HARDISON’S TIPS – NOVEMBER 9, 2020 – How to Be a Good Vehicle Salesperson
- Remember names.
Brain Coach Jim Kwik says, “There is no such thing as a good or bad memory. There is just trained memory and untrained memory.” He argues, “Your ability to remember a new name has to do with your intrinsic understanding of why it matters.”
Consider how much you stand to earn by remembering each new prospect’s name. To help with recall, once you learn a buyer’s name, use it immediately. For example:
Salesperson: “Hello, welcome to XYZ Motors, I’m Meg, and who might you be?”
Customer: “My name is Bonnie.”
Salesperson: “Great! Nice to meet you, Bonnie. What brings you in today?”
Once you’ve used the name, repeat it silently to yourself several times. Use it occasionally in the conversation, and make sure to write it down once they leave.
Focus on a particular feature of a person’s face. It could be blue eyes, their haircut, or a friendly smile. Connect their name to a visual anchor so you remember it easily. For example, “This is Bonnie. Bonnie does not have a bonnet on.” It’s also helpful to link each person’s name to an image. In this case, I might visualize a giant bonnet on Bonnie’s head.
- Ask the right questions.
After you ask their name, your first question will likely be, “What brings you in today?” It’s important to qualify their answer by asking the right follow-up questions. Ask, “Do you know which car you’re interested in?” “What are your must-haves in a car?” and, “Will you be the primary driver of this car?”
These questions provide context about what your buyer is looking for, their budget, and who you’re selling to. Their answers also allow you to cross-sell or upsell. If the customer lists safety as a must-have, consider upselling them on a four-wheel drive package or pedestrian alert add-on.
- Build rapport.
If you notice your prospect crossing their arms, becoming quiet, or shifting uncomfortably, stop selling and focus on rapport. If you continue to push an overwhelmed prospect with questions or selling points, you risk alienating them and losing the sale.
Instead, ask them what they like to do on the weekends, what they do for work, or where they’re from. These questions are non-threatening and easy to answer.
Once your prospect’s body language has relaxed, ease back into the sales process by asking, “Bonnie, you mentioned you like to ski on the weekends, would you use this vehicle to get up to the mountains?” This steers the conversation back to the sale and averts a crisis of cold feet.
- Listen twice as much as you talk.
Listen to prospects more than you share opinions. When choosing between a salesperson who talks over them and one who listens — they’ll choose the latter every time.
It’s tempting to fill any conversational pause — but don’t. By immediately following their answers with another question, you risk cutting them off before they’ve completed their response.
Similarly, if you talk through a lull during the test drive, you might distract your prospect from formulating valuable thoughts or concerns they have about the vehicle.
Instead, pause for one or two seconds after your prospect has finished speaking to ensure they’ve had time to reflect.
Make It A Champion Day!
