Ryan:
Congratulation on your career decision to sell automobiles. I too have sold automobiles for many years and ardently believe this is the greatest era to sell them.
That's because the quality, reliability, servicing and parts of all automobiles are now on a more level playing field. When the products we represent are very nearly identical in quality and price, you better be able to provide some other value if your customer is going to buy from you.
The fact you are new to the business and are here looking for intelligent advice and tools to enhance you career, already puts you above the ordinary salesperson.
Dealership managers always look for salespeople who will do a little "extra" each day in order for them to have an "extraordinary" career.
So ... I repeat ... this is the greatest era to sell cars to very informed customers, because most of your competition is ordinary and doesn't have the discipline or or skill to create that value.
You said you are knowledgeable about your product and that is a must. I will advise you to become an expert with the dealership sales process. Most automobile dealerships will train you in "The Road To The Sale" process. Generally, a ten step process of proper and Professional "Meeting and Greeting", and continuing to the decision to purchase your automobile. it's a process that will always include customer follow-up to insure satisfaction and build a customer loyal relationship.
How well you inform and perform this process is critical to your success. Daily practice with fellow salespeople or your mentor is essential to develop your skills.
This is not a manipulative process. Quite the reverse, its your opportunity to sell yourself, the car, and the dealership. Asking proper question to determine their needs and what it is they want from their purchase will cause you to direct the customer, rather than controlling them, to an informed decision.
Maasteri5 has given you excellent advice (that's why he's the General Manager) to develop customers through any number of revenue enhancing arenas.
My advice is establish the proper mindset for your success. Selling cars or anything starts with "Six Strength of Character" conditions necessary to performing at a Professional level.
You must treat your career as a business and operate it that way. I know your manager or perhaps your experienced fellow "sales board leader" has said "It's like being in business for yourself. Well it is exactly "being in business for yourself.
I am going to give you a link to my web site. Don't worry, there is nothing there to buy. I am not going to solicit my services. It is a site for Automobile salespeople, like you, who possess the desire, motivation and discipline to kick their career into a professinal level. It is dedicated to the belief that "Nothing is more important to the success of a dealership than the quality and professionalism of their sales staff" You will learn, (I do not train) to strategically organize and plan for success.
One bit of advice, in response to your question of how to replace your fellow sales board leader. Competition is a great motivator and replacing the leader is a worthy goal, but don't fall into the habit of competing against a singular person.
Always compete with yourself and set your goal to consistently improve your numbers. Understand that improvement and development won't happen in a day, it improves daily with your activity of a productive routine.
You said you sold 13 cars your first month, but you are now averaging 9 cars a month. Don't be discouraged by that, it's typical for new people to start fast and fall back. It's because, you did everything you were taught that first month (you didn't know anything else) and you hit a good number. It's when you try to hard... to do things... other people tell you to try and get away from the original process, that causes the decline. As I mentioned, master the sales process first. Don't change anything until your experiences have taught you to modify something within that process.
Here is the link and remember one of your necessary "strenghts of character" conditions is the "ability and propensity to read and learn." After you have absorbed the information, lets agree to communicate through this forum, so we all can continue learning from each other. www.autosalesmasterminds.com
Greg
