Can I help you?....no just looking thanks.

Last week I talked about transparency and interaction with the customer. This week I am going to elaborate a little more. In all of the articles I read, the writers are always talking about the "close". Today, I am going to talk about approach.

Have you ever shopped a competitor's dealership? When was the last time you spent $15-30k on a car with someone you didn't trust? What I am getting at here is that, even with the recent closures of so many dealerships, customers are still shopping you - the salesman - more than they are the car itself. Of course you have a few customers who are going to buy the car regardless of how you approach them, but what I'm talking about here is attaining customers that buy based on their experience with you.

Think of it as an interview. Your answers may just seal your fate before you even realize it, rather than sealing the deal. Consumers are getting smarter and smarter, they are researching and obtaining more and more information about what they are buying. We all know this

I'll leave you with these thoughts this week:

1. Before you approach the customer take a breath, and while maintaing a positive attitude about your ability, approach the customer with the thought that you may not close this sale today. Tell yourself this so you don't come across as that typical over-excited car dealer.

2. Don't Pitch... ask questions and be genuinely interested in their answers and provide answers. If you don't know, be honest.

3. All in all, you have to tailor your approach. You know which customers are going to be easy deals. When you're closing up shop at the end of the week, ask yourself if you lost any deals this week because you cared more about the sale than the potential customer's needs.

Lastly, do you want your website to have a new approach too? When was the last time you looked at the message your website sends? If you would like some help, or maybe just have some industry questions, check us out at XIGroup or our Demo Site.

How much Market Share are you missing out on?

Now is the time to capitalize on market share. With the unfortunate or fortunate (depending on how you look at it) closings of dealerships across the country finalizing, it is now time to improve your business model. Face it consumerism has changed....and not necessarily for the better. However, as a retailer you have to embrace it and find ways to increase your revenue.

I read a blog recently that talked about transparency. It's a great article and I agree with the author. It has come to the point where you need to decide whether you want to move the vehicle or have your competitor down the street (or in this case possibly across town) to do it. Besides being transparent, you have to start building relationships with your customers...find out what their needs are when you are talking with them. Engage and care about their needs. I don't want to get all sappy here but you're a car dealer, you already have two strikes before you say hi to them. Most of all, as mentioned above. Be transparent! I am still reading stories about some dealers out there trying some age old ways to squeeze that last buck out of a customer and in this day in age, with bloggers especially, word of mouth is more than just a few friends and colleagues it is a world of people that type your name into Google and see one of the first links being "Don't Buy From here!!!".

Lastily, the phrase 'Search Engine Ranking' has been thrown around so much in the last year or two that it is hard to tell what is right anymore. You don't have to be #1 to have the most traffic. In fact, if you are #1 yet your inventory is listed with a bunch of "call for price"..."come in and I will tell you" phrases then they are just going to hit that good ol' back button and go on to your competitor's sites. I will leave you with these notes:

1. Be Relevant and transparent to your customers.... have pricing, pictures and information up front.
2. Make sure your website is easy to use and loads fast...can they get to your inventory in one click? More importantly, do you have your New inventory on your site or just some build-a-vehicles?
3. Don't go overboard on every bell and whistle... do you need that talking lady, a chat person asking if they can help, and a commercial showing your customer all your great deals?

Visit XIGroup.com for more information.

Social Networks & Car Dealers

With numerous articles being written about the subject over recent months, I am guessing that you have given some thought to whether it would be wise to enter the social networking world. You might have asked yourself, how do I utilize these massive networks to attract more customers? Although the answer is simple, it is much more complex in practice. You have to find ways to engage your followers. Whether you are utilizing Twitter, Facebook, or MySpace (to name the big three); the most important component of managing these resources is to engage your prospects and give them a reason to regularly visit. This goes beyond posting specials, you have to create an environment that a person would want to be part of on a regular basis.

Although I am no social network guru and I am far from an expert, I do have the opportunity to speak with many perspective car buyers and try to understand what their needs are. In today’s economy it is vital to embrace the fact that the market has changed and you must adapt your marketing strategies to compete within tomorrow’s entertainment sources.

visit My Next Automotive Website for more information.