Thread: Looking for Salesman and Good Sales experiences.

AS I'm about to give that sort of wage earning a go.

Big ticket sales items specifically.

Save your hatin' for the other thread (yeah, start it yerself).

It's the only field where "no experience" is required and decent money can be made and "normal" hours are the gig.

I've never felt the need for the services of a salesperson for cars as I know cars, and what i want and that's that. But apparently there is a large part of the population who will evermore buy cars from folks who sell them professionally. And i'm now old enough to understand that the position of salesman is there in order to service the customers who need them and that there's nothing wrong with that. Sure it might cost a little more, but why should anyone work for free? If there was no "value" then there'd be no service.

I'm asking the salesmen to come out of the woodwork and confirm/deny/comment.

I've already started "working" conversations at random. It's a hoot and something I never really pursued before, outside of convenience and antiques (and then i was dumb).

I figger the step from used auto to new auto to real estate or boats or planes ...well if you can SELL, then you can SELL.

See Glengarry Glenn Ross again yo! (Coffee is for Closers!)



or tell a great Sales story from the Customer perspective. thanks

If I am reading your post correctly you are going to dip your toe into the Car Biz ???

Originally Posted by gssixgun

If I am reading your post correctly you are going to dip your toe into the Car Biz ???

Yeah, I don't have to get a certificate or move to the oil-rigs or coast to get a job that way. Should still have time to pursue my metal-working hobbies (bikes, blackpowder, razors) in the evenings. And a paycheck would be killer!

***
I'm at mid-life where folks often change horses mid-stream.

but I wasn't really on any horse, i'm just trying to catch a stirrup (or paddle) and get my ass out of this current...

Originally Posted by WadePatton

... Should still have time to pursue my metal-working hobbies (bikes, blackpowder, razors) in the evenings.

That is key right there.

It will work out simply because you have a good attitude about it.

I've never been in 'sales'.
But I do know someone that was doing exactly that, but he didn't fit the whole 'used car salesman', 'pitchman', 'the hard sell' "ambush them on the sales floor' kinda deal and he did great. As a matter of fact he made bank! He sold trucks. I never woulda thought he would make anything at it. I was sure proved wrong. He makes his own hours too. And he said he still has time for his other interests in the evenings and weekends. (mainly surfing, and volunteer math tutor at the city college). Im not sure what hes doing now as I've kinda lost contact over the last couple years.

I'm not a salesman but I am in charge of the IT across a 6 dealership car sales business. Having worked within the industry now for over 7 years I have seen and spoken to a fair number of salesman and picked up a thing or three.

On the whole car salesmen actually know bugger all about cars, half of them couldn't change a wheel if their life depended on it. So knowledge of the innermost workings of a car are obviously not needed, they do know how many doors a car has and what colour it is hehe. The specs they actually just get on a printed sheet as and when they need them (read when a customer asks them anything other than how many doors does it have).

So what makes a car salesman successful? This one is a bit tricky because some people like a brash in your face salesman and some like a quiet fellow. What ever their tactic / act is (all the good ones are acting in a since) all the successful ones have one thing in common and that is the ability to have a conversion with a customer.

I always ask the top salesman how they do it. Most say that they get talking to bthe customer about something they like, could be fishing, could be their kids, could be straight razors It doesn't matter so long as its not cars Once they find that something they say they are 90% there with the sale as the customer then no longer sees them as a slimy used car salesman but just a "decent nice fellow" who happens to be selling them a car

I have lots and lots of little tricks they use, when I have time I'll list a few out.

Good luck and congratulations on your new job

When someone pulls the 'shamwow' act/tricks on me...bye. Sorry, I digress.

Originally Posted by mike1011

I always ask the top salesman how they do it. Most say that they get talking to bthe customer about something they like, could be fishing, could be their kids, could be straight razors It doesn't matter so long as its not cars Once they find that something they say they are 90% there with the sale as the customer then no longer sees them as a slimy used car salesman but just a "decent nice fellow" who happens to be selling them a car

That's funny. I've always stopped salesmen in their tracks as soon as they bring up any topic that's not related to the car. Everyone wants something different from the salesperson. Some want the full volume blast in your face kind of thing, and I want the guy who wastes no words, gets one shot at meeting the deal that I'm expecting to get, and talks about nothing else. I always tell the salesman in a trade situation that I have a spare set of keys, and if they want to play any games wasting time (by holding keys and saying someone's not done looking at the car for more than a shot period of time), I'm not afraid to leave with the set that they don't have so that they can mail the first set back.

Having been in sales /marketing most of my adult life, and having trained many thousands of sales people over the years, I can tell you that it is very rewarding financially, emotionally, etc. However... if you don't have a natural knack for it then you'll have to really apply yourself to learning how to sell, and you must NEVER GIVE UP!

The best advice I can give is to learn "The Art of Asking Questions". Good sales people listen a lot more than they talk, and most folks will tell you exactly what they want if you learn to ask the right questions...

...That, and as I say: Persistence is the Key...

Originally Posted by Wolfpack34

Having been in sales /marketing most of my adult life, and having trained many thousands of sales people over the years, I can tell you that it is very rewarding financially, emotionally, etc. However... if you don't have a natural knack for it then you'll have to really apply yourself to learning how to sell, and you must NEVER GIVE UP!

The best advice I can give is to learn "The Art of Asking Questions". Good sales people listen a lot more than they talk, and most folks will tell you exactly what they want if you learn to ask the right questions...

...That, and as I say: Persistence is the Key...

Yes. I don't know if I have the real knack until I get "on the lot" and really face the dragon. BUT I have sold cars for friends and of course all those that I've ever owned. In the 15-20 cars of my life I've only ever bought one through a dealer.

It will be a challenge shutting my mouth, BUT then I've used that in the cars/deals i've made/sold in the last few years...profit makes a good motivator.

time to dig

Originally Posted by WadePatton

Yeah, I don't have to get a certificate or move to the oil-rigs or coast to get a job that way. Should still have time to pursue my metal-working hobbies (bikes, blackpowder, razors) in the evenings. And a paycheck would be killer!

***
I'm at mid-life where folks often change horses mid-stream.

but I wasn't really on any horse, i'm just trying to catch a stirrup (or paddle) and get my ass out of this current...

Retired from the Nightclub biz after 25 years, moved to North Idaho in 2002 went from Ford Sales to Finance Manager (which is also part sales) to Semi-Retired now, but still keeping a few fingers in the Car Biz Got in the Car game because I looked at it as a no brainer way to make money and meet people in a new town it was all that, and more..

Car Sales is always on the Bottom 10 "least respected jobs" list and also on the Top 10 list of making money without a college degree Of course with so many degrees not worth the paper they are printed on in a job search in today's market, those facts might be even more in favor of moving steel

If you want to chat a bit fire me a pm and we can yak on the phone..