Hello and Welcome to Car Sales Professional
A Car Salesman Blog about the Business of Selling Cars.
I have put this website together to gather other Car Sales Professionals, Green Peas and Newbies for the sake of learning, earning and exchanging useful information that pertains to the Car Sales Profession. When I started selling cars for a living I could not find any source that would help me get my feet wet and provide me with the inside information that would speed the process of becoming a Professional Car Sales Person. Most of what you find on the Internet when researching Car Sales is negative and bashes the car salesman and the business of selling cars. Selling automobiles is an honorable vocation and you should be proud to say that you sell cars for a living.Things are different today when it comes to selling cars than it was only a few short years ago. I will keep you abreast of the changes that you need to make to earn a great living in the car business.
The Business of Selling Cars
I now know first hand that the Car Sales Profession can be a great career choice and and that it is a very profitable business. The potential is practically unlimited when it comes to making money. I started selling cars at a time in my life when I needed to make money and fast. A friend recommended that I try selling cars for a living, buy I was put off by the poor image that the car salesman has with the public.
Then after thinking about and the recommendation of a friend I decided to give it a try. So I jumped in with both feet and tried to learn everything I could about selling cars. I was determined to make a good living in the car business. After 3 months I was one of the top car salesman and I was on track to make a six figure income. There is more detail about my history and background in the car sales book. To this day I continue to be involved in selling cars 5 days a week and make over six figures.
Your Own Personal Car Sales Trainer
I share some of the lessons I have learned and continue to learn to sell more cars and make more money selling cars both on this blog and in the book I wrote. It’s better than a car sales trainer. Feel free to read some of my posts and add your thoughts, stories and successes of being a successful car salesman or car sales woman whether you are working the floor, working in the Internet Sales Department or managing the entire dealership.
Karl Beckham A.K.A. K.B.
Read the Car Salesman Guide book “Make a Six-Figure Income Selling Cars, I Did It, You Can Too!” a car sales book that provides useful car salesman tips and information that I used to consistently earn over 100K year after year selling cars for a living. (and having fun doing it)
I will write posts and be happy to publish any car sales tips, car sales techniques, stories, pictures and anything else that pertains to the Profession of Selling Cars. You can email any of these to me at KB@CarSalesProfessional.com. Don’t forget to read the Car Salesman Guide Book or Car Sales Closing Techniques.
Thanks for visiting
Later, Fresh Up on the Lot!
K.B.
OK I WENT IN FOR AN INTERVIEW… I AM A FEMALE 36 AND WHEN I GOT THERE THE OTHER SALESMEN JUST STARED AT ME I GUESS THE GUYS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME I FELT A LITTLE UNCOMFORTABLE HOW DOES A WOMAN GET THE JOB AND DEAL WITH THE OTHER SALEMEN WHAT AE THESE GUYS THINKING WHEN A PETIETE BRUNETTE WALKS IN WITH LOTS OF CONFINDENCE SHOULD THIS BE SOMTHING I SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT?
Hi April,
You went in for an interview and the guys were staring at you is understandable. You are a petite brunette in what is commonly considered a man’s world. Men are going to stare at an attractive woman.
You are full of confidence which is key to selling cars for a living.
Men are always intrigued by a woman with confidence and if all went well you should get the job. Once you start selling cars you will get to know these guys and find out they are probably pretty good guys.
The interview and the first couple days are the hardest, but it gets easier from there. The guys that interviewed you just want to sell cars because if you succeed, they succeed.
Hang in there…..I hope you get the job.
let me know.
Karl
Hi
I am 25, with a finance degree. I am personable, but I haven’t had to ‘sell myself’ to the extent a car salesman does. I am brand new; I am a greanpea, at a Toyota dealership. I am able to relate with everyone, I know my first vehicle inside and out, but I need to get better and more confidence in the meet and greet, as well as sealing deals. Any advice is most appreciated.
I just feel timid. Not scared or intimidated, or nervous. Only my GSM makes me feel a bit intimidated. I have not had many chances to meet with customers yet, but I had two come into the finance office to make deals and they (the GSM’s) just couldn’t get the numbers to match up (I TO’d to a more experience sales rep when we came inside).
I think I can do it, as everyone is friendly, helpful, and we are honest and caring. I just feel a bit like a deer in headlights when my bosses ask me to role play. They always try to make things as difficult as possible. I acknowledge customers can be difficult but….it is just weird trying to maintain constant control of a conversation.
Hi Chris,
First off welcome to the car business.
It just takes some time to adjust. Almost everybody is nervous at first, but it will pass. You might try role playing with a friend to help you loosen up and get comfortable.
Best of Luck.
KB
See the other comment from Chris.
HI! My name is Ashley Lyon and I work for AUDI! I just got the job, been here almost 3 weeks and I am nervous about NOT having the answers.
AUDI customers are very knowledgeable of our competitors and ask educated questions. The other salesmen, I am the ONLY saleswoman, tell me I am wasting my time reading up on everything I can – and tell me I need to just jump in front of someone! Well, I didn’t have any training so for the past 2 1/2 weeks I’ve been training myself. I am 26, a DAMN HARD WORKER…and I’m starting to get nervous about NOT selling enough to pay my bills since this is commission only.
It’s a catch-22 because I LOVE that it all depends on me, but the feelings I am having presently of HOW TO APPROACH A GUEST WITH CONFIDENCE & KNOWLEDGE OF MY PRODUCT AND HOW WE DIFFER FROM OUR COMPETITORS has me like a deer in headlights…lol
HELP…
Ashley
Hi Ashley and welcome to the biz.
Remember to stick it out no matter what, the first 30 to 90 days are the hardest. You are right about the Audi buyer, they are often well read on the vehicle of their choice. However people buy from people and they came to your dealerships because they want to buy a car. Let them share their knowledge and compliment them about how much they know and let them sell themselves.
Good Luck and stay in touch.
very good advice. The Audi customer is an in formed and a bit of a car snob. Tell hem / her you are learning as fast as you can and they will lighten up on the testing of you. It goes on evry day. You must learn your product inside and out and froward and backword. Never forgat what its like to be green and spend your down time on product training
Hey just found this site and signed up. I’ve been in cars sales since mid-June of this year and have been averaging 3500 or so a month on commision last month I didn’t even hit my 2500 draw I was off by a few bucks and so have this month I’m at 0 I’ve made hundreds of calls, sent hundreds of letters, and sent every e-mail I have out. With these numbers growing each day I know I must be doing something wrong any tips on how to get ppl through the doors asking for me?
Really don’t know where to begin. I have education through a masters degree. However, it’s all in education. Teaching is taking a such a massive hit right now with funding, I’m thinking of switching careers to automobile sales. I’m extremely well spoken, and present myself well. How should I go about locating vacant positions in auto sales? I have minimal sales experience.
Start here by reading this post.
http://carsalesprofessional.com/how-to-be-a-car-salesman-are-you-sure/
Subscribing to Grant Cardone’s free stuff on car sales. Any thoughts or observations.?
Love your info. and the site.
Joe
Thanks Joe
Grant’s stuff is very good.
Hi my name is Linda, I’m 26 and now work for Subaru. I’m just about done with my first week and just sold my first car!! I grew tired of working at an office and taking loads of work and never getting appreciated or making what i thought i deserved. My cousin suggested for me to try selling cars because he believed i could do it. I for one am still unsure and being on commission only freaks me out. I was pretty much thrown out there on the floor not knowing anything and no sales experience. I want to prove to the guys here that I’m not just a girl and what they can do i can do as well. Any tips? I’m extremely scared and really hope I made the right choice by quitting my last job and starting this new adventure.
Congrats and welcome to the car business.
You sold your first car! Good Job!
You are on your way….read the posts of the blog here and read the book. You are on the right track. You can do it, it’s not hard if you keep your head in the game and the right attitude.
Good Luck.
Hi,
My name is Jack and I am in my first full month at a Honda dealership and in car sales. I have 6.5 units out the door so far this month but most have been minis or without a significant front end gross.
I am still struggling with customers who want to go right from the meet and greet to “show me this Accord” and not wanting to take any time for the consultative phase. Without that I know it is difficult to build value for a customer during the presentation. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Jack
Hi Jack,
6.5 cars out first month is a good start. Keep it up and stop by the site regularly and read posts that will help.
Welcome to the Car Business.
I have just been promoted to new car sales manager at our Ford Store. I have only been in the business for a year and a half but have been in sales in other areas for over 10 years. In my first year I sold 274 cars/trucks but now I have to figure out how to get my guys to work as hard as I do and do things the right way. Any tips for a new manager?
Congrats Jake
You will need to earn the respect of your people which can sometimes be hard to do. Firm but fair is usually the best.
Being a top salesman should help with the respect.
Hi KB,
I have a sales background in insurance and financing. I am very interested in getting into the F and I slot at a dealership and understand you have to start on the floor to get there. I have been offered a sales position at a large reputable Toyota dealership. Your site has been a great help in getting an idea of the industry. This would be a big change for me. Any additional advice on getting started as quickly as possible. My sales approach has always been consultative and my concern is that it won’t translate over to auto sales. Also with my work ethic I have done well in every job I’ve had. On average, how quickly can you move from sales to F & I or Internet? Thanks again. Again, fantastic site that I plan to visit regularly.
Hi Steve,
You need to start on the floor to prove that you can sell cars and be consistent. That will open several doors for you.
Good Luck
Hello,
I start my first car salesman day tomorrow. I have no car sales experience, but I do have sales experience in other areas. I was also in the U.S. Army as an Infantryman for 6 years, so I am not worried about talking with the customers, I am worried about selling that first car and my monthly pay. I live in Atlanta and there is a lot of competition. What should I ask for a salary here, how do I negotiate to get the best salary for this area. I work for a Large Mazda dealership.
What salary? Read the page on car salesman commission.
This is bold but I negotiated a great Deal with This…
When they(Management) put an offer on the table you reply with this…
“Thank you for your offer. Negotiation is probably the most important part of my job. If I was to accept your offer straight away, I am demonstrating to you that I can’t even Negotiate a deal for myself!!… What would I do to the price of your cars if I’m prepared to rip up my own money!! ?? I would definatly be the wrong person for the job. I may not be the cheapest person to hire but rarely is the cheapest suit the best, the cheapest Hotel the best etc.
THE CLOSE: When would you like me to Start ??
Car Sales Manager:: We have a few more applicants to interview..We will let you know…
Applicant:: I respect that, but lets suppose I was your car salesman for a moment…and I was Dealing with A customer who’s emotionally engaged with the car,and is CLOSE TO MAKING A DECISION and says ” I Want to Think about it” WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO Do???; You would probably want me to get them over the line. Mr Sales Manager… If I am putting you under a little bit of pressure to make a decision now.. That’s even more the reason to select me now as your salesperson.
This is a Great Role Play to Demonstrate AT A JOB INTERVIEW HOW YOU CAN NEGOTIATE AND HOW YOU CAN CLOSE !!
Hi KB!
I have enjoyed your site with its advice and encouragement. I am amazed at the people in this economy that are willing to think out of the box and try a career in selling cars…me included. It is really helpful to read about other people’s experiences- being your typical car salesperson (short, female, brunette). I have only been selling for 2 weeks and like it more than any other job I have had. It takes some getting used to, but so does every job! I would have to say that attitude is the key, no matter what kind of day I have. Keep up the good writing.
Shelly
Thank Shelly,
You are right, attitude is everything when you are selling cars for a living. Keep your head in the game and you will do great.
Thanks for your comment, being a car salesperson can be a GREAT job.
Thanks Bryan
Interesting!
KB
Just started at a Chevy dealer last week and finally got my desk. Hoping to be on the floor by the end of the week. I am nervous as I feel my training is not going well, but am excited to dive in head first. Any good tips on the first few things to do as a new car salesman? I have been in sales for 8 years but not in car sales.
Welcome James,
Read through the posts to get an idea of the business.
Good Luck
So I met this good looking guy who told me that he was an IT for a dealership – Audi’s to be specific. Six weeks into the relationship, he broke the news that he wants to be a Audi salesman. The question that pops in mind at the time was “what the heck an IT want to sell car? If you have a steady income, why would anyone want to take the chance of a salary based on commission?” Do you have an better explanation other than he lied to me? It just doesn’t make sense
I can understand. He can probably see the potential to double his income selling cars.
I have sold cars for the same dealership for 23 years, things have changed a lot since i started in 1989. We recently just lost both of our sales managers that have been with us for 16 to 17 years. I am having a hard time adjusting to the new managers. What would you recommend.
I wanted to order the Sales closing book,can i get it in a book form, or is it only availble in e-book form???
hey, i was at work this morning and out of the blue the manager of a car dealership called me and offered me a job (one of my clients, i work in technology sales). he gave me a heads up and would like to meet to discuss it. i currently work on a wage+commission setup and this would be strictly commission. my wife said go for it and my father said i shouldn’t. i do not know what to do! help!
Hi,
I’m 18 and I am really good with people and well organized but because of my age do you think they won’t allow me to even get the job. Not because I am bad looking or immature but because my age is very young please give me an answer I want to make this my career.
thank you
It really depends on the dealership. You wouldn’t be the first 18 year old car salesman.
You should at least talk to him and learn more before making a decision.
Sorry, only available as E-book. You can print it from your computer if you like.
I hate to say it, but you only have to choices. Stick it out or change dealership.
These comments and recommendations are for Jack Davis who had a question on April 20th of 2011 about a customer he had who wanted to skip the meet and greet phase of the sale and jump right into the sale.
Jack, the answer is called CONTROLLING THE SALE. You are new to the auto business so maybe no one has trained you how to do this yet but it is THE VERY KEY to successful auto sales. Once the customer has been allowed to control the sale you have all but lost the sale! Controlling the sale is the very essence of selling automobiles. Learn how to do it and learn it well and you will succeed! You control the direction that the sales process takes from start to finish. You can make the customer THINK that they have taken some control over the sale but never actually allow them TO TAKE CONTROL or you will loose the sale most of the time.
I hope this helps you Jack. If I had more space here I would educate you about controlling the sale but I don’t have that luxury. Ask your boss for some help regarding this. BEST OF LUCK!
Carson Rhodes
Hi, I am from australia and been in the Auto industry for 12 years here. Extensive list of car sales experience. Have you ever heard of a visa for an international to sell cars in USA. i have a number of employers interested. Please , Your help is appreciated.
Sorry, that is beyond my area of expertise.
Thanks Carson
Well said.
Hi,
I am 19 and just starting at a dealership. Any advice to which part of the study material in the training process I should know most about?
Hello, my name is Scott. I’m the new guy at a Mazda dealership. Now, I’ve been here for a little over a month now and things are finally starting to pick up for me. Here’s my issue, I can build rapport like I can breathe. I just have a hard time because I have almost no customer base at all and it seems like the majority of people coming in are already looking for a sales guy… :/
This a problems at some dealerships more than others. You can try to work some orphan customers, but that is one of the drawbacks of being new to a dealership. Sell as many as you can and they will be coming back for you.
KB
All of it!!!
You are at a disadvantage because of your age so you need to dazzle them with your knowledge.
Hi KB,
I just have completed my first week and a half of selling cars. I bought your e-book the day I received the job, and it is really helping me to already know a lot of the terminology (or slang lol) that the other salesman and managers are using.
I am doing pretty well (3 sales so far), but during the week the ups are few and far between. I was wondering after I have customers in for a test-drive and “they need to think about it,” should I consistently be following up with them and requesting appointments over the phone?
Or do you think it is best to make the appointment for the next time they’ll be in while their at the dealership?
As an example:
ME: I think we found the perfect car for you.
CUSTOMER: I agree.
ME: So let’s discuss numbers.
CUSTOMER: I need to think about it and discuss it.
After it becomes clear that there is no way to change their mind to purchase the car that day, should I then try to set up a time for the customer to come back in?
At least I can put them on the spot to see if they’re serious or not about setting up the appointment, but at the same time they may blow the appointment off. I can call on the phone, but it’s just as easy to blow me off there as well.
I really need to increase my weekly ups, and I think the best way to do that is with appointments with people who I have already helped with test driving. I just need to know when is best to propose an appointment.
Thanks in advance! I think the phone is the most underutilized selling technique at my dealership, and it’s how I plan on separating myself from the pack.
Hi ,
I owned restaurants in Ohio for 4 years and I have to sold it because of the economy. I applied for sales position in BMW and Lexus dealers. I am going to interview with them next week. What do you think about salary in high end dealership?
I don’t know how much they are gonna pay during the training period.