NetForum - Message Replies

Forum: Idea Exchange

Topic: New Recruit Sales Consultant Questions

Posted by: Caleb Murphey (caleb.murphey@hopkinsdodge.com )
Date posted: Sat Mar 8 16:05:43 2003
Subject: Easing Tension and Pressure
Message:
First, I would like to say that this web site has been a tremendous help to me and I very much appreciate all the support that you provide.

I have been in auto sales now for about four months. I was reffered to this profession by a family member who is mngmnt at another dealership and has been in this career for a number of years. He had been hounding me for a while to get into the career because he thought I would be really successful at it. After being here for a short time I realize the potential that comes along w/ the buisness. I also realize that there is much I have to learn and always will be.

For the first two months of my selling I was one of the top sellers in my store. Our manufacturer has surveys that go out to all the customers that we sell to. Everyone's employment as well as some of our pay hinges on these surveys. When mine came back they were horrible. I finally realized why they were so bad, its because I've been backing my customers into a corner and giving them no choice but to buy. Now I know that that isn't all bad but, I want to know how to do that with out making my customer defensive and upset. Also, when some customers come in, they're on the defense right away. They still let me lead the sales process but, when it comes to numbers they always want to butt heads with me. Even when I tell them that the desk is the enemy and I'm they're friend, they still want to have it out with me.

What can I do to ease all this tension?

Subject: Easing Tension and Pressure
Reply Posted by: Michael Hargrove (mhargrove@bluinc.com )
Organization: My Success Company
Date Posted: Sat Mar 8 16:53:25 2003
Message:
Caleb:

Here's a few things that should prove helpful to you.

Read, study, practice and incorporate some Socratic Selling principles into your normal transaction. We can ease tension (or create it) by the kinds of questions we ask. If we sound like every other car jerk they've ever dealt with, it's reasonable to expect them to be defensive with us. Making the sales transaction one of collaboration and not one of confrontation is possible when we engage our customers in the process. By asking easily answered questions, we not only gain insight into what our customer's dominant buying motives are, but we also help our customers feel valued and understood. By taking the extra time to get to know and engage our customer, we actually dramatically speed up the buying process. You can learn about it in the ARTICLES section of this site in an article entitled: Using the Socratic Selling Method.

Next, learn several new ways to ask them for their business other than "If I could...would you?" The average retail car customer has to say 'NO!", or object, somewhere between 4-7 times before psychologically they're even in a position to say "YES!" That means we have to be prepared to ask them 5-8 times to do business with us. If all we know is some variation of "If I could...would you?", then it's impossible (in today's market and buying climate) not to be a hammerhead. Remember, Caleb, the basic closing formula of "carrot, stick, close". Carrot is all the reasons we've already established with them to do business with us. The stick is all the bad awful things that will happen if they don't do business with us. And close is making it easy for them to say "Yes!" and hard to say "NO.".

Like this: "This is the first place you've shopped? Check this out. First place you've shopped and you found the car you've been thinking about for three months, equipped exactly the way you wanted it, in that pearl-white you didn't even expect to find, at the dealership that's closest to your work, all that, and we got it to fit in your budget too?!!! (that's the carrot) Just think of all the time, grief, hassle, and aggravation you've just saved yourself! (that's the stick) Are you always this lucky?" Now, whether they say "yes" or "no" they are saying that they are in a lucky situation. What we do then is ask a closing question or make a closing statement. Get it? You can also find other closing skills in the ARTICLES section of this site.

Lastly, for now at least, is to "Teflon" the negotiations. There are several ways to do this but my current favorite is this:
"Mr. & Mrs. Customer, at this point in the transaction, some of my customers tend to get a little nervous or upset because they don't like the negotiation process. I think you'll be pleased with just how easy it is to do business here. Just in case, though, let's make a deal right now. Let's just agree, to disagree, in an agreeable fashion. Okay? You don't swing at me, I won't bring your mom in to it, and with a little bit of patience and flexibility, you'll be leaving today in your new car. Fair enough? Okay then, follow me."

After reviewing how our product fits their stated wants and needs (the Carrot), another favorite is:

"Folks, at this point my job is to simply make it easy for you to take action... on a decision you've already made. Right this way".

Try these few things (or run them by your manager if you have doubts) and let us know how you fared.

All the best!

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