If your dealership is like most, it has invested significant dollars in training sales staff to bring in new business and maintain long-term client relationships. Chances are high that these skills have served them well. But what about in today's downturn economy? Is your dealership receiving the level of sales it needs to survive and thrive? Or has it taken a turn for the worse?

Several actions typically are invoked in this sort of situation. Sales executives may tweak the compensation plan, hoping it will motivate their staff, or ask them to increase their work hours, require them to make more cold calls, or push them to do what they have always done—only at a heightened pace. On the other hand, what outcomes might you get if you explored the question, "Is there anything new or different we could add to our sales arsenal as a competitive advantage?"

What's New?

Most sales training programs and initiatives promote the telling of "success stories" by sales associates. But, they do not recognize that examples and case studies are not the same as compelling stories. Not surprisingly, they neglect to teach the critical elements that make a story a story and the specific structure it needs to motivate prospects to take action and close a deal.

These endeavors overlook the fact that the most powerful story techniques for business development come in the form of story prompts, story triggers, and story listening—the ability to pull stories out of prospects and to authenticate them. If your dealership desires to decrease the time it takes to turn prospects into clients and to build stronger relationships with them, then incorporating these unrecognized approaches into the sales process is critical.

Because the field of story use in organizations is less than a decade old, most early applications focused on its use in training, knowledge management, and presentation skills. Consequently, these broader story techniques only now are finding their way into core dealership activities.

Some of the most comprehensive research that exists with story-telling is presented in my book, How to Succeed in the Automotive Sales Industry® and probably is not one being read by your sales executives.

Why A Story?

Stories are not the same as examples, anecdotes, case studies, news reports, or profiles. They have unique characteristics: characters, character dialog (both internal and external), a plot (identifiable conflict), a universally applicable key point, drama, contrast, and sensory information.

How to Succeed in the Automotive Sales Industry® is available through the usual channels at TechAutoCareers.com®

P. S. Urgent if you’re looking to optimize your interpersonal skills for success order a copy of " How to Succeed in the Automotive Sales Industry " @TechAutoCareers.com. Then settle in for a satisfying read that will surely enhance your interpersonal skills for success this year, it is not just a book but a service.

If there is anything thing we can answer for you please do not hesitate to get in touch with us @TechAutoCareers.com® we are looking forward to working with you - and hopefully conversing with you. Again, thanks from I.C Collins and Tammi Collins @TechAutoCareers.com® Feel free to be yourself get to know our members on Facebook, Google+, and Linkedin.

We want to take a minute and THANK all the people that comment, like, and share our posts daily. We appreciate you all @TechAutoCareers.com

What do you think? Is this something you can benefit from or do you have a few tricks up your sleeve that are just as powerful? Make your voice heard by leaving a comment below. Don’t forget to hit the share button if you know others who will find this post useful.

I.C. Collins ~ Author, Educator, Trainer and President: Has One Simple Goal: I believe it is my mission and purpose to remind you, that you are meant to have the best life possible! You were created with intention and purpose and I am here to simply help guide you through your life’s journey.