Dealers are always looking for the best way to close the deal. Sean Gardner is an expert on closing opportunities. Gardner is an instructor and sales trainer for the Joe Verde Group. Gardner joins the show to discuss the top ways to simplify closing automotive sales.
Gardner kicks off the interview by discussing the three easiest ways an automotive salesperson can close a deal with a customer. The first method he presents is for salespeople to form a relationship with the customer and to avoid pre-qualifying them. He says far too many sales representatives try to turn potential customers into a buyer before taking time to see if the customer is even interested in buying.
“Pre-qualifying is seeing if you have a buyer before you go through all the trouble,” said Gardner. “But in reality, you have to go through the trouble to turn them into a buyer.”
According to Joe Verde, 71% of car buyers say they made the purchase because they liked, trusted, and respected their salesperson. Gardner says making friends with the customer should be a priority before the shopper begins looking at cars. Too many automotive sales are lost because the salesperson didn’t start to build a rapport with the customer until it was too late in the process.
The second easiest way to close a deal is to use strong “either-or” questions. Formatting questions in this manner puts the salesperson in control of the conversation and creates opportunities for future appointments. Gardner also says these questions set up the salesperson to let their personality shine through the interaction.
The last method Gardner covers is for salespeople to use more of “Joe Verde’s Assumptive Selling Style.” This style of interaction with the customer moves the salesperson away from permission-based communication and allows the salesperson to take initiative of the opportunity. Gardner says an assumptive mentality helps move the conversation in a positive direction.
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