Building value for the highly informed shopper - Part 4
We have been talking a lot lately about this highly researched shopper - that a typical prospect is now spending 11+ hours of online research before we ever see or hear from them. If they have done a...
View ArticlePhone skills are old school or are they?
So we've talked about how the current reality of the highly informed internet shopper has required salespeople to change their daily work plan.If the customer has done hours of research online before...
View ArticleLessons from the huddle... increase satisfaction by lowering expectations!
Many dealerships have an unofficial in-house training program designed to pass along the vast experience and knowledge of the veteran salespeople to the new recruits. This highly effective mentoring...
View ArticleThe sale starts with the receptionist - will it start it well?
We occasionally run training programs to bring receptionists into the sales process. We usually have a class that has 80-90% of attendees with no idea of how sales works or how the receptionist role...
View ArticleAre you afraid of the math? Maybe you should be...
A common measure used in financial statement analysis is advertising per new vehicle retailed. Slightly more difficult to get is the advertising per opportunity which is the advertising investment...
View ArticleYou know what they say about assumptions
Don't believe everything you read. Just because the average customer now spends 11.5 hours of online research some bloggers and "industry experts" claim that the role of the salesperson is diminished...
View ArticleIt's a simple business or is it?
We recently had a request from a freelance writer who was putting an article together for an auto industry publication. The writer sent a list of 13 or so questions; one of which had us chuckling...
View ArticleThey don't need a demo drive boss... They know the car!
We talk a lot about how the new normal is well informed shoppers who have "self-served" themselves far into the decision process. They have done enough online research to narrow their selection and...
View ArticleWhen is the best time to give yourself a pay raise?
How about now?You can give yourself a raise any day by increasing your effort or building your sales skills. Work harder and/or get better at what you do. It’s just math. If you plan to be in the...
View ArticleShortening Trade Cycles Pt 2
Last month we talked about how sales consultants could influence the average trade cycle of their client base and give themselves a pay raise. Let's dig into how 3 steps can put the concept into...
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Shortening Trade Cycles Pt 3
Last month we talked about 3 ways a sales consultants could influence the average trade cycle of their client base and give themselves a pay raise. If you missed that one you can read it in our blog...
View ArticleSuccess Leaves Clues
When you study the most successful sales organizations they share common characteristics. What do they do? They have a structured sales process that is coached and reinforced consistently. They...
View ArticleStuck?
One of the most frustrating things for people like us working in automotive training and dealer staff development is the resistance to change we encounter. Many dealer principals and sales staff in our...
View ArticleWhy do we need a sales process
In the face of a mountain of research on the modern automotive shopper, no one is going to deny that shopping patterns have changed: Buyers research online and self-serve themselves farther than ever...
View ArticleAre you torching your customer database or nurturing it
We get a lot of questions from dealerships who are starting to experience declining effectiveness with their direct marketing for invitation sales, behind the wall sales, or private sale events. When...
View ArticleGood Times Bad Habits
Who turned off the tap? We are hearing from many markets about a dramatic reduction in walk-in traffic. In some cases this is just a continuation of the pattern of highly researched shoppers who are...
View ArticleReady to buy or ready to shop?
Are you still treating walk-in traffic as "shoppers"? You know, nice people looking to get some information at your dealership and a bunch of others. They'll spend some time then go home and think it...
View ArticleWho's Next?
Ask most salespeople: "what makes a good delivery for the customer?" and most will churn out the types of things that are on your delivery or collection checklist: Good communication for the...
View ArticleLayers
No matter how much customer buying behavior changes we still at some point have conversations with most people who buy from us. Many will seem resistant or distant when we first engage them. You might...
View ArticleLessons from the huddle… Redux
Increase satisfaction by lowering expectations! Many dealerships have an unofficial in-house training program designed to pass along the vast experience and knowledge of the veteran salespeople to the...
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