Part 2 of 2: Going back to basics is going to help boost your sales results in 2024
In the first part of our series on variable training, we dealt with showroom sales processes, digital sales processes, walkaround vehicle presentations and portfolio management.
Now we continue with more ideas!
Database selling to orphan customers:
“Get on the phone and call the orphan lists!”
When Sales Managers bark this order across the showroom floor, it comes across as a trip to the penalty-box for poor sales, inactivity or a make-work project for the new guy.
There is, however, gold in them thar hills! Outbound phone calls, texts, videos and AI can significantly increase individual and showroom sales performance.
Sales Consultants will sell new/pre-owned vehicles immediately by connecting with customers that already do business with your dealership.
Sales Consultants, however, need training with respect to the right attitude, approach, messaging and process when database selling. Selling to a dealership’s orphan customers is a privilege!
Non-prime / subprime financial services
The non-prime / subprime sector of Canada’s retail automotive landscape typically represents about 27 per cent of the total market.
Today it is topping 30 per cent. Can you afford to serve only 70 per cent of your market and turn the other 30 per cent away to your competitors? Non-prime / subprime is not just understanding how to get credit-challenged customers approved, but rather a mindshift to view and embrace this market with the creation of an entirely new sales department.
Effective non-prime / subprime training includes 4 components:
Creating a non-prime / subprime sales department;
Creating a Marketing Plan and marketing strategies that attract non-prime / subprime customers (not just buying leads);
A non-prime / subprime sales process; and
Understanding the various lender appetites and how to get non-prime / subprime customers approved.
Various industry studies indicate that the average Sales Manager is spending up to 80 per cent of their time in non-sales related activities, juggling up to 30 or more tasks in any given week.
Financial Services
If financial services departments wish to remain viable over the long term, they need to change with the times. They need to:
Update the speed and efficiency by which customers are transitioned into this office once a vehicle is sold on the showroom floor;
Update the financial services sales process with more impactful presentations and fewer products offered;
Update and embrace other communication/selling methods and tools for the sale of financial services products (e.g. Zoom video-conferencing turnovers, telephone turnovers, sales presentation videos, product videos, e-mail, etc.).
Sales management priorities and tasks
Various industry studies indicate that the average Sales Manager is spending up to 80 per cent of their time in non-sales related activities, juggling up to 30 or more tasks in any given week.
Most are inundated with more administrative duties and paperwork than ever in the history of the retail auto industry while also mastering numerous technologies; DMSs, CRMs, desking tools, appraisal tools, etc.
Many of today’s Sales Managers have evolved to become sales administrators and no longer know what the job of a sales manager truly is, or the priorities of the job.
Do you really want people in leadership positions stocking in vehicles, commissioning deals, doing dealer trades and the plethora of other mundane tasks that keep them chained to a desk and shooing away Sales Consultants?
What do North America’s most successful Sales Managers do every day? Hint: There are 4 things that an effective Sales Manager should be doing on a daily basis. Call or e-mail me and I will share them with you.
Sales Managers (more than ever) also need to learn and embrace various different styles and approaches to leading teams. Sales Consultants don’t leave dealerships — they leave bosses.
Leadership training not only opens up an entire new world of effective leadership, but has an immediate impact on the bottom-line; happier Sales Consultants, increased sales productivity, less turnover, etc. Leadership training also helps leaders (of all ages) to better understand, motivate and lead younger (Gen Z) teams — and keep them!
Our team of trainers and consultants assist dealerships and dealer groups to prioritize, create, customize, schedule and facilitate in-dealership training, live off-site seminar training and online training to take advantage of the ever-changing market — and its silver lining.
