Auto sales training is normally carried out in-house, but there are many business advantages to be gained from an external car sales course provided by a specialist training company. Whether it is for your staff or yourself, such courses can offer more than just how to deal with prospective customers. Here is a quick resume of how such a course can benefit you or your sales staff.
Learn the Business
Experienced sales staff can recognize a stroker or flake almost immediately they walk on the lot, but do you even know what these terms mean? Most people learn how to sell cars and talk to potential buyers on the job. However, comprehensive auto sales training will accelerate this learning process and get you selling more cars faster.
Yes, experience is invaluable, but even experienced sales personnel benefit significantly from a structured training course where their skills can be fine-tuned to maximize conversions. It also helps to understand the psychology of the prospect. Most will be looking for a bargain, and will walk into a dealership expecting to pay less than the MSRP.
How to Approach Prospects
The way you approach a prospect on the lot can make or break a potential sale. Too pushy and you might scare them away. Too hesitant, and you might fail to make the sale. Some people need to be talked into buying a car while others prefer to walk around themselves until they see something they like.
A car sales course can show you how to identify each type of prospect, and how to approach and talk to them in a way that gains their confidence. Some customers might try to hide the fact they like a particular car by pointing out its faults. If you know how to spot these prospects, you can more easily talk them into buying.
Technical Aspects of Auto Sales Training
All car sales staff should understand every aspect of buying and selling cars, including essential financial and technical details. You or your staff must be aware of all the financing deals available on every car on the lot, details of insurance and any local or state regulations regarding car purchase and finance.
Servicing and warranties are two critical aspects of selling a car. Most car courses will show you that these two factors can make the difference between clinching a sale and the prospect walking off to look elsewhere.
You must also understand the common aspects of each car you are trying to sell: engine capacity, horsepower and even its state of repair. You should also know how a hybrid works, and the difference between diesel and gas engines. Which is ultimately most economical and which type of engine gives most power, what type of car is best for long distance driving and which is best for town. If you display such knowledge then potential customers will come to trust you more.
Keep Current with a Car Sales Course
Times change and so does the knowledge of potential buyers. Prospects today are more aware of your sales tactics than they used to be, and it is a must for you to be aware of this. They are also more aware of what to look for in used car, and how to spot frame damage. In order to become a truly successful car salesperson, you must be prepared for the common and not so common questions that you may be asked.
You must keep also up with changes in legislation, insurance and finance. It is highly likely your customer will have researched finance options in particular, and also ask questions about service and warranties. Auto sales training will likely show you how a lack of knowledge of warranties and service agreements can stop a sale stone cold dead.
A car sales course will teach the most common, and some not so common, reasons for you failing to persuade a prospect to buy. This itself will improve your sales figures, and keep in mind that just one extra sale will likely pay the cost of such courses.