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If you want to know how to be the best car salesman, you have to start with a goal and a plan to get there.
Before we begin, let’s call to attention that you’re already making your way to car sales success. Why else would you be reading this post? The fact that you’re interested in knowing how to be the best car salesman at your dealership speaks for itself. So congrats!
Car sales excellence isn’t a grand mystery. It’s not complicated. It’s a lot simpler (not to be confused with “easier”) than you might think. And it all starts with step one.
How to be the best car salesman: 7 simple steps to success
1. Make a decision to be the best salesperson right now
That sounds obvious, right? On the surface, yes, but a mental commitment to your goal is everything. Decisions automatically focus our brains on the task at hand and guide you to make things happen.
Decision making plays a huge role in our attitudes, too. Wishy-washy, half-hearted commitments don’t support big goals, like “being the best” at something. You have to decide, commit, and sustain. Your mental attitude comes first.
2. Set realistic short-term goals and a plan of action
Dreams are for dreamers, my friend. Goals are for do-ers. And a plan of action will help you get there.
The big problem with learning how to be the best car salesman is a lack of specificity. What does it mean to you in concrete terms? How many sales? How much profit? What kind of lifestyle?
Take those big dreams and break them down into short-term goals. Start small and build momentum. Tiny, consistent success gives proof of progress towards your ultimate goal. It feels reassuring.
Once you have your short-term goal, ask yourself, “How do I achieve this goal? What should I do to get there?”
Write down all of the ideas that come to mind. Try to write down twenty strategies to meet the goal in front of you. Then organize a plan of action and follow it.
3. Block out time for prospecting and lead generation efforts
Get into the habit of a routine. It’s an efficient way to complete tasks that don’t have a deadline or obligation. Set a block of time and dedicate it to prospecting. Consistency plays a huge role in getting things done, and a routine will create a sense of personal accountability
For instance:
- Monday: (8:30 am — 9:30 am) sending emails to prospective clients (in which a handy email template might help!)
- Tuesday: (12:00 pm — 1:30 pm) connect with ten new prospects on LinkedIn
- Thursday: (9:00 am — 10:00 am) make ten sales calls
4. How to be the best car salesman? Be willing to fail more than anyone else
“You miss one hundred percent of the shots you never take.”
It might not be a car sales quote, but Wayne Gretzky’s advice goes far beyond the ice rink. It’s a motto
to stick by in sales, too. You have to be willing to take shots, even if you miss. Because the more you keep shooting, the more you’ll make.
Sales is a numbers game. If you’re willing to try harder and fail better each time out, then you’ll quickly rise to success.
5. Measure your progress by attempts, not successes
A lot of people get discouraged when they don’t close. It’s easy to take it all very personally and get frustrated. Do yourself a favor and start measuring your performance by how many times you make an effort. Stop putting all of the pressure on making a sale. Learning how to be the best car salesman is more than “winning” every time you make a sales call. It’s about personal growth and overcoming setbacks.
By the week:
- Number of cold sales calls you’ve attempted
- Number of meetings set
- Number of referrals contacted
If your number of attempts is higher than anyone else, it’s very likely your sales will top the charts too.
6. Dress the part of a successful person
Confidence and first impressions make a difference in sales. Do you present yourself well? Do you 
dress in such a way that makes you feel good? If you don’t, it’s likely negatively affecting your interactions with people. Or, at least, it’s not helping you close.
Start dressing the part. Make yourself stick out. Wear a bowtie, wear stylish eyeglasses, polish your shoes—whatever makes you look in the mirror and feel confident.
7. Start surrounding yourself with like-minded people
Find a mentor that’ll keep you accountable every day. Learning is a non-stop curve. Try to learn from people you admire and respect. They can teach you how to be the best car salesman and help you do it your way.
That doesn’t mean you have to find someone face-to-face either. Consider finding reading material from a car sales professional. Research blogs, subscribe to magazines, read books by expert salespeople, or attend a seminar.
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