My Take on Product Knowledge

First of all, let me state a sad fact--I probably have the worst product knowledge in our dealership. Why is that sad? Probably because it could cost me a sale.

Phew--glad I got that off my chest!

Let me tell you another fact--I won a walk-a-round contest 2 years ago--I beat everyone in the dealership and went to the Michigan state finals and won it. It was on the Chevy Tahoe and in front of GM execs as well as product trainers (the people that know everything about the vehicles.) I went up against some very sharp people and the guy who won the year earlier scared the hell out of me. Man--he was sharp as a tack rattling off the features and benefits. But you know what? I beat him. Also, I won a cool $3000 bucks and spent $2000 on the computer that I am using right now. You know what else? I didn't know jack about the Tahoe and I still don't know jack about the Tahoe--at least not what I should. How did I win? Let me tell you...

First, let me tell you my take on product knowledge. It is very important. Not only that, the lack of it, or the misuse of it, can easily kill anything else you've accomplished with your customers.

Here are some tips on product knowledge.

1) Learn as much as you can. Read books, watch videos, drive everything you sell and learn how to pop the hood (so you don't look like an idiot trying to find the latch when you have someone who wants to see the engine.) Know how to set the clock (you will have a customer come back one day and ask you how to do it. You will look like an idiot if you have to grab the manual.)

2) Be an expert at something--whether it is trucks, small cars, etc. You know why? Someday a newbie will catch a customer who starts asking questions about the vehicle that you are an expert in. He (I use "he" but it could be "she"--"he" is the correct way to refer to someone when the gender is unknown) will be very nervous and probably turn that customer over to you.

3) Only talk about what the customer wants to hear. How do you know what they want to hear? Ask questions! If they are interested in gas mileage, talk about fuel economy, flex fuel, hybrid technologies, etc. I worked with a guy in Tennessee who knew everything about every car we sold--the problem was that he didn't know how to turn it off. He once tried to sell a Cadillac Catera to an older lady and bored her to death talking about fuel injection. She couldn't care less and finally made an excuse and left.

4) Instead of telling what a feature is, tell what it does--especially how it relates with your customer. Then make sure they understand that they have to have this feature. I think I read in a sales book years ago that it is called "feature - advantage - benefit."

Here's an example: ABS brakes.

• What it is: It is a braking system built into the car.
• What it does: It has a computer that pumps the brakes for you in hard braking situations.
• What is the benefit? It helps you maintain control in a hard braking system.
• Why is it important to your customer? Tell a story that could happen. "Mr Customer, imagine that you are driving down the road and it's raining a little. All of a sudden, a kid on a bike pulls out in front of you. One of two things can happen and probably will if you didn't have ABS. You might run over the kid or you might try to avoid him and crash the car. With ABS, if you jam on the brakes, you will have a better chance of controlling the car if you have to swerve around the kid. The kid is safer and so are you and your family."
• Last step: Get reinforcement from your customer that this is important for him. "Mr. Customer, don't you see how ABS could be important for you and your family?"

5) Sell the sizzle, not the steak. An old saying in the car business sales in general. What it means--make it exciting when you talk about. Make their mouth's water!

OK--enough rambling--it's getting late. I'm sure by now, you want to know how a goof-ball like me with virtually no product knowledge beat everyone in Michigan and won 1st place (as well as the money--man it was nice getting a $3000 check that day!)

I used step #3--I told them what they wanted to hear. I didn't talk too much about the features of the fantastic Tahoe, but rather about GM's "Total Value Promise"--their current slogan at that time. I told about how GM backed their vehicles with a 100,000 mile warranty because they had faith in it. I talked about OnStar and how it was the best thing since sliced bread. I talked about how the Tahoe was going to drive Toyota and their sport utility into the ground. I sold the sizzle, not the steak. When I was done, their mouths were watering. I even ran out of time but they gave me more time when I looked bummed out and said, "Man--I didn't even have time for my closing statement!" The funny thing is that, while going over the features on the outside of the Tahoe, my mind went blank--I couldn't think of a single one! You know what I did? I smiled and said this: "I was going to go over some features about the outside of the Tahoe but you know what? I'm not going to (I didn't mention that my mind went blank remember...) Instead, I just want you to all look it over." I smiled and added, "It is a beautiful vehicle, isn't it? Man--we're going to beat Toyota with this!"

Eating out of the palms of my hands!