Selling cars is a tough business in any economy, but trying to sell cars today is especially tough. With the credit problems, and financing being tough to find, the automotive business is shaky at best. That said, what can you do as a car salesman to increase your car sales in this tough economy? You can not control the supply and demand, but you can certainly increase your conversions. Here are some tips to help you sell more cars:
1. Make each and every customer your most important priority. Gone are the days when you could cherry pick the lot by waiting on only the best customers to drive up on the lot. Get out there and run down every customer you can locate. Give each of them a fair shake, because you never know the buyers from the lookers anymore.
2. Ask for referrals. This has always been a staple of good car sales, and it is never more important than right now. Ask for a referral regardless of whether you sell a car to someone or not. You never know when somebody might know somebody.
3. Do not be afraid to reach out to friends and relatives. Every single person that you know should be made aware that you sell cars, and that you want their business. This is a staple, but you need to really expand your Rolodex for this. Call people and talk about it. Somebody you know is buying a car this weekend, and you should be the one to sell it to them.
4. Take the time to know the product. Many car salesmen try to get by on the minimum of information and alot of show. Get rid of the show, and know the answers to the customers questions.
5. Ease back on the pressure tactics. In today’s economy, you can not afford to rush a buyer that is not ready. Ask for the sale, but do not pressure them. You will sell more cars in the long run.
6. Push for the best deal with your finance managers. If you get a customer a great deal on their car, you will certainly get more customers coming your way. People love to talk about a great deal, and they love to talk about a bad one. Which one would you want them talking about?
7. Follow up with the customer. After the sale, do not avoid them when problems arise. Again, if you take care of them, you will get more car sales in return.
Each of these ideas are things you should do in any economy, but when things are tough, they become vital. If you miss even one sale that you should have gotten, it can be the difference between making your quota or not. Take the time to review where you are as a car salesman, and change where you need to change.
Selling Cars during a Recession! How we do this beyond effective means to create a sustainable economy is that we can reduce monthly repayments now, on the condition that in better times, they will be adjusted accordingly to the status of the economy. This direction may encourage a swamp of new car buyers to an ever decreasing market and it might just be a key element towards increasing present sales. On the other hand, if we over flood or saturate the market we’re causing further green house gas emissions to our planet. Perhaps a major change would be to introduce the Hybrid & Electric cars now as an offset to the climate problems. If car buyers can be guaranteed that their payments would be adjusted to the present economic cycle but would have to be aware that future repayments would increase when the economy recovers, it may very well be a good all rounder for car manufactures and their sales division to consider. If we can demonstrate to new car buyers that we’re prepared to help them now, the real fiscal earnings will certainly return in the future.
Comment by frank burns — March 30, 2009 @ 8:20 am