How to Know when the Car is Sold

How do you know when a car is sold? Good question. Before I answer it, a little plug. Go see Iron Man! It was a great movie--funny, great special effects, very good story and Robert Downey, Jr was fantastic.

OK--back to our little article. You know the car is sold when the customer is ready to buy it.

OK--next week, we'll have an article on how to get away with not writing full articles. Thanks for reading and have a nice day.

What was that? "How do we know when a customer is ready to buy?" Shouldn't that be for a separate article? Well, I guess I can add it here.

We know that a customer is ready to buy when...

• They show "buying signals" like asking for terms of financing or leasing (money down required, what rate, what payment, etc.)
• They get nervous or defensive. They know they are about to buy and try to put up a smokescreen.
• They look excited and happy.
• They talk as if the car is already theirs. "I can't wait to take this to Florida."
• I love when this happens. They are at my desk and I'm ready to close them when someone calls on their cell phone and they say, "I'm here buying a car." God, I love when that happens!
• If you park in front of the showroom and someone else starts to look at they car, it can sometimes help you. I had a customer the other day say, "Tell that person to get away from my car!" I smiled and said, "I will! Let's go ahead and get the paperwork started so I can get it cleaned up and away from that guy."
• I once read if people's pupils get dilated, they are ready to buy.

OK--I know there are many more but those are some of the big ones. Also, it is important to add these statements.

• A person does not have to say they will buy the car to buy the car! You can just as easily ask them for their drivers license, registration and insurance and if they hand it to you, they are agreeing to buy the car.
  
• A person does not have to "agree that if terms are agreeable, they will buy the car right now" to buy a car--contrary to what a lot of managers think and believe. Now it is good to "trial close" to gain a temperature but lets assume that anyone will buy a car if terms are agreeable! I've always believed that the "if terms are agreeable" is a weak trial close but you know what? I still sometimes use it in the right situation.
• I try never to ask someone what payment they want as a closing tool because they will say something low most of the time and back themselves into a corner. I can hear it now... "Well Marv, I told you we wanted to be at $99 per month!" Same goes for trades. I try to get out that info in simple conversation.

Marv Chomer
www.carsalesassistant.com