Appointment-Driven Communications – Part 17
Appointment-Driven Communications – Part 17
TRANSCRIPT: Before we wrap up this ‘Appointment-Driven Communications’ class, I want to make sure that you understand something. I said earlier that I hate phone training. The reason that I hate phone training is you leave phone training sites and then you never change a thing. I don’t want that to happen with this. This wasn’t just a specific phone training class. We talked about appointment-driven communication. We talked about the perfect appointment. We talked about the ‘why’ and the ‘how’, not just the ‘what’, right?
The ‘what’ is what a typical phone training class is all about. Remember your goal. But, here’s the key: I need you to start reinforcing today’s training right now. You need to start, today, doing things the right way. Here’s what’s going to happen if you don’t: if you think, “Hey, this is great. Tomorrow is when I’ll start doing this”, you’re going to get up from your desk, you’ll catch some Up, you’ll get a phone call or make a phone call to a prospect and they are going to give you an objection that you hadn’t heard before; that we didn’t discuss in this training and you’re going to go right back to doing things the way you always did, and you’re not going to sell any more cars. So, start today.
I had a very wise owner of a couple of Nissan stores tell me this and I’m going to tell it to you. There are two best times to plant a tree. The first best time was twenty years ago and the second best time is today. Today is the second best time to get going forward with using the proper talk tracks, but more than that, having the discipline. Knowing not just ‘what’ to say, but knowing ‘how’ and ‘why’ to say it.
If you want to reinforce today’s training, don’t allow yourself to freelance. Stick to the talk tracks as they’re written. Now, once you get good with these talk tracks, then you can begin to incorporate things in your own personality and change them up to try and sell more cars, but measure as you’re saying these things.
Another way to reinforce today’s training is roll play. Roll play every day. Roll play with your kids, your wife, and your co-workers. Have them say some of the objections that we went through today, right? Have them say, “I’m not coming in til you tell me what my 2008 Taurus is worth.”, and then have that response ready.
Remember the goal. The goal is an appointment that shows if you have them on the phone. The goal is a call back if you are reaching them by voicemail or email. And, be selfish. That’s part of the goal. If your goal is to make money for yourself, which is what it should be, in the automotive industry, be selfish. If you’re selfish, you will make more money for your dealer. You really will. If you’re selfish, you will make your customers buy more cars with better experiences than they are getting today. The VIP treatment isn’t just words. The true perfect appointment is a real VIP treatment and customers love it. If you start doing the perfect appointment, customers will actually come to you. They’ll walk right up to your desk (I’ve seen it), and they will tell the sales manager, “My gosh, this is the very best experience I’ve ever had buying a car”. So, be selfish. When you are selfish, everybody wins.
Remember this saying, “I don’t get paid for information”. Keep telling yourself that. “I don’t get paid for information. I don’t get paid to build rapport on the phone. I don’t get paid to touch base. I get paid for appointments that show and buy.”
Finally, the best way to reinforce today’s training, beyond everything we’ve talked about, is let’s make discipline a game. What do I mean by that? When you’re talking to someone on the phone, and you’re trying to set an appointment, and you say, “I have two test drives on that Camry today. I’ve got a 5:15 and a 5:45, which one works better for you?” be ready for an objection. Assume they aren’t going to pick one of those times, and, then you make it a game. So, whatever their objection is, “No problem”, and then you end with “Well, I have two…appraisals open today, I have a 5:15 and a 5:45. Which one works better for you?”
If you can make discipline a game, discipline becomes easier. You become better at the talk track. Eventually, you are setting appointments that show at nearly 100% and you are closing at well above 80%. That’s what living in an appointment culture feels like.
Old School GM
August 20, 2014 @ 1:22 pm
I started selling cars over 30 years ago and I’ve been through every seminar and training ever offered. I’ve been a GM/partner in my store for over 15 years and I can tell you that Steve Stauning is the BEST trainer in automotive, PERIOD! I’ve seen every trainer in the industry over the last 3 decades and most of them are very, very good. Steve is great, PERIOD. He is head and shoulders above the others because he recognizes our industry’s future and teaches dealers and their teams how to be successful without the tired Old School Tricks the others still teach today.
Steve Stauning
August 20, 2014 @ 1:25 pm
Thank you for kind words. Good Selling!
Jack
May 3, 2014 @ 8:34 pm
Steve, I am a rookie in this business and my feet won’t hold up long enough to stumble through until I learn what works. Based on your reputation of quality training, I chose you to lead me past the common mistakes. In fact, your examples of what not to say are nearly word for word of my calls. Now I attempt to sound as much like you when I make my calls. Here is my issue; My appointments that show have dropped by over 50% since. The number of Scheduled appointments has increased but so has the number of calls I’m making. I am confident I am doing something different to be getting this result. I made 5 appointments for today 4 were confirmed by my manager and the first 2 are already no shows. I know I can be successful if I get past this no show hurdle.
Steve Stauning
May 3, 2014 @ 8:36 pm
Hi Jack,
Without hearing your calls, I cannot be certain what is happening, but let me give you some examples of folks who’ve used my talk tracks and still had a 40% show rate (instead of the 80% they should expect). Here are the 5 most common items we improved that took them back above an 80% show rate:
The Firm Appointment Time. Some salespeople who’ve used my talk tracks allowed customers to reply “I’ll be in around 6” instead of requiring they set the appointment for the :15 or :45. “Around 6” almost never shows; while “at 6:15” almost always shows.
The Recap. It is critical that when you and the prospect have agreed on a time for the appointment that you finish with “Okay, (prospect name) just to recap: I’m going to see you tonight at 6:15 to test drive that 2014 Toyota Camry. Now, I’m going to get that Camry cleaned, gassed and parked out front so that when you arrive you will be in and out and on your test drive within 5 minutes. Now, if anything happens to me or that Camry, I’m going to be sure to call you well in advance so that you don’t waste a trip down here. All I would ask from you is that you show me the same courtesy. So, can I COUNT ON YOU for 6:15?” (A “yes” here creates that mental commitment in the prospect’s mind.)
The Manager Confirmation. Usually about 4 hours before the appointment (though this is up to your sales manager), a MANAGER must make the proper confirmation call. This call does not mean they say simply “I’m just confirming your appointment.” The manager needs to use a talk track similar to The Recap (above) so that the customer will feel guilty if they no-show.
Appointments for Today or Tomorrow Only. When you allow someone to set a Saturday appointment on any day except Friday or Saturday, you are more likely to get a no-show than a show.
Investigate No-Shows at the Scheduled Appointment Time. If they’ve simply forgotten about the appointment (and you and your manager used the proper “Recap” talk track), they will take your call and let you schedule a new time.
I’m hopeful these help – Good Selling!