Every year has growth potential. Sometimes, the market forces inventory management in one direction, and sometimes local competitors create other challenges. Each scenario, though, can bring growth.
Our industry is moving rapidly in this marketplace, and only the most serious players are separating themselves. In a typical marketplace, like the one we are in, sales professionals with the best technical skills and most consistent work are winning. Each store and staff member are a growth catalyst, so do not waste opportunities.
We are battling the economy for our customers’ hard-earned money. When deciding where to focus your energy, choose real-life material that is proven to work and will make you money.
Too much motivational, feel-good fluff is floating around our industry and that does not translate to increased productivity. I do not believe selling is an art but instead is a science. We can track and measure the science of selling the same way as any statistically proven theory.
For example, if the word track you use produces the answer you need 100% of the time, keep using that word track. Conversely, you must change your words if your word track does not deliver consistent results.
Properly trained salespeople using effective word tracks can lead our customers through the purchase and get them out camping with less stress. These salespeople speed up the selling process, guarantee a consistent level of professionalism, represent our industry with integrity, and deliver measurable presentations that isolate challenging areas for remediation.
In the past, I have heard—and unfortunately, used to teach—many word tracks that do not fall into the above categories. Some of these are:
- Lies designed to manipulate, trick or deceive your clients.
- Misrepresenting facts.
- Lines that could potentially harm a client.
- Words that build mistrust about your competitor or industry.
- Promises that will never come true.
Over the years of measuring effectiveness in our industry, I have found that the opportunity to dramatically increase presentation quality has evolved compared with old auto-converted sales techniques. When used correctly, word tracks enable you to measure and more accurately:
- Discover the right product for your client.
- Increase buyers’ down payments.
- Build value during the selling process.
- Discover your clients’ budgets before you present an F&I service.
- Handle objections without conflict.
- Use value-based summary closing techniques.
- Discover whether a client is credit challenged.
- Relax your clients so you both can enjoy the process.
- Give your client a reason to expand their budget, if necessary.
The outcome relies on the sales manager’s effectiveness to achieve the full value of all your hard work. Your manager is the key to this successful growth.
Here are five ways to develop or expand your sales manager’s team to unlock better techniques and full benefits.
First, the speed of the team is the speed of the leader.
When you consider a sales manager’s qualities, capacity and work ethic should rise to the top of the list. Capacity includes maintaining an open mind when learning your systems, processes and principles. What the manager believes does not really matter; it is your business and your culture. You should expect your manager to set the behavior standard in your dealership. They should pick up trash they see on the ground because they are always leading by example.
Is your corporate culture one where your sales staff does what is right—not because someone is looking, but because doing something is right? Review your principles when interviewing for a management position and ensure the prospective manager understands your expectations regarding teaching and living the dealership’s principles. Well-articulated principles will protect your business and our industry.
Does the prospective manager have a proven track record? When developing any employee, examine the clay. While reviewing an applicant’s resume, look for five or more years’ tenure at previous job(s) to establish job stability. While not crucial, a college degree or military service completion suggests a person who follows through and can learn. Remember, you are not seeking someone to try out the position. You are looking for someone who can do the job.
Second, teach your managers to manage your inventory through a product selection step.
Did you know 90% of deals with a signed offer reach the manager’s desk and become sales? Unfortunately, 90% of deals never arrive at the manager’s desk. To increase productivity and better manage in-stock inventory, managers must learn to better direct their salespeople early in the sales process.
Imagine if a salesperson came to the manager with all the information necessary to land a customer on the “right” RV and one fitting the budget. Rather than having your salespeople waste customers’ time showing RVs that do not fit, the manager can send his salesperson out with a game plan. Management involvement in the product selection step produces a higher percentage of delivered units and increases customer satisfaction.
Third, teach your managers to inspect what they expect. In addition to regular employee check meetings, where goals and tracking data create professional development game plans, managers should schedule daily time management meetings to improve communication on all levels. The purpose of a 15-minute morning meeting is to assist salespeople in planning daily activities, including appointments and follow-up phone calls. Management should supervise daily follow-up and hold salespeople accountable.
Fourth, teach your managers how to conduct effective training sessions. Training must be a part of your culture, but how do you decide what today’s training subject will be? Managers must learn how to isolate training needs through effective traffic logs and sales recaps to be effective. The training must be scheduled and productive, with no interruptions or exceptions. For your sales team to retain material, your manager must assist them in practicing critical repetitions.
Finally, teach your managers how to create top-producing salespeople. Doing so can be summarized in a few steps explained in previous full articles I have written in RV News. Hire the right people and train on process, product, principles and word tracks.
In this marketplace, everyone has inventory and is fighting to compete to gain your customers’ hard-earned dollars. Companies focusing on consistent management and skills growth are winning market share. Every year has growth potential, so let’s make this year a growth year.
Jered Sobel serves as president of Sobel University, a company providing training for management, salespeople and consumers across North America. He is best known for designing the industry-standard onboarding sales training manual and co-authoring the consumer guide to purchasing an RV. Among his previous work experiences are roles as a dealership salesperson, a general sales manager and hiring dealer staff.
