by CARServices » Tue Jan 06, 2009 7:28 am
Wow! I am very impressed. Each of you guys had great points and as a trainer, I enjoyed reading them. In the last two decades, I've trained sales professionals around the globe. My primary clients are car dealers, but, what I learned by being in retail has gooten me paid by other industries as well. In those years, I have also written nine books on sales, management, and leadership. I only tell you this to help prove your points.
Unlike many trainers who have used the same books, talking points, and even stories, I've had to change with the rest of the world. The one constant is that principles are carved in stone, techniques can and must change. You still need to start by greetng a customer (Principle) but there are a thousand ways to say hello (technique).
One of the major problems out there is that the dealership food chain, from the dealer down, has turned their focus to results. My most common request for training is on closing the sale. I can teach monkeys to close deals. But, that won't increase sales by one unit. Selling is a process and to skip to the end, or get their too fast, will always result in less sales, even if you're the best monkey in the showroom.
All that said, in 2008 I worked with many dealers and actually met a half dozen sales professionals who topped six figures in commissions. Five of them worked in domestic stores and two worked for dealers delivering less than 75 cars per month.
What did they do differently?
They totally took advantage. Advantage of everything. They made sure they got their name out as often as possible. They took one idea from every training session they attended - THEN THEY USED IT! Their process recognized that some people will buy today, adn others will buy in the future. To make a lot of money, you need both. Each was a master at getting referrals. They didn't ask for them, they told the customer it was expected, if they did a fantastic job.
Lastly, they looked at selling as a career, their own business, something that required THEM to make certain investments.
Enough about the sales team. All of you made the point to talk about managers and how they fit into the puzzle. In my opinion, the least trained person in any dealership today is the sales manager. Most only know how to work a deal one way, the way it worked for them "back in the day." I don't even train the way I did just five years ago. Things change. Cars change. People change.
How do you deal with an untrained manager? Help them do your job. As a sales pro, you need to be the best in your market. Being the best will allow you to take more time with the customer before "desking a deal" is needed. That way, you'll provide more info to your manager which will actually guide him or her to the right decision.
If you come across good training material, share it with them. If you don't come across good training material, shame on you. Find some.
If they help you close a deal, thank them and discuss why they did what they did. You'll learn and they'll keep that method for another day.
Last, decide. Decide if this is what you want to do. I have been in this business since they put leaded gas in new cars. But, if I tried to sell now, like I did when I started, I'd be walking to work. My success as a trainer, writer, and consultant is a result of what selling cars taught me. Keep learning and keep investing in yourself.
Continued Success in 2009.
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John Fuhrman
Senior Trainer
Carolina Automotive Resource Services