One of the best moments to set the stage for your next performance with an upcoming guest is while the deal is working. When a salesperson is helping a guest and the TO hasn’t occurred – get involved in the deal! It’s the perfect time to create a non-selling touchpoint.
The salesperson is walking the customer toward the showroom door to go drive a few vehicles. You, as the business manager, the pro, walk up to the door, open it and say hello. It takes two seconds. It demonstrates that you are there to serve and it communicates a friendly, comfortable atmosphere for the customer. It also allows them to see you, someone they likely will meet in an official capacity later, and get a sense of what kind of person you are.
I also like to do a fly-by. When you see the negotiations and you’re walking by to use the restroom or say hello to a service guest, you can offer to grab them a water or coffee. If they have a dog with them, stop and ask about the dog. Spending 30 seconds with people to establish that common ground and build value in yourself as their professional business manager — before they are sitting in your office — can greatly improve your odds of closing more product sales.
Use your time wisely during the waiting period between the moment when a customer sees you walking around the showroom and the moment they are sitting in your office. You can greatly impact the outcome of the deal with a few simple actions. The saying that sales are lost by a few words, not a few dollars, couldn’t be truer.
By taking an interest in your guest’s needs, engaging with them and truly showing them that you are there and you care, you will evoke a more positive reaction to any offerings you make in the moments that follow your genuine acts of kindness. Just because you hold a door open or get someone a water doesn’t mean you’re going to sell a product or increase your gross. What will increase are your chances of selling more. Remember the old adage, “What goes around, comes around.” Money always follows service. If the spirit of intent is to serve and help, you will never be without an income.
