Who's selling and who's buying - Are you selling or are you being sold??
Be careful! You may not be the one doing the selling. You may be letting your customer sell you. If they sell you, you won't sell them. This will be a controversial article for the "if I could would you?" crowd.
Don't let your customer sell you!
Sales managers may think they should not provide any numbers without a commitment, and as a salesperson, you should say; "if we could make this affordable would you be willing to buy this today?" or "If we could make they payments work would you want to take it right now?" etc... This is, of course, the old "if I could would you?" trial close, and something I absolutely never use. Yes, this is the only close most salespeople know, and it's the one they should never use.
I've sold so many people that said there was no way they were buying that day that it's really pointless to even ask that question.
Also, how many people said they would buy if everything worked out and then after presenting numbers and working the deal they thought of a million reasons they could not or would not buy today, and the leave?
Many managers will tell you to use it because they do not want to provide numbers if there is no commitment and the customer is not going to buy today. This is because they do not want the customer to shop the numbers with other dealers, whether it's the bottom line number for the vehicle or how much you are willing buy the trade for. It's usually common practice to give these customers a range for the trade or no trade numbers at all and not to provide any final pricing.
There is one big problem with that, if you don't get the trade bid and provide numbers so you can negotiate a deal and overcome objections, YOU CAN'T SELL A CAR! Oh, But don't worry -- they'll have to come back to you to get the final numbers. Good luck, the next salesperson they run into may sell them rather than play games, I love it when I get a customer that dose not have any solid numbers and everyone's been playing games with them because I sell them. They could have sold them, but they didn't even try!
But wait! The customer said they would not be buying today, so they can't be sold. They said they never make a snap decision about a purchase without sleeping on it, they need to look at another vehicle, they need to talk to their spouse, they are definitely not doing anything until Monday -- I could go on and on. This very well could be true, but it's more likely they are selling you and YOU ARE BUYING! IF YOU BUY, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO BUY. How could they, they don't even have an accurate trade number.
Yes, to sell these customers will take good closer, you will need to be able to weed out all of the objections and create urgency, and most importantly, have an excellent report with the customer so you can ask the kind of questions and use the kind of closes that you could not otherwise. These are the fun deals to close, and you know you're a salesperson when the customer say's wow I can't believe Bought a car today!
Any given month a good part of the cars I sell are to people who said there was no way they would of could buy today. No matter how convincing the excuse may be, you can sell them.
DON'T LET THEM SELL YOU.
Are you turning a buyer into a shopper with the old "if I could would you?"
You get back from the test drive and your customer says; "what will you give me for the trade?" It could be that they love they car and they want to buy it, but you say; "If we an make this affordable for you, would you want to take it with you today?" If you say this you are putting them on the spot, and even if they were thinking -- wow, this car is great we should get it, you may get a reflex objection because they are scared.
Just like, "can I help you?" invites "No thanks, we're just looking." The reflex objection you might get is; "we need to think about it." "Sure but we need to look at our finances first." "We need to check on insurance." "We need to look at one more vehicle." etc...
Really, they know yours is a much better deal and that's the one they want, that's why they looked at yours first, but you forced a reflex objection that brought the car deal to a screeching halt! Just when the customer is excited from the test drive and lost in the ether because they love the car -- you get yourself a reflex objection, and you no longer have a car deal.
Why do you get a reflex objection? You just said; "So, I'll need you to spend $20,000 today if everything works out." Would you give yourself an "out" to that?
Take advantage of the excitement an mental ownership you create from the test drive and when the customer is in the ether -- go in and do the paperwork, keep the excitement working or you. Don't ask them to buy -- assume the sale.
Over 80% of your customers decide to buy during or AFTER the test drive, don't throw them out after the test drive if they say they are unsure for some reason. continue to create value and excitement so you can sell the car.
You know they are buying before they know they are buying!
Now, it could be that they really need to think about it or look at a vehicle and they have no intention on buying today, you can still sell them! What do they need to think about? What's better about that other vehicle? You can overcome these objections as well!
THEY MAY NOT THINK THEY ARE BUYING THAT DAY, MOST OF MY CUSTOMERS DON'T, BUT GUESS WHAT - THEY ARE!
You know you need to assume you will sell absolutely every customer you talk to no matter what they tell you or you will not be in the proper frame of mind to sell them.
After the test drive when they are in love with the vehicle, SELL IT! ASSUME THE SALE, WORK THE NUMBERS, OVERCOME THE OBJECTIONS, CREATE THE URGENCY AND SELL IT.
You will get more sales NOT LETTING THE CUSTOMER SELL YOU, than not working a deal or providing numbers until you are sure they are ready.
If a customer tells me, "I really do need to look at that other car, I'll go look at it now and get back to you tomorrow", I'm shocked, because I assume the sale every time and I plan on selling a car to every customer I talk to. If you're not shocked when they don't buy you're loosing sales!
So, assume the sale, you have a buyer. They may not know it but you do, they may be selling you - SELL THEM.
Remember: selling starts with the greeting. Thought the whole process, build report. You better use their name know what they do for a living, where they work, and perhaps some or their hobbies -- but this is the first car they looked at, first place they stopped, they need to look at the other car -- no they don't, they are selling you now, you need to sell a car today!
Use the Bakers Dozen for Relationship Selling every time!
Do the best walk around you've ever done, build the value so high above the price so that they think the car is a steal. After the test drive when they are in love with the car, assume they are going to buy and close the deal!
NO MATTER WHAT THEY ARE SELLING YOU ARE NOT BUYING! YOU ARE SELLING!
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Most sales will be made after the 5th closing attempt, and most salespeople only know one close!
- I'm not interested.
- I'm too busy right now. It's not a priority.
- Just email me some info and I'll keep it on file.
- The price is too high / We don't have the budget.
- I need to wait / I need to think about it. Call me in six months.
- I need to talk to my VP, partner, boss, wife, etc.
- We're currently using another supplier and we're happy.
- It won't work for us. We don't need it.
- We've had a bad experience with this type of thing.
- You're too small / never heard of you.
- You're just trying to sell me ...
- I like the idea, but I need you to tell me I'm making the right decision.
Get yourself a copy of my Baker's Dozen for Relationship Selling!
Are you new to selling, struggling in sales,or just want to sell more?
These are the essential secrets to selling and the first things a beginner in sales needs to learn. If you always do these things — you will succeed!
After mastering the Baker's Dozen for Relationship Selling, you’ll close more sales with higher gross and build lasting relationships with your customers that will result in a lifetime of repeat and referral business!
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