Greeting the customer
Before I start talking about some of the different fun ways to greet a customer, I remind the class of why the customer is there. Sure, they are interested in the idea of owning a new motorcycle. Either that, or they are out shopping for something they don’t want.
It is very important to believe that the customer really wants what the dealership has to offer. It is very important for the customers to believe that the salesperson really wants to help them to be happier by owning a new motorcycle. If the salespeople mix those two things together along with a Gotta-Wanna attitude and desire, they will have the recipe to success.
In this day and age a lot people do extensive research on the computer. It is not uncommon that some customers know more about the motorcycle then the salesperson does. Yet, when they walk in they still say, “I’m just looking.”
The reason they come into the dealership to look at the motorcycle is that it is quite a bit more impressive to see and touch the actual motorcycle than it is to see a picture or video of it. So when the customer is in your dealership, it is truly a huge time of advantage. It is an advantage to the customer because he has an awesome salesperson who will eventually ask the question, “Would you be happier if you had one?”
I would bet at least 99 percent of the customers will say yes to that question. So it is another huge plus for the customer because they are talking to a salesperson who wants to make them happy.
When they do say yes to that question, the salesperson should follow up by saying, “Great. I would love to make you happy.” Do you know why they should say that? Hopefully it’s because they really do want to make the customer happy, and they are not keeping it a secret.
I know there are times when customers come in to buy on the spot. They are the easy deals. You would have to hit on their wives or husbands or call their kids ugly in order for them not to buy. But we know that in the real world most of the customers say, “Just looking” right after you greet them.
So why are the customers there? Why do they say they are just looking? I believe that they are just looking for a salesperson to be honest and sincere and have a true desire to overcome any objections that might come up. Always know that the customers want a new or pre-owned motorcycle really bad — really, really bad. I feel that the salespeople must believe that and want the customer to have it really, really bad too.
A salesperson must know going in that it is not so much the motorcycle that needs to be sold but rather it is the salesperson being prepared to find out and overcome any objections that might come up. This is their most important mission.
Many times the customer’s objection was never found out from the salesperson. That salesperson is left with the mystery of why someone did not buy what they wanted? If only the salesperson did find out what was holding the customer back from buying, then he or she might have overcome the objection. Sometimes it’s as simple as asking, “What’s stopping you from buying today? Maybe we can help figure it out.”
The saddest part about a lost sale is that the customer is still a dreamer instead of living the dream. Remember the salespeople are dream-come-true-makers. They should always believe that the winner is the buyer.
I am not so concerned about what the salesperson says when he or she greets someone as it’s pretty basic, logical and just plain common sense. Things like, “Good morning. Thanks for coming in. Hi, how are you? Welcome to Steve Motors,” and so on.
It’s not so much what they say when they greet someone as it is how they said it. Again, it is too basic to go on and on about having a cheerful mannerism and a smile. I am more concerned that salespeople are prepared for the customer’s reply to their greeting.
One of my favorite things to hear a customer say is, “I’m just looking.” It would be crazy not to love hearing it and not being prepared for it because it will be the opening comment by 95 percent of all customers.
I made it easy for me to love because I finish the statement in my head to get my attitude on right. When they say, “Just looking,” I continue by thinking, “They are just looking to buy a motorcycle right now from me.” I will say it again. They are just looking to buy a motorcycle right now from me! Wow! Cool! The salespeople must always believe that. Why not? Which way do they think is a better way to come to bat? Believing their customer is a buyer, and they can get a hit, or afraid of the pitcher and not confident at the plate. Mindset is extremely important to sales as it is in many other things in life.
This is the 14th part in a series of blogs about hiring new salespeople. To read the previous blogs in this series, click here.
Steve Lemco is the youngest brother of the late Ed Lemco and has been doing sales training and hiring for motorcycle dealers since 1983. He is the author of three sales books, the new “Training and Hiring New Salespeople,” “Motorcycle Sales Made Easy” and “You Gotta-Wanna.” Steve has trained in every state in the U.S., as well as England, France, Australia and New Zealand. Steve incorporates motivational boards and games along with his training and hiring because he believes the best way to get the job done is to make it fun.
Contact: stevelemco@aol.com
Website: www.stevelemco.com
Phone: 253/826-6110
