Automotive Sales Training

Facebook Thread: If you could train a new salesperson on just one thing, what would that be?

By December 23, 2010 December 27th, 2016 10 Comments

Justin Escudier To have no fear...I find that to be the one weakness MOST salespeople have. They can know their product inside and out, but when they sit down in front of someone, if they are too afraid to ask for the business, much less, the money...it will kill them every time!

Thomas Rogers Listen, listen, listen... Listen to the customer; listen to your trainer; listen to your managers; listen to what the good people in your organization say in selling situations... Two ears; one mouth. Listen twice as much as you talk!

AutoMax Recruiting Yes dealing with ones fears and limiting beliefs is key in success! Good stuff Justin!

Justin Escudier Thomas is right on the money too...they will tell u what u need to do to sell them. And u can have "processes", actually NEED processes, but I have always found that tailoring one's presentation to the individual and their needs, rather than something "canned" is very important too. Especially in F&I.

Thomas Rogers To succeed a salesperson must have the ability to move past nervous.

Carson Timothy Danley a great walk around, then not to be afraid to ask for full sticker. Be Motivated

AutoMax Recruiting Full price is a fair price!

Glenn Wilkins Networking their customer base and bringing customers in. How can you put a price tag on a salesman that has their own "Book of business". Just think if we had a showroom full of Justins out there who know How to engage in social media!! Live on the showroom...Die on the showroom.

Ronald Duke Gillingham Integrity

Lane Campbell So many things come to mind, but I think Justin hit it dead on. Every tactic and skill can be taught. Fearlessness is what sustains you when the customer says, "no

Justin Escudier Overcoming objections is a skill that can be taught...very true Lane...but without the stones to actually DO IT, they're dead in the water! BINGO!

Thomas Rogers Also, a great presentation and demonstration, can create enough customer desire that it can make up for many failings in the rest of your sales process... (until you master them, of course).

Thomas Rogers By the way, great question Craig! Good way to engage the mind early in the day.

Lane Campbell Another example of this: How many salespeople can we think of that had no idea what they were doing, yet excelled due to fearlessness?

Nancy Castonguay Simmons You must have a genuine care and concern for your clients. Phony does not work! If your clients know you truly care, everything else will fall into place. By caring, you will train to become the best you can be to afford your clients the best possible service!

Bob Gaber Attitude

Jim Bernardi

Loyalty, If you exhibit loyalty then naturally you will illuminate the following; confidence, sincerity, genuine concern, empathy and kindness. If your truly loyal, all these factors play a huge roll in how our audience will see us as an individual.

Thanks Craig, That was a fun question to ponder

Thomas Rogers ‎"Have an open mind." I have seen so many salespeople who just won't listen to anything that is new, or out of their comfort zone. Hard to teach the old dogs new tricks (so to speak!)

Bob Zabavski Never prequalify treat every up as though they are going to buy today

Nancy Castonguay Simmons What a great discussion!!!

Joe BigDaddy Sorenson Without any question, their listening skills.

Bob Gaber How to ask questions and listen to the answers

Gail Sproul Be on time and prepared to sell cars. Have you goals set for the day

Alan Mosher Great discussion, Craig. There are lots of great answers here. To me it all boils down to maintaining control of the conversation. Lead the customer down the path to the sale but make them think they are doing the leading. Ask open-ended questions to get them talking and pay attention to their answers and they will show you the way they need to be sold. Then, as Nike says, 'Just Do It'.

Suzanne Fitzpatrick I would train a salesperson on focusing on the facts~ don't lie, don't fluff, and don't exaggerate. It always makes a salesperson look bad and makes the company seem unreputable

Jeff Johnson Don't ask for permission to sell them a car. Just do it

Glenn Wilkins You can be nice....but dont lose control

Fran Taylor Find someone that is selling 30 plus cars a month in a short time and do what they say every day for 20 months. People think advice doesn't cost any thing. It does if you get bad advice and do what they told you. By following the leaders you will become one. The answesr aren't always in the store you work at. Think big

Glenn Wilkins If you dont maintain some control in the path of a sale, How do you know what your end result will be? Is that considered clerking or selling? Just like a football team running a play...youre trying to control the game using processes

Glenn Wilkins If you dont maintain some control in the path of a sale, How do you know what your end result will be? Is that considered clerking or selling? Just like a football team running a play...youre trying to control the game using processes

Joe BigDaddy Sorenson Glenn, lots of clerks out there with canned scripts and 10 set steps to a sale. Lots of robots with $50.00 haircuts and a silk tie that can't close the door behind them. People buy from people, period. You have to listen to a customer, and really be conserned with what is best for them in order to close for gross. You do need some guidelines, and by the way, you never know what the end result is going to be, do you

Alan Mosher I'd like to change my answer. I believe in what I said but if I were to teach a salesperson just ONE thing it would be the value of training. As Tom Hopkins said,"Y ou are your greatest asset. Put your time, effort and money into training, grooming, and encouraging your greatest asset. " If we teach our salespeople to view training as an investment in their future rather than a chore that just needs to be finished, the rest will come.

Joe BigDaddy Sorenson I dig Alan's answer. Back in 1989, Jack Shimota told me I had to spend $900.00 on Jackie Cooper training, out of my pocket, but in a year, he would give it back to me if still employed. I really fealt screwed. I did stay employed, after some yelling got my dough back, and have made that 900 back a thousand times over. Training is the key, a new focus on people building and character enrichment is the key

Justin Escudier

It's unfortunate but...there is all this talk about relationship building, and to an extent, that's true but...we have a very limited time to somehow convince someone to spend an awful lot of money. Doing something they hate, most do it ONLY when convinced it absolutely necessary, and we are the ones that have to "convince" them that NOW is the time, this is the place, and this is the vehicle. What is "sales" anyway if not somehow making the other person believe that your opinion is their own opinion and getting them to see things from your perspective? Very difficult to attemp to build any kind of lasting "relationship" in less than 3 hours from start to finish. Only about 2 of which, at most, is the salesperson actually in front of the customer.

Joe BigDaddy Sorenson Empathy is the key. The biggest reason that most people hate to buy cars is the salesman's approach to selling them a car. Buying cars is a damn blast, if you are dealing with someone who is compassionate, careing, and efficient. That is why shopping and buying online is the choice for so many car shoppers and buyers, although processes are screwing that up to. Can the autoresponder, make a little effort and ye shall reap gross

Tiffany Smith Bierman MOTIVATION and to stay positive...Don't be afraid to ask for the sell!!

Ralph Rasmuson Put "blinders" on. Don't overthink the situation. Just do your job as you were taught

Joe Brunner To follow up

Aaron Kominsky If it were me, listening skills,By maximizing your listening skills you increase your production gain custiomer loyalty, reduce errors, and make more sales and build a better client data base

Theodore B Nolan Find the salesman making the most money and do what he does

Gene Diehm dont invent what to do or say, touch the desk.

Ad one final thought from me...Sell with passion, approach each client with love in your heart and treat them as thou this could be their last day on earth.....take selling to another level, be proud of what you do, lead by serving!

What would you add?

Craig Lockerd

Craig Lockerd is the founder and CEO of AutoMax Recruiting And Training. He has nearly 50 years of experience in the auto industry. You can find Craig on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

10 Comments

  • How to build relationships. Relationships with their coworkers, community and their customers. Great thread! Thanks and Happy Holidays!

  • I’d teach them how to tap into that inner desire we all have to succeed. How to fan that inner flame that we all have until it’s consumes them with untold amounts of motivation.

  • So many great points, absolutely a great topic!

    I say relationship/rapport building. People buy from people they like; there are plenty, way more than plenty of times, that I have made mistakes, screwed things up, and done what I thought would’ve blown the sale. In the end, these sales still got put together because of the relationship.

    Think about the friendships that we all have in our lives; most of us can ask for WAY MORE money. Support, opinions, advice (real advice), time and yes when necessary, dollars.

    Make a friend and you’ll make the sale.

  • Abe Hopper says:

    Sell with enthusiasm !

  • This should go on….forever!

  • nsimmons says:

    To be honest and genuine! When a prospective buyer enters a dealership, they expect a certain role playing style rehearse demeanor! Be yourself! Authenticity will win over the customer to like you, respect you and finally trust you…Then they get serious about buying from you!

  • Right about that Nancy!

  • Abe Hopper says:

    A powerful opening word track: A word track should be implanted in everyone’s head … “Welcome to ABC Motors … I am so happy you are here. My name is _____ and your are ? Are you here for our promotion on pre-owned cars?”