I went to see my friend at a car lot where he works, where he had been the top salesman since the day he started. Understandably, there were some upset co-workers of theirs, who just didn’t like the fact that they had been there for the better part of 2 years and this guy with no car sales experience came along and literally blew everyone’s pants off at the Department. They thought the first month was a fluke, but after 6 months straight, they had no choice but to bow down to the new king of cars.
So what was it that made him so successful in this new industry? Was it that he worked harder, showed people more cars, took people on better test drives than the next guy? Actually, if you were to follow him, you would say that he is lazy. It doesn’t look like he’s working at all. He is standing in front of the entrance yelling “UP”. (That’s what car salesmen say to each other so other salesmen know they’re taking the next customer who’s pulling into the lot.) lots of questions he is relaxed watching everyone work hard while he works smart.
I have known Dante for a long time and he is the one percent of the population that has mastered the art of sales. He will see that sales is not about you having the best product or the cheapest price, it is not about how much money your product will save a company or an individual. It’s not about kissing the decision makers. It is about one thing and one thing only.
RELATIONSHIPS, PERIOD!
Don’t get me wrong, you can’t sell a piece of junk to someone who likes quality stuff nor can you give something of great value to someone who only likes cheap stuff. Sure, you have to have something of value that someone is willing to trade their hard-earned money for. We can say with 95% accuracy that as long as the product has value and is priced fairly, someone will buy it.
So why is Dante still number one?
Because he has mastered the skill of creating a serious relationship with you in 30 seconds. No matter who you are or where you come from, if Dante starts talking to you, you forget you even came there to buy a car. That seems to be the second thing that happens to you once you get involved and strike up a conversation with him. You came in to inquire about buying a truck and he says “hey, before I find you a truck, I want to take you for a test drive in this SUV.” He leans in and whispers to you, “I love this SUV and I want to drive it.” one more time today. It’s my dream trip'” So you walk in, he goes around the block and comes down and looks, you come back to the lot and they’re friends.
That was the hard part, now the easy part is finding what you like and signing the paperwork. If you can’t make a deal, you actually feel bad about not buying him a car, so your phone is constantly ringing off the hook with referrals from past customers and potential customers.
So how do we become like Dante? Simple, he masters the art and skill of relationships and people, and you will be at the top of any sales business you desire.
The first step is to get out of your own way. Stop worrying about the sale. Start worrying about what the other person would want. Would he want to buy your product first or become your friend first? Look, the answer is simple, we are so hungry for money that we can’t see anything else. Start worrying about that person’s budget, what he can afford, what you want a product to do, what will improve his life or situation. When you focus on these things, you’re out of the way and can focus on finding exactly what they want.
People can smell a salesman around the corner and genetically they don’t like being sold to. They like to sell themselves and then buy it. There are many more skills to learn this one, but it’s a start for you. Get out of your own way and watch what happens.
The only point I want to make clear is that there is no end to learning skills; they are always practiced and used or rusted like the game of golf or any other game you can play. So always keep learning and practicing.
For your success,
eddie holford
1-888-433-2032
