most important reason the customer is at your dealership to begin with. It’s WHY they are there. This is not to minimize the significance of fact finding, but to maximize the value of the product in the sales equation. You must use the vehicle to demonstrate the benefits and value to your customers or you will not be successful at selling, whether it’s new car, used car or fixed operations sales.

You may have heard us use this in our training or other training classes you’ve attended:

• Tell me and I’ll forget
• Show me and I might remember
• Involve me and I’ll understand

In relating this to selling, here is what you must apply:

• Just talking about the product has little value.
• Showing and/or demonstrating the product has some value.
• Involving your customer with the product has maximum impact on your ability to sell.

In order to fully involve your customer, you must spend time in, at and around the vehicle. You must allow the customer to touch, test and try things. On the sales side this allows them to take “mental ownership”, and on the service side, it helps them to trust your recommendations and their own decisions to go forward with repairs.

At Auto University we model the type of product presentation that is required to maximize sales results. Contact us today to find out more…