Winter can be a challenging time for salespeople in the automotive industry. It’s easy to get swept up in the holiday season and lose focus on selling. Instead of losing productivity to lighter floor traffic and more distractions, it’s time to play Season Defense. The best sales teams use this time to circle their wagons, refocus on the basics, and keep improving.

Sharpen the saw
Take extra down time to educate yourself on new products, competition, and sales skills. Do research online or go through training materials you have available to you. Or even better, talk to your managers or coworkers – they are often the best resources. Make it a goal to block out 30 minutes each day to make yourself better.

Reach out to your owner base
Spend time sending out thank you cards and follow-up letters/emails to customers you’ve already sold to. Make sure you reach out to everyone and ask for any referrals they may have. It could make you an extra one or two deals this month.

Take advantage of every opportunity
While you should always work to give customers a great experience, it is especially important during times when traffic is lower. Gather information from every customer you talk to – not just the ones who make it to the desk. If possible, get a phone number, email address, and home address from each UP you take. That way if they don’t buy the first day, you have the opportunity to get them back in to the store.  

Use this winter to build on your customer base and prepare yourself for even better selling in 2014.