If you continue to do everything in automotive sales that you do now, then you will achieve the same or below same results that you are receiving now. The only way to improve is to change. But change will not come easy.

I can give you glorified examples of how to sell cars like a professional. But until you can change, all of this information will be useless. If you start to change, the only guarantee I can assure you is that your results and earnings will change.

A quick example of change would be: if you stopped following up, prospecting or going on demo drives, your sales and income will surely decrease. But the type of change I refer to is changing into a professional. The change I want to teach you is to grow as a salesperson. And if you can grow as a salesperson then surely your income will grow.

Why Do I Need To Follow-Up?

The quickest way to increase your income would be to follow up properly. Every person you come in contact with is another opportunity to sell a vehicle. So why wouldn't you get their info so you can follow up?

If you don't get their info, that's a lost opportunity for a sale.  Chances are, when they are ready to buy, they will buy from someone else when they could have bought from you. This is all very common sense, but most of you are not following up. Without proper follow up, you are just killing your paychecks.

Simple Auto Sales Training Reminders For All Car Salespeople

• Stay excited about selling every day that you work. Have you every noticed how a rookie salesperson can out sell some of the veterans? It's their attitude. When you feel excited, you feed that onto your customers. Enthusiasm will add a pep in your step and your customers will feel your swagger. But if you feel very negative about being at work, then chances are you just won't sell enough. 

• Stop blaming every one else about a lost sale instead of yourself. And I think you know exactly what I'm talking about. You know the millions of excuses salespeople come up with for why they couldn't close the sale. "It's the managers' fault, we didn't have the right color, didn't have the vehicle in stock etc." Stop making excuses for yourself and go back and evaluate what you did wrong. Professionals look for way to adjust. And that's exactly what you need to start doing. Making simple adjustments to improve and close more sales.

• Stick to the basics. Many lost sales are caused by salespeople that are trying to take shortcuts. The basic steps to a sale are a proven formula for automotive sales success. So, instead of trying to re-invent the wheel, stick with what works. It is a step by step system that allows you to close the sale. Every step is important. So if you skip a step, it will only decrease your chances of closing the sale. So stop trying to take shortcuts and stick to the basics.

Staying Off Price

Eventually at some point you'll have to bring up price. But why bring up price at the beginning steps of the sale? If you talk about price on the lot, then you are not building value in the vehicle. And if you close a sale without properly building value, then you are just leaving too much money on the table. Stay away from price, rates and rebates on the lot. Now is not the time to talk about these things. Now is the time to build value. Build enough value in the product and the price will justify itself. Staying off of price will help you hold more gross.

This one little tip will surely increase your earnings. The next time a customer brings up a question about price on the LOT; don't get distracted about presenting the vehicle and building value. Example, if a customer asks "What's your best price on this?" Don't ignore the question. Instead acknowledge the question by saying (Read the sticker price) " Before we get into price, lets make sure we found the right vehicle, and speaking of vehicle, was this going to be for you or someone else? " This way you acknowledge their question and quickly regain control of the conversation by asking another question. Then you can continue through the basic step to a sale.

Every time you get distracted by some type of question about price, quickly acknowledge it, then regain control by asking an either/or question. Focus on building value and you will have an easier time closing the sale.

Prospecting For Success

Prospecting and following up go hand in hand. But good prospecting will keep you busy at work and will help you increase your income to get to the next level in sales. So, how long can you really stand around and wait for an up? Instead, start prospecting properly and making appointments. Soon, you will have so many appointments through out the day, that you won't even have time to take ups. A reminder, a walk-in customer is your lowest change of closing a sale. Statistics shows walk-ins have the lowest closing ratios.

Now I'm not saying don't take any ups. Your dealership spends a lot of money on advertising to bring these ups in. They are free and your dealership supplies them, so take as many as you can. But through out your day spend some quality time prospecting instead of hanging out in the huddle with other non productive salespeople.

Tips For Prospecting

A simple start would be to call your sold and un-sold customers. Stop loosing sales to salespeople down the street, when all you had to do was follow up with them and ask for referrals.

If you have a service department, take advantage of it. Go early in the morning to the customer waiting area (bringing coffee and donuts would be creative) and start building rapport with them. As you build rapport and find common ground with them, ask for referrals or you might even sell them another vehicle.

A regular mail out is a must (Sold and Unsold customers). Send birthday cards and send crazy and creative mail outs. The more creative you get, the more lasting impression you will make on your customers. The idea is just to send something where they remember you. Because when it's time to buy, guess who they are coming to? You! Start with these basic auto sales training prospecting ideas to make your income soar.