10 Post Ideas for Car Salespeople to Increase Social Media Engagement

By Jonathan Dawson | February 17, 2016 |

I follow thousands of salespeople on social media. I’ve noticed that the types of posts they share fall into a very predictable pattern: Buy a car from me Here is a great car for sale I just sold a car and here is a pic/video of my customer Something personal They repeat the cycle over…

“I Want More for My Trade!” What to Say Next …

By Jonathan Dawson | January 27, 2016 |

How often do you give a customer a fair market value for their trade-in, only for them to come back with a counter offer that’s much higher? What do you do when they just want more? I’ll share the typical responses that I believe are not effective. And then I’ll teach you a close that will help you…

Online Guides vs. Appraised Value – The art of fighting without fighting

By Jonathan Dawson | November 30, 2015 |

“Kelley Blue Book is the Bible and you’re a liar!” What is your strategy when a customer is quoting a popular automotive online guide and not “buying” your trade value? In this article I will summarize some of the responses I’ve seen salespeople try that I believe are not effective. I will then describe one…

Don’t Sit Down! 6 Reasons to Change How You Do Your Investigation

By Jonathan Dawson | November 12, 2015 |

When you meet a new customer on the lot, where do you start your investigation process? I believe there is one best place to do it. But before I share what it is and why it’s the best, look at these typical places and pick the one where you usually start your investigation process: Out…

Educational Selling with Credit-Challenged Buyers

By Jonathan Dawson | October 14, 2015 |

“Anything more than 3% and I’m being taken advantage of!” This is what a recent customer (I’ll call him Tony) said to me while I was working on the show floor with a dealer client of mine. Tony wanted to know if we can get him approved on the car he wants and with a…

Why 90% of Salespeople Have Never Done a Demo Drive

By Jonathan Dawson | August 24, 2015 |

I recently purchased a new car. The process of going around several dealerships and test driving various brands reminded me of how crucial this step is in the selling process. Yet, very few salespeople did it correctly. In fact, I am going to make this bold statement: 90% of salespeople have never done a demo…

Do Customers Only Care About the Price?

By Jonathan Dawson | July 20, 2015 |

Do you believe that today’s customer only cares about the price? Do you think that discounting or even losing money on deals is the only way to win a customer? I believe that price alone is not a strong enough motivator of buying, especially as a long-term strategy for a business or individual salesperson. Any…

Why 90% Will Fail at S.A.L.E.S.

By Jonathan Dawson | April 23, 2015 |

The biggest objection salespeople will get in their sales career is not from a customer but from inside themselves. This is why I believe it’s critical for a salesperson to learn life skills in addition to honing their sales skills. I use the word S.A.L.E.S as a memory word for some of the fundamental life…

“Trust me, I’m a car salesman” – How to become an authority

By Jonathan Dawson | February 2, 2015 |

As part of teaching Sellchology – Selling through psychology, I teach salespeople that there are 8 primary influencers of buying behavior. One of those influencers is Higher Authority. Knowing how to positively and effectively use this principle will help sales teams influence customers at a higher level. The principle of Higher Authority is based on…

6 Steps From Idea To Reality: How to Set Goals that Transform Your Business

By Jonathan Dawson | December 30, 2014 |

How often do you set goals? How often do you say you want to sell more cars? Or hold more gross? Or have more leads? Or be a better closer? If you’re like most people, you will not achieve many of your goals. Do you know where YOU get stuck? There are actually 6 steps…