The importance of empowering your customers during the car buying journey

On today’s Saturday Morning Sales Meeting, Matt Easton, sales trainer, consultant, and Founder of Easton University, explains how car sales professionals can close more deals by maintaining control and empowering customers.

Transcription: 

Matt Easton:
You ever have one of those mornings where you’re maybe a little bit tired or you just don’t want to come in, and then everything goes right that day? You’re getting deal after deal after deal. That’s what I love about Saturday, because if you’re ever going to have a day like that, the probability that it’s going to be Saturday, and maybe even today is very, very high. Saturdays are so awesome.

What’s up everybody. It’s Matt Easton here for your Saturday Morning Sales Meeting for CBT News. Here’s what I’m going to show you today. I’m going to make those odds of you closing deals really, really high. I’m going to help you effectively deal with those customers that need to think about it. On today’s Saturday Morning Sales Meeting, I’m going to show you how to close or get a lot closer to it without being pushy, without being manipulative, without feeling like a pest. And I’m going to show you how to handle the old, I need to think about it.

Let’s talk about how to close deals, because chances are, nobody’s probably explained things to you the way that I’m going to explain things to you right now. Here’s the thing that you need to realize, and this will help you in your personal life as well. Whether you’re out there on the lot today, whether you’re working with a customer in your office or maybe it’s in something going on in your personal life, people are a lot more likely to do the thing that you want them to do based on their own reasons. So if we try and push somebody into doing something, they’re going to push back. This is why, whatever the situation is, do you want to buy the car? Do you want to order a vehicle? Your daughter’s going to be driving it. Do you want your daughter to come down and test drive it? This is why whenever we ask people, “Do you want to do something?” An all or nothing request, something that ends in yes or no, we oftentimes hear no. Because when we say, “Do you want to do this?” The person usually says no.

So here’s a little shift that I’m going to give you right now today for this Saturday, that you’re going to all of a sudden start to see people wanting to work with you. You being able to get your way. And the cool thing about this is it’s not pushy, it’s not manipulative and it works every single time. You’re either going to get the sale or you’re going to get a lot closer to it. So here’s what I want you to do today, this Saturday, when you’re working with a customer. Instead of asking them whatever it is, the thing you want them to do, order the vehicle, purchase the vehicle, get their daughter in to test drive it. Instead of asking them outright to do it, I want you to ask them this, “Does it make sense?” When I say does it make sense, I’m giving you all the power. I’m not being pushy. I’m not being manipulative and I’m leveraging that psychological fact that you are extremely likely to do things based on your reasons by allowing you to make it your reason.

So it sounds like this. “Does it make sense to purchase the vehicle? Or does it make sense to order a vehicle? Or does it make sense to get your daughter here to drive it?” Instead of saying, “Do you want to get your daughter here to drive the vehicle?” Just simply go, “Man, I think she’s going to love it. Does it make sense to get her down here today?” When I say does it make sense to purchase the vehicle I’m not asking you to do anything. And here’s the really cool thing. You can’t reject me on wanting to purchase the vehicle because by me saying does it make sense, I’ve asked you a timing question. So the worst thing that’s going to happen is not right now.

Check this out. “Does it make sense to order the vehicle?” “Yeah, it does.” “Congratulations. You made a great decision. The next steps are boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.” Lay it out. “Does it make sense to place an order on the vehicle?” “No.” “Got it. What’s a good next step then?” Notice how I’m not out. I’m not saying well, “What do I need to do to get your business?” Or, “Why not?” I’m just simply remaining calm. “Does it make sense to place an order on the vehicle?” “Not right now.” “Got it. What’s a good next step then?”

By me saying does it make sense, you’re essentially saying not right now. And when you calmly, just simply say what’s a good next step then, you’re going to find that 97.4% of the time the customer’s going to give you a next step. “Well, I’d like to look at one with this sort of option package.” Or, “Does it make sense to get your daughter down here to drive the vehicle?” “No, not right now.” “Got it. What’s a good next step then?” “Well, she’s at work today. She doesn’t get off till 6:30 and the dealership’s closed then.” “Perfect. Does it make sense to have her come down Monday morning first thing?” I want you to ask them, does it make sense to blank? Whatever it is the thing you want them to do. And if they say no, I want you to stay calm and simply say what’s a good next step then?

Now let’s say the person says, “I need to think about it.” Right? “Does it make sense to order the vehicle?” “Ah, no.” “What’s a good next step then?” “I need to think about it.” “What’s a good next step for me or what’s a good next step on my end?” Listen to that. “Does it make sense to purchase the vehicle?” “No, what’s a good next step then?” “I’m not sure. I just really need to think about it.” “Got it. What’s a good next step on my end?” “Can I meet with you back at four o’clock this afternoon?” You’re constantly keeping that flow going in the right direction. And here’s the thing. You’re always in control.

So if you say does it make sense to blank? “Does it make sense to get your daughter here to drive it?” And they say no, what’s a good next step then? “I need to think about it.” “What’s a good next step on my end?” If they say, “Well, I don’t know.” “No problem. How about I call you at 3:30 this afternoon if I haven’t heard from you before then? Fair enough?” You’re always, always driving either towards that sale or in the right direction. You’re never sounding pushy. You’re never sounding manipulative. You are giving all of the power to that buyer. They’re going to love you and the chances of them doing the thing you want them to do are going to be exponentially higher.

My name’s Matt Easton. I’m the founder of Easton University. I want you guys to have a great day. Let’s go Saturday superstars. Let’s go weekend warriors. This has been your Saturday Morning Sales Meeting with CBT News. I’ll see you on the next one.

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