5o Steps to Showroom Mastery - Practical Car Sales Advice

ASSIGNMENT: Start a daily ritual that includes mentally walking through a successful sales process with a casual prospect and vividly re-live the experience of making that sale. Re-live every detail in your mind. This is your rehearsal for the big show! First, become a winner in your own mind and it will start to become easier to do so in the showroom.

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For an in-depth understanding of how the science of Psycho-Cybernetics works and how you can use it to achieve success in your sales career, I have provided a link to the edited and updated version (by Dan S. Kennedy) of the original classic.

It would not be an exaggeration to argue that the most important psychological discovery of modern times is the discovery of the self-image. By understanding your self-image and by learning to modify it and manage it to suit your purposes, you gain incredible confidence and power.

Download your FREE copy of The New Psycho-Cybernetics, The Original Science of Self-Improvement and Success that Has Changed the Lives of 30 Million People.

The attached Excel file that you can copy, rename, and use as a Weekly Activity Schedule template. There is a blank schedule and a completed sample schedule. Change it up to suit your particular circumstances and get your work life on track to get more done in less time!

ASSIGNMENT: Pretend you are starting the process of buying a car for yourself (and you’re not in the business). What steps will you take, where will you search online for information to get a short list of vehicles, and what are you discovering as you put yourself in the customer’s shoes? Call or email a few dealerships to inquire about a (competitive) vehicle and see how you are treated. What are they willing to do for you (other than claim they will get you the “best price”)? Take what you find as fuel to rethink your approach with prospects and start to orchestrate how you engage with customers to make the car buying process friction-free.

Use the adjacent Workbook page to make notes on what your research reveals and what changes you will be making to create a friction-free experience for your customers. Share what you discover with your sales manager.

ASSIGNMENT: Change or modify your Meet and Greet process to lower tension and get customers comfortable. Move them to your desk to get them talking about their transportation situation. This is the opportunity to get basic information about them put on your worksheet or entered into your CRM. Make sure your desk is inviting. Be a good host: offer refreshments (coffee, tea, water), have a dish of wrapped candies on your desk, have your “brag book” handy, display any of your dealership awards, and have at least one family or friend related picture. You want to demonstrate that this is going to be a very pleasant experience.

ASSIGNMENT: Think and act like you own the dealership by talking to your Service Manager, Parts Manager, and Sales Managers so you can document some basic statistics about the dealership such as number of technicians, their certifications, size of the Parts Department, the services provided to customers, the equipment and refreshments provided in the customer lounge to make a visitor’s stay enjoyable. Use this information in your Meet & Greet conversation with visitors so they understand that this is a business worthy of their support.

Write out your Service Walk Presentation, commit it to memory, and start practicing it until you can deliver it without hesitation.

ASSIGNMENT #2: To access a Google Sheets Car Sales Tracking Summary template that you can copy, rename and keep on your Google Drive to track your numbers on a weekly/monthly basis, use the attached Google Form document. Discover your strengths and weaknesses so you can work on improvements over time.

ASSIGNMENT: Your homework is to take a sheet of paper and draft a weekly schedule for the time you are at the dealership. Carve out time that you reserve for yourself to implement the learning and business development activities we have discussed in Part 1 of this series. Become a product expert and understand your numbers so you can move to improve the aspects of your sales process that are keeping you from achieving the results you need.

Congratulations on completing Part 1 of this career guide. Next up is Part 2 of this five-part guide. In Part 2, you will learn a lot more hands-on techniques that you can start using immediately to improve your sales and income. Time now to pause and review what you have learned so far and make sure you are actually putting these techniques into practice.

ASSIGNMENT: Use the tracking data you assembled in Lesson 9 to determine your closing ratio on floor traffic over the past month. Make sure you log everyone you talk to and code them as a Walk-in (Fresh Up), a Be-Back (from an earlier visit), a Phone Lead (who visited as a result of your phone conversation), or a Repeat/Referral customer. Keep track of the sales you close, log each sale under one of these categories, and review your numbers weekly and monthly. If you met with 20 people during the week and sold 5, your overall closing ratio (as a percentage) is 5/20=25%. But, let’s say 15 of those 20 visits were Walk-ins and you sold 2 of them, your first time Walk-in closing ratio would be 2/15=13.3%. In this scenario, your other 3 sales came from the 5 other categories, i.e., a ½=60% closing ratio. Use your own numbers and prove to yourself what kind of traffic is most productive.

ASSIGNMENT: Start making a habit of transitioning your prospects to a conversation about their current transportation early in the Meet & Greet phase. When did they get it? What trips or activities was it used for most often? What did they like about it? What is causing them to consider replacing it? Out of these questions will come some interesting conversations as well as all the information you will need to sell them the right car today!

ASSIGNMENT: Besides moving to a new mindset where you ask questions because you are curious about what really brought the customer into your store, make sure you get into the habit of confirming that you truly understand what the customer is saying by repeating back their questions, concerns, and plans. For example, “So let me make sure I understand what you are saying, Ms. Customer. Your 2009 Honda Civic has been a great car but it is costing money in repairs lately and, with your two kids in hockey and soccer, you need a newer, more reliable vehicle with enough space to fit all their sports equipment. Is that right?” Your customer will interpret this to mean that you really are listening and you are making the effort to get her exactly what she wants.

ASSIGNMENT: Craft your High Impact Vehicle Presentation to include these six topics as separate modules. Build and rehearse each presentation module so you can quickly adapt your presentation to focus on those topics and issues that truly matter to the customer. When doing your presentation, just be sure that the key hot button topics are covered in some depth and only touch on (or even eliminate) the topics that are not of concern to the customer.

ASSIGNMENT: Create a story around each key hot button feature that sets your vehicle apart from the competition. For example, “This is the only compact car on the market with rain-sensing wipers and a customer of mine was telling me recently about how this feature probably saved her life when a transport truck passed her on the highway while hitting a large puddle. Before she could react to the blinding spray, the wipers jumped into action and cleared the windshield immediately!” People remember stories and forget a list of facts. Build your presentation on compelling stories and sell more cars!

ASSIGNMENT: Go through the features of your top selling vehicle and write down the important features using the Hot Buttons categories covered in Step 15. Record the Feature, Benefit, and Impact for each hot button topic. Remember that most examples can be used on multiple vehicles or trim levels. For example, the Safety features available on one model in your lineup will probably be the same as for other models so (unless a feature is unique to a particular vehicle) you can use the same “FBI” story across the product line.

ASSIGNMENT: Create your own test drive route map using Google Maps. See the attached PDF file for guidance. Here you will find instructions on how to create a test drive route (or routes to accommodate various types of customers). Use digital versions of your test drive maps as attachments when booking appointments with prospects. Ask them which route they would like to use when they come for a visit. Use the adjacent Workbook page to sketch out a few possible routes for your dealership.

CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING SECTION TWO.

Some of the ideas we listed above are pretty basic, so consider this a refresher course. If you don’t have the basics down, you will never profit from moving on to the more advanced techniques found in the last three sections of this course.

The key to a successful automotive sales career isn’t always knowing everything. As a matter of fact, you could know every single trick in the book and still not sell a single car. It is the DOING that turns you into a showroom superstar in this business.

In Part 3 of this guide (Chapters 21 to 30), you will learn a lot more hands-on techniques that you can start using immediately to improve your sales and income. In the meantime, you need to keep on reviewing and putting into practice the information you have learned to this point.

ASSIGNMENT: Meet with your Service Manager to assemble some basic facts about your service operation. For example, how many licensed technicians, how many apprentices, number of service bays, special equipment and technologies, and regular programs for customers (such as free car wash with each service visit) are questions you should be able to answer even though the customer has not specifically asked. Prepare a 60 second profile that includes some “wow” facts that you can use to dazzle customers, for example, “We have 5 Master Technicians on our team who have over 10 years experience servicing our brand of vehicle”. Your short but impactful service walk presentation must leave your prospective customer feeling that this is a dealership I can trust to provide an outstanding post-purchase experience.

ASSIGNMENT: To the extent that your dealership policies permit, make your desk a hospitable place. Have quick access to bottled water that you can offer. I also made sure I always had a dish of wrapped hard candies on my desk (regular and sugar-free, of course). A small sweet makes it easier to close the sale if your prospect skipped lunch and needs a boost to complete the deal.

ASSIGNMENT: When you return and the vehicle has stopped, ask your customer, “So, Ms. Customer, let me ask you…. On a scale of 1 to 10, “10” meaning it’s the perfect vehicle for you and you should own it today, or “1”, meaning it’s a piece of junk and should be headed for the scrap yard…. How would YOU rate the car as the right one for you?”

If you get a response of 8 or better, it means they want the vehicle and you should say, “Wow. That’s a great score. What would make it a 10?”

If you get a 7 or less, something major is wrong and you are probably on the wrong car. Therefore, you must say “That certainly won’t work. What would make the vehicle a 10?”

I have used this close hundreds of times and customers always give me a number. And you then have some information about what is needed to get the number to 10 that you can use in designing an offer. If the answer is 9 or 10, the car is effectively sold and 8 probably means some accessory or package needs to be added. Let the customer tell you exactly what would make it perfect and close on that. Now you have a commitment (and you haven’t even started talking about the numbers). Master this simple close and watch your sales and income grow.

To access the bonus documentation called Demo Drive Choreography, download the attached PDF.

ASSIGNMENT: It is important that you are totally in sync with your Financial Manager(s) on how to set up the customer for the post-close Finance Office visit. Arrange a meeting with your Finance Manager and Sales Manager to discuss the choreography that works best for the Finance Office and your customers in terms of the word track you should use to introduce the Finance Manager. I always prefer that the Finance Manager come to the salesperson’s desk and introduce himself or herself to the customer and then escort the customer to the Finance Office or let the customer know that he/she will return as soon as the customer’s paperwork has been organized.

ASSIGNMENT: This is a good time to talk about your dealership’s trade appraisal system and how your dealership uses market data and specialized software such as vAuto to come up with a market-based price on their vehicle. If you do not have a 3rd party appraisal software package that you can share with your customer, get with your Sales Manager to review and agree on a word track. Regardless of what process is in place at your dealership, it is important to explain what system you use to come up with a fair and accurate market-based price for trade-in vehicles as well as for pricing your Used Car inventory. Consider creating a series of these short videos on various topics to support important messages you will be using during the customer’s store visit and/or as part of your follow up or your appointment booking pitch.

ASSIGNMENT: It is important that you are totally in sync with your Financial Manager(s) on how to set up the customer for the post-close Finance Office visit. Arrange a meeting with your Finance Manager and Sales Manager to discuss the choreography that works best for the Finance Office and your customers in terms of the word track you should use to introduce the Finance Manager. I always prefer that the Finance Manager come to the salesperson’s desk and introduce himself or herself to the customer and then escort the customer to the Finance Office or let the customer know that he/she will return as soon as the customer’s paperwork has been organized.

ASSIGNMENT: This is a good time to talk about your dealership’s trade appraisal system and how your dealership uses market data and specialized software such as vAuto to come up with a market-based price on their vehicle. If you do not have a 3rd party appraisal software package that you can share with your customer, get with your Sales Manager to review and agree on a word track. Regardless of what process is in place at your dealership, it is important to explain what system you use to come up with a fair and accurate market-based price for trade-in vehicles as well as for pricing your Used Car inventory. Consider creating a series of these short videos on various topics to support important messages you will be using during the customer’s store visit and/or as part of your follow up or your appointment booking pitch.

ASSIGNMENT: Download a free PDF of a Brag Book Template (titled Belleville Car Buy Brag Book) that you can use as a guide to set up and organize your own brag book.

Delivery Survey Template. Access a PDF of a survey I used that was successful in capturing customer feedback (and could be filed in your Brag Book). The PDF is attached.

Great progress! If you have been studying and implementing the lessons in this guide so far, you’re over halfway to Showroom Mastery! You’ll soon move on to Part 4 of this series. In that portion of the guide, we will reveal how to create a dream-come-true delivery experience for your customer that will set the stage for a lifelong relationship, including enough referrals and repeat business to fill your sales pipeline. In the meantime, keep on reviewing and implementing Parts 1, 2 and 3 of this series.

ASSIGNMENT: Make a list of the things you can include in your delivery on the adjacent Workbook page that would set you apart as a thoughtful and genuine professional and make you memorable. Note that the thoughtfulness of your gesture is more important than the value.

RECOMMENDATION: A specific word track that you can use at delivery is: “Ms. Customer, I hope you felt that your buying experience here was positive and that you will not hesitate to recommend my services to friends, family, and colleagues. I will continue to stay in touch with you and I would ask that whenever you are having a conversation where the topic of updating or replacing a vehicle is raised, that you will remember me and introduce me into the conversation”. You then must commit to keeping in touch with your customer so you truly are top-of-mind when someone in their circle is in the market for new transportation.

If you stick to your old habits, you’ll have pretty much what you have now. Try these new techniques and I guarantee a positive change in your percentages. And if the techniques taught here are performed properly, you will be on your way to showroom mastery.

I trust you have now started to develop some new and productive habits that are showing results. Now, before you move on to the 5th part of this series of 50 Steps, pause and take a few days to consider what you have been able to implement so far and how the changes in your routine have started to produce more confidence, more engagement with clients and improved results.

In the upcoming final section of the series, we will talk about building a lifetime career in car sales that will be more lucrative than you thought possible.