Dealers and managers are describing the market very differently right now, with some saying things are pretty good and others calling it iffy at best. Either way, sales teams that stop leaning on price and sharpen their skills can win business from the competition.
On today’s edition of CBT Live, Sean Gardner, Sales Trainer with the Joe Verde Group, joined hosts Jim Fitzpatrick and Bridget Fitzpatrick to share practical ways dealers can keep closing deals in an unpredictable market.
Gardner said the first step is updating the selling process, and he likes the Joe Verde process because it’s value-based and built in three phases. The first 10 to 15 minutes of the warm-up set the tone, so salespeople need to slow down, build rapport, and uncover the customer’s wants, needs, and hot buttons. About 80% of the buying decision gets made in the value-building phase, which is why a real demonstration drive matters more than sending customers out alone.
Price is where a lot of stores get stuck, whether it’s online, on the phone, or in the showroom. Salespeople ask about price range, show cars to fit it, and beg managers to drop the price, which makes selling harder than it needs to be. Smoothing out the price conversation makes the job easier and lifts CSI and gross, Gardner said.
On closing, Gardner said the two biggest mistakes are not knowing when to close and not knowing what to say. Lines like asking what it would take to earn the customer’s business can scare younger buyers into buying from Carvana, he said. He prefers to close on the vehicle’s value by confirming details the customer already likes, such as color, trim level, all-wheel drive and a panoramic sunroof, and he defines closing as any question or action that keeps the sale moving forward.
