Overcoming Objections on the Phone: I Can Be There on Saturday

 

Overcoming Objections on the Phone: I Can Be There on Saturday

TRANSCRIPT: There’s another question that we can get over the phone that feels like a buying signal and, in fact, it is, but if we answer the question the wrong way, it really becomes an objection, because our customer goes and buys somewhere else.

So, we’re doing an owner marketing call and we’ve just told Mr. Jones, “Hey, I’ve got a buyer and an immediate need for your vehicle”, and today is Monday, and he says, “Wow, that sounds great. I can be in on Saturday. What time do you all open?”

See, we can’t fall for that.

Today is Monday. We need to set an appointment for today or tomorrow only. That should be our goal. So, when we’re making an owner marketing call, and we’ve just told the customer that we have a buyer and an immediate need for his Tundra and he says, “Wow, I hadn’t even thought about selling my truck but now I’m interested. I can be there on Saturday. What time do you open?”

We can’t fall for that.

If we set an appointment for Saturday, even if we set it the right way by saying, “We open at 9:00 but my first appraisal for Tundras is for 9:15. Now, I’ve got a 9:15 and a 9:45. Which one works better for you?” See, we may think we’re doing the right thing by setting that appointment at that time but we’re not and here’s the reason: there is almost NO chance that we will see Mr. Jones on Saturday.

Here’s why: today is Monday, Saturday is five days away. What happens between Monday and Saturday? He shops, right? We just gave him new car fever and he’s going to go out and shop. Where is he NOT going to shop during that time? He’s not going to shop with us. Why isn’t he going to shop with us? Because, he’s got an appointment with us for Saturday.

See, he’s our customer. He’s an honorable guy and he’s planning on being here on Saturday but he’s never going to make it, because, between Monday and Saturday he’s going to run into a salesman and that person is going to sell him a vehicle. And we’re never going to see him.

So, the best way to overcome that question, which is really an objection, is, when he says, “Hey, sounds great. I can be there on Saturday. What time do you all open?” we need to respond with, “That’s okay, Mr. Jones, I do have an immediate need for a Tundra configured as yours is. Now, I have ten more Tundra owners on my list to call tonight.

If I can’t get one of them to sell me their Tundra today or tomorrow, can I call you on Friday and we can schedule that Saturday appointment?”

See, we’re calling his bluff. We’re doing one other thing, too. Consumers think about big purchases for the weekend. If he lives or works in our market, there is no reason he can’t make it in today or tomorrow. Now, if he does live or work in our market and we’ve just called his bluff and told him that we’re going to call our other Tundra owners and get one of them to come in, he’ll say, “Oh, I can be there tomorrow”, and we’ll say, “Great, I’ve got a 9:15 and a 9:45. Which one works better for you?”

But let’s say he’s out of our market. Let’s say he’s traveling and he really won’t land back in our market until Friday night. That’s okay, too. See, he’s going to tell us, “Oh, I’m out of town. I won’t get back until Friday night”. “Mr. Jones, that’s no problem. Let’s do this: let’s schedule a time on Friday for me to call you on the off chance we don’t get a Tundra we need before then. I can call you then and we can schedule that Saturday appointment at that time. How’s that sound?”

See, we need to tamp down his new car fever if he can’t come in until Saturday because, otherwise, he’s going to start shopping: he’s going to go online; he’s going to start looking at trade values; he’ll start looking at our competitors vehicles, and we’re going to lose the sale.

Remember our goal: it’s an appointment that shows. It’s not enough to set the appointment. If you set an appointment that’s too far away, they’re not going to show.