Rejection is part of the sales professional experience, but selling is a personal experience for both the salesperson and the buyer.

Long sales cycles, endless follow ups via email and phone and no-after-no cannot only be brutal on the morale of a salesperson; it is often not much fun for the buyer either.  Now when a salesperson is able to bring to the table a human factor, the rather impersonal act of selling now becomes an opportunity to build a relationship with a potential buyer.   As a salesperson, we know when someone is “selling” to us and we really don’t like it, but everyone enjoys making new friends.  Friends tend to help us explore our options, they understand our needs and wants and they ultimately have our best interests in mind.  Shopping with a friend is usually a positive experience and something we do with a smile on our face.

Automotive Sales Performance Training Tip: When collecting contact information for a new prospect, do not forget to discover where they enjoy socializing on social media.  Social media has quickly become the new “spot” in town to get to meet new people, build friendships and keep up with existing friends and family.  By connecting with your prospects on social media, you have made the first step to building a relationship.

I found this awkward at first too.  But when phone calls and emails were being ignored, I took a chance and reached out through social media.  I was amazed to find an immediate response to my communication.  My prospect just happened to be signed into their social media via their cell phone and responded right away.  We bantered back and forth for a few minutes and then they asked me to call that afternoon.  I was shocked that when I called, that they picked up on the second ring.  We had a great conversation and concerns were resolved.  Not only did I make the “sale of the day”, I made a new friend on social media and “fan for life”.

About the Author

Stephanie Young is the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for The Manus Group, where she is an active blogger, social media contributor and spokesperson for one of the nation’s leading automotive recruiting and training firms. Stephanie is also the current Ms. Florida Forestry Queen, promoting her platform encouraging young woman to pursue their interests in STEM field careers.

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