Car Sales Questions, Comments, Tips, Advice or Anything Else!
I have set this page aside to post anything that you may think would be of value for Auto Sales Professionals. Feel free to send in anything you would that pertains to Selling Cars for a Living, Car Salesman Tips, or Car salesmaan Income. You can add anything to the comment form below or you can email to KB @ CarSalesProfessional.com
I was wondering if anyone may have an example to how to reply to internet leads ? I have been selling cars for 2 years in April and part of those are via email, I just want to make the email to the best possible for my prospect
Hi Al,
I will be writing more on the subject in the near future.
I am also working on a new book “Survival Guide for the Internet Sales Manager”.
KB
Hi, I just got a interview at a dealership for a full time sales person. I am confident and exited to see if I get the job or not. I been reading a lot of your posts and I see the hours are long. I am young and wanted to see what the salesman lifestyle is like. Do they have time for friends and family? Working during the days seems like you can never enjoy the sun and have time.
Hi KB,
Sami here again. I wanted to ask for your insight on a few things.
1. I have now been the top salesman at my dealership for 4 months (hopefully 5 once march is over), however I am only on track to make 55-65K this year.
It doesn’t seem right. I think the big thing, is that our store uses a one-price policy on USED cars and we DON’T get paid on gross! We get paid out of the doc fee,+3% on gross+volume bonus. The justification is “we don’t have as much profit on used cars as we used to because of the internet,” but I see an average profit of usually 850-1250 on the front-end (counting trade-in) on most used cars. Is the dealership justified in it’s reasoning?
Should I switch immediately or is this standard ? ? ?
2. I have been averaging between 16-18 cars a month at the dealership, which also seems pretty low for the top salesperson.
I see some people commenting they sold 30 cars in a month at some dealerships. I feel like I’m missing out .
KB please help! I have bought both of your books, and am a loyal promoter of your website. Any comments appreciated !
HI JP,
Every dealership is different. Pick the best one for you and then kick butt. Yes you will work more than forty hours a week, bit you should always have two days off. If you can’t make 100K a year selling cars 5 days a week you need to change how you are doing it.
KB
Hi Sami,
1. Nice to hear from you again. If you are the top car salesman at your dealership and only making 65K it may be time to think about a different dealership with a better pay plan. Pay plans are different at every store and yours doesn’t sound very attractive. However you might want to see where you are tracking by the end of June before you decide to make a change. The first two months are usually the worst, but March is usually better. To consider the dealership side of the equation; if they need to do that to sell cars (one-price policy) because of competition they will because they are naturally going to be concerned about the health of the store before your needs are taken into consideration. You didn’t say how many new and used they sell each month.
2. I have talked to and worked with salespeople that were selling 30 cars at some dealerships and they weren’t making much more than you are tracking for now. The overall pay plan is important. Not only the commission, but the bonuses and the opportunity to sell extras needs to be considered. Pay Plan is everything and every dealership is different. Eighteen cars a month is quite respectable.
KB
Hi there,
I am thinking about becoming a car salesperson, but have one concern. The dealership I went to says they offer training to become “certified” but it would cost me $500 up front. The pay plan says $300/wk + commission. and They reimburse you after 120 days. I guess I was wondering if this is a common practice or is it a scam and I should look for a different dealership.
Hi RG,
I have talked to some dealerships that do exactly what you described for training.
I am not a fan of this practice, but they do it to make sure that the people that they do hire and train are very serious.
Many people lack the commitment and dedication to to become a car sales professional so they charge for training and then those that are unsure about entering the field will pass on the opportunity. At least they reimburse after 120 days because don’t even have that option.
There are many dealers that do not have such regulations so you have to decide what is best for you.
KB
hello there, I just became a car sales man and I have been at it for about a week, I have never been in sales nor have I been in a high end job like this before. I am wondering what can I do to sell my first couple of cars and break the ice??? please help me
I’m going to be starting at a Chevrolte Dealer near my house (hopefully first interview went glowing), and I felt it was them to because I’ll never be able to reach a six figure income at a small used car lot. Between the knowledge I’ve learned at this lot, what I’ll learn at the new, and your book I think I’m well armed with the tools to reach a six figure income!
To anyone reading this, this man knows what he is talking about, and this book is the gift that keeps on giving. I’ve printed it out and plan on going back to it DAILY, to stay fresh.
Thanks KB, I’ll be in touch
Thanks Mark
Good Luck
Hey KB,
I was wondering if you ever worked with someone who had a stutter. The only time I do it is when I am making phone calls to get appointments. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Hi Beau,
As a matter of fact I have worked with a person that stuttered slightly.
He did better with practice. The more comfortable you become with what you are saying the less chance of stuttering.
KB
Hello everyone
I have never sold cars or worked commission, but this site has helped me train sales teams for selling just by helping them set the right mindset for sales and helping customers. Do you know your products, know your customer, know yourself ( self-confidence), have goals for yourself, do you know your targets set by your manager? Do you know what you expect from yourself and does it align or exceed that of what other people expect from you? I have found that over thre course of be a retail sales manager if I was able to teach my teams to say yes to all the questions then they would perform well selling for me. Everyone might need help from time to time, but have the confidence to ask for it and don’t fail beacuse you don’t know. Any way thanks you for this site and keep up the great work.
KB,
I’m currently employed at a buy here pay here dealer and have been for a couple of years now. My current pay plan is salary plus commissions however I only clear around 3500 a month. There are a few places I could go but I’m a little scared of the Franchise dealers and used car lots. All I keep hearing is that everybody has to take “minis” and noone is making any money. A former co-worker of mine has offered me a job and keeps promising me someone of my caliber can make really good money there but again I’m nervous. Would you be interesting in hearing my current pay plan and giving me some advice of where to go in the business as I’m in my early 20′s and a green pea in car sales.
Thanks,
I just recently got back into car sales after a 20 year break. I’m at a “buy here pay here” lot for 4 mos now, which used cars are new to me. I was Salesperson of the month for February. So, I haven’t lost to much of my skills They have a great internet lead program (we do floor/internet together. Before now I have had no experience with Internet Leads. My problem is gretting the prospects to return intial calls. Our system is set up for rapid response to a new lead and I have literaly call within 60 sec of the posting only to go to voicemail. Then no call back. Any thoughts or suggestions
Give them a reason to call you back in the message.
Something that excites them.
“Hi Mr. Customer, I have some great news for you. Call me back at 123-456-7890.
Hi Mitch,
You have to take the plunge, unless you are happy with 3500 a month.
There are plenty of dealerships out there where a six figure car salesman income is a reality, but you have to take the plunge and find out for yourself.
KB
Thanks Eric,
Success in sales is mostly in the mind and attitude of the salesperson.
It’s the like the old saying; If you think you can, you will and If you think you can’t you won’t.
KB
Dear Publisher!
I recently retired out of the Army after 32 years of service thinking that surely there would be a job for me. I found out the hard way, especially after losing everything! Yes, from a hero to zero.
Then one day, by stroke of luck or by faith, I came across these articles and after reading them, I applied for a position in a Internet Sales Department at a dealership in Alabama. In applying these simple blueprints for success, I am now well on my way to a 6 figure income and able to support my family.
I want to thank all of those responsible for the website and to those contributing their personal remarks.
“Don’t be sensitive to what people say, Be sensitive to what is Successful!”
To Our Success!
Jodis Butler
My Husband Has been selling cars for almost 2 years, He has been the top saleman every month but 2 since he started. At the dealership he works for they do not offer any kind of bounus, and to make matters worse he never knows what he is making off of a car untill he gets his pay check, Is it alright for a dealership to do that?
The dealership he works for also does not offer a % They use a tier methood to decide how much you make off of a deal. Has any one ever heard of this before?
KB-
I’ve been in the retail management industry for a while now, and left that to work at CARMAX. The pay was so unstable that I got discouraged and left to go back to retail management. I averaged from 6 to 13 cars a month, and was consistantly one of the top 3 consultants. I really love the auto industry and would love to go back, but the pay scares me, not having a steady income. 1) Would other dealers see working at CARMAX as a negative or positive? 2) I make about 50k a year right now, but I dont like my job. Do you think it is worth leaving to go back into the industry?
Hi Marya,
It sounds like your husband is quite good at his job.
Every dealership does things a little differently.
If he is happy with the income thats great, but if he is not making enough and is looking for bonuses it might be time to check out other dealerships.
KB
Hi Again Marya,
I have not heard of a tier system for commission, but like I said earlier every dealership is different.
KB
Hi Nate,
First off, I have never heard too much about Carmax pay plans and secondly the little I have heard wasn’t very good.
Some dealers may consider it good experience and hire more easily.
If you are happy with 50K a year great, but if you are not then you need to get over the fear of earning 100% commission.
I talk of being able to earn a six figure income as a car salesman because it is more common than you think.
The opportunity is there, but you have to decide.
KB
so is their a coloration from your perspective between personal life and work life i.e. i was having a tough time in my life dealing with family issues and my car sales weren’t as high about 3 in one week (granted i’m new in the industry) but then after i worked through those things my sales went to 9 in the following week?
so my question is if your happier in your personal life will you be marginally successful in your car sales?
Hi KB,
I’m about to join a car dealership that sells both used and new cars. I decided to give a try to the car sales industry because I am sick of having a fixed income and in this economy the salaries out there are too low.
So i’m giving this a shot. I don’t have sales experience but I am hungry for success. I am preparing to go in with a winning attitude and before I went to the interview I read your blog and that really pumped me up.
The dealership I am going to be working at is offering minimum wage for the 1 week training. After that it’s 100% commission. However, they said that if I am not able to sell cars in a month, or make below $1200 I think, I’ll get a $1200 check, but I wouldn’t want to be in that situation.
Being a older college student as well. Some strategies I am thinking to market myself are making a Facebook page for myself, and putting up flyers on the college campus and also giving out my cards to students at the college.
However, I think that college students are not much prepared to buy a car. How can I tap into adults who purchasing power? I am also new in this town and don’t know people around.
Please give your advice. I want to be successful at this and taste the success of big money. I want to get hooked on this field.
Thanks!
Hi,
I start Monday at a Toyota dealership, and I’ll be the only lady salesperson on the lot. Any ideas on how I can work this to my advantage? I used to be the number one sales person at the retail store I worked for, but I know cars will be a bit different! Thanks!
Hi Jessica,
Congrats and welcome to the car business.
Read over the posts here on the website, absorb as much as possible and listen closely to your customers.
The advantage of being a car saleswoman will come naturally. Keep your head in the game and you will do fine.
Best of Luck
KB
Hi Dany,
I hope it works out for you.
You have good ideas for getting your name out there.
Then you need to to do some car sales prospecting.
The right attitude will take you a long ways in this business.
KB