Written by Jason Unrau on 09/30/2016

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Like most of you that read this blog, I’ve spend years and years in the automotive industry. I’ve become immune to the sales techniques and upsells, just like most of you have. When I get my vehicle serviced or repaired, I am able to objectively make decisions about each item’s urgency.

But when it comes to our customers, we don’t usually think they’re on the same level as us. We think they should blindly trust what we tell them, because we are the experts after all. We’re surprised when they’re skeptical of the repairs we try to sell them. They decline repairs that are obviously safety related.

It’s our fault.

You see, we don’t give our customers enough credit. They’re intelligent about their cars and you can only expect their blind trust once you’ve built a relationship. To do so, you need to speak with them on your level as an expert and reach out in a way that is most convenient to them, your paying client. It’s a surefire way of delighting your customers.

Would you approve repairs without knowing the full story?

If your car is in for its $50 oil change and you’re approached about a $500 oil leak the technician just noticed, would you blindly approve the work? Probably not. You’d want to see it, wouldn’t you? Your customers are the same way. They aren’t inclined to place their trust in your dealership’s service department, especially not until you’ve given them a reason to do so.

Build that trust with your customers by providing proof of the required repairs and maintenance. Take photos or video of the problem areas, then send them off to your customer. When they can visualize the issue on their car, it’s undeniable. It’s trustworthy. And that’s when the wallet will open more freely.

Your DMS system may have something like this already built into it. Or maybe it doesn’t. If it doesn’t, find a way to make it happen. AutoVitals Inc. has a solution known as SmartFlow that is revolutionizing the service department from front to back, and it includes a slick way for technicians to take pictures and video of any issues, including a walkaround inspection. I can’t see how it WON’T improve your ability to close on sales.

Contact customers on their terms

Did you know that your customers aren’t inclined to answer a phone call? You knew that, yet you still expect them to answer when you call them throughout the day. 98 percent of text messages are opened within the first minute of receiving them, and most people respond to those messages right away. Businesspeople and those how can’t answer their cell phones at work can usually respond to a text message, making it a more reliable method of contact than the telephone.

Email is on a slight decline in popularity, although it’s still more effective than waiting for someone to call you back from a voicemail message. The additional benefit to both text message and email messages it the ability to send attachments. Have a photo or video you want your customer to see? Include it in your message! Have a quick repair quote they can authorize by text? It could save you several valuable minutes over a lengthy phone call, trying to explain what needs repair and why.

However, if you can’t implement text messaging or email communication as effective methods of customer contact, the phone is better than nothing! Be consistent, contacting customers regularly throughout the day so there’s no worry about how their vehicle is doing.

As a rule of thumb, be the one to reach out to your customer before they can contact you. If they have contacted you first, you can bet that they’ve already been stewing about the lack of contact for a while. It’s the kind of customer that is more likely to give you a bad survey response or decline repairs on the basis of principle.

When you’re timely in your communication and are able to back up your upsells and repair estimates with photo or video proof, rest assured, your customers will be exponentially more satisfied. There will be less complaints to management, higher conversion rates on estimates, and the bottom line is guaranteed to increase. 

Source: http://www.drivingsales.com/jason-unrau/blog/contacting-customers-on-their-terms

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Re: Your Internet Purchase Request Response (Video Email EXAMPLE)

Here is a quick example of a Video Email Response to an Internet Prospect. Think about how different this type of an email will be to the prospect compared to the bombardment of static emails from other dealers… 

Differentiate yourself! 

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Make Money Mondays with Sean V. Bradley - "Change" - Automotive Sales - Car Sales

http://www.internetsales20group.com 856-546-2440
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Make Money Mondays with Sean V. Bradley - 'On Location with Zeigler BMW Of Orland Park - Part 2'

Your Internet Sales / Phone Sales Script is NOT Enough! The Script is ONLY 1/3 Of Your Success, You ALSO Need…

Your Phone Script is NOT Enough! The Script is ONLY 1/3 Of Your Success...

The 3 Parts to Phone / Internet Sales Process Mastery is:

1. Knowing The Script INSIDE And OUT...

2. Knowing the TOP 7 reasons why people are going online and at least 5 STRONG rebuttals for EACH, for a TOTAL of 35 Word Tracks...

3. Know your dealership's value package proposition. "Why Buy From Us". Not only do you need to know what is different and better about YOUR organization, you NEED to be able to passionately convey that to your prospect. You need to SELL Your Organization.

**** The Goal is to identify, meet and exceed your prospect's expectations.

The Script Identifies their wants wished and expectations...

The Words Tracks allow you to MEET their expectations...

And the Value Package Proposition Allows you to EXCEED their expectations...

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4017053992426575874

Please Register for "How To Master The Internet Lead Phone Process & Get More Appointments To Show". Tomorrow, December 10th at 3:00pm Eastern- 

I am not in the Internet Dept any longer as I have decided to get back on the floor after some bad choices, and bad habits accumulated to a "head" in my own career. I am basically starting over on the floor, because I have seen that here where I live, I MUST depend only on myself when it comes to making money.

Anyway, I still observe the Internet Dept and like to talk shop about it always, so I thought I'd throw something out and get your feedback.

My store has 3 Internet folks who get all leads (and Sales Calls - which I disagree with - maybe I am biased) and set up appointments. They are not super stars by no means but they work hard at it as best they can with what they got to work with (I haven't seen ANYONE who still trains themselves at this store).

The process is that they get the customer in and which ever salesman/woman greets the client gets the deal. The Internet guy then comes out and introduces the client and sales person and they go on with the deal.

Well my thoughts about this came after watching a client come in and get introduced to a salesman. I could see it on the clients face that he didn't exactly want to do it this way. His face said, "Man, I thought we were gonna get to work together, now you set me up with a shark?"

I understand the reasoning behind my stores process. It's simple, the internet folks need to concentrate on setting appointments. And let the sales floor close deals. Great! Noted!

Now if it MUST be this way, I think that it would be best for the internet guys to team up with the sales floor so they work with the same sales person every time. To me this would create synergy, as well as competition and this can be explained to the customer up front show they don't get that "shocked" look when they arrive at their appointment.

The way I am describing it, to me, would create not only synergy between the internet person and the sales person, but would also keep some semblance of synergy for the client, when they arrive as well as momentum. And we all know that as Grant Cardone says, "gross comes with momentum"!

I'm not writing to "fix" our internet dept. I just wanted to say what I thought about a specific situation I see here where I work. What do you think?

Image credit: EiE

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Make Money Mondays With Sean V. Bradley - "Follow Your Process WITHOUT Exception WITHOUT Fail"

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Make Money Mondays With Sean V. Bradley - Automotive Sales / Car Sales Objections & Rebuttals

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Mark Rodriguez is a National Speakers Association Member, GNYADA Speaker /Trainer, NJ CAR Speaker / Trainer and and Internet Sales 20 Group Speaker / Trainer. Mark recently stopped by our Production Studio to share some of his wealth of knowledge in Automotive Phone Sales.

Thanks Mark!

If you like Mark's message and are interested in hearing more, then you are in luck! Mark Rodriguez is going to be speaking in Los Angles, at the upcoming Internet Sales 20 Group!

Are you a hunter or farmer For so many years, we have struggled as an industry when it comes to follow up. Then, companies like Clients for Life and came along and started sending our follow up letters for us. All we had to do was sign it and mail it. This gave us more time to focus on working with the customers who were on the lot and calling in.

Basically, it gave us the ability to focus more time on hunting for new business and the farming was something we were able to relax on, just a little bit, but it was a much needed break right? Then, with the invention of email we are able to reach more customers faster than ever before and thanks to tools like CRMs we don't have to sign letters or even look at what is being sent because 90% of it is templated. The idea behind all of this awesome technology is to free up the time consuming tasks so we can focus all of our attention on generating new business...basically....HUNTING.

Unfortunately, the information age also came with some interesting side effects.

#1 - Less folks walking on the lot because they can shop online and narrow their choices before spending $4.80 a gallon in gas

#2 - Less folks answering their phone because they can just email...or ignore your email

#3 - Our sales people have spent so much time learning how to use all this technology that many of them have forgotten how to HUNT.

Farming and Hunting are equally important but much of our farming has been automated and it's nearly impossible to automate the hunting process so let's talk about why we've forgotten how to hunt and what we can do to get back on track.

Sales Leadership Team: Before you spaz out, don't blame your sales person. The reason they forgot how to hunt is because many of us, as their leaders, have forgotten how important it is to teach them the fundamentals of being a Hunter.

We know how to do it and it was part of our upbringing so it's easy for us to assume that our team should just 'get it' but...well...they don't. And we didn't 'get it' either, somebody taught us so let's pass it on :)

Hunting 101

1. Hunters prepare. Before going out into the wild, they make sure they have the gear they need to provide for their family. For a sales person that consists of the following NECESSARY tools.

A. Skills - LOT SKILLS: We need to make sure our team can walk us through the entire sales process from start to finish. Greeting to close. If they can't, don't verbally beat them up! If they can't do it it's your fault as their leader because you're responsible for training them how to do it the right way so use this as a teachable moment. PHONE SKILLS: They need to be able to handle a phone up, as well as an outbound follow up call. They need to be able to handle objections, concerns and roadblocks to gain the appointment or to bring someone back in if they didn't buy. NEGOTIATION SKILLS: They need to be able to handle objections like a pro. Cardone, Verde and a Million others have great info on this. Heck, for 99¢ you can download the AutoCloses app from the app store and it has the 25 most common auto objections at http://j.mp/autoclosesapp

B. Daily plan - Your sales people don't want to sit on their ass staring out the window, they just don't know what else they are supposed to do. Help them get in the habit of planning their day. We all used to have to spend 1 hour each day on improving our SKILLS, HABITS & ATTITUDE and it made us better. Why don't we help our folks do the same? Sample day: Set aside 20 minutes on your calendar for each of your sales people to have a quick 1 on 1 meeting with you to talk about what they did yesterday, what they're doing today and what they need from you in order to be successful. Have them set aside 20 minutes to role play with another team member. Have them set aside 20 minutes to listen to something motivational or read something motivational. Have them set aside 20 minutes every day for product knowledge. Have them set aside 1 hour each day to make all of their follow up calls to hot, warm and cold prospects. Have them spend 40 minutes each day making true prospecting calls to lease lists, customers over 90 days old and orphan owners. How many, how many, who's next? That's 3 hours of their day planned out with a purpose.

C. Attitude - Your sales people NEED a positive attitude in order to make A and B work properly. This tool is CRITICAL for them to be effective hunters. Let's face it, everyone has a bad day, we have personal things that come up that are unpleasant, stressful and sometimes overwhelming. As their leader, we need to help remind them of why we brought them on our team, why we keep them on our team. We need to remind them that they are valuable, they are important to us, they are great people. Without our sales people we don't have any chance of success so we need to treat them with the respect and value that they deserve. Without our sales people performing at their best, we cannot support our families.

Farming 101 Don't rely on your CRM alone.

The CRM may automate follow up but it's still not human. We're in the people business and relying on your CRM is telling yourself that the automated computer message is just as powerful as you are.

Nothing is more powerful than human interaction. A warm phone call every few months can work wonders in being a great farmer for years to come. Try something like: "Hey Bob & Sue this is Mat at (Dealership). I just wanted to say hello to keep in touch. I hope you're still enjoying that Honda Accord as much as you did on the day you picked it up. Call me at (number) if you need anything at all and I'll be here to help."

Farming is a process, one that often feels thankless but it sets the stage for long term relationships. Hunting can be scary but exciting and it is what helps you eat today, and gives you the means to farm another field for years to come.

I'd like to encourage you to set aside 20 minutes or so to write down all of your strengths and put them in one of two buckets: Farming or Hunting. Look it over and see where you need to focus your attention in order to improve.

Once you do it yourself, ask your sales people to do the same exercise so you can learn which areas they feel like they need your help.

Thanks for reading, make today amazing!

Would you like to have the mobile number of online shoppers on Cars.com, Edmunds, AutoTrader and other sites? Of course you would! Check out AutoCapture today and learn how you can stop the shop and increase sales overnight at www.konig.co/autocapture

With all the competition in the Automotive World and so many websites, targeted ads and retargeting display ads vying for consumer attention it seems harder than ever to know whether or not your customer will remember you.

How do you set yourself apart from the competition and stay in the customer's mind?

USE COMMON SENSE AND THINK ABOUT USING MOBILE TO CONNECT WITH MOBILE! Niesen did a study in November about Mobile Auto Shoppers and it showed that 49% of mobile Auto Shoppers intend to buy within 24 hours. Rather than debating intention, let's talk about how you can capture the attention of most of these customers. 

Get their attention and keep it with TOUT

#1 - Download the TOUT app! Get it for iPhone HERE or Get if for Android HERE

#2 - Make sure you get the customer's mobile phone number or email address  when you meet with them. Obviously you can't send them a message if you don't know how :)

Tout gives you the ability to record a 15 second video for anything in the world and since it's so short it FORCES you to make your point fast!

Here are some Follow Up Video Ideas you can try. Please share your feedback and let everyone know how it works for you :)

First follow up video: (Just a video of you in any spot at the dealership - NOTE: SMILE) "Hi Bob & Sue this is Mat at ABC Motors saying thanks for stopping in to see the CTS. Call me at XXX-XXX-XXXX if you'd like to take another peek at that or any other vehicles. I'd really love the opportunity to show you why our customers love us."

Second follow up video two days after they were in: (Offer an incentive or some other reason to come back) "Hi guys. I wanted to say hello and invite you back for another look at the CTS you drove. You can get a special savings coupon this week if you text the code AC to the phone number 71441. Call me at XXX-XXX-XXXX if you'd like me to bring it by, or if you'd like to stop back in. 

Third follow up video if you haven't heard from them within another 2-3 days: (Alternative Vehicle Offering) "Hi Bob & Sue, I was walking our inventory and saw this (alternative vehicle - maybe a 3 series or C Class) and wanted to give you a quick peek at it. I have a few other vehicles that you may like to see so give me a ring at XXX-XXX-XXXX if you'd like me to bring one over."

Every one of these little scripts are just over 14 seconds so they are perfect for a TOUT!

Chances are, if you haven't heard from them by the time you send the third video, there may have been something that turned them toward purchasing elsewhere but don't give up hope! By sending these quick videos will make you different than everyone else by actually sending personalized follow up PLUS, it will keep you at the top of their mind.

Will this work with everyone? Of course not, but it will take a total time investment of 15 seconds to make and another 15 seconds to send to your customer so invest 90 seconds with your next customer and see if it will help you sell a few more vehicles :)

My name is Mat Koenig, and I was born and raised in Western Michigan. I'm VP and Partner of AutoOption and the CEO and Founder of KonigCo, the best mobile marketing company for Automotive Dealers, located in Kalamazoo, MI. Learn more here: www.konig.co

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Top 20 Things You Can Do To Fix Your BDC

Description:

Tom Stuker may be the most famous person you’ve never heard of — unless, of course, you’re in auto sales. Stuker is to car dealerships as Tabatha Coffey is to hair salons: a highly sought-after consultant with the plainspoken, proven power to get stalled businesses moving again.

Now, Stuker may be giving Coffey a run for her money in her adopted milieu of reality television: Spike TV has commissioned six episodes of Car Lot Rescue, a reality show centered around Stuker, who is billed as “the greatest car salesman of our time”. Though Stuker’s website offers online training, we assume that the bulk of the action on Car Lot Rescue will involve Stuker’s nearly nonstop travel to right wrongs at dealerships around the globe.

• Work towards success with other non-competing dealerships
• Learn what works and what doesn’t work
• Compare and share information with Internet Sales Professionals and experts
• Receive guidance on everything and anything Internet Sales related.
• Learn to sell MORE CARS, MORE OFTEN, MORE PROFITABLY

Internet Sales 20 Group Dallas Texas

March 19, 20, 21, 2013 Dallas, TX

• Work towards success with other non-competing dealerships
• Learn what works and what doesn’t work
• Compare and share information with Internet Sales Professionals and experts
• Receive guidance on everything and anything Internet Sales related.
• Learn to sell MORE CARS, MORE OFTEN, MORE PROFITABLY

Click Here To REGISTER NOW!

http://www.internetsales20group.com 

Manuel "Manny" Luna Will Be Attending The Internet Sales 20 Group In Dallas, Texas March 19-21

Dealer Synergy's Award Winning Automotive Internet & Phone Sales Process - "The 4 P's" - Internet Sales 20 Group from Dealer Synergy on Vimeo.

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Dealer Synergy's Award Winning Automotive Internet & Phone Sales Process - "The 4 P's" - Internet Sales 20 Group

Sean V. Bradley is LIVE at the Internet Sales 20 Group training and drilling the http://www.dealersynergy.com process for automotive sales, internet sales and phone sales-

If you've watched my other video's, we have discussed the following:

→ What role gratitude plays in your success
→ What is the definition of success
→ Developing a 99.9% WHY statement

Now we move on to the recipe. With so many people wondering how to be successful, I suggest that success comes from following a process. It's no different than baking a chocolate cake. If you want to end up with the proven result of chocolate cake, you'd better follow the proven recipe that will get you there.

In my career, I've had the privalege of being mentored by many very successful people and you know what? They all say the same thing. When asked, "How did you become so successful?", the response is, "By doing what other successful people do".

That validates what is written in such books as Dale Carnegies, "How to Win Friends and Influence People" or Napoleon Hills, "Think and Grow Rich".

If you'd like to achieve your own personal definition of success and you want to know how to become successful in life, you MUST follow the recipe.

Stay tuned for my next video where I'll introduce you to the 1st ingredient in the recipe for success.

Your success starts here.