The ever-changing model of the auto industry is changing monthly, with potential car buyers doing so much more online these days before they step into a showroom. So, does that mean you won’t matter anymore?
Of course the answer is no, according to Frank Cespedes, a senior lecturer at Harvard’s Business School and author of six books. WardsAuto reports that at a recent auto industry conference, Cespedes debunked three sales-related myths about the auto industry.
Myth number one: salespeople are on the way out because of the internet. Cespedes says, “That’s not supported by the data.” He adds that dealership employment has actually climbed steadily since 2008. In fact, NADA numbers say dealerships employ more than 1 million people, 20.4% in sales.
Myth number two: selling depends heavily upon the salesperson’s outgoing personality. Again, Cespedes says research indicates that there’s no consistent correlation between personality and performance. He adds that salespeople come in all types, and that the born salesman is a myth.
And myth number three: it’s all about social media today. Cespedes says 62% of people in a poll say social media has no influence on their buying. He cites Gartner and Sirius’s surveys that rank the salesperson number one and social media last.
