7 Car Sales Tips: Closing A Deal The Easy Way

Looking to sell more cars this month? Here are our 7 best car sales tips – closing a deal may be easier than you think!

“Selling” is a lot easier and less complicated than people think. From the outside, closing a deal looks like the hardest job in the world—you have to persuade customers to buy a car. But persuasion is not about “convincing” people; it’s more about listening, understanding and giving good advice.

There is one idea behind all of our best car sales tips: closing a deal doesn’t need to be complicated. The salespeople who find success are straightforward, honest, knowledgeable, and provide excellent service. If you can cover those bases, the rest is easy.

Car sales tips: closing a deal in seven easy steps

1. Set the tone and be straightforward

Don’t beat around the bush! Customers are at your dealership to buy a car. Be straightforward and confident in your approach. If you see a customer walking around the lot, take the initiative, and ask how you can help. You’re here to help him buy a car.

• Ask how you can get the customer in a car today
• Be enthusiastic and appreciative of his business
• Seek first to help and provide support

2. Ask the right questions

To build trust and rapport with a customer, allow him to open up and express his needs and wants. Throughout the process of the sale, focus on asking him appropriate questions at the right time.

• Open-ended questions are useful at the beginning. Ask how you can you help and what he’s looking for. Ask what’s stopping him from making a decision.
• Close-ended questions will give you straight answers. Ask what his budget is, what vehicles he’s interested in, how much he can afford for a down payment, etc.
• Trial questions will allow you to gauge a customer’s proximity to a purchase decision. After you’ve gathered the information needed, ask an “if, then” question to ask for the sale.

3. Listen closely and identify pain points

Salespeople are good listeners. They understand that allowing the customer to talk will not only build trust, but also reveal the pain points that close a deal. This information will ultimately reveal the problem or issue that needs a solution. Some customers may know what they’re looking for; others may need a bit more time to figure it out.

Common topics for pain points:

• Specific features needed
• Financing and credit limitations
• Main uses for the vehicle (labor intensive, weekly mileage, etc.)
• A previous issue with a vehicle that caused stress and grief

4. Focus on how the car fits their wants and needs 

Now that you’ve revealed the pain points, focus on how you can solve those problems. Create a shortlist of vehicles that match his needs and run through a presentation for each one. Be specific about how the vehicle will help fix the issues or problems he mentioned earlier, plus other benefits.

It’s also important to be transparent about any issues that come with the vehicle. If the customer is interested but wants to know more about the vehicle’s history, show him a Carfax report, title, VIN scan, etc.

5. Close it on the test drive 

One of our best car sales tips is to close the deal on the test drive. Buying a car is an emotional purchase. During the test drive is when the customer becomes attached to the vehicle. He can feel what it will be like to own and drive that car. Use this short window to close the sale with a trial question.

Here’s a quick guide:

• Locate a spot along the route that is quiet and undisturbed to pull into
• Ask him to step out of the vehicle momentarily and then look back at it together.
• Ask him: “Michael, how would you feel about bringing this car home today?”

6. Be transparent with financing options

If all goes well on the test drive, the customer will be ready to discuss financing options. Financing is a crucial step in the sales process. As you know, customers are wary about not having all the facts upfront. They don’t want to have any wool pulled over their eyes and maybe guarded while talking to the finance manager.

So how can you keep the momentum? Be transparent. Be honest. Be a cheerleader for their team.

• Ask them budgetary questions to get the whole picture
• Tell them the dealership makes much of its profit from add-ons and extended warranties. They already know this but will appreciate your openness.
• Give advice about which options will work best for them and why

7. Exchange contact info for follow-up efforts 

This last step can come at any point during the sale. It comes when the customer clearly explains that he is not ready to make a purchase today. Be sure to exchange your contact information and acquire an email address and phone number.

If you can, it’s best to understand his pain points before he leaves. You can contact him directly once you’ve found a vehicle that solves those problems or when a better deal is available.

The one idea behind car sales tips: closing a deal doesn’t need to be complicated

In car sales, persuasion is not a form of manipulation or convincing. If anything, it’s helping the customer realize his needs and what car will meet them. For many customers, the buying decision is 85% complete before they reach the dealership. They’ve done enough research and know what they’re looking for. The only thing you need to do is provide quality service, genuine advice, and guidance. Don’t forget, if you need to follow up with a lead, use an automotive CRM software like AutoRaptor to keep you focused and on schedule.