Every car dealer should read this: How to Convince Someone to Buy Something They Don't Need

Every year, more than 6 million Americans purchase new automobiles. In addition, roughly 40 million Americans buy used cars on a yearly basis.

This indicates that around 15% of the overall population of the United States will purchase an automobile in any given year. However, this does not mean that new and used auto businesses would have an easy time selling cars to potential customers.

Car dealers need to know how to persuade people to buy something even if they don’t need it in order to run a successful business. Many consumers visit vehicle lots and tell dealers they’re “just browsing,” making it difficult for dealers to meet their monthly sales targets.

Dealers can persuade individuals to go from “just looking” to “we’ll take it!” in a hurry in a few ways. See how to accomplish it in the video below.

Begin by introducing yourself to the group.

It’s critical to start creating a rapport with customers on your vehicle lot from the minute you first speak with them. If a consumer doesn’t trust you to guide them through the process, they are unlikely to buy a car from you.

With that in mind, you should introduce yourself and pass over your business card to your first customer. Customers are frequently asked, “Can I help you with something?” by vehicle salespeople, which makes them feel as if you’re attempting to sell them something straight immediately.

When you introduce yourself to a customer, you lessen the possibilities of them shooing you away with a curt “I’m just looking!” It will allow you to break the ice and get to know them better before you try to sell them something.

Smile!

When you initially approach a consumer who has come to your vehicle lot, you want to exude confidence. You should also project a sense of professionalism. Most importantly, when shaking a customer’s hand and introducing oneself, you want to have a wide smile on your face.

People who grin come off as more likable and polite than people who don’t smile, according to a study done by Penn State University in 2016. It was also discovered that those who smile are viewed as more competent than those who are less sociable.

You clearly don’t want to convey the idea that you’re trying to impress others by faking a smile. However, you should make every attempt to greet consumers on your vehicle lot with a genuine smile, letting them know that you appreciate their visit and are delighted to assist them in any way you can.

Gauge What a Client Is Searching For

It’ll be time to get down to business once you’ve introduced yourself to a customer and flashed them a smile. However, before you start arbitrarily trying to pitch a customer on multiple cars, you should do your best to figure out what a consumer might be looking for on your lot.

You can incorporate a variety of inquiries into a conversation with a consumer to discover more about what they might wish to buy. Some of these inquiries are as follows:

“What type of car do you now drive, and do you enjoy it?”

“Which features do you wish your present vehicle had?”

“What do you do with your existing vehicle?”

“Is there a particular sort of vehicle that you believe would be more suitable for you and your family than your existing vehicle?”

“Have you seen anything on our automobile lot that has piqued your interest so far?”

You shouldn’t overwhelm a consumer with a million inquiries and give them the impression that you’re going to launch into a sales presentation. But you should do everything you can to learn more about them and their requirements. It will be easy for you to recommend cars on your lot that they may enjoy.

Offer to show someone a car that they will enjoy.

After you’ve gone over some of the above questions with a customer, you should ask one last inquiry for the time being. “Would it be OK if I showed you a couple cars on our lot that would work well for you?” says the question.

This is the moment when you’ll get your chance to shine. If a consumer says yes and agrees to look at some of the vehicles on your lot, you can begin attempting to offer them something they’ll enjoy.

Make a brief list of cars that you think a customer will like using all of the information you’ve acquired up to this point. Take them on a tour of your lot and show them the automobiles one by one, explaining some of the features that each vehicle has.

Explain only the most important aspects of automobiles.

It’s your job as a car dealer to know every feature that’s hidden inside a vehicle. You should know all there is to know about an automobile, from the size of the engine under the hood to the safety measures that are designed to keep people safe while on the road.

When displaying cars to buyers, you need also know the vital aspects to emphasize. Some auto salesmen are prone to getting carried away and bombarding customers with dozens of features at once. While this may appear to be beneficial, it will only confuse individuals and make them feel as if they need to do more study before purchasing a car.

You should identify roughly five or six significant qualities that distinguish each car you show a customer from the others on your lot. Try to personalize such elements to your specific customer’s requirements.

If you’re showing a parent an automobile that they’re planning to gift their adolescent, for example, emphasize the car’s safety features. If you’re exhibiting a car to someone who plans on putting the pedal to the metal early and often after purchasing it, emphasize the performance features that set it apart.

The trick is to bring out the correct attributes to make people fall in love with one of the cars you show them.

Specials and promotions should be highlighted.

In an ideal world, a customer will tell you that one of the cars you’ve showed them is their favorite. You’ll be able to tell that they’re interested in it and that they’d like to drive it off the lot right now.

This is the time to strike while the iron is hot by ramping up your selling abilities. You should mention the car’s current price as well as any deals or promotions you’re currently running.

Some vehicle dealerships offer special end-of-year sales as well as sales throughout the holidays. Other dealers will run automobile promotions at various times throughout the year just for the fun of it.

Whatever the case may be, there’s a good likelihood that at least one special or promotion is now running. Don’t be afraid to address it and explain how it will effect the price of the car a customer wants.

If a consumer rejects your early efforts to persuade them to buy a car, let them know you’re willing to crunch the figures and negotiate on the price. The goal should be to persuade them to sit down with you and discuss the pricing, which will bring you closer to a sale.

At all costs, avoid putting pressure on customers.

Nothing irritates people more than a pushy and obnoxious salesperson who is always breathing down their neck. Customers will not respond positively to your presence if you make them feel uncomfortable by applying even the tiniest amount of pressure.

When you’re speaking with a consumer, it’s up to you to gauge their reaction and reply appropriately. If kids don’t appear interested in seeing automobiles, don’t push them because it could backfire.

Know when to back off and offer a customer some breathing room. When they’re ready to buy, it could be really beneficial to you. They’ll recall how comfortable you made them feel when they were “just looking” and return to you to buy a car.

It’s critical to understand how to persuade someone to buy something.

It can be difficult to learn how to persuade someone to buy something. It takes several years for a car salesperson to master the skill of doing it.

Take a step back and consider how you’re currently attempting to sell automobiles. It could be one of the major reasons why you aren’t selling as many cars as you would want if you aren’t using the method that has been described here.

Back to Blog