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!

Before you can sell anyone a used car, you first have to earn their trust. Buyers need to feel comfortable at your dealership, and confidence engaging with your sales representatives. Given the common characterization of used car salesmen as shady and dishonest, this can be a bit of an uphill battle. With that said, there are a few things used car sales reps can do to earn the assurance and trust of buyers.

Here are eight recommendations from the used car sales experts at Get My Auto.

How Used Car Sales Reps Can Earn Confidence and Trust

1. Get the name of each customer on the front end—and make sure you remember it!Before you start into a sales pitch, make sure you know who you’re talking to—and keep reinforcing that personal connection throughout your interaction.
2. Do a lot of listening. Some sales reps chat a mile a minute, but that’s usually not a good way to earn trust. In fact, it’s really just a good way to reinforce that stereotype that used car sales reps are, well, “salesy.” Make sure you spend plenty of time listening to what your customer wants, and tailor your pitch accordingly.
3. Show some patience. You want to make your sale as quickly as possible, yet you don’t want to come across like you’re rushing your buyer through a big decision. Always give them breathing room.
4. Make sure you know your products. This one might seem like it goes without saying, yet you’d be amazed at how many used car sales reps can’t answer basic questions about the vehicles they’re selling. Be sure that you’re ready to address any specific inquiries or concerns your buyers bring up.
5. Don’t lie. Or, to be more precise, don’t simply tell people what you think they want to hear. If you need 20 minutes to talk to someone in your finance department, tell your buyer it’s going to be about a 20-minute wait. Don’t tell them it’s going to be 10, then keep them waiting!
6. Maintain a clean work area. Sooner or later, you’re likely to end up with the buyer sitting across from you at your desk. The last thing you want is to have a flurry of paperwork or a pile of fast food wrappers you need to hastily clear away. Be tidy and professional!
7. Don’t say negative things about competing dealerships. Stay above the fray and focus on the benefits you can offer. That’s what customers care about, and it’s how you’re ultimately going to win them over—with value, not pettiness.
8. Follow up. You may not close the sale on that first visit, but don’t give up. Instead, follow up! Stick with it until you get a definitive answer.

As a used car sales professional, it’s vital that you do anything and everything to make your dealership feel trustworthy—and that starts with conveying a strong sense of professionalism. Use these tips to guide you—and for more, reach out to the pros at Get My Auto!

The cost of a new vehicle is climbing—and in fact, it’s shattering previous records. For those in the market for a brand new, straight-from-the-factory car or truck, that’s really not the best news. For those who are looking for great value at a used car dealership, though, it’s not so bad—and for used car dealers, it’s downright great.

We’ve got the full scoop for you right here, along with some thoughts on what it all means for dealers.

New Vehicle Prices are Climbing

According to a new Dealer Marketing report, new vehicle prices hit a historic high point in December; in other words, it’s never cost more money to buy a brand new vehicle.

Dealer Marketing “estimates that the average transaction price of a new vehicle was $36,495 in December, which is a 3 percent increase compared to December of 2016 and a 13 percent increase compared to December of 2012.”

The article goes on to say: “The average down payment on a new car is also estimated to reach all-time high in December of $4,056. This is up $227 compared to December of 2016 and $105 from five years ago.”

Of course, new vehicle prices have been rising steadily over the past year or so—and there’s no reason to think they won’t continue to climb. For this reason, there are actually fewer buyers in the market, though those who are willing to buy new are happy to shell out quite a bit of money to do so.

For many consumers, though, these price points have become prohibitive—and therein lies the real opening for used car dealers.

An Opportunity for Used Car Dealers

As new vehicle prices rise, and buyers become increasingly sticker-shocked, used car dealers have a great opportunity to emphasize the value they offer. After all, used vehicles are typically a fraction of the original price, yet they offer the same reliability and the same bells and whistles.

The bottom line for the buyers is that, by buying from a reputable used car dealership, they can really maximize their bang for buck—either stretching their auto loan further or even avoiding loans altogether in favor of a cash transaction.

This doesn’t mean that used cars are going to sell themselves, though. Dealers must seize this chance to highlight their value over the new vehicle market—something that requires a comprehensive marketing plan.

Marketing Your Dealership

That’s where Get My Auto comes in.

We’re a marketing company that works exclusively with independent auto dealers—and we’re happy to help you market your inventory effectively.

Take hold of this opportunity to speak to buyers who are looking for great value. Promote your independent auto dealership effectively. Get help from the team at Get My Auto.

There is a common assumption among dealerships that the best way to reach more consumers is to lower prices—slashing those sticker costs in order to outflank the competition. It’s a race to the bottom, and in the past it may have worked well—but in today’s auto sales landscape, we’d argue that it’s counterproductive.

Why the Race to the Bottom Doesn’t Work

Certainly the consumers of today want to get maximum bang for their buck—but that doesn’t always mean lowering prices. Instead, dealerships should focus on improving and promoting their own unique value proposition—showing the customer that they will receive a great experience for their hard-earned dollar.

To be sure, if price is the only factor, dealerships will have a hard time competing with Craigslist and with other online discounts; your dealership will quickly lose sales shares, because you just can’t maintain your business while constantly competing with online prices.

Understanding the Sales Funnel

To really understand why the race-to-the-bottom sales mentality doesn’t work, it’s important to understand the buying process. You see, by the time a consumer reaches the bottom of the sales funnel, he or she has typically decided which make and model to buy. This decision has been reached on the basis of ample online research.

Once arriving at that decision point, the only thing left for the customer to consider is where he or she will buy the vehicle. Here, finding the lowest price point is certainly important—but there’s also the matter of overall value. Here’s where dealerships can shine—offering some unique benefit that no other seller can match.

Your dealership’s unique selling proposition could be a great F&I bundle. It could be an easy, no-hassle sales experience. It could be a trusted and affordable service center. It could be something else altogether.

What’s important is that you give the buyer a reason to purchase that vehicle from you, and from no one else—a reason to consider factors other than the bottom-line price. Because if price is all that matters, your dealership will have to constantly chip away at its own margins, or else have literally no way to compete.

Developing Your Value Proposition

Now, a word of caution is in order here: Your unique selling proposition needs to be something that’s a true win-win for you and your customers. Gimmicks or novelties aren’t going to be enough for you to earn business, especially not in the face of the ongoing price wars.

Something else: Your unique selling proposition should be included in all your dealership marketing—including even your own Craigslist ads. After all, Craigslist isn’t just a way for you to sell your inventory. It’s also a way for you to sell your dealership.

We’d love to help you with that, and our marketing professionals know just how to do it. Enlist Get My Auto to help develop and promote your dealership’s unique selling proposition—and get out of that race to the bottom! Contact us today.