Strong LLC’s “20 New Year’s Resolutions for Salespeople”

20 Best Practices to Increase Sales in 2011

1. Send a Thank You Note, Phone Call & Email to all the people who visit the dealership in a timely manner.
2. Work everyone you know – in or out of the market, to sell the value of your brand.
3. Work your owners more effectively;  find out what “other vehicles” are in the driveway.
4. Spend 15 minutes a day on Facebook when you go home and send a friend request to all owners and prospects that you dealt with that day.  Get them to be your friend while they still remember you.
5. Treat every floor customer as a buyer for today.
6. Log all your ups into the CRM and follow up consistently.
7. Concentrate on following professional selling skills.
8. Present Leasing as a viable option to any new car buyer.
9. Call Full-Size Truck prospects on rainy days. If they work out of their trucks, then they are probably not working if it is pouring rain.
10. Know what cars are coming in off trade. Always have a prospect list for your fresh trades.
11. Know what cars were purchased at auction before they hit the lot. Ask the Used Car Manager for the best pieces he bought and see if they fit any of your prospects needs.
12. Review the Used Cars on your website every day. Look for vehicles that stick out as attractive and priced right.
13. Get a list of email addresses from all people who bid on the cars the dealership ran on eBay. These people are all in market email them and see what they are looking for in price and vehicle.
14. Work extra floor time at least one day a week, pick a day late in the week and work outside your scheduled shift.
15. Work the service drive at least one morning a week. Arrive early and qualify all prospects who will talk to you.
16. Have planned appointments every Saturday.
17. Make 10 cold calls everyday to orphaned customers from the dealership. Let them know the person they bought their car from is no longer there, but you are and ready to assist.
18. Check the newspaper for classified leads everyday and call them each morning when the floor is slow.
19. Check the inventory for needed vehicles; call all active prospects, even if you haven’t found exactly what they wanted.
20. Create your own personal “brag book.”