How To Attract & Sell More Trade-In Leads (PART 8)

How To Attract & Sell More Trade-In Leads (PART 8)

TRANSCRIPT: Let’s talk about our talk tracks with the trade prospect once we get someone on the phone. We’ve got them on the phone, and now we have one goal, and that’s an appointment that shows. Remember the number one objection you’re always going to hear. You’re going to hear this, “Oh, I’m not in the market to buy. I was just curious to see what my car was worth.” I’m going to call bull on this, okay?

In the words of Blake from Glengarry Glen Ross, Alec Baldwin’s character, “A guy don’t walk on a lot, lest he wants he wants to buy.” Okay?

Nobody completes that form, lest they wanted to sell their car. They’re embarrassed. They got a low value. Be prepared for this one big lie. That is the one big lie you’re going to hear when you get someone on the phone, “Oh, I’m not in the market to buy a car. I was just curious to see what my car was worth.” Be ready for that, okay?

Now, why do they say this? They say this because the value return was lower than they hoped. Now, what if they were on your lot already? We’ve been through this. Guy thinks his car is worth 8,000. We just told them 6, right? We sell them a car. You cannot sell an empty seat, so go for the appointment. When you hear that from someone, “Oh, I’m just seeing what my car was worth,” go for the appointment. You have one goal, and that’s it. It’s an appointment that shows. It’s my only goal.

This is my response to that guy. The guy says, “Hey, I was just seeing what my car was worth.” I say this, “I understand, but my used car manager actually wants to see your Camry ASAP. He thinks the computer got it wrong, and he wants to make you a written offer. You know only a trained appraiser knows what your car is really worth, so he often pays much more than what the book shows. Now, I do have 2 appraisal times open on Camrys this afternoon. I’ve got a 2:15, and a 2:45. Which one works better for you?”

See, it doesn’t matter that the customer told me he really wasn’t in the market because I know he is, and I go for the appointment right away. It’s the only goal I have when I get somebody on the phone, and remember to be excited. “Oh, my God! You’ve got a ’77 Gremlin? We haven’t seen one of those ever!” Okay? In general, you should be ready to reiterate that the dealership is very interested in the prospect’s vehicle.

You should explain that the used car manager is anxious to give them a firm value. That creates a real sense of urgency. You need to reaffirm that the dealership will buy the prospect’s vehicle whether or not the prospect buys anything from the dealership. You should direct the conversation to securing a firm appointment for today that shows, and explain that only a trained appraiser knows what their vehicle is worth. You need to say all of these things. Oh, by the way, your words matter.

When you say something silly like, “When would you like to come in?” you’re saying, “We’re not busy. Come in anytime you want. We’re not that interested in your vehicle anyway,” okay? When you say, “When would you like to come in?” You hear things like, “I’ll be in before 9.” You hear, “I’ll get there around noon, “I think I can be there after 5,” “I’ll see you Saturday morning.” The problem with those 4 is none of those are appointments. The customer says, “I’ll be there before 9,” we’re not going to see him. Customer says, “I’ll get there around noon,” we’re not going to see them. “I think I can be there after 5,” yeah, “I think,” there’s no commitment, right?

You have to tell them what you want them to do. You have to ask for the appointment. You have to ask for the appointment in a way that creates importance and urgency. Your goal is an appointment that shows, and it’s the only goal that you have when you have someone on the phone. When I’m asking for the appointment, I say things like this. I say, “I’ve got 2 appraisal times open on Camrys this afternoon. I’ve got a 12:45 and a 1:15. Which one works better for you?”

See, that creates a sense of urgency and importance, right? Let’s say it’s 11:45. I’m asking for an appointment an hour from now and an hour and a half from now. I’m saying, “I’ve only got appraisal times open on Camrys this afternoon.” “Wow! Those guys are buying Camrys. I better get down there.”

All right. You want to make sure that you ask for the appointment, and you ask for it in the outbound call. It doesn’t matter what they say. Let’s just do a quick sample outbound call, right? I pick up my red phone here, and I make the call. I pick up the red phone, and I make the call. I finally get the customer on the phone. The customer says … We’re having technical difficulties. Here’s the red phone that I picked up, right? I pick up the red phone and I say, “Hey, Mrs. Jones. It’s Steve Stauning calling from Steve’s Honda. Did I catch you at a bad time?” She says, “Yeah, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” I say, “Great. I understand. I’m just calling to schedule your priority appraisal on the 2014 Impala. We’ve got 2 appraisal times open this evening on sedans. We’ve got a 5:15 and 5:45. Which one works better for you?” Now, I’m going to be quiet and wait.

Now, I’m really not going to be that cool if she’s fallen and can’t get up. I will call 911 for her. I need to be prepared when I say, “Did a catch you at a bad time?” and they say, “Yeah, it’s a bad time.” Okay? They finally took my call because I left 2 other voice messages earlier today. I only have one goal when I catch them on the phone, and that is an appointment that shows. What I cannot do is I cannot try to schedule a time to call her back later. I have one goal, and that’s an appointment that shows.

When I get her on the phone, no matter what she says, “Did I catch you at a bad time?” I’m going to say, “Great. I understand. I’m calling to schedule your priority appraisal on the 2014 Impala,” and I’m going to move right on from there. Now, it’s important to understand, sometimes they’re not going to say, “Sure,” right? Sometimes they’re not going to say, “Absolutely. Come on in,” okay? Sometimes they’re going to say, “No,” and you need to understand why because I can’t overcome no.

Here’s some secret words that you need to start saying. You need to learn to say this, “It would be irresponsible for a dealer to give you a value over the phone because only a trained appraiser knows what your vehicle is worth.” Regardless of what objection they have, you want to frame the next steps in a way that overcomes the objection.

For example, she says, “I can’t come in. I just want a firm written offer. I don’t have time,” right? Your response to her is, “Mrs. Jones, I understand. The best way for us to save you time is to schedule a priority appraisal, where we’ll get you in and out very quickly. Now, I have 2 priority appraisals open on sedans this afternoon. I’ve got a 12:45 and a 1:15. Which one works better for you?”