Grant Cardone in Autosuccess Magazine
Automotive Salespeople, you must know the rules to win the sale. You are in one of the most competitive selling environments ever. Add to that a consumer who is terrified to pull the trigger and who spends more time shopping the Web than experiencing the product. It is game time, colleagues, and you have to be prepared like never before. Are you ready? Are you preparing yourself everyday?
You can want to be on top of the leader board, but that won’t put you there. You can wish and pray for more traffic and fatter grosses, but they won’t come without you knowing the rules.
In this economy, every opportunity has to count — every phone call, lead and walk in. You could easily blow a deal just because you were slow to answer a question, stammered through a response to your customer or you just didn’t respond with the right attitude. Your ability to communicate and mindset are vital, and you must be committed throwing out doubts and operating with discipline.
Here are five rules that will simplify the sales process, help you communicate effectively and allow you to win the sale:
1. Always Agree with Your Customer. Agree First, Negotiate Later.
“No problem,” “Yes ma’am, I can help you with that,” “Most people are just looking, at first.” Always, always, always agree with your customer. This is the single most important and the most commonly violated rule in all of selling. People are attracted to products, ideas and people who represent the things they’re in agreement with. This is a universal fact. I agree with everyone first, even when what they are saying is “idiotic.” Disagreeing will only make them insanely idiotic. I will agree with a client and then move them off that product or close them for more money when it is appropriate. People misunderstand this rule by just agreeing. No. Agree, and then get your way. “I agree, it is a lot of money,” doesn’t mean you drop the price. “I agree the payments are high, but you knew you were coming to a BMW store, sir. You always pay extra for quality — sign here.” Agree and then justify, establish reality and close.
2. Know the Price Myth.
Price is a myth and is only real to the person who believes price is the reason. You can’t put a price tag on something you really love, or something that solves an emergency. When asked about price, provide the information, and then focus on building value or moving the buyer to a product that will better suit them and their budget. The buyer doesn’t need to be handled on price — you do. Do you know the value of your product? What makes it different, better and a great investment? If you don’t know, you will never be able to sell another on it. Value is more important than price. Discounting does not add value or make the product/service a better deal. People will pay more just because they like you. Value is what your customer will pay to feel emotionally satisfied — it’s the smell of new leather, the feel of the softest t-shirt, the look of perfect shoes or the taste of the best vintage. Value is also what solves the buyer’s problems. If he really loves the product, is certain it will solve his problems and actually has confidence in you, he or she will come up with the money to buy your product.
3. Move Up, Don’t Move Down.
Many salespeople make the mistake of offering something for a lower price when faced with price objections. Price is a myth and not a valid issue. You have missed as many deals because you were on too little car as too much. Think back to the last time a customer said they couldn’t afford it and then went down the street and spent more money. They were saying it was too much and you thought they said they couldn’t afford it. What they were saying was, “too much for that product.” When you move the customer down in price, he’s less likely to want this next product if he didn’t want the first one, and might think that you can’t solve his problems. By moving him up rather than down in inventory, you’ll get him thinking in terms of value and you will find out if his original objection is valid or not.
4. Give, Give, Give!
Selling is the act of giving, not getting; serving, not selling. Instead of being interested in your own commission, focus on what your product really offers the customer and how your client is going to benefit from this experience. If your customer wants one option, give him three or six or even 12 options. Those professionals who care the most are the ones who go the extra mile to find ways to improve the customer’s life. You have to give more than information — give choices, give options, give personal visits, give links to all the Websites that they might check for on their own time. Basically, overwhelm people with so much “give” that they have to surrender to your thrust. And don’t forget to offer personal visits. See my recent blog at http://dealer- communications.com/technology/dont-be-deceived-by-the-technology-drive/.
5. Write Up, and Never Stand Up
You will never close a deal if you don’t write the buyer up and you’ll almost never close a deal if you’re standing up. Always bring a buyer inside for a presentation of your offer. If you don’t get to price, payments, difference, down payments and the like, you ain’t going home with a done deal. Make it easy for your buyer to look at numbers after the demo ride. “Come on inside and let me get your figures and show you how easy it is to do business here.” Sit your client down and show him or her what you can do for them, and substantiate it with facts. Also, make the transition now between selling and closing. Now is the time to press for a close and a decision. Sell on emotion, close on facts and figures and logic. The biggest weakness of salespeople is in negotiating and closing the transaction. If you find yourself not writing buyers, I assure you that it is because you are weak in the close. If you are weak there, then you are weak. The marketplace will not tolerate it today and it’s your responsibility to become strong in the close or it’s going to cost you money and cost you sales.
