Watch your Sales Grow!
The difference between an average paycheque and a great paycheque has much to do with small improvements that produce significant results. It's true, it could be that your warranty presentation needs some compelling evidence to back-up your claims; maybe your protection package sales can be boosted with one or two stories from your own experience or an experience of a friend or family member, someone close to you. In other words, maybe you need to put some heart and soul into your own belief about the products; perhaps your credit insurance offerings are overcome by objections that you are uncomfortable to address. There are all sorts of materials available to help you in each of these areas. It's up to you to resource what is missing, work with the new material so the words you speak are your own. It's important to weave your own personal style throughout your work, and then use it! This is an education process of sorts. For example, ask lots of questions to your reps (your product suppliers), they are in the field regularly and see the best of the best and the worst of the worst, they can tell you what works in the field for their product offerings and what doesn't. They are a valueable source of information, make the most of your relationship with them, it will ultimately benefit all three of you (the customer, the rep, and you)!
Remember to ask for the sale! I watch sales people all the time when I am out shopping and I really like to pay attention to their skills and techniques. Many salespeople describe a long list of fabulous features and benefits of their product but do not ask for the sale. Sometimes it's uncomfortable to ask. What to do? GET COMFORTABLE WITH THE QUESTION! Every single time you present a product to a customer you MUST follow the presentation with asking for the sale. Even if you are offering the product for a second or third time (this should be your limit by the way), be sure to ask your customer for the sale after reviewing more features and benefits. Some examples of asking for the sale are: "can I include that in your payment today"; "you can put that on your credit card if you like"; "before I print off your final paperwork, would you like me to include...". Make sure you are comfortable with the closing question. If you don't like any of these, find one that does work for you and use it tirelessly, it will generate more sales if you are not using this process consistently already.
Manage your customers payments to fit their budget. Use extended amortization terms (72, 84 and 96 months) if that option qualifies on your deal. Customers today are very payment driven and extended amortization terms are designed to keep their payments within budget. If they have extra money during their loan term they can pay that down against the auto loan and reduce the amount of interest they ultimately pay and shorten their amortization. Another consideration is to defer their first payment from 30 days up to 90 days. Usually a delay up to 45 days doesn't require special approval from the financial institution but more than that does. Always be sure to check with the bank you are preparing the contract for to confirm their specific policy. If approved, your customer can be driving their new (or used) vehicle for up to 3 months without making any payments!!! Just in time to receive that tax refund from Revenue Canada; or maybe that gives your customer enough time to finish making final payments on something else that is coming to the end of it's term which will free up money to apply to the new auto loan payment; or maybe their is an inheritence coming their way and the payment deferal is needed to bridge some time before they are paid out a lump sum which they will in turn apply to their auto loan. Another option to offer your customers is bi-weekly (or weekly) repayment terms. Many people are paid bi-weekly and it is easier for them to make a smaller payment every two weeks than one larger payment once a month. The payment amount will always be less than half of the full monthly payment because there are 26 payments per 12 month period rather than 24 payments. As an added bonus the customer will pay a little less interest during the loan term if they have a bi-weekly repayment schedule. The financial institutions created these repayment options for the convenience and savings of the customer. Use them as tools to help your customer take that extended warranty, protection package or credit insurance that seemed just a little over budget on a monthly repayment plan. These choices are particularly effective when your customer is keen on a product but can't quite agree to the increased monthly payment.
Finally, I suggest that whatever you choose to improve on, if it's a particular technique or a product, in either case, stay focused on one area at a time and stay with that fine-tuning process until you have reached your anticipated targets. Choose; Improve (work with it, persevere; work with it, persevere and work with it, persevere, until your goals are reached) then; Move on to another technique or product and repeat the process.
Remember to ask for the sale! I watch sales people all the time when I am out shopping and I really like to pay attention to their skills and techniques. Many salespeople describe a long list of fabulous features and benefits of their product but do not ask for the sale. Sometimes it's uncomfortable to ask. What to do? GET COMFORTABLE WITH THE QUESTION! Every single time you present a product to a customer you MUST follow the presentation with asking for the sale. Even if you are offering the product for a second or third time (this should be your limit by the way), be sure to ask your customer for the sale after reviewing more features and benefits. Some examples of asking for the sale are: "can I include that in your payment today"; "you can put that on your credit card if you like"; "before I print off your final paperwork, would you like me to include...". Make sure you are comfortable with the closing question. If you don't like any of these, find one that does work for you and use it tirelessly, it will generate more sales if you are not using this process consistently already.
Manage your customers payments to fit their budget. Use extended amortization terms (72, 84 and 96 months) if that option qualifies on your deal. Customers today are very payment driven and extended amortization terms are designed to keep their payments within budget. If they have extra money during their loan term they can pay that down against the auto loan and reduce the amount of interest they ultimately pay and shorten their amortization. Another consideration is to defer their first payment from 30 days up to 90 days. Usually a delay up to 45 days doesn't require special approval from the financial institution but more than that does. Always be sure to check with the bank you are preparing the contract for to confirm their specific policy. If approved, your customer can be driving their new (or used) vehicle for up to 3 months without making any payments!!! Just in time to receive that tax refund from Revenue Canada; or maybe that gives your customer enough time to finish making final payments on something else that is coming to the end of it's term which will free up money to apply to the new auto loan payment; or maybe their is an inheritence coming their way and the payment deferal is needed to bridge some time before they are paid out a lump sum which they will in turn apply to their auto loan. Another option to offer your customers is bi-weekly (or weekly) repayment terms. Many people are paid bi-weekly and it is easier for them to make a smaller payment every two weeks than one larger payment once a month. The payment amount will always be less than half of the full monthly payment because there are 26 payments per 12 month period rather than 24 payments. As an added bonus the customer will pay a little less interest during the loan term if they have a bi-weekly repayment schedule. The financial institutions created these repayment options for the convenience and savings of the customer. Use them as tools to help your customer take that extended warranty, protection package or credit insurance that seemed just a little over budget on a monthly repayment plan. These choices are particularly effective when your customer is keen on a product but can't quite agree to the increased monthly payment.
Finally, I suggest that whatever you choose to improve on, if it's a particular technique or a product, in either case, stay focused on one area at a time and stay with that fine-tuning process until you have reached your anticipated targets. Choose; Improve (work with it, persevere; work with it, persevere and work with it, persevere, until your goals are reached) then; Move on to another technique or product and repeat the process.



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