Mastering the Sales Process: Automotive Steps to the Sale
Matthew J. Wahnon
Senior Vice President Business Development @ Tricor Automotive Group Inc. | Coach, Teacher, Mentor, Speaker - I Am A Resource, Not A Sales Pitch
In every industry, whether automotive, real estate, or retail, a critical sequence guides you from introduction to closing — the sales process. In automotive sales, we refer to this as the "Steps to the Sale," and each step exists for a reason.
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Depending on which trainer or training company you use, the Steps to the Sale could be five steps, seven steps, ten steps, or even more. The bottom line is that you can condense them into as little or as many steps as you like. They all go together. For example, Meet and Greet, Discovery, and Trade Appraisal can all be the first step. Vehicle selection, vehicle presentation, and demo drive can all be in Step 2. Even though I break down the above two steps below into six separate steps, it's a process, and to have the maximum chance of success, you must do all of them right. So don't let anyone fool you with a new way to sell. You must do them all. The reality is that people buy from people they like and trust, period. You have to do them all and do them right to gain that trust. There are no shortcuts. My first mentor told me the secret to success in Automotive Sales is simple:
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It may sound simple, and that's because it is. Always remember, people buy from people they like and trust. This straightforward principle is the foundation of the entire sales process.
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Today's customers are well-informed and often know what they want before they even step into the dealership. They often know more about the vehicle you're selling than you do. This is where your transparency becomes key. By being open and honest, you can build trust and make your customers feel empowered in their decision-making process.
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Let's walk through how following this process ensures you close more deals and, more importantly, helps you create lasting relationships with your customers. This is the ultimate goal that sets successful sales professionals apart.
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1. Meet & Greet
The 'Meet & Greet' step is not just a formality; it's your first opportunity to make a positive impression. Greet your customer with enthusiasm, a firm (but not overpowering) handshake, and, most importantly, a smile. Start the conversation by asking for their name and making them feel welcome. Always address your guest by their last name until told otherwise. This shows respect. This isn't just about politeness; studies show that people respond positively when addressed by their names.
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Your customer has four basic questions about you as a Sales Professional:
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Attitude is everything in the greeting! You should give a positive, upbeat, and enthusiastic voice and your welcoming smile that communicates GIVE ... GIVE .... GIVE …! No matter where the customer is in the purchase process, they deserve your 100% POSITIVE attitude.
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After greeting your customer enthusiastically, with appreciation, and professionally, you are ready to move to the next step.
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2. Make a Friend/Discovery (ask questions)/Build Trust
This is the most crucial step, which I call the "secret sauce" of the sales process. Building trust is critical. Don't just sell — listen. Ask questions about their needs, lifestyle, and what brought them to your product. Personal rapport often makes the difference between a sale and a walk-away.
Take your time with this step. Don't rush here. Most inexperienced salespeople rush through this step and try to shortcut the process. Find out their hot buttons and the most important reason they are considering your product.
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For example, let's say you have a young couple with a 13-month-old baby who's coming in looking at one of your SUVs. This is their second child, and their first child is three years old. Is safety important to your customer? Do you want to present all the safety features in the presentation part of this process, or do you think they are more interested in how much horsepower and torque the vehicle has and how it goes from zero to 80 in 5.6 seconds? Obviously, they would be more interested in safety, so I'm being facetious here; however, these are important things to discover about your customers and build a rapport. You may also want to find out who the car is for so you can tailor your presentation in that manner as well.
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This is not a step to rush through. I got really good at this step because, at one time in my career, I was terrible at it. Sometimes, I would spend 3-4, even 5 hours with the customer only to find out I landed them on the wrong vehicle and wasted my whole day. I also wasted their day.
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If you master this step, I promise you will sell many more cars and build a business within your business. Are you ready for Step 3?
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3. Touch the Desk
This step is about communication and seeking guidance when needed. Let your sales manager know where you are at every step of the deal. Your sales managers are there for a reason. They have experience and typically are very good at what they do. They can guide you and give you advice. Especially if you have a customer who has openly admitted that they have credit issues or maybe the customer asks questions that you might not know the answer to. Seek out your Manager and let them know where you are.
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This is also a good time for your managers to get up and introduce themselves to your customers very early in the process. Greet them and say welcome to the dealership. My name is, and I'm one of the sales managers here. It makes your customer feel special and welcome to the dealership.
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4. Selection
Let me make a suggestion here. After finding out what's really important to your customer and the make and model of the vehicle they came in for with the trim level they want, you personally go and get that vehicle for them. Keep them inside the dealership. Give them a bottle of water, maybe something to eat, perhaps some popcorn; however, in my opinion, you should always be professional and get that vehicle for them. Here in South Florida, where I was selling cars, we usually have mega dealerships, which means we have hundreds if not a thousand vehicles on the lot at any one time. When you take a customer into a sea of cars, it can really confuse people. Sometimes, vehicles are two or three deep, meaning they're stacked behind each other. At other times, vehicles have been on the lot so long that they may have a dead battery. You never want a customer to experience a vehicle that doesn't start; it's not a good look. ?Even though the vehicle might be excellent and it's just a bad battery, it gives the customer a sour taste.
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Remember, you're the professional; act like one and get that vehicle for them, especially in winter's dead cold or summer's heat. Make your customer feel comfortable. Once you get that vehicle and bring it up to a designated area in the front of your dealership, you are ready for Step 5, your vehicle presentation.
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5. Vehicle Presentation
Presentation is your moment of truth. This is where you're on a Broadway stage, and the lights are about to go on.
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WOW, Your customer with an incredible Feature-Advantage-Benefit presentation. Do not skip this step, and do not give up here. Take your time and tailor it to your customer's wants and needs.
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Very Important - Make sure you custom tailor your Feature-Advantage-Benefit sales presentation to what is essential to the customer. Tailor it to what they explained to you is important to them in step #2. Do not overwhelm your customers with your incredible knowledge about the vehicle unless it's an essential issue to them. Many salespeople bore their customers to death with useless information that the customer doesn't care about.
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Product knowledge is vital to your sales success. Product knowledge will allow you to stand out from your competition. However, constantly tailor your presentation to what's essential to your customer. THIS GOES FOR BOTH NEW AND USED VEHICLES.
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If you don't know what a feature advantage benefit presentation is, I will briefly explain it here. However, if you need more elaboration on this, don't hesitate to contact me personally.
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Feature: All our vehicles are designed with specific safety features, such as Fender crumple zones.
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Advantage: Fender crumpled zones are designed to crumple like an accordion, God forbid, or in case you're in a significant front-end or rear-end collision.
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Benefit: Therefore, protecting the integrity of the steel safety cage inside the vehicle that protects you and your family. Of course, the primary benefit is your safety and your family's overall well-being.
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Use "tie downs" after each benefit, which engages a positive response from your customers – "Of course, the primary benefit is your safety and your family's overall well-being," isn't it?
Sales Tie-Downs are short questions you add to statements throughout your presentation to get your prospective customer to start saying yes long before you go for the close. You want to engage your customers throughout your entire presentation.
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Examples of Tie-Downs are - Don't you, Shouldn't you, Couldn't you, Can't you, Doesn't it, Wouldn't it, Wouldn't you agree, Isn't it, Shouldn't it, Make Sense Doesn't it, Am I right, and so forth.
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To do a proper walk-around presentation, you need to take your time and point out all the features, beginning in the front and walking around the entire vehicle, pointing out features, advantages, and benefits along the way. After you conduct a customized presentation that meets your customers' needs, you're ready to go on a demo drive.
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6 Demo Drive
Again, don't skimp on this step. Don't try to shortcut it and go down the block, make a U-turn, and return to the dealership. Your customers spend 10k, 20k, 30k, sometimes $100,000.00 on a vehicle. They deserve a proper demo drive. Your customer deserves a proper full presentation. They do not deserve a salesperson trying to shortcut a process and get down to the nitty-gritty. Take your time here. If a customer drives most of the time on the highway, take them on a highway. If there are city drivers, take your time and drive around the city. Or do a combination of both. Spend plenty of time on a demo drive. This is too important of a process and an experience for your customer to shortcut. Don't be that guy/girl. Give your customers what they deserve: your full attention and time.
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This is also the step in which your customer's emotions get highly involved. All their senses are getting involved. Taste, hear, sight, smell, touch. Your customer is getting emotionally attached to the vehicle that they want. Americans have a love affair with their vehicles, and rightfully so. Vehicles are a big purchase, and vehicles tell a lot about a person's personality.
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The more demo drives you conduct, the more vehicles you will sell. This is indisputable.
7. Trial Close/Ask For The Business
Once you come back to the dealership from your test drive, you go to a designated area at your dealership, get out of the vehicle, and allow your customer to exit the vehicle; I will almost guarantee you they will exit the car, move to the side, and look at it. While they're looking at the car, you walk over to them and say, Mr. or Mrs. Jones, if I can make the terms agreeable, would you like to take this car home today?
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That's it. Do not hesitate, do not fumble, do not say anything else. Here, you ask your customers for the business straightforwardly and directly.
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You deserve it. If you've done everything right, have taken your time with the customer, found out what's very important to them, and given them everything they asked for, you deserve to ask them for the business. Plus, there's only one of three answers that you're going to get:
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1.??? No
2.??? Yes
3.??? Maybe
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And that's precisely what you want: one of those three answers. No matter their answer, yes, no, or maybe, your answer is always the same. Great, let's go inside and work out some numbers for you. Follow me. ?
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Let me explain: If they say yes, obviously, they want to see the numbers in the next step. So, give it to them. If they say maybe, that's just another way of saying yes. If they say NO, I'm not ready to buy right now, then you say, "Great, let's go inside. Allow me to give you the numbers. This way, whenever you're ready to purchase a vehicle, you have all the information you need to make an intelligent decision:" Follow me.
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You must present numbers to close a deal in every situation. In my over 30 years in the car business, I've never sold a vehicle to anyone I did not give a price. You must present numbers to every customer that comes in the door. If you do not present numbers, you have a 0% chance of selling them a vehicle. If you give them numbers, you have a 100% chance of selling them. I'm not saying you will sell them 100% of the time, but you have a 100% chance.
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Your customers also deserve to be presented with true buying figures and numbers. Let's not fool ourselves; they've already done the research. They've already done numbers before they came to see you. They've already figured out their monthly budget. So, give your customers what they deserve and what they came in for. Of course, you're not going to give them numbers right then and there on top of the hood; you first have to go inside, have them sit down, and then move into the next step, Trade appraisal and presenting figures.
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8. Trade Walk/Trade Appraisal.
Let me clarify something about this step. This is the only step that can be moved in the process. In other words, this step can be done very early in the process when the customer first walks into the dealership and you greet them. Some people will be adamant about getting a hard figure on their trade before going forward. This is probably because they have been through this with a previous dealer, and the previous dealer insulted them with their trade-in value. It's OK. This will work to your benefit. Now you know, the experience they had at another dealership was probably not a good one. Move this step up in the process and take control. I discuss this in my "Overcoming Objections" process in the greeting stage. If you would like this Overcoming Objections handbook completely free with no obligation, please ask me for it.
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You'll lose all credibility if you play games with your customers' potential trade. If your customer has a vehicle that has any worth at all, they have already been to many different websites trying to figure out the proper amount of money that their vehicle is worth. Let's just be honest here:
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All customers have a fixed number in their heads that they want to receive for their trade.
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This doesn't mean they won't accept less; it means they do not want to be insulted.
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I often get much pushback from some sales managers because I am very transparent and believe in utilizing the online tools to our advantage. I have no problem going into kbb.com , for example, and going through an appraisal process with my customers at that moment with the customer. Of course, we all know that the customers are going to say that their vehicle is in very good condition and runs excellent; however, we also know that that's mostly not the case. And that's OK. Your customer also knows this, but their goal is simple: get as much money for their vehicle as possible.
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Remember the goal f your customer is simple:
Buy our vehicle for as little as possible, and get as much money as possible for their trade in.
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That's OK. And you have to respect that. You would want to do the same thing.
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Doing a trade walk with your customer 100% of the time will allow you to meet in the middle and reach agreeable terms most of the time. This is vitally important, and I can spend all day on proper trade walks and trade appraisals. Again, as I've said throughout this program, do not skip this step. Take your time and walk around your customers' vehicles with them, noting everything—100% of the time.
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Once you do a proper trade walk with your customer, have your Used Car Manager put the right number on the vehicle.
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Once you have the trade figures from your Manager, you will be ready to present the numbers.
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9. Negotiation (First Pencil)
Once you've done all the steps above correctly, you've earned the right to enter negotiations and close the deal. Remember, always present numbers confidently. You're a professional, and you want to come off as one.
Depending on your dealership and their desking system (Four Square, Menu, etc), you will want to learn the proper word tracks and what to say when you present your numbers. Each system has specific reasons and word tracks you would want to use to close a sale. Even if you're uncomfortable presenting numbers, you must learn your word tracks and stick to what works.
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Negotiation is a skill that is learned. You're not born a good negotiator. You need to learn and study this skill, and you will close more deals. You must ask for the business 100% of the time over and over again. This is not being pushy at all; this is being professional. If you've made it to this step, you already know your customers want your product; they deserve it, and you deserve to sell it to them. You've been highly professional throughout the entire process; you deserve and have earned the right to sell it to them. ?
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Most salespeople fail in sales because they're afraid to ask for the
business repeatedly, and they feel they're being pushy. You are not being pushy, you are being professional.
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I will emphasize one more time: if you've done everything right and treated your customer with respect, you didn't lie or manipulate in any way, you gave your client or customer everything they wanted and more, and you were professional throughout the entire process, you deserve the Sale, and you deserve to ask for the business. If you don't, they will go to the next dealership and buy from the next guy or girl.
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I can spend the whole day on this subject because it is that important. I have many word tracks for presenting numbers and closing word tracks. If you would like me to give them to you, reach out to me, and I would be more than happy to e-mail them at any time.
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10. Manager T.O. and Closing
Step 10 is simple. Hopefully, you can wrap the deal up yourself, but if you're having trouble closing the deal, you're going to want to have your Manager come in and help wrap the deal up for you. Hopefully, you have a good group of managers, and they're fearless in going out there and T.O. your customers.
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If you still need to close the deal after your first pencil, then get a bona fide offer in writing from your customer. Your Manager should then come out and help you wrap it up.
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Why the Process Matters
Skipping steps may seem like a time-saver, but usually ends in missed opportunities. I have a saying I always use: "Shortcuts Equals Paycuts." The sales process works because it builds trust, meets customer needs, and creates a smooth path from introduction to closing. When you follow the process, you control the Sale — and, more importantly, the relationship.
So, whether you're selling cars, homes, or any other product, remember: the process is your roadmap to success. Stick to it, and you'll close more deals.
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Conclusion
Sales success isn't just about closing deals — it's about creating an experience where the customer feels valued. Follow the steps, make them your own, and watch your results soar.
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TRUST IS THE BACKBONE TO SUCCESS IN SALES AND BUSINESS IN GENERAL. GAIN TRUST WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS, AND YOU CAN'T HELP BUT WIN.
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Share this Steps to The Sale guide in your sales meetings, with your sales team, or anyone else you'd like to share it with. Feel free to reach out with any questions or for further guidance on mastering these steps, word tracts, overcoming objections, closing techniques, or anything else you may need. I'm here to help.
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I AM A RESOURCE, NOT A SALES PITCH.
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Thank you for taking the time to review this guide. I hope it provides valuable insights.
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Matt Wahnon
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Putting our Dealer Shareholders, their Auto Dealerships and Retail Guests, and our Amazing Team first, serving as CEO for Tricor Automotive Group Inc.
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