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Forum: Idea Exchange
Topic: Amazing Sales Stories
Topic Posted by: ModeratorOrganization: Bottom Line Underwriters, Inc.
Date Posted: Fri Feb 13 20:33:42 EST 1998
Topic Description: 'You won't believe this...' Tell us about your favorite sales transactions, closing stories and odd-ball deals.
Posted by: Not Green
Date posted: Fri Mar 21 17:27:06 2008
Subject: never judge people
Message:
Here is a good lesson/story. It was the first day of january 2007. Two people wonder on the lot, and a salesman greets them. He spends a little time with them and decides he has no way to go. Thinking he is real funny he turns off crew to me, his rival competitor(we battled for first and second place all the time). He tells the desk about the joke he was playing on me. The customers honestly didn't look like the could buy anything(if there is such thing this was it). I was introduced and spent the next twenty minutes getting to know them. After finding out who they were and what they were trying to accomplish, we proceeded. What they wanted was to trade an old, relatively worthless pickup and an 04 lancer with too many miles, for one vehicle that fit all their needs. I helped them decide that a chevy hhr would work. We went inside to figure everything out. I took the trade appraisls into my desk and they laughed and said theres no way. After gently explaining this to them it was time to try another route. I asked if the would be open to financing? They were reluctant but agreed 100 a month no money down(except the trades) After completeing the aps I found that they were actually 740+. I couldn't believe it! Long story short the did 125 per month 84 months and put 2000 down on a credit card, I made $1200. At this point the other salesman of course pitched for the back half. Lucky for me he thought he was a comedian and told the desk. They did not put him on the back. So the moral of the story is... Never give up, don't judge, and be creative!
Posted by: Randy May (rmay@dickscountrydodge.com )
Organization:Dick's Country Chrysler Jeep Dodge
Date posted: Sun Oct 7 11:22:36 2007
Subject: Makes you just want to hit someone, doesn't it?
Message:
I took a turn from a salesperson one time. The customer had chosen a vehicle and even test driven but would not commit to buy now and was actually leaving. She was a middle aged single woman with her whole family in tow including kids, grandkids and some others too. After taking the turn I began to ask questions and explorer her frustration and what was holding up her ability buy now and it ended up being a general frustration with the negotiations and the inside paperwork process and her discomfort with that process and her lack of confidence and control in it. In recapping that frustration my agreement statement went something like this, "I understand, it sounds like this is one those things that can make you just want to slap somebody" She grinned at finally being understood and heartily agreed. Attempting to employee a pattern interrupt by shock, I leaned forward a bit, jutted my chin out and said, "then just slap me". She did! She slapped the *%&# of out of me. Quickly deciding that I now had two ways to respond, I eliminated punching her in the mouth and instead asked in as confident of voice as I could while not having any idea what she might do next, "Did that make you feel better?" She said "Yes." with a big smile. I quickly smiled and said "Great, lets get this wrapped up." I put my arm around her shoulder and the rest of the family, who had been watching quietly, followed us in and she bought the van. I still use the agreement statement of "It makes you want to hit or slap somebody." I stop there now. I have never asked the other question again in my 10 year career here.
Posted by: Daniel Rocha
Organization:Lithia Hyundai Fresno
Date posted: Thu Oct 12 23:51:17 2006
Subject: Switching to in Stock!
Message:
Here goes, on a Saturday afternoon I picked up a sales call. It was a lady who was currently at a different dealership who was looking for a speecific car. As I began to answer her questions about what we had in stock, her husband spoke up in the background, "If you have the car we want I have a check in my hand!" I convinced them to drive the 20 min to our dealership and give me the opportunity to earn their business.
Once they got to our store, I quickly greated them and began to joke about the bad experience they just had at the last dealership. They kept saying the the first question the salesman had was if they were there to buy today. After a few minutes we went outside only to find that we also did not have what they wanted. I did a lot of rapport building and investigating when I found out the car was for their daughter and they had been shopping for a week. Since I knew they were buyers, I decided to build a locate sheet. I told my boss what I was doing and he said, "Good job, now let them go and get a real up." I built the vehicle they wanted and took it back to him. He said, "Your still with them, get there number and let them go. We can't do a locate on a Saturday!" I went behind his back and found out that the car they wanted was only available in two places, Reno (6 hrs away) and Town B, where they came from. I had built such good rapport with them, that they would not go back, "...if I needed a heart transplant and it was in that car, I would break the window and steal it rather than buy it from them. So what do you have in stock that has the equipment we need?" As soon as my customers were in finance, i walked over to my manager. He said, "Where's you people? Are you still trying to do the locate?" "No boss, they are in finance, they switched to something in stock!!" Never, Never, Never give up!
Posted by: kim luy (kimmyluy719@yahoo.com )
Organization:lithia ford
Date posted: Tue Apr 11 14:54:10 2006
Subject: never give up
Message:
keep calling the customer and follow up w/ all customers. Until they come in and purchase that vehicle, and to do that u have to be persistent..mentally and physically as well
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| steven alva | Wed Jun 7 16:33:32 2006 | ||
| David Cox | Sun Dec 3 16:52:39 2006 |
Posted by: tracy duran (tracyd777@cox.net )
Date posted: Tue Feb 3 12:45:28 2004
Subject: the honest close
Message:
The best close for me is look at them with a sincere and honest look and just say, "here is what it takes." They usually look at you to make sure your not bluffing or a sense of fear in your eyes or voice. If you say it with conviction, they usually close.
Posted by: Sean Morton (lastmort@hotmail.com )
Organization:Dick's Country
Date posted: Sun Nov 10 13:51:48 2002
Subject: running stuff over
Message:
A guy and his wife walk on the lot, in our area it's pretty common. I greet them just like always. Invite them inside for a cup of jo and get some Info. They want a truck a little truck. Okay he wants a truck she doesn't. I'm thinking I just need to build some good rapport with her and we'll have a deal. We go out side and I land them on a nice little used dodge and she's starting to open up. I'm thinking its going alright.
We start our nice long test drive which takes us out of city traffic on to some nice windy country roads. I let him drive first cause she didn't want a truck of course. I had planned to get her behind the wheel eventually. About two miles into the drive she started commenting on how nice the ride was. We went through some twenty mile an hour S turns and they were both starting to really dig it. just up the road there was the place to switch drivers I had him pull over. She jumps behind the wheel and we take off. I've got this one I'm thinking to myself, done deal. She was kind of a lead foot so we're hauling ass. We come around the corner and she spots a cute little rabbit on the opposite side of the road so she starts to slow down from warp speed. Op! To late the little bunny hopps out in front of us and thump! thump! She killed it. In an awkward situation like that you never really know what to say. Dead silence followed her traummatic incident. I didn't really want to dwell on it so my reaction after a good thirty or forty seconds, which seemed like an hour,was see how well it handles the bumps. Looking back on it it seems fairly morbid but they stated laughing so I joined in. Poor little bunny.
| isaac apedel | Tue Dec 13 5:29:29 2005 |
Posted by: Scott Bradley
Organization:Rasmussen BMW
Date posted: Thu Aug 1 23:26:17 2002
Subject: The Squished Squirrel Close
Message:
The sun was just setting over the West Hills, revealing the last glimpse of a day punctuated by intermittent rain showers and forced gray sunlight.
"Just one more drive… really." The voice on the other end of the phone continued, "That should be enough. Most certainly, then I'll be able to choose between all wheel drive or rear wheel drive."
Weary with the day, and looking forward to its rapid demise, I still could not believe that I hadn't helped my customer to answer this question sooner. Was I getting weak? His traction control dilemma had yet to be resolved, belying the multiple test-drives, multiple cars, and several hours together. Sigh…perhaps tonight would find the answer and another car deal for what had turned into a long and challenging month.
Few words were spoken as we wheeled the car into the late afternoon traffic. What could we possibly talk about, his indecision…the weather…the same old test route? Not tonight. I was determined to turn this prospect into a client.
"Hey, Paul, let's cut through the park." I suggested, "It'll be perfect…no one there on such a nasty night. No runners, sight seers, walkers, not anyone to worry about hitting."
He smiled knowingly, primarily because his own sick sense of humor only barely bested mine. The past several weeks had been a forum for some interesting conversations, many of which had little or nothing to do with cars. We discovered that we had shared some previous experiences, he in his current career, I in a former, had crossed paths. This realization offered us terrific fodder for some indignant observations about past employers. The great thing about car sales, or I suppose any kind of sales, is that you get to work with some interesting individuals. The insight that one gleans can not only be quite fascinating, but can also prove to be extremely valuable.
As promised, the park was deserted. The lengthening shadows, now visible in the sun's final hurrah, were the only distraction as we turned onto the final hill. The intermittent rain showers had proven to be a blessing. The road surface yielded the right opportunity to experience the standard traction control.
"Can't break it loose" he offered, trying repeatedly to put the car in a controlled skid. "Are you sure that this isn't the all wheel drive?"
"Most clients make the same observation," I countered, "many soon realize that the all wheel drive isn't necessary in this kind of driving situation."
Long pause…then he asked cautiously, "If I do decide that I can live with rear wheel drive, which colors do you have in stock?"
The squirrel appeared to be out for one last foraging run before total darkness overtook the park. Peering into the oncoming headlights, it was neither alarmed nor in much of a hurry.
Paul slowed the car, anticipating that the squirrel would continue on its determined course. Slower now, the car's headlights clearly offered the little beast daylight conditions to escape from the asphalt jungle. Who would have thought it would change its mind and run in the opposite direction? We could discern first the front and next the rear wheels, as they drove over the hapless squirrel, the headlights jumping ever so slightly in sequence against the treed backdrop.
The only sound to punctuate the silence was the mechanical slapping of the windshield wipers. It had begun to rain again, just a few stray drops to break the monotony. Having stopped the car, Paul had his head in his folded arms against the steering wheel. Not a word was spoken. Had I lost the sale? Heck, if I had been behind the wheel, I certainly wouldn't be very interested in looking at colors now. What to do? Do I suggest that we reconvene…perhaps tomorrow…perhaps never?
I waited for what seemed like an eternity, leaned ever so slightly towards my prospect still draped over the steering wheel, and softly said, "Let's go around and get it one more time, you never know."
Still silence. Did he hear me? I had nothing to lose. So, who's the sick one now?
A slight smile etched across his face as he turned to look at me. Slowly putting the car in gear, I sensed that not another word was to be spoken regarding the incident.
That evening, Paul took delivery of his brand new, blue, rear wheel drive automobile.
Posted by: Ken Nix
Organization:Herzog-Meier VW
Date posted: Tue Jun 20 9:23:23 2000
Subject: One of my favorites
Message:
My favorite deal was when I worked in a Honda store on the Southcoast. My friend Loy, had a lady customer who he was having problems closing. He turned her to me with her main objection being her husband wasn't with her. When she came on the lot the other salespeople had avoided her because they thought she wasn't a "buyer". To everyone's suprise she had a 740 beacon! I closed her with the two boats and a helicopter close. She left very happy with her new car and us with a very nice gross. The next morning I arrived at my scheduled 10:00 AM to find that the she had come back with her husband and my manager had unwound the deal and given them their trade back. By the time I arrived the customer had been gone for an hour. I immediately called the customer to find the real objection. Both said they like the new car but didn't feel good about it. I asked if they would come back in to sign some papers so we could finish unwinding the deal. When they arrived, I brought them back to the new car and reminded her what she like about the car. Guess what? She proceeded to sell him on the car. They resigned and left in their new car. The moral of this story * don't give up so easily * Sales is 30% knowledge and skill and 70% persistence.
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| Cece Ketelson | Tue Jun 20 12:50:01 2000 | ||
| Ken Nix | Sun Jul 2 10:56:55 2000 |
Posted by: Todd A. Fee (toddafee@aol.com )
Organization:Mallon Ford
Date posted: Wed Jul 28 22:29:09 EDT 1999
Subject: My amazing sales story!
Message:
Okay, here's a good one..A customer comes on the lot, (He's probably about 42-45 years old, trying to look the same age as his ladyfriend, 25 or so..) He says he's just been through a divorce recently, and he wanted to buy a Thunderbird for his new fiancee (the lady with him). So I select a program thunderbird do the walkaround, the demo, etc., and take them inside for the write up..Anyway, after the second pencil, I'm still at $415/mo. and he's stuck on $350/mo., where he had been from the first pencil..So I asked him where the $350 figure came from, since i had just shown him that mathematically, $350 just wouldn't add up..So he tells me that he has to be at $350 because he has his own car payment, and he pays $400/mo. for his ex-wife's car....Now I'd heard of a similar situation from a senior salesperson and how he handled it, so I can't take full credit for what I said, nor would I reccommend anyone else going there, but here goes...I said, "I understand that you live on a budget, Mr. Customer, so do I, but let me ask you this; you said you were paying $400/mo. for your ex-wife's car..Don't you think spending $415/mo. for your fiancee to drive the car she wants, the car she deserves, makes sense?" and I shut up...No sooner did I stop talking when she said "Yeah, I'm worth $415/mo., aren't I?" If you could have seen the look on his face.....Then he looked at me, called me a few choice words, and said ok...
| Heidi | Sat Oct 30 23:57:58 EDT 1999 |
Posted by: Ben K. (jammer139@aol.com )
Date posted: Sat Feb 14 2:56:13 EST 1998
Subject: Top 10 list
Message:
Ten things that would be different if Microsoft started building cars:
1. A particular model year wouldn't be available until after that year instead of before it.
2. Every time they repaint the lines on the road, you'd have to buy a new car.
3. Occasionally your car would just die for no reason, and you'd have to restart it. For some strange reason you'd just accept this.
4. You could only have one person in the car at a time, unless you bought a Car 95 or a Car NT. But you'd have to buy more seats.
5. Sun Motorsystems would make a car powered by the sun, twice as reliable, and five times as fast-but it would only run on 5 percent of the roads.
6. The oil, engine, gas and alternator warning lights would be replaced with a single "General Car Fault" warning light.
7. People would get excited about the 'new' features in the Microsoft cars, forgetting completely that they had been available in other cars for years.
8. We'd all have to switch to Microsoft gas.
9. The U.S. government would be getting subsidies from an automaker, instead of giving them.
10. New seats would force everyone to have the same-size butt.
| Paul Savage | Tue Feb 17 17:04:29 EST 1998 |
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