Every used car dealership wants its phones ringing off the hook, flooded with inquiries from potential customers. A good marketing campaign will get you those calls—but calls alone are not enough! Your job is to turn those calls into actual appointments—actually getting people to your showroom where your sales reps can close the deal.

This isn’t necessarily as simple as it might first seem. A basic guideline to keep in mind: You won’t get appointments unless you ask for them. When someone calls your dealership to ask about a particular used Civic they saw on Craigslist, you’ve got to be point-blank in requesting that they come see you face-to-face, and to test drive the vehicle.

The Wrong Way to Ask for An Appointment

There are good ways and bad ways to ask for an appointment. One of the bad ways is this: When would you like to come in?

It’s bad because you’re likely to get soft answers. A customer might say they can swing by on Saturday, and even ask you when you open. They’ll then say they’ll be in “sometime that afternoon.” This is better than a hard no, perhaps, but not much. It’s certainly not a real appointment, as the customer in question is very likely to be a no-show. They were wishy-washy because they simply didn’t want to hurt your feelings with a definitive no.

The Right Way to Ask for An Appointment

Here’s a better way.

1. 1. First, make sure you instill some urgency. Say something like this: “Yes, we do still have that Civic on the lot, but it’s priced very low, and probably won’t be here past the weekend.”
   2. From there, offer some specific times. Example: “If you want a chance to drive that Civic before it sells, I’ve got a few openings. How is either Friday at 3:15 or Saturday morning at 9?”

This isn’t a complicated script, and there’s no elaborate sales tactic here. It’s all about making a direct request; leaving no room for wishy-washy answers; and then getting a firm commitment from your buyer.

Now, you may have some objections. Just remember that setting appointments  your ultimate goal—so don’t just grant the objection, but redirect the concern. For example: “Yes, the car does have some miles on it, but it’s in tip-top shape and handles beautifully on the road. I’d love to let you take it for a spin, just to see for yourself. Can you be here at 3:15 on Friday?”

Turn those calls into appointments, no matter how many objections you have to push through. And if you’re not getting calls in the first place, well, that’s a marketing issue—and we can help you with it!