Selling cars for a living is not for everyone, but if you are the right fit to be a car salesman these ten points will practically ensure you become a successful car salesman. The job of a car salesman is a bit like having a business of your own inside a car dealership. Having your own car selling business allows you to control how much you earn by your level of commitment to the profession. A successful car salesman can earn a six figure income and I have heard of some earning close to $250,000 a year. Implement these car salesman traits and you can join the ranks of the top salesmen and saleswomen that enjoy the peace of mind and security of a six figure income.
1. Commitment: As I mentioned earlier you control your own level of car salesman success in direct proportion to the amount of effort and the level of commitment that you apply to the business of selling cars. Most car salesmen work on a commission basis which can result in an irregular weekly pay check which makes some people shy away from being a car salesman, but the upside is that you will be paid according to your skills, abilities and production. The pay plan of a car salesman allows you to control your car salesman income, but you must make the commitment to being a good car salesperson without second guessing yourself. There is no "I will give it a try" or "maybe it will work out". There is only a full 100% percent level of commitment to becoming a successful car salesman.
2. Positive Attitude: Being a successful car salesman will go hand in hand with your attitude. When you are dealing with a customer your tools are your words, actions, reactions and knowledge. When you interact with a potential car buyer a positive attitude is a must. You need to be positive and confident in order to put the customer at ease so they can make the major decisions that are needed to buy a car. If you have a positive attitude your customer will have a positive attitude and that will make selling them a much easier task.
3. Goals: Setting and tracking goals are one of the common traits of most successful car salespeople. They set goals for their monthly and yearly income along with weekly and daily goals for cars sold, ups taken and closing ratio. A top car saleswoman or man pays close attention to their goals and tracks their progress either daily or weekly. They know their status and there are no surprises at the end of the month or year.
4. Enthusiasm: The enthusiastic auto salesman has an advantage over the average salesman. When you help your potential vehicle buyer in an enthusiastic manner it becomes contagious and your customer becomes enthused with the process of buying a car. Be eager and excited to show them the vehicle and its features and get your customer involved. A higher level of enthusiasm will practically make you a more successful car salesman.
5. Product Knowledge: Granted, product knowledge will not guarantee car sales success, but it definitely helps. Car buyers have a habit of asking questions that they know the answers to as a way to test their sales person. They are rarely important questions, but they try to catch their car salesman in a lie. If they catch you lying to them about something small they will never trust you when it comes to pricing and payments. Knowing the answers to their car buying questions will put you miles ahead of a car salesman that lies to their customer or doesn't know their product.
6. Personal Management: The most successful car salesmen and saleswomen have learned to manage themselves and their time efficiently. They don't hang around with the bottom feeders waiting for ups and complaining about management, traffic or anything else that comes to mind. They are busy calling be backs, doing follow up and arranging deliveries.
7. Selling Cars is about Relationships: Every once in a while selling a car can be a quick business transaction, but more often than not it is a time consuming process. The person that is about to spend $20,000 on a new car is not very likely to feel good about buying that new car from someone they don't like. People like to buy from people they respect, like and believe are the best person to sell them a car. All of the steps to a sale are important, but the successful car salesperson will always look, act and talk like a professional automobile sales person. Sell you, the dealership and then the car.
8. Have a Daily Plan: You know what they say, "if you fail to plan, you plan to fail". The successful car salesman has a daily plan which includes all the things they need to accomplish. Their daily "To Do" list may include calling past customers, scheduling deliveries, ordering accessories and of course taking fresh ups. Whatever it may be, it is a plan to achieve their goals and become a more successful car salesman.
9. Stay in Touch: When car salesmen are successful you will notice that they sell cars to the same customer more than once over the years. They keep track of their past customers through letters, cards, email or the telephone. They let their past customers know of sales, new models and special events that may be of interest to them. The salesman is providing a service to them which they appreciate and then return to buy again and again.
10. Self Improvement: A top car salesman is always learning about new models, new features and anything else that will make them better. They attend auto manufacturer training classes, monitor the competition and are always looking for ways to make themselves more valuable to their new and past car buying customers.
