The Mar-Kee Group
Tightening the T.O. $pokes by Richard Keeney
The T.O. strategy has been around for quite some time, yet at some dealerships it’s not an “all the time” thing. Some salespeople view it as a friction point with management. Some handle it very well. They are grateful for the opportunity to get additional support as a final effort to close a sale.
It is highly recommended that management revisits the T.O process with the team. Make certain there is a clear understanding of everyone’s role, the reasons why and how to handle it smoothly.
It is important to communicate to salespeople that management needs to have the option of speaking with customers 100% of the time before they leave. They also need to work with their people to smooth out the transition to management.
Richard Keeney, co-founder of The Mar-Kee Group, has over 38 years of training, sales and management experience. Richard brings a wealth of practical skills and knowledge to each of our clients and a keen understanding of how to make it all "click" to achieve the success your store deserves. You may know Richard's results-oriented selling style best from the "Success - One Idea at a Time" program, enjoyed by over 4,700 dealerships across the nation. "While a solid, ongoing sales training focus is vital to every organization's success, customization is key. I want to make absolutely certain that our training focuses on your specific opportunities and challenges in order to create the structure, accountability and results necessary to compete in today’s environment. Please feel free to contact me directly with your questions or concerns." Richard is also available for speaking engagements. Please feel free to contact Richard directly: 888.300.4629 or rkeeney@markeegroup.com
The Mar-Kee Group
Are Your Interview Questions Helping or Hurting? by Richard Keeney
Your objectives in the interviewing and screening process are plentiful. The old school “hit them hard, right between the eyes and see if they can take it” approach may not be the best method in today’s climate.
Testing people to see if they’re “tough enough” for their role, in my opinion can be unnecessarily intimidating and will turn off some well qualified job candidates.
The kind of representation needed today may not match up perfectly with the type of super-strong closer you may have sought out decades ago. Sure, having the ability to close a deal is important, and of course you want good salesmanship, yet the average buyer and hiring methods may have changed a good bit. Therefore, the type of candidate you need has probably changed as well. Fortunately, many dealerships have transitioned to an even more professional screening and recruiting process which includes the list of pre-determined interview questions.
Richard Keeney, co-founder of The Mar-Kee Group, has over 38 years of training, sales and management experience. Richard brings a wealth of practical skills and knowledge to each of our clients and a keen understanding of how to make it all "click" to achieve the success your store deserves. You may know Richard's results-oriented selling style best from the "Success - One Idea at a Time" program, enjoyed by over 4,700 dealerships across the nation. "While a solid, ongoing sales training focus is vital to every organization's success, customization is key. I want to make absolutely certain that our training focuses on your specific opportunities and challenges in order to create the structure, accountability and results necessary to compete in today’s environment. Please feel free to contact me directly with your questions or concerns." Richard is also available for speaking engagements. Please feel free to contact Richard directly: 888.300.4629 or rkeeney@markeegroup.com
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The Mar-Kee Group
Controlling “Post-Sale” Reconditioning by Richard Keeney
Salespeople, Managers and Dealers: Stop losing time and money because it’s easier to say “yes.”
Scenario:
Customer: “Do you think they’ll paint the back bumper and put two new tires on it?”
Salesperson: (Treats the question as an objection and takes path of least resistance) – “I’ll go ask.”
The Salesperson has pretty much validated the request as doable. At this point, to not fulfill the request gives the appearance of being uncooperative. Of course, the Salesperson wants the deal and feels the customer’s request will not keep management from putting it to bed. After all, they do this all the time, right?
Richard Keeney, co-founder of The Mar-Kee Group, has over 38 years of training, sales and management experience. Richard brings a wealth of practical skills and knowledge to each of our clients and a keen understanding of how to make it all "click" to achieve the success your store deserves. You may know Richard's results-oriented selling style best from the "Success - One Idea at a Time" program, enjoyed by over 4,700 dealerships across the nation. "While a solid, ongoing sales training focus is vital to every organization's success, customization is key. I want to make absolutely certain that our training focuses on your specific opportunities and challenges in order to create the structure, accountability and results necessary to compete in today’s environment. Please feel free to contact me directly with your questions or concerns." Richard is also available for speaking engagements. Please feel free to contact Richard directly: 888.300.4629 or rkeeney@markeegroup.com
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The Mar-Kee Group
Building Relationships: Turn Your Weakest Marketing Arm Into Your Strongest By Richard Keeney
Dealer and Manager, do you feel frustrated by costly expenses needed to get customers through the door? Salespeople who build something really significant, by flexing their own marketing arm, understand the importance of personalization.
Many dealers have a few sales professionals that really get it; “Build it and they will come” concept.
I believe the old school way of marketing is the best way to create trust and loyalty. The result is repeat and referral business that pays big dividends for the long haul. The current generation coming into workforce were born with an electronic device in their hand, may need a bit more convincing of the impact of personalization.
Hopefully you are already doing this to some degree, yet imagine every salesperson...
Richard Keeney, co-founder of The Mar-Kee Group, has over 38 years of training, sales and management experience. Richard brings a wealth of practical skills and knowledge to each of our clients and a keen understanding of how to make it all "click" to achieve the success your store deserves. You may know Richard's results-oriented selling style best from the "Success - One Idea at a Time" program, enjoyed by over 4,700 dealerships across the nation. "While a solid, ongoing sales training focus is vital to every organization's success, customization is key. I want to make absolutely certain that our training focuses on your specific opportunities and challenges in order to create the structure, accountability and results necessary to compete in today’s environment. Please feel free to contact me directly with your questions or concerns." Richard is also available for speaking engagements. Please feel free to contact Richard directly: 888.300.4629 or rkeeney@markeegroup.com
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The Mar-Kee Group
"One More" by David Martin
I would like to recommend a very important philosophy that you should incorporate into your daily sales regiment. The concept is called “One More”. At its heart, it simply means that when you think you are done, do one more. One more what, you ask? One more phone call, one more email, one more text, one more social engagement, one more prospecting attempt, give out one more business card, send out one more video, make one more attempt to close. One More!
Look, we have all heard that selling is a numbers game and to some extent that is true. However, more important than sheer numbers are quality numbers.
For instance, if you make 10 rushed, poorly thought-out phone calls just to get through your task list, adding one more probably won’t do any good. What I’m saying is that when you follow-up with prospects, and you simply ask “have you decided yet?” or “do you have any questions?” it’s probably not very effective. However, if you review your CRM first to see what was previously discussed, or whether you made any notes that would enable you to connect on a more personal level, it can become a quality phone call.
Richard Keeney, co-founder of The Mar-Kee Group, has over 38 years of training, sales and management experience. Richard brings a wealth of practical skills and knowledge to each of our clients and a keen understanding of how to make it all "click" to achieve the success your store deserves. You may know Richard's results-oriented selling style best from the "Success - One Idea at a Time" program, enjoyed by over 4,700 dealerships across the nation. "While a solid, ongoing sales training focus is vital to every organization's success, customization is key. I want to make absolutely certain that our training focuses on your specific opportunities and challenges in order to create the structure, accountability and results necessary to compete in today’s environment. Please feel free to contact me directly with your questions or concerns." Richard is also available for speaking engagements. Please feel free to contact Richard directly: 888.300.4629
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The Mar-Kee Group
The Best "Last Two" Questions to Ask BEFORE Getting the Proposal by Richard Keeney
It is my belief that these two questions need to be asked every time before leaving the customer to get a proposal from management.
Next to the last question to ask the customer before getting up to go for desk assistance:
“Is there any additional equipment you want me to factor into your proposal?”
You have given the customer a chance to share the other equipment they may be considering. These are items they ask you to throw in if you want them to sign up. Often times it’s when you can least afford it; after you have already made previous deal concessions.
Richard Keeney, co-founder of The Mar-Kee Group, has over 38 years of training, sales and management experience. Richard brings a wealth of practical skills and knowledge to each of our clients and a keen understanding of how to make it all "click" to achieve the success your store deserves. You may know Richard's results-oriented selling style best from the "Success - One Idea at a Time" program, enjoyed by over 4,700 dealerships across the nation. "While a solid, ongoing sales training focus is vital to every organization's success, customization is key. I want to make absolutely certain that our training focuses on your specific opportunities and challenges in order to create the structure, accountability and results necessary to compete in today’s environment. Please feel free to contact me directly with your questions or concerns." Richard is also available for speaking engagements. Please feel free to contact Richard directly: 888.300.4629
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The Mar-Kee Group
How NOT to Ask For the Business by Richard Keeney
First off, I’m not painting all salespeople with a wide brush here. Face it, it may be human nature for some to lack the conviction when they have a good bit of doubt about the anticipated customer's reaction to a proposal.
I'm not insinuating that most salespeople are lacking conviction when serving the proposal to customers. I am recommending that management discuss this with the team, that they must get their heads in the game at proposal time. They certainly need to be reminded that they are counted on to remain very assumptive so they can be influential on the customer's response to the proposal.
Richard Keeney, co-founder of The Mar-Kee Group, has over 38 years of training, sales and management experience. Richard brings a wealth of practical skills and knowledge to each of our clients and a keen understanding of how to make it all "click" to achieve the success your store deserves. You may know Richard's results-oriented selling style best from the "Success - One Idea at a Time" program, enjoyed by over 4,700 dealerships across the nation. "While a solid, ongoing sales training focus is vital to every organization's success, customization is key. I want to make absolutely certain that our training focuses on your specific opportunities and challenges in order to create the structure, accountability and results necessary to compete in today’s environment. Please feel free to contact me directly with your questions or concerns." Richard is also available for speaking engagements. Please feel free to contact Richard directly: 888.300.4629 or rkeeney@markeegroup.com
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The Mar-Kee Group
VIDEO: Recharge with Richard #301 - Stop Accepting UNACCEPTABLE Behavior! Automotive Sales Training
Managers...Stop accepting UNACCEPTABLE behavior! The Mar-Kee Group provides outstanding Sales, Service, and Management Training for Automotive, Boat & RV Dealers. Contact us at 888-300-4629 or Visit http://www.markeegroup.com/.
Richard Keeney, co-founder of The Mar-Kee Group, has over 38 years of training, sales and management experience. Richard brings a wealth of practical skills and knowledge to each of our clients and a keen understanding of how to make it all "click" to achieve the success your store deserves. You may know Richard's results-oriented selling style best from the "Success - One Idea at a Time" program, enjoyed by over 4,700 dealerships across the nation. "While a solid, ongoing sales training focus is vital to every organization's success, customization is key. I want to make absolutely certain that our training focuses on your specific opportunities and challenges in order to create the structure, accountability and results necessary to compete in today’s environment. Please feel free to contact me directly with your questions or concerns." Richard is also available for speaking engagements. Please feel free to contact Richard directly: 888.300.4629 or rkeeney@markeegroup.com
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The Mar-Kee Group
One Simple Phone Tip to Better Handle "What Time Do You Close?" by Richard Keeney
Do you really know how each salesperson is responding to this question: "What time do you close?"
If you close at 8:00 and the salesperson simply answers “We close at 8:00”, then plan o
n staying late more often than necessary. Now don’t get mad at the salesperson, they know they better work around the customer’s schedule;
Maybe they just need something better to say?
Lord help the salesperson who is heard telling a customer they are off the day in question or that they are out early that day, and asks if the next day is possible. On another note, a salesperson who is a long term, super-productive entity of your organization, may risk nothing by working a little around their own schedule. After all, if confident that his/her customers want only this salesperson; then maybe there is no risk of defection. But wait, here comes the tip, and you decide if you can use it for better time control, then share it.
Here’s the tip:
When a customer asks “What time do you close?”, simply reply “We close at 8:00, so of course you’ll want to be here around 6:30 or 6:45 so we’ll have adequate time to get you all the information you deserve. Or would you like for it to be even earlier?”
Maybe they can’t make it that early, yet when a better answer will stand a good chance of an earlier appointment, you must consider. If you are not doing something to affect the show time, you’ll be staying later and NOT have adequate time to close some of the deals. Face it, by 9:00, you and your customer have had a looooooong day, and they may question their own decision making while fatigued, so it makes sense to get them earlier, if possible.
On a final note: Salespeople must use their instincts when a customer would have come in, yet 6:30 isn't an option. If hesitant to set earlier appointment time, you don't want to miss the appointment altogether, so volunteer a later time to see.
Even if this doesn’t rock your world, unless you are opposed to getting home a little earlier more often, please consider it.
For more incoming calls and outgoing phone skills tips, check out:
- Ultimate Phone Expertise for Automotive Dealers
- Ultimate Phone Expertise for Boat Dealers
- Ultimate Phone Expertise for RV Dealers
Best wishes,
Richard Keeney
The Mar-Kee Group
888-300-4629
251-680-6633 (cell)
markeegroup.com
Richard Keeney, co-founder of The Mar-Kee Group, has over 38 years of training, sales and management experience. Richard brings a wealth of practical skills and knowledge to each of our clients and a keen understanding of how to make it all "click" to achieve the success your store deserves. You may know Richard's results-oriented selling style best from the "Success - One Idea at a Time" program, enjoyed by over 4,700 dealerships across the nation. "While a solid, ongoing sales training focus is vital to every organization's success, customization is key. I want to make absolutely certain that our training focuses on your specific opportunities and challenges in order to create the structure, accountability and results necessary to compete in today’s environment. Please feel free to contact me directly with your questions or concerns." Richard is also available for speaking engagements. Please feel free to contact Richard directly: 888.300.4629 or rkeeney@markeegroup.com
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The Mar-Kee Group
Role Play - The Ultimate Sales Tool by David Martin
I am often asked what I th
ink of role play as a method to teach salespeople (and others) how to handle their jobs. We have to remember that it can be really stressful to “perform” in front of our peers because no one wants to be self-conscious and uncomfortable. My answer is usually “Great tool but too often handled incorrectly.”
In my opinion, role play can be the most powerful teaching method in the manager’s arsenal.
Unfortunately, many of them treat role play as a game of “gotcha,” where they try to catch salespeople off-guard and embarrass them. This reminds me of Zig Ziglar’s statement, “Too many managers try to catch salespeople doing something wrong instead of trying to catch them doing something right.”
Richard Keeney, co-founder of The Mar-Kee Group, has over 38 years of training, sales and management experience. Richard brings a wealth of practical skills and knowledge to each of our clients and a keen understanding of how to make it all "click" to achieve the success your store deserves. You may know Richard's results-oriented selling style best from the "Success - One Idea at a Time" program, enjoyed by over 4,700 dealerships across the nation. "While a solid, ongoing sales training focus is vital to every organization's success, customization is key. I want to make absolutely certain that our training focuses on your specific opportunities and challenges in order to create the structure, accountability and results necessary to compete in today’s environment. Please feel free to contact me directly with your questions or concerns." Richard is also available for speaking engagements. Please feel free to contact Richard directly: 888.300.4629 or rkeeney@markeegroup.com
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