MAXIMIZING YOUR EXPERIENCE with Online Live

 

1.    Recognize that the course belongs to you and take responsibility for results.

 

2.    Challenge yourself “How can I make this work for me?”

 

3.    Participate and learn as if your success depended upon it. It does!

 

4.    Ask questions of your facilitator – ensure that you fully understand.

 

5.    Enter into all discussions enthusiastically. Share and learn with the group.

 

6.    Keep an open mind and a positive attitude.

 

7.    Only one person should talk at a time. Avoid private conversations while someone is speaking.

 

8.    Stay focused, please turn off all communication devices.

 

 

 

 

 

Reflection “There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. That little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative.” – W. Clement Stone

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES MODULES 1 & 2

 

1.    Psychology of selling

a.    Understanding the automotive industry and how a client-focused approach to selling follows success principles.

b.    Eliminate negative preconceptions and develop a personal success formula.

c.     Help participants understand the buyer decision process. Unlock why buyers behave as they do.

 

2.    Leadership of the buying process and transitions

a.    To have participants see how our selling best practices exactly mirror the client decision-making process.

 

3.    Overview of the Buying Cycle

a.    Participants will understand the importance of taking a leadership role in the buying cycle.

 

4.     Introduction

a.    Participants will have an understanding of how to conduct a proper Introduction and Transition to the Consultation.

b.    Participants learn word tracks to identify the shopper who has already selected a vehicle from online research.

c.     Participants learn how to prepare for and introduce themselves to a BDC-generated appointment.

 

5.     Consultation

a.    Participants will be able to conduct a proper consultation to get an understanding of the client’s needs, lifestyle, budget, and vehicle requirements.

b.    Participants learn to adapt their approach to meet the needs of a customer who has conducted online research prior to their visit.

c.     Participants will be able to find the right selection or confirm a selection that a customer has already made, based on his or her needs and available stock.

d.    How to effectively transition to the presentation.

 

6.     Presentation

a.    Participants will understand how to present and personalise a vehicle’s features, advantages, and benefits based on the customer needs and wants.

 

 

 

7.     Demonstration

a.    Participants learn a planned approach to the demonstration. 

b.    Transitioning to Build Added Value.

 

8.     Building Added Value

a.    Be able to answer the question “Why should I buy here?” and build value in the dealership.

b.    Be able to transition to Information Review.

 

9.     Information Review and Terms to Own

a.    Understanding how to confirm mental ownership.

b.    Understanding how to maintain leadership.

c.     Understanding the customer’s Terms to Own, and why this should be agreed upon preceding figures.

d.    Understand and develop skills on gathering information for the worksheet/proposal and working with trades.

 

 

COMMITMENT TO ACTION – DAY 1

 

List the ideas from this program that you will implement immediately:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES MODULES 3 & 4

 

1.     Terms to Own

a.    To get a practical application of the skills of the Terms to Own.

 

2.     Presenting Figures

a.    Participants learn to develop skills around presenting figures and justifying trade value.

 

3.     Overcoming Objections

a.    Participants learn how to professionally respond to Objections and solve problems.

 

4.     Management Involvement

a.    Participants learn how to professionally involve a manager when difficulties arise.

 

5.     Financial Choices – Business Office Turnover

a.    Participants learn a professional and effective turnover process.

 

6.     Delivery / Follow-up

a.    Participants learn how they participate in the professional delivery.

b.    Participants understand the delivery is not the end but the start of a long-term relationship.

c.     Participants learn how to position the customer for referrals and leverage the customer’s social media.

 

7.     Follow-up / Locate / Personal Marketing

a.    Participants learn how professionals develop their own traffic and repeat business.

b.    Participants quantify what their effort in locating opportunities is worth to them.

 

8.     Tracking for Success

a.    Participants understand the value of personal accountability and self-analysis.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMITMENT TO ACTION – DAY 2

 

List the ideas from this program that you will implement immediately:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARKET REALITIES AND THE MODERN SHOPPER

 

Market studies and consumer research continue to support the trends to:

 

·       Increased customer online research – many studies show between 8-13 hours

·       Shorter short lists of vehicles being considered

·       Fewer dealerships visited prior to a purchase – studies show average between 2-3

·       Reduced walk-in traffic counts

·       Lower tolerance for under-informed sales consultants

·       Lower tolerance for rigid sales processes that don’t respect the research they have done

 

 

Discussion What does this mean when a prospect ultimately contacts us or visits the dealership? How should having more highly informed shoppers impact closing ratios?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Point We know that the person we meet is very likely highly informed and far along their purchase decision. So let’s assume our brand and dealership is their first choice and they have already decided to buy from us!

 

 

 

UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE

 

Many people have a detrimental habit of labeling, or stereotyping people because of various perceptions. The way someone looks, or what they say when you first meet them.  For instance, a person that says: “just give me your best price,” may get labelled as a “difficult” customer. 

 

When people come to a dealership, many have had different experiences with dealerships in the past. Some had good experiences, some had bad ones.

 

People’s expectations can affect their approach to buying a car.  Some will have spent countless hours doing research in order to empower themselves with knowledge to help overcome their fears; while others may just drop in on a whim. 

 

It is our goal to understand each customer’s needs so that we can help them to overcome their fears so that they can buy with confidence; not to label them.

 

 

Discussion What are the dangers of prejudging or stereotyping a customer?

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Key Point Customer fears may make some people initially “sound” like a difficult customer. We need to recognise this and understand that their defence is only there because they don’t know, like, or trust us – YET!

 

 

 

CUSTOMER DECISIONS

 

Group Activity What decisions do you make before you feel comfortable buying any significant product or service? Make a list of all of the factors that go into the decision. Prepare to share.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion Do our customers have to make these decisions in order to feel comfortable buying our products and services? How many of these decisions have to do with the price? Can people make good buying decisions with just the price?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If price is the only consideration, then everyone would drive the cheapest cars and drink the cheapest wine.

 

The product and/or service is clearly the most important issue in the buying decision. We simply use price as the starting point, because of our fear of paying too much.  The challenge of the salesperson is to put Product before Price.

 

 

 

CUSTOMER DECISIONS

 

Understand that just by coming to the dealership we know these things about the customer:

1.             Things have changed, they have a want or a need

2.             The time is right

3.             Your dealership is acceptable

4.             Your brand is acceptable

5.             Your product’s price range is acceptable

6.             They may no longer want their current vehicle

7.             They have done considerable research already

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion How do many buyers feel about “car shopping”?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reflection “The quality of the customer is equal to the quality of…”

 

 

 

CUSTOMER DECISIONS – UNDERSTANDING FEAR

 

Many customers are excited about purchasing a new or newer vehicle and look forward to the experience. Others have fears and preconceptions of dealerships and sales staff that may have come from previous experience

 

1.             Fear of paying too much.

2.             Fear of being pressured.

3.             Fear of being taken advantage of.

4.             Fear of making the wrong choice

 

 

Customer behaviours are affected a consequence of these fears or can be influenced by well-meaning advice articles. When the customers engage us, they seem to focus on their concern, before being completely confident in the product.

 

We must help people to overcome these challenges so that we can provide them with the highest level of service.

 

 

Discussion If we do allow the primary focus to be on price what natural consequences can we predict for sales volume and profitability?

                                                                                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Point We know that the person we meet is very likely highly informed and far along their purchase decision. So let’s assume our brand and dealership is their first choice and they have already decided to buy from us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PEOPLE, PRODUCT, PURCHASE – HAVE A WINNING PROCESS

 

It is our mission to give each person the tools necessary not just survive but to succeed in a long-term profession with great personal and financial rewards. The application of these tools is solely your responsibility.

 

To enter many professions, you pay out large sums of money over several years of university education to get an opportunity to earn a relatively high income. In our profession we see some people invest minimal time to their skill development and building the work habits essential to earning high incomes. Why would you expect to achieve high attainment without becoming an expert in your field?  Don’t make the mistake of sticking your toe in the water; it is time to fully commit to building a powerful career in sales through attitude, education and effort.

 

Being a successful salesperson is like being a successful franchise owner. Franchises work because they have found out exactly how to make a business successful, and then they have been able to duplicate that success elsewhere through a series of strategies and procedures.

 

The closer you follow the proven formula and strategies, the more success you will enjoy. The steps outlined in the Buying Cycle are not new; they have been around for many years, in one form or another.

 

Successful people follow a plan.

 

 

Key Point Salespeople are not born! They are developed.

 

 

PEOPLE, PRODUCT, PURCHASE – BE AN ASSET TO THE CUSTOMER

 

If many customers seem to put price first, product second, we need a plan to help them overcome this.  Let’s put the person first!

 

 

1.         Person – We seek to understand the person’s needs and build a positive relationship.

2.         Product – We help the person to be confident in the product.

3.         Purchase – We help them to see the value in the price of the product.

 

Our own fears may stop us from providing positive leadership that gives the customer the highest level of service.

 

Discussion What do salespeople fear?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discussion If we want to help more customers get a new vehicle by putting product before price, who must provide leadership in the process?

         

 

 

 

LEADERSHIP – HAVE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE

 

In order to be highly effective at helping customers accomplish their goals, we need to understand some fundamentals of leadership.

 

When we use the term “leadership,” we are not talking about manipulation or directing a customer in a direction that he/she does not want to go.

 

In this context, leadership means using your knowledge and experience to provide customers with the highest level of service.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Point A good leader communicates where we are going, why, and how that’s of benefit. Easy to follow!

 

 

Reflection “You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.” – Zig Ziglar

 

 

 

LEADERSHIP – TRANSITIONS

 

The significant research people do before contacting us or visiting the dealership doesn’t make them expert at shopping and purchasing a vehicle.

 

Even though they may “self-serve” further towards a decision before we meet them, they still benefit from our guidance to help them feel confident in their choice. We need to take a leadership role in the process and be responsive to their needs.  

 

What are the characteristics of leadership in the buying process?

 

·      We respect the work they have already done in online research

·      We first understand where they are in the shopping/research process

·      We adapt our approach to fill the gaps in their knowledge or experience

·      We guide people on the best way to get what they want

·      We establish ourselves as the trusted advisor in the relationship

·      We become a decision-making facilitator

·      We lead the natural buying process

 

Price is not the only consideration, yet that is often where the customer starts. We need to help them discover how the vehicle meets their needs, so they can own it mentally.

 

Throughout the buying process, we will need to show leadership in helping the customer transition to the next logical step in the decision process.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Key Point Adaptations we make to suit the customer are to make sure our time together fills the gaps in their knowledge or experience – not for our convenience!

 

 

 

 

 

LEADERSHIP – LANGUAGE MATTERS

 

Words are powerful. We create positive mental pictures by using powerful words. The connotation or mental picture is derived from the words we choose:

 

 

 

Negative or Neutral Connotation	Positive Connotation
Sell	Help/assist to select/Own
Buy	Own
Payments	Monthly Investment/Budget
Sign Example X_________	ü  _______ OK, Approve, Authorized
Contract	Agreement
Pay	Invest
Let me	May I
Discount	Savings
Deal	Transaction/Proposal/Value
I’m Sorry	Forgive
Why don’t	Let’s
Help	Be of Service/Assist
Thank you	Congratulations – Acknowledge the good fortunes or achievement of, praise, compliment.
Problem	Situation, Challenge, Opportunity
Lady	Name
Sir	Name
You’re Wrong	3 F’s  ~ Feel – Felt – Found
I’ll Have to…	3 F’s  ~ Feel – Felt – Found
I can’t…	3 F’s  ~ Feel – Felt – Found
Wholesale	Fair value / Market value
Trade in	The car that you are going to sell us/Your current vehicle