When you walk up to a customer on the lot, do you just come in hot or watching their body language? Can you see the buying signs of those on a test drive? When you’re dealing a deal, do you feel the other person growing more uncomfortable as numbers are read? Practice being present with your customers instead of treating it like a transaction. Slow down and listen to what they’re saying! The car industry is built on relationships! It’s wonderful being at a one price dealership because I can face old customers instead of being worried about them coming back around to know how much I took advantage of them when they are flipped on the trade I sold. What a fun way to sell cars. Sell truth and do your best for EVERY customer!

Is training the cheat code? Is learning a script so that you don’t freeze up in front of a customer the best way to help your team? Is role playing with your team the way to help your salesman be prepared when that “difficult” customer comes on the lot? Is sending a video of the vehicle and introducing yourself for a remote sale make it more likely for them to buy because the process is more personal now and see a face who will be helping you with the vehicle? I teach my salesman to master the first five steps of the process so that I can get involved by the trade evaluation and we are both in the deal now. Most of our salespeople talk to so many people that I might not of seen on the lot so having them master those five steps gets them in the door so we can help them take home a new vehicle.

When you first became a salesman, did you receive any training? Did your sales manager come out to close deals for you? Did he give you any objection training or role playing? If not, how did you do your first month? How long did you stay at that dealership floundering? For the last week, I have been implementing training for all of our sales staff. It’s important to get around other salesman so we can become better together. We must tell our new salespeople that we believe in them to handle this job, communicate what you expect to them and coach when needed. It’s not your job to call them names when they forgot to put a phone number on the paperwork or forgot to get the payoff information when that was never communicated to them. I’m excited to see what I can accomplish through this daily training. What’s your favorite kind of training, role playing, memorizing scripts or what works for you?

Once a guest has bought a new vehicle, we celebrate it as a team with a picture that we can post on social media. Why? It creates a fun environment to buy a car in. It also allows other to see the amount of customers that are willing to take a picture with your team and if someone walks out of your store with a smile on, it most likely meant they had a pleasant experience. Just post them and share them so everyone on your personal page see it!

When I started to sell cars, I remember having to fight through this invisible barrier that I was trying to screw people over. I understand that the industry has brought this on salesman and some salesman have bad character and look at people like a transaction. I hope that buyers would look at their salesman as someone with good character before they show them otherwise! Many of the salesman I have met are just trying to do their best for their customers and to provide for their family. I know that some companies breed spoiled salesman that make lots of money but I believe you can build a culture better than this. When it’s time to buy a car again, try to see the best in your salesman until he shows you otherwise!