Are you giving customers a reason to choose your dealership? If not, you are skipping one of the most important parts of your job – selling your dealership. Before you ever can sell a vehicle, the customer must understand and believe why you are the best place to purchase.

A recent count showed that there are nearly 20,000 franchised dealerships in the United States and Canada. This means your customers have the power and ability to choose where they do business. So, why would they pick your dealership?

Unless you’ve worked successfully with a customer before, the only thing they’ve decided when they arrive at your dealership is what kind of vehicle they are considering. Coming to your location is no guarantee that they will buy from you. At this point, they are not sold on why they should.

Customers choose what dealership to visit first for a number of reasons. It could be they saw an ad or found you on the Internet. You may be convenient because you are around the corner. You may sell the brand and model they are considering. A friend may have sent them. None of this has anything to do with their decision to work with your dealership.

It is imperative for salespeople to know how to answer the question, “Why should I buy here?” They must sell the dealership before they can even think about selling a vehicle. It’s kind of like a job interview.

As a candidate, you do whatever you can to put your best foot forward. You choose your clothes, you listen attentively, and answer the interviewer thoroughly and honestly. You work to show them that you are the best choice, that you have the skills, commitment, and passion that will benefit the employer now and in the future.

All this applies to customers when they interview you. They want to understand why they should buy from your dealership. They look for professionals who are committed to listening and understanding their needs. They seek reassurance that the dealership is a contributing member of the community that will be here in the future.

These are the things that help you sell the dealership. Think about how excited customers are when they see construction or expansion. The activity creates a sense of permanence and gives customers confidence that the dealership is prospering and will be here in here for the long run. It reflects their ongoing commitment to the community.

Giving customers a reason to buy from your dealership has immediate and long-time benefits. In the short-term, customers will be delighted with their experience and tell their friends. This has the potential to broaden awareness and generate referrals. In the long-run, it means that customers will be back for service, accessories, additional vehicles, and more.

On the other hand, if you don’t develop a relationship built on trust and confidence, you will always end up selling on price, just like everyone else. Even if a customer purchases a vehicle, they may never be back, and, they will warn others to steer clear of your dealership.

Selling Your Dealership
Management must create a customer-centric culture. They must nurture, train and educate teams so they embrace work as a profession, not as just another job. They must hire people who believe in the dealership’s values, best practices and processes and commitment to customers and employees. In this type of culture…

• Professionals know that nothing can replace honesty and integrity in business. They answer questions truthfully and completely or find the answer if they don’t know.
• Every customer is treated equally and without pre-qualification.
• Everyone is trained on and understands how every department works and the benefits it offers. And, they can communicate clearly the value offered by your business.
• The dealership is itself a showpiece. It’s clean, inviting, and professional, and the newest technology is used and on display.
• Customers know that by working with you they support their community. They see your community involvement and charity support displayed proudly. They get to know your employees who are spotlighted. They realize your contribution to the economic well-being of the community through job creation.

Customer loyalty must be earned. People return to purchase or purchase again because salespeople took the time to build a relationship, which includes selling the customer on the dealership. They provided the customer with the confidence needed to buy, not only from their dealership, but to work with them on the sale. And, while a relationship with a customer makes things easier, even one mistake can cause a loyal customer to leave. It is up to each individual salesperson to sell them on the dealership and to keep them sold through clear, personalized, and consistent communication.