Yeah, that’s right, I said to shut up! Why? Because most salesman, car salespeople especially suffer from diarrhea of the mouth. We don’t know how to listen. I can think of every cliché in the book. God gave you two ears and one mouth, use them accordingly or shut and listen or listen,
listen, listen, cliché, but true!

Nothing is more frustrating for me than when I walk into a place and want desperately to be heard by the person trying to sell me something, but they won’t shut their damn mouth long enough for me to tell them what I want, need, desire, etc. Guess what, they don’t make the sale as a result, I leave frustrated and they think I just wasted their time, but the truth is, that sales person wasted my time. I went there to buy and left empty handed because I ran into a blabber mouth that wouldn’t shut up!

Have you ever experienced anything like that? Of course you have and it is irritating, so why then do you do the same thing to your potential clients when they are on the lot. When they leave, you can’t figure out why they didn’t buy or worse yet, you blame them and call them every name in the book.

Next time you have a client on the lot, try this. Shut your trap and listen to what they are telling you. If they are looking for something for their kid that’s safe, why in the world would you ever focus on performance. Maybe they just went through a horrendous accident and that’s why they are taking the time to look for a new car. Ask them questions about it and LISTEN to what they have to say.

Let me tell you about Nancy, my jeweler. Yeah, I know, I have a jeweler, talk about elitist right? Anyway, I have been doing business with Peck’s Jewelers in Stockton, CA for the last 20 years and Nancy is my sales person. Could I find jewelry elsewhere for less, yeah, probably, but will I ever go look for it, nope! Why? Because at the tender age of 18 I walked into Peck’s and ran into someone that did not pre-judge me because of my age or appearance, but most important, she listened and listened intently to what I was looking for and why I was making such an expensive purchase at such a young age. What she didn’t know is that as a result of a horrific car accident a few years earlier, I had just received a huge settlement check from the insurance company and could buy anything in that store I wanted, no questions asked. Nancy took the time to listen. She asked a question then listened to the answer. Finally after a few minutes of this, she sat me down and started showing me different items until we found the perfect one. Now, 20 years later, I call Nancy and tell her what I have to spend, what type of stone and what type of ensemble and because we have been doing business together for so long, I don’t question her judgment. I swing in and pick up
what she has selected for my wife, mother or daughters and I move on with my day. Why, because 20 years ago, she took the time to listen and as a side note did not pre-judge me because of my age.

So, here is a sure fire equation for success when a client comes onto the lot. Ask a lot of questions. Ask open ended questions. Ask closed ended questions. Ask yes and no questions. Ask very specific questions. Ask trial close questions. Ask for the sale. What is the key word in each of
these, ASK. Or really blow them away and write down what they say on a note pad or clip board. Or take it a step further and sit them down at your desk, get them something to drink and really dig deep in the investigation and write it all down, repeat it back to them and clarify what is most important to them. This will floor them and even if they don’t buy, they will never forget the service
you provide for them, ever!

Next time a potential client walks on the lot, LISTEN while THEY do all the talking!

Happy selling.

Dan The Car Man