How To Reverse the Bad Sales Stigma

There is no question about the stigma that is associated with salespeople and the fact that it seems irreversible. What if I told you it can be reversed? What if I told you it’s all about your attitude and your mindset?

It’s that time of month again! You have been waiting weeks for this day and it has finally arrived! You jump out of bed with extraordinary pep in your step. You brush your teeth with an odd sense of excitement. You groom yourself fantastically and even spray a little cologne to give that extra touch. You are happily preparing for the “end of month.” Makes you wonder what happened with the previous weeks doesn’t it. Is this your typical routine? Are you that sales person?

You have to admit we have all been there before. What better time to rake in the big bucks than the end of the month? Your customers confidently stroll through those dealership doors looking for the best deal, ready to buy. They surely know you are trying to reach your “quota” and they definitely got a leg up on you when it comes to that, so, let the games begin! Hey this is how it’s always been and why change it now, right?

Wrong. Let me tell you WHY.

Month end is a joke, if your dealership is focused only on monthly goals. No doubt customers have been involved in this cycle for decades and they truly believe prices change at the end of every month. Almost like any other retail industry, they believe you just SLASH your prices to move inventory every month, every season and even every day! Makes you wonder where they got that idea.

Although, the motivation and excitement you bring at this time of month is great, you’re actually setting yourself up for long-term headaches and spiraling down a slippery slope of disappointment. Think about it; How many customers have you lost due to misinformation that could have been prevented? Example: A walk-in at the beginning of the month simply comes in for as much information as possible, (after all the research they did online of course) they test drive and even let you pull their credit only to purchase from the dealer down the street a couple weeks later. Why? Was it the lack of the tacky flashing ad you left off your website that week? Perhaps the misconception of a “great deal” was left out of the sales pitch? Ok, we can’t deny that sometimes we look back and think “what did I do wrong, and what could I have done differently”? We know as human beings we all make mistakes and even forget the simple things at times. Maybe we even get a little arrogant and somehow convince ourselves that we are just that GREAT. So, maybe we skip a step or two in our sales process. There is also the chance that this particular customer deliberately walked in solely for the PRICES needed to purchase from the next dealership. Do we really need to leave that to chance?

Your modern day car buyer depends more on media, online content and their own research rather than your expertise as a product specialist. Sadly, it’s true and that’s all they FOCUS on. The days where people trusted salesmen and relied on their knowledge and assistance to buy, is long gone. We are now battling with the new technology of today and even the highly advanced millennial who is more than qualified and oh so capable of educating even you ON that shiny new car they plan on purchasing in the next few weeks. We assume consumers don’t know what they are talking about and are not familiar with our industry or process for some reason. There is no denying that now days anyone can obtain information they need off the internet. The one thing they cannot obtain off the internet, is…… THE EXPERIENCE. Think about that for a moment.

Today’s consumer is educated enough to make a well informed decision to buy any product without anyone’s assistance. So, what do you bring to the table? And why do you only bring it at the “end of month”? Bring it every day throughout the month and you will create pre-sold referrals purely based on experience! The great thing is you don’t have to be an expert to execute this behavior, you just have to be a good human being. Learning about your customer’s wants, needs and desires is the easiest and most effective way of creating a world class experience. Now that’s something to be excited about every day and pretty darn simple too, isn’t it? I hope this article helped you see all the endless possibilities associated with a great experience. It’s time for a change and it starts with you!

Your modern day car buyer depends more on media, online
content and their own research rather than your expertise as a
product specialist. Sadly, it’s true and that’s all they FOCUS on.
The days where people trusted salesmen and relied on their
knowledge and assistance to buy, is long gone. We are now
battling with the new technology of today and even the highly
advanced millennial who is more than qualified and oh so
capable of educating even you ON that shiny new car they plan
on purchasing in the next few weeks.