Best Practices: Sales Strategy In The Dealership

One of the top reasons why a consumer decides not to purchase from a dealership is because they feel pressured by a salesperson, according to a whitepaper released by DrivingSales University. In turn, this can cause a consumer to have a negative experience that they tell their friends and families about, which causes a ripple effect that can be detrimental to your dealership.

Also according to DrivingSales’ research, only 4% of buyers visiting a dealership for the first time actually plan to buy a car or even take a test drive that day. Yet so many dealerships try to control the sales process, working through the same steps with every customer that they hope will lead to a sale.

Something vitally important for dealership sales teams to understand is that every customer is different. While some will appreciate a lot of attention, there are many people who prefer to shop on their own terms. While it may seem counter-intuitive to a dealership focused on a pre-established method of earning a sale, customers want to make their own decisions. Courtesy of DrivingSales University, it has actually been found that 71% of consumers want to work with less people in the dealership while attempting to make a purchase.

Selling according to a customer’s responsiveness is key. Salespeople should be trained to adapt to different customers’ personalities as well as their needs. Instead of focusing only on the sale, they should care about what the customer is looking for and genuinely want to help them find that. As a result, this will increase the customer’s sense of trust and create more opportunity for a sale. Knowledge about the units and a sense of empowerment to talk about pricing and other factors were also cited by DrivingSales as important qualities for a dealership salesperson.

The main takeaway is that while a process of steps may seem like a streamlined way to make sales, it is not the most effective. Salespeople should allow consumers to browse and ask for assistance on their own.

Every person is different and your sales team has the ability to determine whether or not a customer needs more help or more space. Empower your sales team to make this determination and to have confidence in working with happy customers.