The Ultimate Guide to a Dealership "Power Meeting"
By Ted Ings, Executive Director
Are Your Sales Meetings a Snooze?
Just like the power nap, a "power meeting" can have the same positive effects on your sales consultants. Knowing that the traditional Saturday morning meeting can be a snooze causing your sales consultants to nod off, which is not a great way to start off for what is many a twelve hour day. Especially if they are eating the typical sugary snacks. So instead of having another usual snooze fest take a moment to have a power meeting. One that will empower your team for the rest of the day!
Tired of your sales consultants nodding off during sales meetings? A "Power Meeting " can engage your entire sales team
One of the easiest ways to empower your sales consultants is to include them! Your sales consultants want to feel like they are a part of the overall operation. And by including them in the meetings - in a compelling way - they will feel as if they are contributing in a meaningful way.
7 SECRETS OF A GREAT SALES MEETING
One of the best ways to do this by reviewing their customer service scores. Looking to see which one of your sales consultants stand out from the rest. Perhaps one of your the sales consultants has the best score in the product presentation category, which as we know is a critical component in making the sale happen.
The sales consultant you have selected will then offer a short (no more than five-minute) demo on the product
Perhaps the product you chose for the demo is one of your core vehicles or a vehicle that your dealer needs to move off of the lot. Just as the customers cannot experience a product without knowing what it does and or can do. The same principle applies to the sales consultant. They cannot confidentially sell a vehicle in which they do not know the features on.
Utilize "static clings" or magnets to identify specific features on the demo vehicle
Another added advantage of the power meeting is that it affords your sales consultant to take an actionable item away with them. Versus their listening to your repeated speech on how to make a sale happen. Or the infamous, “do not let any deal go. Get us involved to make it happen,” which can actually hinder their performance as you are assuming that your sales consultants will not make the close happen. The idea that the only way they close deals is because of you, which is not the case. Otherwise, why would we even need sales consultants?
What else should we focus on during the Power Meeting?
Deciding what content to cover in a power meeting can be daunting. However, this is not meant to be a struggle. Rather a means of working with your team in a meaningful, relevant way coaching on them on areas that need improvement. One of the best ways to decide which content to review is to look at your dealerships surveys. That is discussing where the possible breakdowns are within your customer's experience.
WHAT DOES CPI DO FOR DEALERSHIPS?
For example, if you notice that one of the top areas of opportunity is within inventory selection, then you can have a power meeting that works towards “how to select inventory.” Knowing that especially in the summertime a customer does not want to wander around on the lot in the 95-degree heat. And while this exact example will not apply to all of your sales consultants it never hurts to have a refresher especially given that the meeting is not more than ten to fifteen minutes. Not to mention, even your top sales consultants need a refresh course every so often.
How do we make it consistent? How to keep your sales consultants engaged with their new found knowledge and skills:
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It is not uncommon in the automotive industry - on the dealer level - for an idea to go rogue for it to all of the sudden falls apart as if it never happened. The reason for this is that it takes a commitment from everyone to make it happen. The first time someone forgets and or is not engaged makes it that much easier for everything to fall apart. Once the power meeting is done, it is best for you to spend additional time with those who are still struggling with the Demo.
WHO IS TED INGS?
As you should have already selected the sales consultants while you were observing them during the demo. By your taking a few minutes to spend with your sales consultants you can empower them by working with them on the demo. That is role-playing with your sales consultant as if you were the customer. You can even take it to another step by layering in common objections they face. Giving your sales consultant the confidence they need to get the job done!
Develop a formal training calendar
And to avoid your efforts falling apart with your sales team, it is best for your management team to come up with a training calendar. That is assigning each one of your sales consultants their power meeting date. Aligning each area of opportunity with the right sales consultant. Having taken the time to review the OEM reporting. By both assigning each one of the sales consultants their meeting date in addition to reviewing the OEM reporting it will assist your dealership not just being consistent, but also offering relevant, meaningful, and most importantly actionable takeaways that will have a positive impact on your dealership.
Bottom Line: Do not have a Saturday sales meeting if you are planning to simply go through the motions
Knowing that continuing to offer the same meeting will not change the end result. That is your sales consultants learning how to be a better sales consultant. Understanding how to effectively demo the product.