Immediately following a successful introduction – with no pause – you have to start your contact (examination) questions. If you don’t know what’s wrong or needed with something – how can you fix it? The initial questions you ask your potential customer sets the tone and builds rapport for the entire buying experience. Relax them and be friendly. It is up to you to assist the customers in the selection of their new vehicle. Who knows where every vehicle in your inventory is – you or the customer?

Before we launch into your contact questions you must determine where and when you will ask them. Most of the time you will ask them on the dealership lot or in your office. In a lot of cases you will blend these questions with your vehicle presentation. The contact questions have to be done immediately following your introduction and must be followed in order. You will not sound like a robot.

Your contact questions are very important because if you do not know this information, you will not be able to properly assist your customer in their new vehicle purchase? The best sales people “Listen more than they talk”, so start listening to your customer’s.

Let’s get started with your contact questions or should I say “doctor’s examination”

1.  IS THIS YOUR FIRST VISIT TO THE DEALERSHIP?

WHY ASK?

This determines if the customer has been dealing with another sales representative, and how they heard about the dealership.

2.  DID YOU KNOW OUR DEALERSHIP IS…?

WHY ASK?

A point of interest about your dealership is always helpful in building credibility. Also, if you are having a special on a particular vehicle mention the special immediately, even if they are not interested.

3.  WHAT FEATURES ARE YOU LOOKING FOR IN YOUR NEW VEHICLE ( do not pause here ) New or used, 2 door or 4,   truck, mini-van, 4 x 4, sports utility, automatic or manual transmission, 4 – 6 or 8 cylinder engine, air conditioning, Am/Fm/cassette or CD player, power windows and locks, sunroof,  cloth or leather interior, your color preference dark or light, etc.

WHY ASK?

Obviously this determines what type of vehicle the customer is looking for and helps you narrow down your inventory.

4.  WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR PRESENT VEHICLE, THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IN YOUR NEW VEHICLE?

WHY ASK?

This determines if there is a trade involved.  It also helps out to find the customers “Hot Buttons” or the features in the vehicle that are most important to them.

5.  IS THIS VEHICLE FOR BUSINESS, PLEASURE OR FAMILY USE?

WHY ASK?

This question helps narrow down the purpose of the vehicle. It will help you determine if leasing is going to be an option. If it is for the family, then size and safety are important.

6.  HOW MANY MILES DO YOU DRIVE PER MONTH?

WHY ASK?

This will help determine which needs are required depending on how much the car is driven.  It also influences the leasing mileage restrictions.

7.  WHO WILL BE THE MAIN DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE?

WHY ASK?

Because if you are dealing with a husband / wife and the wife is the main driver you have to focus more of your attention on the wife. This will also determine if anyone else may be involved in the buying decision (Spouse/ Co-worker/ Children). If the main driver does not want, fit, or like the vehicle, it will not be sold.

8.  WILL THERE BE ANYONE ELSE INVLOVED IN THE DECISIONS REGARDING YOUR NEW VEHICLE, OR WILL IT JUST BE YOURSELF?

WHY ASK?

This is a direct way of making sure all the decision-makers are present.  This question should be used with care, since some customers may take offense to it. If you do not know the answer to this question, by the time you are ready to ask for the order, guess what you just might hear…

9.  WILL YOU BE SELLING US YOUR PRESENT VEHICLE?

WHY ASK?

Because you have to make sure if the customer is planning on trading in their vehicle. The reason you are saying selling instead of trading is because selling has more financial value to it. This information will determine how you to handle the trade negotiation.

10.  HOW WILL YOU BE PAYING FOR YOUR NEW VEHICLE CASH, FINANCING OR LEASING?

WHY ASK?

This obviously determines what type of financing the buyer is contemplating and  gives you some idea of his or their financial position.

11.  WHAT TYPE OF MONTHLY BUDGET ARE YOU LOOKING AT?
WHY ASK?
This will give you an idea of the selling price of the vehicle you should be looking for. There is one problem, the trade and cash down will effect the monthly payment. So if the customer wants a $50,000.00 vehicle and only wants to pay $400.00/month – THINK.  It is very important to try an increase the customer’s payment expectations, because their monthly budget rarely matches the vehicle they want.

LISTEN MORE THAN YOU TALK…

PROPER QUALIFICATION = INCREASED SALES & PROFIT

Darin’s Wrap Up

These are some of the best contact questions you can use and combined with a proper introduction and vehicle presentation you will have an excellent start to a professional game plan. The more you practice something – the Luckier you will get. There are “No Tricks” in selling cars. So! Practice, Practice, Practice…

Then, five minutes later, you walk out of the store and go into another clothing store. This time you are greeted with a; “Welcome to Hugo Boss, my name is Mike Slade; are you looking for a new suit or something casual?” Then this sales person follows that with some great probing and contact questions.

One hour later, you are the new owner of a suit, 2 shirts, a tie and 3 pairs of socks; all thanks to Mr. Slade’s Professional Greeting to his store.

Have any of you ever experienced a similar scenario?

If you have, then think about how your sales people or how you are introducing yourselves at the dealership.

• Are you introducing yourselves properly every time?
• Are you asking proper contact questions immediately after the greeting?
• Are you building any type of rapport?
• Are you trying to figure out what type of buyer you are dealing with?
• Do you know why this person came into the dealership?

Why do people walk into clothing stores, shoe stores, furniture stores and car dealerships?

………   YOU ARE IN RETAIL SALES   ………

This sales training meeting is on how to professionally greet the retail customer; every time.

Here are a few common retail sales introductions.

• Hello Can I help you?
• Hi! How are you today?
• Good morning! Is there anything I can help you with?
• Hi! How can I be of service to you today?
• Good evening! Is there anyone or thing you’re looking for?
• Beautiful day isn’t it?

There are many more… Do any of these sound familiar?

What can and does happen with each of these greetings? Of course a negative response can / is said by the customer. An experienced sales person can usually say almost any type of introduction and rebound from it; however, new sales people have to learn the right way from day one.

If you want the best sales people, have a formula.

Darin’s formula for a Professional Sales Person.

Education + Practice + Consistency + Self-Control

=

Professional Sales Person

A professional golfer can not play par and better golf without the same practiced principles.

The following is the start to your game plan. Use it on every customer and person that enters the dealership. This is not new and I have not reinvented the wheel, but it works.

Smile – people won’t deal with someone they don’t like and a smile is always the best way to introduce yourself in a positive way.

…. Smile ….

“Welcome to ASC Dealership”

“My name is Darin George and your name is?”

If they’re last name is not given, ask:

“And your last name is?”

The reason you do this proper greeting ever time; is to “Avoid a Negative Response.”

This greeting allows you to lead into your contact questions smoothly; avoiding simple customer objections.

Of all the Selling Steps, the first one has the most impact, because you will never have an opportunity to make that critical first impression again.  With this in mind, make sure your first contact is your best.

Always dress in a professional manner, brush your teeth, smell good and don’t act like a car sales person.

People like individuals who are like themselves, so mirror their posture, actions, body language and manner of speaking. You will have to learn and practice people skills – it’s a huge part of your careers.

After the initial greeting, make sure you write down the customer’s name, but do it without them knowing it. There is nothing more embarrassing than calling someone by the wrong name; people Love to hear their name said.

DO NOT hand out your business card during your introduction. WHY? Because your business card has no value, until you do.

Build value in yourself and your business card. Earn the Right and Be patient.

How you start with a customer will determine where you will end up; so always start right.

If you would like me to speak at your dealership on any auto sales training topics or if you want a great sales process system, email me:  darin@visitasc.com

ASC RECRUITING AND SALES TRAINING is also looking for Recruiters and Sales Trainers in every State and Province, Email to hr@visitasc.com for details on this opportunity.

Think about it;

Prospecting and Marketing have the exact same meaning; looking, searching, exploring… The manufactures call it marketing and so do the dealers. So, If we “salespeople” look at it from a marketing view point, then it all makes sense.

Auto manufactures continuously prospect / market everyday via auto shows, national television, radio, magazines, display signs, newspapers, billboards, sponsoring events, charities, and more. The manufacturers are the industry’s number one prospecting group, followed by the dealerships.

The dealerships are second in customer prospecting via local television, radio, internet, newspapers ads, community donations, sponsoring local sports teams and much more.

The third is the salesperson, which in my opinion has dropped the ball. Don’t get me wrong, not all salespeople are poor customer prospectors (marketers), just a large number of them.

Customer prospecting is a very important factor in contributing to the success of a new sales person. If you are an experienced sales person and are not delivering 150 units per year, then your future success depends on it too. The success of a sales person has a direct relation to the success of the dealership. When times are good, almost every sales person can sell some vehicles. This falls into what I like to call, “just having a heart beat”, call yourself a sales person and stand in the showroom. The customers will walk in and 10% of them will buy from you just because you are there.

I’ve said it many times in my sales meetings “Consistency and Game Plan”. Sales people that have a systematic strategy of prospecting will simply have a larger potential customer base to draw from than a non-prospecting sales person. This added base of customers per month is what will distinguish an average sales person from an exceptional one.

If you feel you or your sales team are underachieving in this regard, here are a few ideas you can start with to turn things around.

Make a list of 1000 plus names and telephone numbers of people that you do not know and put some thought into your list. Example: If your last name is Smith put the Smith’s on your list. From this list of 1000 unknown new prospects, if you can get 2 to 5 percent of them to purchase, that’s 20 to 50 more vehicles “over the curb” per year. This means approximately an extra $ 10,000.00 per year to every sales person that does it. So the question you can ask yourself is, is it worth doing?

Massive Rejection is the Key to marketing Success.

Your prospecting has to be done at the start of your shift or at the end, you can even do it from home. Make 5 to 10 calls per day, if you work 22 days in a month it adds up fast. Your calls have to be short and to the point.

Example Call:

“Hi,  My name is Darin George and I’m calling from ABC Motors and was wounding if you are in the market for a new or used vehicle?”

If the answer is Yes, continue…

If the answer is No, Thank them for their time and tell them if they ever need any help in getting a vehicle they could call You.

Here is a partial list of resources, methods, and groups of people to consider when making your prospecting list of 1000 people:

• family and friends
• the white pages in the telephone book
• the yellow pages, businesses etc.
• auto body and paint shops
• insurance offices
• general contractors
• the internet
• clubs and associations
• coffee shops
• your neighbors, your doctor or dentist
• newspapers, classified ads
• buy and sell newspapers
• auto traders, people are selling and buying from these magazines
• your service department, your mechanics can refer people to you
• do a group fax out to some local business
• you can even run an ad in your local paper

Be proud of your profession.

Tell everyone you know and meet that you are in the automotive industry. At one time or another, everyone will become dissatisfied with their current vehicle. The key is to know when they are ready for a new one. But bear in mind we’re talking ballpark here – you will never know the precise or exact moment when anyone is ready, even your brother or sister.

You or your sales people should never tell the sales management  there is nothing to do at the dealership – You can always do some “MARKETING”.

Remember it’s Marketing not Prospecting

Darin’s Wrap Up

I hope this months sales meeting has started your creative juices flowing. Have fun with your prospecting, Oh I’m sorry, Marketing. If you would like more info on this sales meeting topic, just call the College and ask for Darin.

The Drive to Sell Well

How did you feel about the car purchase process? What type of research did you do? How long did it take before you decided to purchase? Did you call any dealerships for information and pricing? How many dealerships did you go to before you bought? Did you consult with your friends and family? Did you care where you purchased your new vehicle? Was the product a major concern?

Was the sales person important?

When we understand ourselves, as customers; and how, why and what we did in a car purchase, or continue to do in any type of purchase, understanding our customer becomes easy. Everything we have said and done to a salesperson are exactly what our customers are saying to us now.

Think about it, your customers have already made the decision to look and possibly purchase a new vehicle when they enter your dealership, if of course, everything in their mind is in order. It’s your job to understand them and assist in the selection of their new vehicle, with the understanding that they have already given considerable thought towards their potential purchase, long before they enter our dealership.

The following is a typical scenario is what your customers are thinking and doing before they enter your dealership. This scenario can be used for a single person, partners or small business, just modify the husband / wife example.

1 Year to 3 Months Before the Purchase

During dinner, husband or wife mentions they should start looking for a new vehicle. The typical reason for considering such a big decision: keeping up with the neighbors “the Jones’s”; manufactures TV advertising promotions etc; driving down the highway and seeing a beautiful new vehicle; a need, and want.

Approximately a Month Before the Purchase

The couple discusses such things as: how they will pay for their new vehicle; monthly budget (maximum); how much savings they have (cash down); and whether or not they will trade in their current vehicle. Normally people go to there bank first for a loan approval, they might researching other financial options (manufacturer credit arms, leasing, etc.). The internet is now a research tool for your customers to obtain more information, get on it see what is happening. It is not going away.

The Night Before the possible Purchase

They decide to go to a dealership, but feel they will not buy just yet. But if they see something nice and close to what they have been considering and meet a salesperson that understands them, they just might do it today, only if…

When The Customer Enters The Dealership

The couple tries to look like they do not need any help or that they haven’t even thought about purchasing a new vehicle. They start say exactly the same things we use to say to car salespeople: “I’m just looking”… “We are just kicking tires”… “We don’t need any help”… “We just started looking”… “What is your best price on that car?”… … “How much would you give me for my car?”… etc.

Now! Because we are professionals and understand our customers, we know why they are saying these things – they are exactly like us.

During The Selection Process

They are undecided about colors, options, etc., and become resistant. The reality about actually purchasing a vehicle is coming into focus. Emotions such as fear, doubt, hesitation and uncertainty begin to play a major role.

During the Negotiations

Some customers become distant and uneasy. But if you have done your job, as a professional in our business does, you can confidently ask for the sale now. Negotiating is all about psychology and how you articulate every word becomes critical to the sale now. Explain everything to them and make sure every condition is clarified. Assist your customer through the process. It does not have to like going to the dentist.

SOLD – When They Come To Pick Up their New Vehicle

Take your time in the delivery process; leave the customer with a lasting impression. If you have done your job correctly and professionally, the customer will feel great about their new vehicle purchase and speak highly of you, your dealership and the manufacturer. This will lead to an excellent client base, referrals, and repeat business.

Note: You must always remember two things – your customer is at your dealership for a reason and the # 1 reason people will buy from you is You.

PEOPLE LIKE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE THEMSELVES

To understand people you have to study them, read books, and listen to audio / videotapes. Here are some suggested books to read.

1. Emotional Intelligence – Daniel Goleman
2. 25 Habits of highly successful Salespeople – Stephan Schiffman
3. Unlimited Power – Anthony Robbins
4. Quantum Healing – Deepak Chopra, PhD
5. Don’t worry, Make Money – Richard Carlson, PhD

Darin’s Wrap Up

You’ve all heard it before; we are in the greatest and biggest people business in the world. When we understand that we as salespeople are customers, understanding our customers is easy. It’s just part of what we do for a living.

The more we understand and give to our customers, the more we will receive.

Note:  For training and services offered by Darin or the Automotive Sales College