In my previous blog, I shared the finer points of rapport building, but that is only in an attempt to be likable, find common ground, and work toward a sale. Working toward multiple sales and being memorable is relationship building. Every salesperson says the line “I don’t want to just sell you this vehicle, I want to sell you every vehicle.” Yet they don’t do what is necessary.
Story #1
Years ago when I was working the desk, a customer strolled into the dealership in the evening. Two older salespeople sat at a table near the entrance, with one standing to greet him. This is how the exchange went.
Customer: “I bought a vehicle here a little over a year ago and I am looking to now buy one for my daughter.”
Salesperson: “Do you remember who you worked with?”
Customer: “No, I don’t.”
Salesperson: “Do you remember what they looked like?”
Customer: “Unfortunately, no.”
Salesperson: (Looking to hopefully skate someone) “Have they called you or sent you any emails since you bought from us?”
Customer: “I don’t think so.”
Salesperson: “Well, if they haven’t been in touch with you and weren’t even good enough to make an impression on you to remember them, they either don’t work here or don’t deserve your business. I’ll find out who you worked with last.”
(Salesperson brings the customer to a table in the showroom and asks for his info to look him up in the CRM. Salesperson takes a big sigh.)
Salesperson: “Nice to see you again, I thought I recognized you. Let me help you with another vehicle for your family.”
That’s right, HE was the one that sold the customer the vehicle. Neither remembered each other just a year later. This is 100% a true story. It also shows how rapport building can maybe help you achieve the first sale, but guarantees you nothing after that without relationship building.
Story #2
Training a dealer group a while back (and I tell this often), I asked a group of salespeople, including new hires, why I should buy from them. A newbie rose his hand, having been there only 3 weeks so rightfully with all the undeserved confidence in the world, said, “Because I take care of you, not just before the sale, but after the sale.” Hey, it is a great line. And by and large it is correct, but the fact that to someone who has only been in sales for 3 weeks, it was nothing more than a word-salad line because he had never had the chance to actually take care of someone after the sale. So I push…
Joe: “How many vehicles have you sold in your first 3 weeks?”
Green pea: “I’ve sold 4 since getting out of training.”
Joe: “And how have you taken care of someone after the sale?”
Green pea: (Long pause to think) “I mean… I called them.”
Joe: “You called them? That’s it? The bare minimum?
Again, this is 100% true. The kid wasn’t lying that post-sale communication is key to building relationships. Staying in front of the customer. These are the common ways to keep connected to your customers and be memorable while doing it:
- Regular calls, emails, and texts
- Personalized videos
- Happy birthday wishes (including singing it to them in video or a voicemail)
- Handwritten thank you cards
- Service scheduling alerts from the SP
- Visiting them when you know they’re coming in for service, buying them a drink and sitting down for a catch-up while there
- Thoughtful gifts based on their interest
- Self-branded promotional items
- Social media engagement if you have a channel where you’re connected with your past clients
- Anniversary messages
- Reciprocating business
Simply put, if your customer works at a place of business you can frequent; one that you too can be a customer of, do it. That shows reciprocal respect and appreciation for their initial business. - Notes in your CRM
I’ll expand on this. Notes in your CRM have to be more than deal-focused notes. You need to create a memory bank note for all personal information you’ve gleaned from the customer while in-store to prepare you for more meaningful, respectful conversation in the future. Note spouse and children’s names/ages, schools attended, workplace, hobbies, etc. All the same info you discovered while building rapport needs to be logged and revisited prior to future communication. People will appreciate you more when they know you’re already invested in them as a person.
Final Topic:
When I ask dealers how relationship building is incorporated into their processes or marketing, I often hear dealerships say “We treat our customers like family” and my first thought is “Don’t do that! Treat them better! Most people don’t even like their family.” There are likely people in your own family you try to avoid, and have for the last 10 years. Aim for a trusted advisor before family. Not everyone shares their thoughts with family, as a way to save face, but a trusted advisor? Yes, if you have a good one, you open up to them.
You likely have relationships with family, friends, lovers, coworkers, associates, and about 2,700 Facebook connections who you have almost no desire to interface with in a real world conversation on the street for more than 10 minutes. However, those of you who have a mentor… a trusted person to lean on in a professional setting, those people are who you go to first for answers to the hard questions. That is what you need to be for your customers. After the sale. Being familiar with them, their lives, and their motivation is key to assisting them with more purchases in the future.
Don’t be a one-and-done salesperson. Be more than that. It just takes a little relationship building.
