The best way to distance yourself from your competition is do the things they are Afraid, or to Lazy to do. Talent is natural, Skills are learned through experience and training, but Work-Ethic is optional. If you do what others won’t you get a leg-up from your competition.

1. Always Smile and Be Positive.

Have you ever gone to a store or a restaurant and had the employee with a complete negative look on there face and in their voice? Of course, we all have and it automatically puts you in a lesser mood and you want to be done with this person, or are ready to argue. It’s human nature, we are going to pick up the mood and vibe from the people we are doing business with. So regardless what mood you are in always be positive, friendly, and upbeat and you will separate yourself from your competition. Don’t be afraid to smile, they are contagious and will lead to easier sales.

2. Give a Dynamite Greeting with Great Eye Contact and a Firm Handshake.

When you approach a customer, any customer; a previous, referral, or fresh from the lot your greeting is the most effective way to start building the relationship. Smile Big give a enthusiastic; not fake greeting looking them in the eyes and a firm; not over-bearing hand shake. Repeat these steps to everyone in the group. Do this while introducing yourself and repeat everyone’s name right after you meet them. You have the opportunity to create a professional impression and put yourself ahead of your competition. Don’t be the guy with the wet-fish hand shake, with no eye contact that only introduces themselves to the elder male of the group.

3. Let Them Explain Their Wants.

Right from the beginning let them believe they are in charge. By you letting them explain what they want, and where they are comfortable is mentally reducing their guard they have up and creating trust. They start to believe that you are truly trying to help them. Don’t cut them off while they are talking, and act like you know exactly what they want before they are done telling you. Listen, this is something your completion won’t do and will help you create the trust and relationship no one else will. 

4. Ask Questions That Lead to a Relationship and a Sale.

After you have let them explain what they want, find out what they really want. This takes finesse, patience, experience, and always thinking one step ahead. You let them tell you what they wanted, what they can afford, and what is really most important; whether it’s color, leather, or equipment that is there biggest want/need. Now you start to ask questions that lead them to something you have in stock, that is in the price range of what they are willing to pay every month. While you are walking your customer to the next step, your competition is asking them if they want features or colors they don’t have in stock. Do this and you will lead the horse to water while your competition is leading them to a mirage.

5. Create Value !

This is the step I always repeat over and over and is the most effective of all steps right along with building the relationship and giving a dynamite greeting. This is done after you have established you are a professional in your field, they feel they Know, Like, and Trust you, you listened to them, and little to their knowledge you were asking them questions to lead them into a vehicle in stock. Now is where you give a dynamite presentation. Show them every feature they communicated they wanted and explain the benefits of each feature they told you they wanted. Without seeming to try also start building value in the features they told you they don’t want, that are in the vehicle you best think you can sell them on. Compliment all the things the vehicle has they wanted, and get them in the product. This is where your completion will get lazy, by building up what is right in front of them.

6. Overcome Objections, with Conviction.

After you have shown and demonstrated the product, built value this is where they are feeling committed and get scared. They are going to start to ask you questions to give them a reason not to buy. This is where the listening you did, the questions you asked, and the value you build reassures your Professionalism and takes away the fear they are going through. Overcome every objection with an answer that will make sense to them. Overcome every objection in a way that proves everything you have done up to this point is right and true. This is where your competition will fold and lose the customers trust, by not being able to overcome objections in a way that makes sense to the customer.

7. Sign, Seal, and Deliver.

If you have done everything right from step one and on you have the sale! Now close it out. Give them what they told you they wanted, a car. If you put in the Effort and did everything you said you would, and gave them what they told you they wanted you have the sale. You will be the one doing the paperwork with the customer, you will be the one getting the referrals from them, and you will be the one selling them cars in the future. Your competition will have been lazy, saved about 30 minutes through the process and go home with the feeling of loss. You will go home with more business in your book, and the confidence to do it all again.

 

Another Motivational Blog Post written by Noel Walsh Lead Trainer, Owner and Consultant from NW&A “Conquer What You Chase” Sales Training, Consulting, and Motivating from Ann Arbor, Mi. Grabbing 2014 by the horns and helping people create “Big Things.”