January 2009 - Feature
17 Sales-Revving Ideas
When motorcycle riding season rolls around, it usually means three things: long days, tons of customers, and more to do than we can imagine. At least we hope that’s what happens. Powersports trainer provides 17 ideas to rev up for riding season.
By Mark Rodgers
13. Take down sell stuff
While placing F&I marketing messages outside the business office is great, there are some experts who suggest “sell” messages in the business office are not the way to go. This advice seems counterintuitive, but it’s worth considering. Your office should appear neat, clean and professional. Too many “sell” messages in your office can negatively impact a customer’s impression of the F&I process.
14. Develop a gift card program
Much like the pre-paid maintenance program, you can create a gift card or gift certificate. Sometimes your customers can’t stop by the parts and accessories or clothing departments prior to picking up their motorcycle. So create several gift card “packages” which allow customers to put a certain dollar amount into their financing deal. Then customers can shop when they want, and put their purchases into one affordable monthly payment.
15. Conduct F&I seminars for your employees
Everyone in your store should understand the benefits of your F&I department, as well as the products and services it offers. Pick one product or service every couple of weeks and give a 15- to 20-minute “mini-seminar” at your staff meetings. Employees will feel more “in” on things and will be able to cross sell the benefits of your F&I department.
16. Create, implement and improve your menu-selling program
If you are not using menu selling now, you are missing the best customer service and sales opportunity available to you. Menu selling puts everything in front of the customer so they can make an informed decision. If you’re already menu selling, come up with new package names, add new products, or try a new menu configuration. Perhaps you can add to it, or modify your current menu-selling presentation. You can always make it a little better.
17. Create a kids’ area in your dealership
You should have a kids’ area in your dealership so they have fun and enjoy the trip to the dealership. Follow that plan in your F&I office. Have a couple of coloring books or a few stuffed creatures to give kids something to play with while their parents concentrate on your important products and services.
Select a few of these of these powerful, high-leverage ideas and implement them in your dealership. Then save this article so you can refer back to it and continue checking things off your list. It’s counterintuitive, but sometimes you have to slow down, get organized and streamline processes in order to get revved up!
Mark Rodgers is an award-winning author, trainer and founder of Peak Dealership Performance. He can be reached at mark.rodgers@bobit.com.