Kelly’s Korner – Drumming Up Business
Q. Winter is setting in and the traffic is slow. How do we keep the sales force motivated?
A. Year-round prospecting is a must for year-round sales and winter is no exception! Most people drive a vehicle, so it is not a matter of if they’ll buy — where and when are the variables.
What do your customers like to do? Farm, fish, ride horses, ski? Play tennis or golf? Shoot darts—what! Find out, and then use your business cards, brochures, pens, and coffee mugs to plant seeds everywhere your customers go. Get involved in the community. Charity work is a great source of future business. Most people who do charity work are employed and use vehicles. Employed customers have the means to pay for vehicle purchases.
Read something motivational for 15 minutes each day. Most of what we accomplish starts with a positive mental attitude. Arrive at the dealership with the idea that you will sell a vehicle today. When you are positive, you are a magnet for business. Everywhere there are people there are customers. Give them a reason to buy from you.
Winter is also show time for RVs. Team up with an RV dealer to showcase a few pickup trucks in the RV shows. When it is cold outside, create a warm and inviting selling environment indoors. Build on this great idea from Boise, Idaho: Every winter many of the used car dealers in town get together for a CAR WARS weekend. They all bring inventory and have a huge sale indoors. They sell loads of cars and customers enjoy the event.
Oh, and one more thing — opportunities do not always come knocking — sometimes they need a nudge from you!
OIADA Squeaky Wheel Newsletter, December 2004, p. 21