No matter if you are a Green Pea or an Old Dog, we’ve all been guilty of not asking for the sale. Even after we’ve spent hours of getting our customers to like us, maniacally sprinting across the lot with the battery box to jump start a vehicle, moved a half dozen vehicles in search for the “one,” or climbed in and out of scorching 180 degree vehicles, when it came down to the “kiss goodnight’ of asking our customers for the sale we’ve all backed down because we didn’t want to seem pushy. There is a distinct difference between being pushy and being persistent. Pushy sales consultants are self-righteous, self-centered extortionists of the industry. When a customer resists, pushy salespeople plow ahead with lies, half-truths, and intimidation hoping the customer wears down and succumbs to the relentless pressure. I’ll be the first to admit, the compression between making a client and making a living can be unbearable at times. While be are finding the right vehicle that fits the needs of our customers, we are also battling to keep our sanity of longing for a better life in perspective. Getting up each day to hear as many as 8 out of every 10 people tell you NO, having people hang up in your face, scrambling to catch the next Up or incoming phone call, as well as keeping up with the technological advances of the new vehicles being produced can break even the strongest person down. The lines of being pushy and persistent may seem blurred-after all, both are aggressive and are fighting to be successful, however persistent sales consultants have a unique advantage over others. When the doors of resistance are slammed, persistent salespeople look for the cracks because know there’s more than one road to get to the sale.

Instead of me hypothetically telling you another what you should do when proverb, I would rather tell you of a recent story in my store:

A husband and wife came into our store with their children and selected a pre-owned vehicle. After agreeing to the numbers we submitted the agreement to the bank. Even though their credit was poor, we were able to get them approved, but their payments were going to be $80 higher each month. I told them that although they’ve had some bumps and bruises in the past, we could help get their credit reestablished- all they had to do was come up with $80 more every 30 days. The husband looked up from the paper and simply said, “No, we can’t do that.” (Strike 1)

I sat back and told him that I understood that it was a sacrifice, but again this will get your credit back on track and that they would be in a better position the next time. The husband sat there staring at me with a blank look on his face. With a gulp, I advised him to put more money down in order to reduce his payments. “No, I’m not doing that either,” he said. (Strike 2)

As I flipped through my mental Rolodex of closes I questioned him, “If things don’t work out, what will you leave in tonight?” I caught him off-guard-he broke eye contact and leaned back in his chair. He went on to say,  “I have a company truck that my family cannot ride in. The [2 door] car we drove up in belongs to my mother and because it’s a 5-speed my wife cannot drive it. We don’t have a car, it’s broken down.” “This was a no brainer,” I thought.  I explained to him that for a few dollars more per month, he would have his own reliable vehicle-not to mention if he were at work and an emergency arose, his wife would be able to drive their new vehicle as opposed to being stranded with a car she couldn’t drive. “You don’t understand, I can’t do it; my job is to take care of my family and today, my needs of providing for my family come before the wants of this new car,” he said. (Strike 3)

“Fair enough,” I told him, “I’ll be right back.” I proceeded to pull up a car with more mileage and was half of the size of the SUV they were originally looking at. With a ta-dah expression I said, “Although this will not suit your wants, it will fulfill your needs.” “No way,” he said. (Strike 4)

With baby in tote, he paced in front of the dealership; a long deliberation with his wife, he smiled and said, “We want what we came here for-we’ll take the SUV.”

A short time later, he walked into my office. Looking up from my paperwork, it was just the two of us; with tears in his eyes, he said, “I just want to say thank you for staying with me. You see, during the recession I suddenly got laid off and lost everything including my car. That was a tough time for me, but I worked hard and as things began to get better my house suddenly burned to the ground. Everything we had left- including our clothes and baby pictures were gone.  Not knowing what to do, we packed up and drove across the country until we got here. I’m a prideful man and won’t to blame nobody, but I vowed I would never put my family in that position again- that’s why I kept saying No. I’ll admit, I’m hardheaded, but what you said made sense. I can make the payments and this is what’s best for my family.”

It’s a customer’s job to offer objections-now do yours by remaining persistent. When a customer says No, keep pecking away at the objection by offering other alternatives, new insights and ways of thinking. If you don’t persist, you are cheating not only yourself, but your customers as well, because you allow them to leave and buy an inferior product from an inferior salesperson that offers inferior service. If you are the best of the industry, be persistent enough to show it. Paralyze resistance with persistence.

I’ll see you next time on the Blacktop!

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