In the automotive industry, it’s all about closing on a sale. Some people tend to convert every customer into a sale with decent grosses, and others struggle to make the sale. It’s also the case for service advisors upselling services, parts consultants convincing a caller to buy OEM rather than aftermarket, and F&I managers closing on insurance or protection packages. Various factors contribute to closing ratios, including a person’s appearance, tone of voice, and body language. However, what you’ll also notice among excellent sellers is the language they use. Certain words carry more meaning and power than others, and working them into your vocabulary can be a component in boosting your conversion rates.
These five words are some of the most powerful you can use in sales when you’re interacting with customers.
1. Exclusive
Inside everyone, is a need to feel unique and special, even for introverts who might say otherwise. One word that can invoke a response to that need is ‘exclusive.’ It denotes a transaction that gives the customer a certain status that others can’t access. It could be an exclusive sale for health care workers, parts and labor warranty exclusive for accessories installed at the time of vehicle purchase, or loaner cars exclusively available for warranty repairs.
Watch: When you have a choice to make, exclusivity adds value to the transaction. Not only might a customer respond positively, but the increase in value can add to the price they’re willing to pay.
2. Limited
Fear of missing out – or FOMO – is a powerful motivator. You can indirectly elicit a FOMO response with certain words, of which ‘limited’ is a great option. A limited-time offer on a vehicle sale has been used effectively for years, but in today’s market, the motive is more likely to be ‘limited availability.’
In other areas of the dealership, a limited inventory of parts could encourage a vehicle owner to complete a repair, and limited appointments could be used to fill spots in the body shop.
3. Best
Although both cheap and free can bring in customers and encourage a positive choice, they devalue the product you offer. Accurately describing aspects of the dealership, the vehicle, the experience, or the deal itself as ‘the best’ can emphasize the value to customers.
Examples include truthfully identifying best-in-class features or best pricing. However, it can’t be stressed enough that making ‘best’ claims must be honest and accurate, or it actually has the opposite effect.
4. You
Center the conversation around the customer. When speaking with them or conversing digitally, use the words ‘you,’ ‘your,’ and ‘you’re’ frequently. This has a subliminal effect of having the customers picture themselves as part of the transaction. For example, saying, “Your new SUV has best-in-class audio to crank out the jazz beats you mentioned earlier,” will have them thinking about listening to their own music from the driver’s seat.
This works the same way when speaking about service repairs, accessories, F&I products, and over-the-counter parts sales too.
5. Guarantee
In an automotive market where shoppers don’t have much time to make a decision on purchasing a vehicle, they want assurance that they’re making an intelligent choice. The word ‘guarantee’ helps with that. Once again, it must be used truthfully and accurately. Don’t say, “It’s the best price, I guarantee it,” if you won’t, in fact, guarantee you have the best price. Instead, refer to policies you already have in place, like a “guarantee you’ll love your new vehicle with a 7-day exchange option”.
Work these five words into your vocabulary whenever you’re speaking with a customer. They can be reassuring, motivating to action, personalizing, and, most of all, help convert them to buyers.
