Ok, other than the cheesy title we all know how important it is to build rapport with your clients in the world of sales. Trust is key and that goes hand in hand with building relationships and rapport.
As a newbie in the business of selling cars i've had to sit back and analyze a few things when it comes to rapport building. Its obvious that we need to establish trust right off the hop and allow our customer to feel comfortable with our meet and greet by matching body language and tone, giving a smile and saying "welcome and thanks for coming in...my name is...." However, I am finding that the real rapport building happens when you sit down with the client and get a good conversation in.
We all know that after the meet and greet comes qualifying, presentation, demonstration etc. We are trained that building rapport takes place during this process, focusing on the meet and greet and trailing into the other stages, remembering you have between 7-11min to gain the trust. I don't disagree with the process but I am not sure if its the only way, please let me know if you disagree? Here are my thoughts.
In order to build a proper trusting relationship you need to be focused on the customer for a period of time, while talking about THEM. Not you, the car you want to sell or your amazing dealership. Im starting to believe that the meet and greet is not enough to build a strong rapport. I think people today are beginning to get sick of the same old sales pitch. What if you build a trust factor by sitting down, focusing and getting a good understanding of the customer?
Why not extend the meet and greet into the office or over to your desk and ask to have a few minuets of their time so that you can understand their needs and wants? Well, I can answer my own question here. People believe that once your sitting at a sales persons desk your going to talk dollars and cents and they might not be ready for that.
Everyone is different and its important to use your judgment as to what is the best for the customer at that time, but with every customer building rapport will make the difference between you and the dealership down the street. So I say take that step to explain to the customer "id like to learn more about your needs and wants, ill move at your pace, follow me" go to your desk, sit down and start building trust. As long as the customer knows your intention is to get to know them, not to pressure them into a sale. In the end a customer is going to buy when they are ready, not when you tell them too. Lets hope they buy from the sales person they trust :)
Grant Gooley Blog
Total Posts: 5
GG
Boyer Auto Group
Dec 12, 2010
Service Customers = New Car Sales
As it gets colder and the snow starts to build up here in Toronto, the showroom becomes ghost town. As a sales professional I have no problem with that because ive realised early on in my sales career that i'm not going to wait for floor traffic to come to me. 80% of cars are sold by 20% of sales people for a reason.
I have decided to take action and make calls while times are slow. I've found a process that is working for me and I would like to share it with you.
Here at Boyer Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC our service department is VERY busy. People every day come in with vehicles that are in the 200km range. To a sales professional you should be salivating over a customer like this! The trick here is to get your service manager to pass on these customers and use your CRM tool to follow up with them. I take the "courtesy call" approach and ask them how things went in service and make sure they were taken care of. Then add "by the way, i've noticed your car has 200km's on it, when do you think you might be buying a new car?" In one week i've loaded my prospect list with leads that are buying within the next 3-6 months. Just make sure you are not taking customers away from sales reps that have already sold these customers. Once you have the service customer in your prospect list make sure you follow up with a mail out, email newsletter or something that will attract them and show the customer you care.
Happy Holidays :)
2643
GG
Boyer Auto Group
Dec 12, 2010
Service Customers = New Car Sales
As it gets colder and the snow starts to build up here in Toronto, the showroom becomes ghost town. As a sales professional I have no problem with that because ive realised early on in my sales career that i'm not going to wait for floor traffic to come to me. 80% of cars are sold by 20% of sales people for a reason.
I have decided to take action and make calls while times are slow. I've found a process that is working for me and I would like to share it with you.
Here at Boyer Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC our service department is VERY busy. People every day come in with vehicles that are in the 200km range. To a sales professional you should be salivating over a customer like this! The trick here is to get your service manager to pass on these customers and use your CRM tool to follow up with them. I take the "courtesy call" approach and ask them how things went in service and make sure they were taken care of. Then add "by the way, i've noticed your car has 200km's on it, when do you think you might be buying a new car?" In one week i've loaded my prospect list with leads that are buying within the next 3-6 months. Just make sure you are not taking customers away from sales reps that have already sold these customers. Once you have the service customer in your prospect list make sure you follow up with a mail out, email newsletter or something that will attract them and show the customer you care.
Happy Holidays :)
2643
No Comments
GG
Boyer Auto Group
Dec 12, 2010
Whats in store when building rapport?
Ok, other than the cheesy title we all know how important it is to build rapport with your clients in the world of sales. Trust is key and that goes hand in hand with building relationships and rapport.
As a newbie in the business of selling cars i've had to sit back and analyze a few things when it comes to rapport building. Its obvious that we need to establish trust right off the hop and allow our customer to feel comfortable with our meet and greet by matching body language and tone, giving a smile and saying "welcome and thanks for coming in...my name is...." However, I am finding that the real rapport building happens when you sit down with the client and get a good conversation in.
We all know that after the meet and greet comes qualifying, presentation, demonstration etc. We are trained that building rapport takes place during this process, focusing on the meet and greet and trailing into the other stages, remembering you have between 7-11min to gain the trust. I don't disagree with the process but I am not sure if its the only way, please let me know if you disagree? Here are my thoughts.
In order to build a proper trusting relationship you need to be focused on the customer for a period of time, while talking about THEM. Not you, the car you want to sell or your amazing dealership. Im starting to believe that the meet and greet is not enough to build a strong rapport. I think people today are beginning to get sick of the same old sales pitch. What if you build a trust factor by sitting down, focusing and getting a good understanding of the customer?
Why not extend the meet and greet into the office or over to your desk and ask to have a few minuets of their time so that you can understand their needs and wants? Well, I can answer my own question here. People believe that once your sitting at a sales persons desk your going to talk dollars and cents and they might not be ready for that.
Everyone is different and its important to use your judgment as to what is the best for the customer at that time, but with every customer building rapport will make the difference between you and the dealership down the street. So I say take that step to explain to the customer "id like to learn more about your needs and wants, ill move at your pace, follow me" go to your desk, sit down and start building trust. As long as the customer knows your intention is to get to know them, not to pressure them into a sale. In the end a customer is going to buy when they are ready, not when you tell them too. Lets hope they buy from the sales person they trust :)
As a newbie in the business of selling cars i've had to sit back and analyze a few things when it comes to rapport building. Its obvious that we need to establish trust right off the hop and allow our customer to feel comfortable with our meet and greet by matching body language and tone, giving a smile and saying "welcome and thanks for coming in...my name is...." However, I am finding that the real rapport building happens when you sit down with the client and get a good conversation in.
We all know that after the meet and greet comes qualifying, presentation, demonstration etc. We are trained that building rapport takes place during this process, focusing on the meet and greet and trailing into the other stages, remembering you have between 7-11min to gain the trust. I don't disagree with the process but I am not sure if its the only way, please let me know if you disagree? Here are my thoughts.
In order to build a proper trusting relationship you need to be focused on the customer for a period of time, while talking about THEM. Not you, the car you want to sell or your amazing dealership. Im starting to believe that the meet and greet is not enough to build a strong rapport. I think people today are beginning to get sick of the same old sales pitch. What if you build a trust factor by sitting down, focusing and getting a good understanding of the customer?
Why not extend the meet and greet into the office or over to your desk and ask to have a few minuets of their time so that you can understand their needs and wants? Well, I can answer my own question here. People believe that once your sitting at a sales persons desk your going to talk dollars and cents and they might not be ready for that.
Everyone is different and its important to use your judgment as to what is the best for the customer at that time, but with every customer building rapport will make the difference between you and the dealership down the street. So I say take that step to explain to the customer "id like to learn more about your needs and wants, ill move at your pace, follow me" go to your desk, sit down and start building trust. As long as the customer knows your intention is to get to know them, not to pressure them into a sale. In the end a customer is going to buy when they are ready, not when you tell them too. Lets hope they buy from the sales person they trust :)
951
No Comments
GG
Boyer Auto Group
Nov 11, 2010
Shop - 'til - They - Drop!!
As I take my first steps in car sales I am beginning to learn some things the hard way, very quickly.
People like to shop, we know this. Especially with a the second biggest purchase they will ever make, a car. Shopping around from dealership to dealership is the best way to find out who is, not only going to give you the best deal but who is, going to be the most friendly and helpful. I have learned a key aspect to car shoppers that might help you from running into the same hardship I have with a few of my first customers.
After you have the customer in a position where the value is built and the product has been explained, your getting into the stages where its time to close up the deal....or not. The customer is excited and wants to hear what kind of deal you can make them. As an excited sales person you go to the manager with information on the vehicle you have found. Your manager prints off a proposal with numbers. Off you go to the customer, proposal in hand, "good news!" you say to the customer. "I have payment that will work for you" you show him the proposal, stated on the paper is all the information including the fees, taxes, cash incentives etc. The customer takes the paper and says "thank-you, ill be back". Guess what, you have just given that customer a piece of paper that they will use as ammunition while they go from dealership to dealership and SHOP-TIL-THEY-DROP. While you provide information to a customer about the vehicle its up to the customer to provide information to you about themselves. Same goes with the close. When its time to make a deal you need the commitment from them before you spill ALL the marbles. When the customer starts to "wheel and deal" thats a perfect time to ask for a commitment. Once you get the commitment, well you will do everything you can to get them the best deal you can. If they just want to know your best deal so they can go to the next dealership and shop them too, it doesn't seem very fair. You work hard provide them what they wanted, customer service, great deal for value and a car that fits their needs and wants, now its up to them to provide you with a commitment.
In closing, use your judgement as to what the customer is up to and if they are just going to shop 'til they drop, if thats the case don't spill the marbles. Get a commitment.
2333
No Comments
GG
Boyer Auto Group
Nov 11, 2010
Shop - 'til - They - Drop!!
As I take my first steps in car sales I am beginning to learn some things the hard way, very quickly.
People like to shop, we know this. Especially with a the second biggest purchase they will ever make, a car. Shopping around from dealership to dealership is the best way to find out who is, not only going to give you the best deal but who is, going to be the most friendly and helpful. I have learned a key aspect to car shoppers that might help you from running into the same hardship I have with a few of my first customers.
After you have the customer in a position where the value is built and the product has been explained, your getting into the stages where its time to close up the deal....or not. The customer is excited and wants to hear what kind of deal you can make them. As an excited sales person you go to the manager with information on the vehicle you have found. Your manager prints off a proposal with numbers. Off you go to the customer, proposal in hand, "good news!" you say to the customer. "I have payment that will work for you" you show him the proposal, stated on the paper is all the information including the fees, taxes, cash incentives etc. The customer takes the paper and says "thank-you, ill be back". Guess what, you have just given that customer a piece of paper that they will use as ammunition while they go from dealership to dealership and SHOP-TIL-THEY-DROP. While you provide information to a customer about the vehicle its up to the customer to provide information to you about themselves. Same goes with the close. When its time to make a deal you need the commitment from them before you spill ALL the marbles. When the customer starts to "wheel and deal" thats a perfect time to ask for a commitment. Once you get the commitment, well you will do everything you can to get them the best deal you can. If they just want to know your best deal so they can go to the next dealership and shop them too, it doesn't seem very fair. You work hard provide them what they wanted, customer service, great deal for value and a car that fits their needs and wants, now its up to them to provide you with a commitment.
In closing, use your judgement as to what the customer is up to and if they are just going to shop 'til they drop, if thats the case don't spill the marbles. Get a commitment.
2333
No Comments
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