Automobile Dealer Magazine

The Most Successful Sale Ever!

by Jim Boldebook

Remember the story about the company that called in the expert to fix their computer? When he arrived, the company manager explained the problem. The technician walked over to the computer and gave it a well-placed kick. The computer immediately sprang to life. He then presented a bill for $2,000. In amazement, the manager demanded to know why the bill was so high. "You only kicked it!" he said. The computer expert replied: "It was only $200 to kick the computer. The rest is for knowing where to kick it."

The secret to the most successful sale ever is "knowing where to kick it!" There are several ways to find out. Experience is a great teacher. For example, you may know that, for whatever reason, it is impossible to draw strong traffic on Wednesday, regardless of your message and how much money you spend.

Research helps shed light on the "kick spot" too. For example, if you asked the right questions of your customers at the last sale event you held, you now know that 73% of the customers who purchased Honda Civics said their favorite radio station was KWWW. Which station will you buy for your Civic sale at the end of this month? Do you have a formal, ongoing research program in your organization? Do you carefully analyze this data and use it to help formulate future plans?

Experimentation helps you hone in on the "kick spot". Because of important structural changes in the automotive marketplace, you can't completely rely on past experience. You have to try new things. New media combinations. Fresh new ideas. Will you waste some of your money? Yes. But, you'll also discover new marketing "hot buttons" that give you an invaluable edge over the competition. Experimentation goes hand-in-hand with innovation. You'll never know if it will work unless you try it.

Perfection is in the details. Think of the "kick spot" as a bulls-eye with rings. The more detail you put into planning and executing the sales event, the closer you get to the center of the target. A dealer client just told me that last week's direct-mail event was very successful because they planned it well and paid attention to the details. They had a greeter who took names and addresses. A valet to park cars. Refreshments for the customers. I pointed out to the dealer that he used to pay great attention to these details years ago. At what point did the details fall through the cracks? Could it be about the same time the sales events lost their punch?

The "Secrets" to your most successful sale ever!

1. Plan it well in advance to allow time to negotiate the best possible media buys and coordinate all print, broadcast and point-of-purchase support. Unless it is a private sale, make sure you allocate funds for point-of-purchase support material, i.e., posters, banners, window paint, button stickers, balloons, etc. Reinforce the excitement of the sale in the customers' mind at the time it matters most.
2. At least two weeks before the event, hold a strategy planning session with managers to make sure the sale event is properly staffed. Ask managers for suggestions to maximize effectiveness of the event.
3. DON'T RELEASE ADVERTISING MATERIAL TO MEDIA TOO FAR IN ADVANCE OF SALE. Unfortunately, often the same media reps that call on you call on your competitors. Don't allow the competition to steal your thunder.
4. DON'T RELEASE COMPLETE SALE DETAILS TO SALESPEOPLE AND GENERAL STAFF TOO FAR IN ADVANCE OF SALE. Loose lips sink ships. A sales strategy meeting with the sales force and general staff should be held several days before the sale. During this meeting, explain the message, advertising support, and opportunities the event offers.

   Idea: If the sale event is this Saturday, have the announcement meeting for salespeople on Thursday. Right after the meeting, have the salespeople call customers who have visited in the past few weeks. Explain that the sale will be announced to the general public tomorrow (Friday), but that they have been authorized to offer the sale price one day early to the customers they have been working with. Using this technique, one of our dealer clients tripled his average Thursday sales without any advertising support. It proves a point! It's important to sell the salespeople!

5. The day of the event, make sure that managers review procedures with salespeople, office personnel, greeters and receptionist. Your advertising has told customers something special is happening today. Make sure the entire team conveys that message during the entire event.

Use all of your resources to make your next sale the most successful ever. With experience, research, careful planning and thorough execution, you'll ensure that you'll kick the right spot.

Jim Boldebook is President of Creative Broadcast Concepts (CBC) in Biddeford, ME, an Advertising/Marketing agency working with some of America's most successful dealerships.