not buying a car today

There you are out on the lot when you see a couple pull up in car that is several years old. You think you hit the jackpot, both husband and wife are present and it looks like they have a trade in. It’s show time and you head over to greet them and before you can say a word they say, “we are not buying a car today”. Then they go on to explain to you that they are looking at several different brands and that they are just doing research today. Oh boy, just what you wanted, more customers doing research. Your smile disappears and your attitude heads south quickly.

Has this all too common car salesman scenario ever happened to you? If you have been selling cars for any length of time you have heard this story many times. So what happens next? Do you give them the dog and pony show hoping for a future sale? Do you do as little possible and hope they will leave so you can get a serious car buyer? What happens next is up to you, you know you have a car buyer in front of you, but they said they are not buying a car today.

Have you ever sold a car to this couple today, not when they came back, but now? Were you able to get that customer to say we have seen enough and we want you to sell us this car now? If you have, I commend you, because that is what a professional car salesman does. However if you haven’t sold a car to “we are not buying a car today” you need to change your ways.

Lets clear something up in case you aren’t catching on yet, these people are buying a car and you have a chance to sell it to them or turn them into a be-back (we all know about be-backs). When they say we are not buying a car today it means they are buying a car. You are the one that will determine if they drive it home today or if they visit another dealership and drive a car from the competition home today.

Who Wants to Sell a Car Today

What happens when a customer walks through the door and says to the car salesmen “who wants to sell a car today”? First off this is so rare I won’t even guess how often this happens and when it does that customer rarely (if ever) buys a car for any number of reasons starting with credit and ending with price. People that buy cars don’t announce that they are buying a car today; they say we are not buying a car today so you will leave them alone. They have heard that keeps the car salesman from being pushy.

Tips for We Are Not Buying a Car Today

  • When they tell you they are not buying today you must assume they are buying today. Assume the sale and treat them like a buyer because they will be a buyer if you do your job.
  • Don’t react to their not buying statement, keep smiling, keep moving and keep doing your job.
  • Tell them that you understand and that you will provide them with the information they need to make a good decision.
  • Build the value in the car, the dealership and yourself.
  • No shortcuts, give them the VIP treatment
  • Include their trade-in if applicable
  • Be sure to mention current incentives and specials
  • Create Urgency – incentives, big sale, hot model, hot color, etc.…
  • Tell them a story about similar customers and their positive experience
  • Don’t bad mouth the competition if they bring it up
  • Use your product knowledge to earn their business
  • Assume the Sale and create urgency when you present the numbers
  • But, we weren’t going to buy today, but we will since we met a car sales professional.

Cars are sold every single day to people that say we aren’t buying a car today. This is where the professional shines and earns their commission. When it comes to selling cars don’t underestimate the value of assuming the sale. This is the most powerful tool in the car salesman’s arsenal. This above anything else will sell you more cars when you exercise this skill naturally with every customer.

Later, Fresh Up on the Lot

KB

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1 Comment

John · February 22 at 8:56 pm

Wish I had a dollar for every customer who said they were not buying today. Very satisfying when they do or say `thank you, I had no intention of buying a car today’

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