gaining a competitive advantage in auto

Your business will flourish if you find ways to gain a competitive advantage over your competition. Many salespeople base their entire selling process on three things:- The Price- The Vehicle- The DealershipIf you are basing your sale on these, it may not be enough to give your prospects enough reasons why they should buy from you. So before you let your prospect leave the dealership without buying from you, ask yourself this question:"What makes me different from every other salesperson out there?"Because let's face it, if you're not doing anything different than other salespeople, why should they buy from you? It's not going to be because of the vehicle, because everyone has nice vehices. It's not going to be because of price, because no matter what price you give them, everyone can beat it. It's not going to be because of the dealership, because most people will either buy close to home or close to work. It's not going to be because of safety, because all vehicles have plenty of safety features.It needs to be something you did to make them want to buy from you. Your prospect needs to be able to say, "I know I got a better price from that other dealership, but I want to still buy from Mike, because of the way he made me feel, because of the time and patience he took with me, because of the way he made the experience enjoyable for me."So what can you do to set yourself apart from every other salesperson? Here are 20 ways to start your thinking on how to gain that competitive edge:? Start with a positive attitude -
Attitude is everything. The attitude you have the moment you wake up in the morning will determine your mental and physical status for the rest of the day. Your attitude will be a powerful tool toward your success.? Set your standards high -
If you had to create a 60 second advertisement to give to your prospect about yourself, how would you want to be represented? However it is, make sure you represent honesty, sincerity, loyalty, and always convey fair business practices.? Become friends with your prospect -
Friends buy from friends, even if they're not good salespeople. We want to buy from people we feel comfortable with. Make friends with your prospect before you try to sell him/her a vehicle.? Be an expert -
People love doing business with experts. It gives them a security they're not likely to find with an amateur. Are you an expert in your business? Do you know everything there is to know about your vehicles, as well as your competitors? Are you up-to-date on what your manufacturer is planning in the future. If you can give your prospect information other salespeople can't, it might give you the edge you need.? Make your prospect fall in love with cars again -
The American people used to have a love affair with their vehicles. Over the years, this love affair has vanished, and people hate the process of buying. What would happen if a salesperson gave this love affair back? Could that cause their prospect to buy from him/her?? Write-up everyone -
It doesn't matter whether your prospect is ready to buy now, coming in for a brochure, or planning to wait six months. Write-up everyone. The more write-ups, the more sales. You'll never know whether seeing the figures on paper will give your prospect a greater sense of urgency, and cause him/her to buy now.? Show your prospect common courtesies -
We all want to be made to feel special. When you meet a prospect, go out of your way to make your prospect feel better than they could feel at any other dealership. Open the door when they come in, pull out the chair when they sit at your desk, help them off with their coats, offer them refreshments, chit-chat about things they want to talk about.? Be enthusiastic -
When your prospect arrives at the dealership, act like you're really glad to see him/her. Remember, your prospect took time out of the day to visit or call your dealership. Make the prospect feel like you really appreciate it. Your enthusiasm will set the tone for the rest of the relationship.? Make your prospect feel like you really care -
Someone once said, "A person will never care how much you know, until they know how much you care." Caring shows your prospect you're more interested in fulfilling their needs ahead of your own. In essence, you're not there to sell them a vehicle, you're there to help them buy one.? Be a consultant, not a salesperson -
People are used to dealing with consultants more than salespeople. A lawyer consults with the client to recommend a course of action. A doctor consults with a patient and suggests a remedy. Consultants are respected much more than salespeople. Become a consultant to your prospect on purchasing a vehicle.? Get your prospect involved -
You can get your prospect involved in several ways. Ask closing questions to get them to respond with a "yes." Have them touch the vehicle, open the doors, feel the seats. The more your prospect becomes physically and emotionally involved with your vehicle, the greater the chances for the sale.? Get excited about your vehicle, your occupation, and your dealership -
Many people in the world have to settle for a boring job, and find life to be the same. They enjoy being around individuals who have a zest for life, love their jobs, and have a bright outlook. If you give your prospect a little excitement, maybe it will be just the thing that causes them to buy from you.? Show the prospect your testimonials -
You likely have customers who love you, love your dealership, love their car. Ask for a testimonial to show your prospects. When they see other customers who are happy they bought from you, it might give them the necessary incentive to buy also.? Introduce your prospect to your Sales Manager -
Introducing your prospect to your manager is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. People like meeting the boss. It makes them feel special to know that the manager would take the time out of his/her busy schedule just to thank them for coming in. He/she may also be able to ask some strategic exiting questions that may clinch the deal.? Tell your prospect you don't want them to shop you -
When your prospect is ready to leave the dealership, tell your prospect you don't want them to shop around, and why. Even if they are still planning on shopping, it may show them your sincere about getting their business, especially if you have good reasons why they shouldn't shop. They may just come back to buy from you.? Give them your resume -
You learn a great deal of information about your prospect, but what do they actually know about you? If you're trying to build an equal relationship, give your prospect a resume of yourself. It will tell them who you are, and give them something to take with them as a reminder.? Let your prospect leave with a good feeling -
Even though you didn't get the sale right now, don't show your discontent. Let your prospect leave with a good feeling to show that you care more for him/her as a person, than you do as a sale.? Setup the follow-up call -
If you want to make your follow-up call a success, set the call before your prospect leaves. This way it won't be a surprise, and the prospect will be expecting it.? Follow-up within 24 hrs. by phone -
Don't wait 2-3 days before you make that first call. You have every right to know what the prospect is feeling, whether the prospect has visited other dealerships, etc. Without this information, you cannot plan what your next move should be.? Send a 24 hr. follow-up letter -
If you want to set yourself apart from every other salesperson, send your prospect a letter the moment he/she leaves the dealership. Include in the letter the three most important benefits he/she liked about your vehicle. This will reinforce the positive aspects of your vehicle.

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