Yesterday I introduced this topic by sharing a hard story about a bad car-buying experience I had as a young husband and father. Then later, how I realized how broad the practice of “ripping people’s heads off” really is at car dealerships across America.
After spending many years in various roles of the car business—always on the sales side, I feel an obligation to share with potential future car buyers some tips that will save you from losing your head in the dealership.
The first tip is to: Stay Aware and In-Command.
Who controls any conversation you engage in—not just when you’re buying something? Who’s in control? The one asking the questions.
If you find yourself answering a lot of questions, opening up with more personal information about yourself and your circumstances than you normally would, you’ve probably encountered a salesperson good at asking open-ended questions that can’t be completely answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
Open-ended questions require thought and revelation to be fully answered. Remember the saying, ‘Knowledge is Power’? A good salesperson will use this skill to find out your need or want for being on the car lot. Then he’ll use it against you later when you begin to push back and say, “No”. So come prepared with questions of your own.
Come prepared with the knowledge that you will be asked a lot of open-ended questions about your life, your finances, your family, and your lifestyle. Remember, you’re the buyer. You DON’T have to answer any question you don’t feel comfortable with or don’t feel like answering. You’re not obligated to make conversation or even talk beyond a basic greeting. You’re the one in control because you’re the one who holds the key to the sale, your “Yes”.
Without your “yes”, nothing happens beyond what YOU want to happen. Stay in control by asking the questions you want the answers to and only answer the questions you want to as the sale progresses.
Until tomorrow…
