Length – 2 hours to 3 hours 

Focus – SALES / fundamentals of successful selling, handling objections, negotiating, closing 

Dealerships invest many dollars in buildings, computers, inventory and support personnel for their sales force. Hours are spent making sure the Sales Professional understands all the features and benefits of the product line. The investment of advertising causes interest and the sales force attacks! When they display a low closing ratio, closing techniques are thought to be the answer. According to Tim, closing is only ¼ of the sale! Tim teaches the AIDA sales formula.  

Attention – Successful salespeople begin by putting the customer at ease with a brief time of building rapport. Tim explains how to ask the questions necessary to relax both the salesperson and the customer.

Interest – Within moments of meeting and relaxing the customer, the salesperson gracefully determines the customer’s authority and ability to buy. Too many salespeople waste their time with the wrong person, or worse, with a customer who can’t buy. Tim reminds listeners that the commission on that is ZERO, by the way.  

The salesperson then determines, through listening carefully to the answers to a strategic line of questions, exactly what the customer’s expectations of the vehicle are. Salespeople are reminded to focus on the likes, dislikes, wants, needs and budget of the customer.

Desire – Tim teaches salespeople to sum up their entire presentation into one short customized phrase at this point, then prove their claim. He explains how to strategically use sales aids such as brochures, and how to demonstrate the vehicle. Salespeople are reminded to sell only what the customer wants to buy, even though the salesperson may know volumes of information about the vehicle. Throughout the presentation, the salesperson constantly seeks the ‘affirmation’ of the customer on the features and benefits the customer found important. Additionally, Tim teaches salespeople how to ‘read’ the customer and how to know when to close.

Action - The close! Salespeople are reminded of the importance of a three-step close. First they test the effectiveness of their presentation by asking if they have proved their claims about the vehicle. Next, they ask the customer if this is the vehicle for them. Finally, they ask the customer to buy the vehicle. High pressure is never needed when all the steps are followed.

When closing, sales people are taught to ask for the full fair market value of the vehicle.  Should the sales person determine the customer will not pay full value but will buy the vehicle at a lower price, the sales person strategically arrives at that figure with the customer.  Trips to the desk are minimized since the customer has confidence in the salesperson's authority.    

The entire process makes so much sense that seasoned salespeople feel a confidence they may not have had prior to following AIDA. Brand new salespeople feel confident, because they understand the ‘steps’ involved in selling their product.  The Dealership benefits because the inventory is successfully presented in a logical manner, eliminating the confrontational tactic of “high pressure”.