How salespeople can make the most of their digital leads – Sean Gardner

Today on CBT News, Sean Gardner joins the show to discuss what sales teams need to be doing right now. Gardner is an instructor and sales trainer with Joe Verde Group. Joe Verde Group is one of the top-rated sales training organizations in the automotive industry. Gardner has been with the organization for more than 20 years and has helped numerous dealerships improve their sales approach.

Gardner begins the conversation by talking about the trends he’s seeing in automotive sales training. He says that many digital leads are being converted to in-store visits. Many customers are feeling better about coming into the dealership to look at vehicles, leading to a higher close rate for salespeople. 

Gardner says there is always room for improvement for sales staff. He says that every salesperson has his or her own unique set of skills that can be improved every day. For some, this means improving online and digital retailing, and for others, it means focusing more on organizing a schedule. 

Gardner says building an experience for each customer is so crucial for dealers, especially in the current market. He says that salespeople should look to build relationships with car-shoppers, tracking digital leads, and turning them into in-store visits. 

Gardner says that leaving digital leads unattended, usually leads to the car-shopper becoming a digital lead for a competitor. More than convincing customers to buy a car, Gardner says that salespeople must convince customers to buy into the dealership. Customer retention and loyalty will be so critical for dealerships in the days ahead.

Gardner concludes by discussing the importance of sales managers leading their teams to the best of their ability. This means helping salespeople realize their potential and utilize their strengths to improve their performance. Gardner says that the Joe Verde Group is grounded in the motto made famous by sales legend Zig Zigler – “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

Did you enjoy this interview with sales expert Sean Gardner? Please share your thoughts, comments, or questions regarding this topic with host Jim Fitzpatrick at jfitzpatrick@cbtnews.com.