10 Steps Road To A Sale

1. Meet and Greet This is where the salesman meets the customer at the car and says "Welcome to XYZ Auto, my name is John, and yours? Are you here to see someone specific? You don't get a second chance to make a first impression!

2. Fact Finding This is where you are fact finding and gathering information for what the customer is looking for, if they are financing or paying cash, trade or no trade, etc. The one thing is what the customer is driving now. Because past purchases mimic future purchases.

3. Select a Vehicle This is where you have narrowed down what the customer is looking for and is ready to select a vehicle in inventory, if possible.

4. Presentation and Demo First and Foremost, you want to get this vehicle away from the other cars. You do not want to do a walk around with other cars to distract the customer. Pull the car to the side of the building, back of the building, off the lot, whatever works for you. When doing your presentation or walk around, always start at the sticker. This will give you a cheat sheet and will not look like you are hiding price.

5. Trial Close The trial close could be actually anywhere in the process, but is just a subtle question to find out if you are on the right vehicle. Or could be as bold as, "If terms and figures are agreeable, will you buy this car today?"

6. Trade in Evaluation/Walk This is where you write up the trade for the used car manager to appraise. This is a step that you can actually gain some ground on. Where do most fights start on your sales process, The TRADE! Have your customer tell you about the trade and take a test drive in the trade in 'Sell me Your Car'.

7. Write Up This is where you get all pertinent information from the car customer is buying, trading info (is there a balance/payoff, if so call for a dollar amount, with who,etc), don't forget to get an email address.

8. Negotiate and Close This is the fun part of the process. This is where you come together on numbers. I just have one suggestion at this point.

9. Proper Turn to Business Office This is where you introduce the customer to the finance manager. Tell the customer that the finance manager will go over extended warranty info., gap insurance, etc.

10. Delivery This is what I call ‘Show Time!’. Most dealerships its where you make sure the car is clean, full of gas. Go over warranty info., owner’s manual, tour of dealership, service department.

11. Follow up The step many salespeople forget. This is how you stay in contact with your customer over the next few months continuing to build rapport and ask for referrals.

1.Research; search  the vehicles you want, which have the features you need, and the safety rating you are satisfied with. Which vehicle suits your needs; car, suv, or truck? Once you narrow this down it’s time to figure out your budget and how much you are willing to pay for this vehicle. This may also help decide which vehicle type you will look at and consider i.e. new or used, suv or truck. 2.Trade-In; many people have a trade in, some do not. There are many car sites to get an idea of what your trade will be worth such as; NADA, KBB, and Edmonds. However, keep in mind these are all guides to get a ballpark idea of what the trade in might be worth and what might be expected as the trade value of your vehicle. Also, when doing this remember the consumer sites don’t allow for the VIN of the vehicle to be placed in for reference (unless you pay for this service). 3.Locate and Test drive; Once the choices have been narrowed down to a select few, it’s time to give them a once over and test drive. I always, always recommend calling the dealership/salesperson first to make sure the vehicle in question is still available and schedule an appointment. Also, ask yourself; how does this handle compared to my current vehicle? Is there enough cargo area? How long will we keep this? Is there enough room for our family to grow? 4.Price; many dealerships will have prices listed online or in the windows of vehicles. Ask what the sale price is, administration fee, additional fees, and about any extended warranties available. I tell everyone, price is the easiest part of my job! Once we find the right vehicle, it’s all down hill. 5.Review the deal and Finance; does the price of the vehicle fall within your payment range? Is the dealership giving fair market value on the trade? What is the interest rate? Term? How has the salesperson met or exceeded your needs/expectations? Keep all of these considerations in mind when reviewing the entire deal. Next, if everything looks great and is agreeable, it’s time to finalize paperwork with the finance manager and sign. 6.Close; once everything is agreed upon and the paperwork is finalized, the salesperson will take you to the finance office and introduce you to the business manager. Review the paperwork with the business manager to ensure there were no changes and everything looks as it did when speaking with the salesperson. If there are any questions about the paperwork NOW is the time to ask the finance manager. 7.Take Delivery; this is where the salesperson will give one last tour of your new vehicle, highlight safety features asked about at the beginning, and pair your phone to the bluetooth in the vehicle (if so equipped). Afterwards, the final step is to enjoy your new vehicle. Thanks for watching/reading! If you have any questions which weren’t answered here please feel free to reach out to me! BE SAFE!

In this episode I speak with Aaron Trelc co-owner of Mark 2 Lumber located in Emporia, KS about his decision to walk away from reaching for something he felt driven to do. Becoming an entrepreneur and business has been driving him for a long time and a journey he had to take.

Car Confessions Episode 010: Top Car Buying Myths Buy on a rainy day: Myth; since it’s raining, snowing, other inclement weather, the salespeople will be more likely to lower the price b/c there’s less foot traffic coming through the lot… Reality: many people are aware of this and in fact this can be a much busier day in many locations. Buy just before closing time: Myth; the idea behind this is the salespeople and managers are eager to get home to their families and are more willing to cut the price and lose money in order to get home quicker… Reality; salespeople and managers are more than willing to stay as long as it takes to put a deal together which is WIN-WIN for both parties. Part of being a professional in this industry is knowing this can and will occur and to keep smiling, be polite, and remain professional to ensure your customers know they’re not dealing with an amateur salesperson. A lower payment is always better: Myth; the lower the payment the better off you are in the long run… Reality; low payments are great (I like them myself) but be aware of the difference making a $300/month payment for 60 months vs a $350/month payment for 72 months. Since the loan is longer there will be more interest paid over the life of the loan. Make sure you are aware of this and willing to pay for longer term and more interest. Don’t let them know you’re trading in your vehicle: Myth; if you don’t tell the dealership you plan on trading your current vehicle, you can negotiate a better deal… Reality; more often than not this will only complicate the deal AND add more time to the deal b/c now the salesperson has to go gather the info from the trade, assess the trade, and test drive the trade. This all leads to retracing the steps of the deal and the customer may get frustrated along the way b/c “it’s taking longer than expected.” A professional will ALWAYS offer to give the customer numbers both ways, without the trade and with the trade. Wait until the end of the month: Myth; the end of the month is the best time to buy b/c you’ll get “the best deal of the month.”… Reality; dealerships and salespeople are ALWAYS motivated and willing to sell. They are just as motivated on the 31st as they are on the 2nd or 5th or 20th! Ultimately people buy when it is best for them and not when it is best for the salespeople and dealers. “Deal of the Century"-This car won’t last!: Myth; the customer must by now or the deal will expire/vehicle will be sold/other buyers looking at the same vehicle and will sell today… Reality; High pressure sales tactics like this one no longer work in modern auto sales. Buyers have learned not to respond to this and know it is unusually rare a tactic such as this is “once in a lifetime.” The car buying process is hard and stressful: Myth; salespeople keep you there so long and spend so much time with you, you feel obligated to purchase b/c you’re beat down… Reality; while this can be difficult and can be a long process, if buyers are prepared with info of a particular vehicle they’re looking for, already know what monthly payment they’re comfortable with, and look for the right help, it’s simple, no hassle, and a great overall experience!

In this episode I debunk three articles with the same title and almost identical writing. Car Confessions Episode 009; 10 Confessions of a Car Salesperson “They read you like a book.” Reality: there is truth to this statement. As salespeople we are trained to look beyond words and read body language. Any true sales professional will do this b/c not only is it how we get paid but the greater importance is to make sure we create an unforgettable experience! 2. “They are speaking in code to one another. (Yes, about you).” Reality: No true professional will allow this or tolerate this. There are many out there whom are unprofessional and deep this as “something to get them by” or “until I find something better.” These are the salespeople articles like this are written about and what car salespeople have such negative stereotypes. 3. “They believe there is no difference between a new car and a new puppy.” Reality: Yes, Some dealerships will do this, but it is to help the buyer make a decision. Not all dealerships like to use this technique b/c of possible dangers i.e. customer not properly qualified or NOT really what the customer wants. 4. “Their co-workers are cutthroat.” Reality: This goes back to overcoming the stereotypes in this industry. Always a good idea to have a sales partner that knows what’s going on and you work together helping one another out. True professional will do this, armatures are the stereotypes and they are out there. 5. “They keep their eyes on the prize.” Reality: Does this happen, short answer is yes. What they fail to mention is the price of the vehicle (if not sold) usually continues to fall resulting in little to no commission for the salesperson (hence the spiff to sell). A professional will listen to your needs/wants, ask THE RIGHT questions, and ALWAYS GIVE YOU OPTIONS. Remember it’s up to you to make the decision, there’s no one holding a gun to your head forcing you to buy. 6. Despite the fun and games, they’re not rolling in dough. Reality: Varies by dealership. Some dealerships offer a draw (usually equals minimum wage), some start each month in the hole and owe the dealership, but either way the average salesperson as of 2016 makes $53,000 (nation avg). 7. In fact, they might owe their boss money. Reality: It’s possible for this to happen, but it varies by salesperson. This usually happens to those who don’t take “ups," make their follow up calls, or are stationary at their desks more days than not. If you’re lazy, not willing to work, and just want to sit and collect a paycheck each month this isn’t the job for you. 8. Lots of movement on the lot? Must be a slow day Reality: I can only speak to what I know and have experienced at the two dealerships I’ve worked at; 1) did exactly as the article mentioned moving cars and placing balloons out as often as possible; the result, we didn’t sell anymore than usual and were still outsold by the other dealers. 2) the dealer I work for now hasn’t done and doesn’t do either of these and we consistently sell more than the other two dealers combined. 9. The job is going the way of the dodo. Reality: I agree that times are changing and the internet has changed the game for all dealerships, and I agree more marketing budgets should be redirected to some sort of online advertising. However, some not all of us are professionals when it comes to selling vehicles, and b/c of that we will continue to do our jobs and ask relevant questions to make sure the vehicle you came in to look at and test drive will meet your needs/wants and your lifestyle. We are NOT order takers. This isn’t McDonald’s or Taco Bell. We do not and will not “take your order” when you come to the dealership and collect your money. However, we will do our due diligence to ensure whichever vehicle meets your needs and make sure you have the best experience you’ve had to date!

In this episode I discuss the advantages and disadvantages of purchasing a NEW vehicle or a USED vehicle. Whichever way you are leaning towards please remember to keep these 4 questions in mind: 1. What are my needs? 2. What are my wants? 3. What type of budget am I on or want to stay within? 4. What type of risk am I willing to take on a vehicle?

Emporia Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Jeanine McKenna joins me for my first interview! She also goes into detail about her mission and goal as Chamber President and the benefits of being a member of your local Chamber of Commerce! #mattjohnsonsells #mattyjmycarguy #betterwaytobuy #dreamsindriveways #newyearnewride #carconfessions

Car Confessions Episode 007; Travis Aucoin of Northwestern Mutual drops by to educate us about him and what he does to assist others to place them in a better situation for their future!