Whether you are new to the business of selling cars for a living or you have been doing for years, here are a few car salesman tips and car sales tips to help keep your head in the game and further your car salesman career. Selling cars to the public is not like any other retail job and not everyone is cut out to be a car saleswoman or a car salesman. Some people may have some of the skills that are needed to be a successful car salesman and the others can learn what they need to know to become successful and make more car salesman commission. See 100 Car Salesman Tips Here...
These car salesman tips touch briefly on the different things that you already know and maybe some things that you need to learn to become a professional and effective car salesman or woman. Keep these tips for car salesmen in your head and work on the items or areas where you might need some improvement such as your car sales closing techniques.
Car Salesman Tips to Sell More Cars
1. Every car buyer is different. No matter who you are trying to sell they all have different backgrounds, budgets, wants, needs and desires. No two car deals are exactly the same and if you think they are you are loosing sales.
2. People need to have cars and they have to buy them somewhere so it might as well be from you and your dealership. No matter what they say when you first meet them, they want to buy a car. PERIOD.
3. We have all heard the term “Buyers are Liars”. The customer uses lies and deception for a reason and that reason is to defend themselves from the car salesman that is known for taking advantage of the average car buyer. They may tell you the truth later, but only if you earn their trust so you can overcome their car sales objections.
4. Don’t lie to your customers. I didn’t say you have to tell them everything you know, but don’t lie to them. If you don’t the answer to their question, tell them you don’t know and that you will get them an answer.
5. Customers will ask you what seems to be senseless questions when you are working with them. You first reaction would be to say what does that have to do with buying this car, but the real reason for some of their questions is to test you. Customers will test your knowledge and honesty so they decide if they want to buy a car from you. See car salesman tip #4 above.
Car Salesman Tips to Make More Money
6. Don’t bad mouth the other car dealer. They don’t want to hear how bad the car dealer is across town. They were there earlier today or yesterday and they did not buy a car from them. If the other dealer or car salesman was so great they wouldn’t be talking to you, they would have bought the car from the other dealer.
7. Dress, smell and act the part. Look like a car sales professional, dress appropriately in clean and pressed clothes, don’t smell like an ashtray and have a positive attitude. You can (maybe not) overcome a poor first impression, but it just makes things harder on you and it will affect you car salesman income so heed this car salesman tip.
8. Know your product. Knowing the product won’t sell cars on it’s own, but you customer needs to feel comfortable about spending a large amount of money. If they feel that they are working with a car salesman that doesn’t know what they are talking about you are likely to create another “Be Back”.
9. The “Be Back Bus” doesn’t stop here. I think I can safely say that less than 2% of the customers that ask for your card and tell that they will be back won’t. Yes some do, but you will never make a good living waiting for “Be Backs”.
10. The car buyer can smell desperation. When you are desperate to sell a car your customer will sense that like an angry dog can smell fear. Even if you desperately need to sell a car the customer needs to believe that you aren’t. Desperation will turn them off so quick you will wonder what you did or said. This is one on the most important car salesman tips that can make a huge difference.
11. People like to talk about themselves. Yes, even the shy and introverted customers like to talk about themselves. If you can get them to trust you and find some common ground you can get even the shyest people to talk you ear off and provide you with everything you need to sell them a car.
12. The car buyer wants to FEEL like they are getting a deal. This a very important car sales tip, whether they made a great deal or not they need to FEEL like they made a good choice. They want to feel like they got a good deal. Almost all buying decisions are made with emotion, so the way they feel about you, the dealership, the car, the price or the deal is critical to you being a successful car salesman and overcoming objections.
13. Car buyers will pay more for a car than they need to when they believe that the value of your service and the value of the dealership outweighs the price. This is an important car salesman tip and I am not going to type it twice so read again and again and again until it sinks in.
14. People can buy cars from any number of different car dealers. Especially new cars because new cars are a commodity no matter where you buy them so the real difference is you.
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Tips for Car Salesmen and Car Saleswomen
15. Treat your customer like they own the joint. When you treat your customer like they are the best customer you ever had it will return to you in many ways. They will send you friends and family to buy cars and they will also want to buy more cars from you in the future. Plus they will give you a great C.S.I. score which may mean a bonus if your dealer uses that as a measurement.
16. Know your inventory. Whether it be new or used inventory you should have a good idea of what you have in stock so you can switch them to another car if the need arises. There can be any number of reasons so knowing what to suggest or show and this car salesman tip will put you way ahead of your competition.
17. Leave you problems on the curb. When you get to the dealer you need to have your head in the game. Selling cars for a living requires you to have your head in the game at all times. You need to have the answers, ask the questions and be a step ahead of your customer at all times. Learn to leave you problems at the curb and you will sell more cars with this car salesman tip.
18. Shut up and listen. You have two ears and one mouth so listen twice as much as you talk and learn when to shut up. See Shut-up a Car Salesman Tip the post. The power of know when to talk and when to shut up can make a huge difference in your car salesman commission.
19. Look them in the eyes. If you have have a tendency to look away when people look you in the eye you better get over it. Most people do, but when you look your customer in the eye when you speak it feels sincere. You can also pick up on their level of commitment and sincerity when you look them in the eye.
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Car Salesman Tips for the Good Life
20. Sell your customer not the desk. The sales manager has been in your shoes and has a pretty good idea when you are selling them on why they should take the deal. Stop selling the sales manager and sell the car buyer.
21. Don’t forget the extras. Whether it is your dealership’s policy or not you need to sell the extras. No matter how hard it was to close or how tight the payment was to reach you might be able to sell them accessories or options. Some car buyers are conditioned to buy the extras and you will loose an opportunity to make more money if you can them them some extras. You might be surprised who will buy the extras if you give it and honest pitch. Plus you can turn a “Mini Deal” into a good deal with some extras when you follow this car salesman tip.
22. Don’t leave money of the table. If you don’t get it out of your customer the F & I Manager will. If your car dealership has a good F & I Department they will get the money and commission that you left behind. I don’t know about you, but i like money in my pocket rather than give to the Finance Manager so don’t give up too easy.
23. Follow Up. Follow up on everything whether it is sold new car customers, used car customers, “Be Backs” or customers you sold a year or more back. Stay in touch and ask for referrals this car salesman tip will provide you with future income.
24. The Delivery. The last person your customer sees before they leave the dealer is you. Thank them, show them all about their new car, inspect the car with them and make sure they are happy after the F & I Manager has been grinding them for a warranty, insurance and service agreements. Make them happy so the last thing they remember is you.
25. Enthusiasm. Enthusiasm sells cars when your customer feels your enthusiasm. Make them feeling that you are happy to see them, meet them and help them. be enthusiastic about the car, the dealership and everything they have to say. Don’t be phony or they will sense it, but you are excited to have a customer that wants to buy a car, aren’t you?
I hope these car salesman tips help some of you sell more cars. They have come from some of the top sales people I have known including myself. You can make a six figure income selling cars for a living if you decide that you will. There are thousands of good car salesmen and car sales women making a very good living as a successful car salesman and some of the other automobile sales careers. These are not necessarily used car salesman tips or for new sales people, car buyers are still car buyers.
You can learn how to be a good car salesman because there is no such thing as a born car salesperson. If you have more car salesmen tips please add them to the comment box below and I will add them to the list. Scroll down and you will see car sales tips from our readers.
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Later, Fresh Up on the Lot
K.B.
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I am new at car sales only and sold 15 cars in 3 months. I live in a small town where everyone knows everyone, but I need to know how to sell more cars an make more money. I like this business, but I cant afford to not sell cars.
Hi TB,
Welcome to the car business, but I can feel your pain. You need see if there are orphan customers you can contact, work on getting some referrals and do some prospecting. It’s tough when you are new to drum up customers other than fresh ups.
Keep your head in the game and you will succeed.
KB
I am going in to car sales as a newbie but I have been in customer service and product sales for over 5 years and was very good at hyping items and closing deals, My main concern right now though is that I can clean up very nice and look very professional except for my teeth. I had a pretty bad childhood and then a subsequent lack of healthcare/dental care as an adult and as a result my teeth are less than perfect to be coy about it. Now I know that image is everything in this industry and I am afraid it will affect me but without a career and you need to smile too but I cant fix my image so its a catch 22. Is there any tip you can give me to help me overcome this shortcoming I have very little control over?
Will my personality and body language overcome the fact that I try to hide my teeth?
Hi,
I am new in car business, I’m so exited at the same time I’m nervous. Need some encouragement.
Hey Von,
You can do this!!!
Big money is in your future as a car salesman.
You can make this happen, so let’s go move some metal and make some money. It’s all up to you, other have done it and you can too!
KB
Hi Annon,
Stop thinking and worrying about it.
It’s bothering you much more than it will bother customers.
It’s not even a factor, you have customer service experience so you should do well.
I know it’s hard to stop thinking about, but if you don’t mind the customers won’t mind either.
It’s not a beauty contest it’s a business transaction.
The customers want someone to help them buy a car and that is all they care about.
Now Go Sell Some Cars
KB
Well im 23 and have been selling cars for the past 3 years and proud to say ive been very successful making over a 100k each year. I love this business and still learn something new every day. Just thought id share a tip or two for anyone just starting out. The key to my success is pretty simple
1. Be aggressive take every up possible your income reflects it.
2. Never stop learning no matter how good you think you are or how well your doing theres always room for improvement.
3. Most importantly selling a car requires a couple critical steps most importantly BE YOURSELF, SELL YOURSELF, MAKE A FRIEND,DO A GREAT WALK AROUND and remember they buy the car because they feel you did a good job demonstrating the features and benefits of the car and BECAUSE THEY LIKE,TRUST,AND RESPECT YOU!!!!!
Plain and simple if they like you and the car they will pay more than they were planning on and closing them on payments become a lot easier. Don’t forget about your first day remind yourself of it everyday remember how nervous you were going for your interview well that’s how the customer feels coming into a dealership and being swooped on as if they are prey, your job is to try to break through that guard and make them feel comfortable with you.
Although you may have sold 300 cars this year don’t forget its a big deal to them whether its a 1999 honda civic or 2013 KIA optima(and yes I work for KIA lol) don’t treat it as just another sale, sell it as if you were going to look at your dream car and you’ll be very successful.
Oh and one more thing LISTEN CUSTOMERS WILL TELL YOU HOW TO CLOSE THEM if you do less talking and more listening they slowly will spit out how to close them trust me i didn’t believe it but now looking back on some deals i didn’t make they told me i just didn’t figure it out quick enough. Good Luck and wish success for everyone.
I graduated not long ago, and them I found a job, but I don’t like it very much. I am gonna quit my current job and become a car saleswoman. Hope I can do very well. The thing I concern a lot is that I look like very young. People always think I am a teenager. What should I do?
Thanks
Hi Celine,
Start selling cars and forget about your age. When you know your product age is not a factor.
KB
Thanks Tim,
Good Stuff
KB
I am getting into car sales for the first time and I am very excited. I was wondering if someone would give me examples of typical objections and the tactics you use to successfully overcome them?
Hey K.B., I have a problem with selling a customer on a car they dont qualify for. It’s difficult for me to figure out if they have the means to purchase a vehicle early in the sales process without coming on to strong. We all know that there is nothing worse than selling them on a car than finding out they dint qualify for a loan large enough or worse, they cant get approved for any amount. Once they are sold on a vehicle its nearly impossibe for them to fall in love with a less expensive vehicle and then I lose the sale. How can I go about finding out this info in a discreet manner? Any advice from anyone would help greatly, thanks.
Sup Peoples… Ok I’m become very interested in carsales… I found that the path I was on wasn’t working out for me… I have no experience in being a car salesman… I only have a fear that I will be rejected at every job because of this… Is there any other way of overcoming this and getting the job? Please Help
Hi Saint,
Don’t worry about not having experience as a car salesperson.
Most salespeople hired know nothing about the business. If one dealership doesn’t hire try the next and the next one until they do.
KB
Hi Joe,
You are talking about we hate, but it’s part of the business.
You don’t want to prequalify them too soon or you could lose them right a way.
Ask them questions about what they are looking for and if they are going to finance or pay cash.
If finance you can ask them if they set a budget for their new car. (Usually this will get them to talk payment)
But most importantly you just can tell until you pull their credit.
We have to take the good with the bad and work and spending time with people that can’t buy sucks, but it’s how it works.
KB
Dear Saint
I just recently started my job as a salesman less than a month ago, i am 18 fresh out of high school with no experience at all, as long as you are nice and good with people you will be hired.
Hi Guys ,
In a few days I will start in my first car sales job.
I have done some lower level CSR work but never car sales
as i have some training to do and some ford modules to watch before I actually start selling, I have a few questions for you experienced guys.
1) what will i encounter on my first day/week/month?
I am VERY personable and can strike conversation with anyone. ( a big reason why I wanted to get into the field) but how many people are going to buy or how many on avg. actually buy?
2) do veteran car sales guys get intimadated by a younger guy coming in to do the same job?
3) Whats the BEST words of advice you can give me in venturing into this new field?
4) I have bought one new car myself (honestly did not buy b/c of the salesmen we bought b/c we knew what car we WANTED) but I am nervous about all the paperwork that is associated with buying/selling a car. This is my biggest thing I will struggle with , does a dealership train very well on all the “legal” and paperwork items you must do to sell a car?
Thanks for the help guys
Anybody want to jump in here?
Just started at a dealership the beginning of the year. Sold 7 my first month in about 9 days and then hit a slow period. Any thought’s on idea’s to drum up business. I had a pretty good start. I came from the local radio station where I did the sports for 7 years. It has helped people who know me but still working on getting them on to the lot. What do you have for me guys LOL!
Great Job Toby,
Anybody have some input?
How does commission on a new car lease work? I have been looking everywhere for an answer but couldn’t find anything.
Hi Nicky,
Commission for leasing a car is no different than selling a car.
The only real difference is that the leasing company or manufacturers finance division pays the dealer for the contract.
Then the customer pays the leasing or finance company.
The percent of profit on either a lease or a purchase will determine you sales commission.
KB
Hi everyone,
I really have a huge amount of interest selling cars….wanting to become a freelance salesman ie posting ads online and getting calls from prospective buyers….I get calls once in a while but no come backs….maybe I am lacking a quality or something. Thanks for the tips though and how do I talk to these customers on phone and get them to agreement terms and sell them their metals…lol
I am about to turn 18 and im kind of worried that i wont be hired only because im only 5’5 and look like i just got out of 10th grade.
and i was wondering say the invoice price was $20,000 and the pack price was 500 instead of selling a car for 22 or 23k could i sell it for 25 if possible and get a bettter deal for me as commission?
i would probably only do that toward the end of the month since every car i sell the commission percentage goes up.
Hi Guys,
I’m about to enter car sales, after many years of being self employed. I’m a little nervous as l don’t know great deal on the latest cars going around; I’m hoping it will be easy to pick up, & customers don’t ask many questions about each, model ,etc?
Any advise, please???
Hi Nick,
Welcome to the car business.
Pay close attention, follow the top sales peoples lead and get a good attitude.
KB
Hi Joe,
Yes you could if the Sales Manager will approve that deal.
However, it sounds much easier than it is.
KB
Hi Eddie,
That’s different
KB
Hello,
My backround is that of a manual labor worker, I am tired of this living and I am at that point where I need to make up my mind on what to do for the rest of my life. I was told by a close family member of success stories of car dealers, to which I’am now starting to research the field. I live in a large urban area with many car dealer ships how do I know which dealership is right for me ? Also if I should persue a formal education in the field via college (the option would set me back a few years but its there.) thank you.
Hi Kevin,
As far as selecting the right car dealership for you is a little tough, especially when you have never sold cars. Start with talking to dealer about where they bought there cars and where they go for service. You want a well run professional dealership that pays fairly and timely. Buy once again it’s hard to know what else to look for if you never cars for a living.
On the bright side, if you can sell cars you can gp practically anywhere because you will be in demand. It’s not uncommon to switch dealers.
Your second questions is about going to school to learn how to sell cars, but there is only one way to learn the car business and that is by doing it. Education is rarely requirement to become a car salesman as long as you can read, write, do some simple math and talk to customers intelligently.
Pick out some dealers and starting cars.
KB