{"id":1661,"date":"2016-09-19T09:00:38","date_gmt":"2016-09-19T13:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.autoraptor.com\/?p=1661"},"modified":"2016-09-19T09:00:38","modified_gmt":"2016-09-19T13:00:38","slug":"car-salesman-training-tips-create-engaging-car-lot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.autoraptor.com\/blog\/car-salesman-training-tips-create-engaging-car-lot\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Car Salesman Training Tips That Create an Engaging Car Lot"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"00-10-car-salesman-training-tips-that-create-an-engaging-car-lot-01\"<\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re a new car salesman, training tips that promote honesty, trust, and integrity will help you rise to the top quickly.<\/h2>\n

Beginning a new job in auto sales is exciting \u2014 your entire career is in front of you, and there\u2019s so much opportunity to succeed and learn. You have books full of car salesman training tips, car manuals, and a subscription to every industry magazine you could find. If you\u2019re new to the industry, though, or just sales in general, you may be a bit confused by the way the customers at your dealership interact with you. You know that you\u2019re an honest person with good intentions, but they\u2019re treating you like you\u2019ve already done something wrong. What gives?<\/p>\n

The frustrating fact is that like many trustworthy salespeople, you have to overcome a stigma. The car buyers you\u2019re meeting have either been burned in the past by sketchy dealerships, or they have a wall up based on stereotypes that continue to haunt auto dealerships around the country. In a Gallup poll<\/a>\u00a0measuring perceived honesty and ethics in professions, car salespeople were near the very bottom of the list \u2014 tied with telemarketers and members of Congress, and only above lobbyists.<\/p>\n

Forget those car salesman training tips that don\u2019t feel right<\/h3>\n

How can you move past customer baggage and preconceived notions? Think about the car salesman training tips you received when you started at your dealership. Did some of them make you uncomfortable<\/a>? Chances are, your intuition was right on.<\/p>\n

For example, some salespeople swear by holding on to keys for a trade-in negotiation as they run back and forth between multiple rounds of \u201clet me ask my manager.\u201d They think they\u2019re engaging in a foolproof sales tactic, while they\u2019re failing to hear the customer say \u201cI\u2019d like to leave, please give me my keys back.\u201d Don\u2019t be that person.<\/p>\n

Sometimes, it\u2019s best to assume that a potential customer walking onto your lot has had a bad car-buying experience in the past, or they\u2019ve heard plenty of stories from people who have. This gives you an opportunity to change the way you sell and not just make a sale, but hopefully, alter their perception \u2014 for the better \u2014 of car salespeople.<\/p>\n

How can you give a car buyer a clean slate and let them know off the bat that this will be a new experience? Try these essential car salesman training tips.<\/p>\n

10 quick car salesman training tips that can make a huge difference<\/h3>\n

1. Get customer names upfront (and remember them)<\/h3>\n

Your first inclination may be to approach a customer and say, \u201cWelcome to XYZ Dealership, I\u2019m John. What can I help you with today?\u201d That, however, is wrong. Never forget the Dale Carnegie quote from How to Win Friends and Influence People: \u201cRemember that a person\u2019s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.\u201d Get the customer\u2019s name immediately \u2014 \u201cWelcome to XYZ Dealership, I\u2019m John \u2013 and you are?\u201d \u2014 remember it, and use it throughout the entire sales process.<\/p>\n

2. Listen more than you talk<\/h3>\n

\"01-10-car-salesman-training-tips-that-create-an-engaging-car-lot-01\"You probably got into sales because you\u2019re a people person, and you love engaging in a good conversation. Top salespeople don\u2019t just talk, though \u2014 they listen. And they listen even more than they speak. If you throw the ball into your customer\u2019s court and actively listen to what they\u2019re telling you, there\u2019s a greater chance you\u2019ll have a better understanding of what they want and need.<\/p>\n

3. Look customers in the eye<\/h3>\n

Eye contact creates a connection, and when you\u2019re purposely or subconsciously avoiding that contact, it creates a disconnect with customers. There\u2019s a happy medium, though, because too much eye contact can seem too intense and condescending. Aim to make eye contact about 30-60% of the time during a conversation \u2014 more when listening, less when speaking.<\/p>\n

4. Be patient, not pushy<\/h3>\n

\"02-10-car-salesman-training-tips-that-create-an-engaging-car-lot-01\"You want to make the sale, and you want to make it now, but that should never be the vibe you give off when working with customers. Purchasing a car is a big decision, and if a person feels pressured to make a quick decision, they may just decide to walk off your lot. Give people space and let them feel supported.<\/p>\n

5. Know the product inside and out<\/h3>\n

Car salesman training tips are usually so focused on how to speak to people, that they forget to include an important fact: you need to know what you\u2019re talking about. Prove to the customer that you\u2019re more than \u201cjust\u201d a fast-talking salesperson \u2014 you know your inventory inside and out and can share fascinating information. Take the time to educate yourself regularly and you\u2019ll find your knowledge builds trust with customers.<\/p>\n

6. Don\u2019t say negative things about other car dealers<\/h3>\n

If a customer comes in and starts telling you about a negative experience they had at another dealership, fight the urge to be negative. You can certainly acknowledge their feelings, but quiet confidence goes much further with customers than trash-talking competitors<\/a>.<\/p>\n

7. Don\u2019t tell customers what they want to hear<\/h3>\n

This can be a tough pill to swallow, especially for people-pleasers, but keep it real with customers. If you\u2019re going to need an extra 30 minutes to get their car ready, don\u2019t tell them it\u2019s only going to be 15 minutes. When you overpromise and under-deliver, customers will begin to doubt your trustworthiness.<\/p>\n

8. Keep your desk clean<\/h3>\n

At some point in the sales process, you\u2019ll probably bring a customer over to your desk. Is it covered in piles of paper, protein bar wrappers, and photos of you partying with your friends? Clean up your act. Take as much pride in your desk as you do in your appearance because a messy desk can signal to a customer that you\u2019re scatter-brained and will probably let some details slip through the cracks.<\/p>\n

9. Do unto others<\/h3>\n

\"03-10-car-salesman-training-tips-that-create-an-engaging-car-lot-01\"Most people know the \u201cGolden Rule,\u201d but they don\u2019t stop to think about it in daily life. You may get so focused on your job and making the sale, that you forget your customers are real people. They are making a significant investment, they may be stressed out, there could be a lot going on at home \u2014 you just don\u2019t know what they\u2019re up against in the current moment. If you treat others the way you would want to be treated in a dealership, you\u2019ll find many more return customers and referrals coming your way.<\/p>\n

10. Follow up<\/h3>\n

Want a customer to think you don\u2019t care about them and were just interested in making a sale? Don\u2019t follow up. Following up<\/a>, whether by phone, e-mail, or even snail mail, shows you care that they are satisfied with their purchase \u2014 not just taking their money.<\/p>\n

Being a salesperson in the auto industry can be incredibly rewarding, and if you remember these ten car salesman training tips, you\u2019ll be well on your way to Employee of the Month. Using automotive CRM software<\/a> like AutoRaptor can also help you stay on top of all the leads you need to follow up on too.<\/p>\n

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Schedule an AutoRaptor Demo Now!<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n