The Steps of a Sale

In my last article, I ranted and raved about how there is no specific time to close a customer. I mentioned how you always don't have to follow steps of a sale to sell a car but how following the steps will increase your odds of selling a car and help you make more money. Please don't think for a second that I don't think the steps are important--they are very important! Some are more important than others.

Step 0: Approaching your customers. Kinda weird to call this a step but it is. Most people think the meet and greet is the first step and I guess this is the meet part but I decided to be the first person ever to call it step 0! Here's what it boils down-to. You see a couple who pull up. They leave their door open as if to say, "Leave us alone" as they quickly walk to a car and try to gather the price. They see you coming and try to find the price on the sticker faster. They get nervous and rush towards their car and leave. So, my advice is this: walk in the general direction as if you are not looking at them--maybe at a 45 degree angle away from them. Don't look at them--pick out a vehicle close to them and walk up to it. Pull out a business card and write down the stock number as if that was the real reason you were out there. Start to walk away (they will be at ease at this point) and then turn to them and say, "Have you guys been helped yet?" when they will either say no or just looking which leads to the real meet and greet.

Step 1: Meet and Greet: Use a script. Don't use the bad script like, How can I help you? or Can I be of service? or Can I help you guys find anything? or Are you guys here to see someone? Instead, use Welcome to Marvelous Motors. My name is Biff and you are? Smile, look them in the eyes, offer and friendly hand shake. When they tell you their name, ask an either/or question like Is this your first time up here or have you been here before? That will also let you know if they are here to see another salesperson.

Step 2: Begin building Rapport. Actually you must build rapport all through the sales process but if you don't do it fast, you will have a lower chance of selling them since people always want to do business with a friend. Observe them to find things in common such as a bumper sticker on their car, a similar accent if you are from down south and so are they, a sports jacket they have on, their kids if you have kids at a similar age (people love talking about their kids), your glasses fogging up if theirs are also, etc. This may be the most important step of the selling process. If someone likes you, they will listen to you and believe you and most importantly, they will find a reason to purchase you. If they dislike you, they will make any excuse in the book to NOT buy from you .

NOTE: You have one chance to make a good first impression. Don't #%@$ it up!

More ways to build rapport. Since it is an important step, here are some more things you can do. Try to match the pace of the way your customers talk. If they talk slow, you talk slow. Smile a lot. Compliment them on their kids, car, clothes, etc. If they tell you they like a certain car, color, equipment group say, Good choice! Don't over say it, though. Mirror your customer--if they have their right hand in their pocket, do the same. If they push their glasses up, do the same. They will feel like you are their long lost brother or sister if you mirror them.

Step 3: Investigate by observing and asking questions. If possible, do this at your desk for 2 reasons. You can take notes easily and you can gain a little control by bringing them to your desk. Ask either/or questions to narrow down the vehicle and to gather information. Examples...

Do you want a car or a truck?
Are you looking for a light color or a darker color?
Who's the car for--you or someone else?
Who's going to drive it more--Jim or Judy?
Auto or stick?
Two wheel drive or four wheel drive?
Are you interested more in safety features or performance?
Are you using it for work or pleasure?

Step 4: Get the Vehicle for Them. I would probably say, "I think I have the perfect car for you. I'll be right back." Go get the car by yourself so you can make sure it's clean (unless it is very cold, I try to always run it through the dealership's car wash) and make sure it has gas in it (very important!) Also, if the car's driver information center shows the gas mileage and it shows only 7.5 miles per gallon, change it to a different setting! Cars always have a lower gas mileage until they have been driven a lot and broken in.

Step 5: Do a quick walk around. Show some features that they are interested in. I used to work for a dude that told me to show the customer every feature. Do not do that--you will only confuse the customer or make him think it is too much car for him. If they are interested in safety, show some cool safety features. If they are interested in styling (the biggest selling point by the way) then show them styling features.

Step 6: Test drive. I know some dealerships have a policy that you always drive with them and you always drive first, etc. It does help if you drive with them so you can answer questions and so they can't conspire against you (Judy--when we get back--tell them we have to think about it!) but I believe in asking someone if they want to drive it alone or if they want you to go with them. A couple of reasons--they might be nervous or they might be uncomfortable with you in the car with them. Now, if you have done a decent job of building rapport, they will usually say it's OK for you to drive with them. Make sure they can see alright (mirrors and seats adjusted) and show them where all the important stuff is. Drive with them.

Step 7: Build more rapport. I like to talk about things unrelated to the car while on the test drive and get to know the customers better and gather information to help me sell them. Not only that--I really like making friends in my job because I like people to like me because I like being liked and I like people to like me so I can sell them!

Step 8: Trial close. Test the water. "Jim--I think this is the perfect car for you and Judy. It has all the safety features you want and I can tell by the smiles on your faces that you really like it. Tell you what--park it in the sold row so no one else tries to sell your car." Where is the sold row? It's where ever you want it to be. I usually use the lane right next to the showroom. It doesn't really matter--just point to a spot and tell them that that's where it is. One of 2 things will happen...

Thing 1: They will park it in the sold row and you are just about 98% into closing your customer.
Thing 2: They give you an objection that you have to overcome. Perhaps you are on the wrong vehicle? Perhaps they don't like it? Ask questions and try to overcome.

Step 9: Ask them if they have a trade. If they do, have them show you their trade and do a silent appraisal on it. In other words, touch every blemish, dent, tear, ding, crack etc. and say hmmmm to lower their expectations on the trade. Get trade appraised.

Step 10: Present them with figures and use an either/or close. Judy, here's what the car is gonna run you. Is it just going to go in your name or is Jim going to be on the title too?

Step 11: Overcome objections and close them. Once again, if you did a good job building rapport and investigating, the test drive will be a moot point and you will probably close them.

Step 12: Spot deliver them. Don't set an appointment. It gives people too much time to find reasons to back out. Deliver them right now!

Step 13: You fill out the credit app and get the paperwork started.

Step 13.25: Buy your customers a drink!!!! I cannot over stress this step. I work with a bunch of cheapskates that will not spend $1.25 to buy a customer a soft drink. Do it even if they aren't buying because it relaxes them and more importantly, it obligates them to you!!!

Step 13.5: F&I: If there is a 2 hour wait to get into f&I, don't tell your customer it's only gonna be a few minutes. Under promise and over deliver.

Step 13.62: Get the car cleaned up and gassed.

Step 13.75: Sit there and talk to your customers about unrelated things to keep them smiling and happy. It will also make the time pass faster.

Step 14: Proper T/O to F&I: Jim and Judy? This is Biff, our business manager. He's going to do all of your paperwork and answer any questions you may have about your financing. Biff--do me a favor--they are going to keep this car for a while--would you mind letting them know about the extended service plan you have available?

Step 15: A Cool Tip: Have their new, clean car waiting for them in a nice, clean delivery area. When you walk out and show it to them, pull a clean rag from your pocket and wipe off any spots you see. If you don't see one, pretend you do and wipe the car. Makes it look nicer in their eyes.

Step 16: Have a special delivery. Give them a gift, introduce them to their own personal service advisor, go over all the features again, thank them, etc. Take their picture with a digital camera for step 18...

Step 17: Find out about their family. Who's next in your family to get a car? When and what?

Step 18: After they leave, enter their data into a cool program like Car Sales Assistant 2007 (or 2008--coming soon to a computer near you!) Enter everything you can remember about them--hobbies, buying motives, etc.

Step 19: Follow up with them (good follow up steps in a future article--it's getting late--time for bed...)

In a nutshell--those are the steps of the sale. I'm sure I added a few extra steps but try to follow them and you will sell more cars but please remember--if someone is ready to buy, skip to step 12 and sell them a car.