🎓 A coaching tip from Proactive Training Solutions
The Tip: Master the Customer Buying Cycle and Leverage the Opportunities Outside of the Dealership
This short clip from Proactive Training Solutions breaks down one of the most actionable techniques in automotive sales. Watch the video above, then read on for a deeper look at how to apply this in your dealership today.
Go Deeper
Most Customers Don’t Know What They Want Until You Show Them
Fewer than 20% of customers who walk into a dealership are committed to a specific vehicle. The other 80% are open — if you ask the right questions and guide the process correctly. This is one of the most powerful opportunities in automotive sales, and most reps squander it by defaulting to the customer’s stated preference instead of uncovering their actual needs.
Master the Buying Cycle — Not Just the Sale
The customer buying cycle has distinct phases: awareness, consideration, intent, and decision. Most salespeople only engage at the intent and decision stages — when the customer is already at the dealership. The pros find ways to engage during consideration, which means staying front of mind during the research phase through consistent follow-up, valuable content, and proactive outreach. Own the earlier stages and you’ll close more of the later ones.
Hook Them With the Trade
The trade-in is one of the most underutilized tools in automotive sales. Customers who have a trade are more committed to the process — they’ve already started transitioning away from their current vehicle emotionally. Ask about the trade early. Show genuine interest in their current vehicle. Walk around it with them. The conversation about their trade is often the conversation that brings them in from a competitor’s lot.
Leverage Every Opportunity Outside the Dealership
The dealership is not the only place business happens. Customers are making decisions at home, online, and in conversations with family and friends. Position yourself as a resource during that process — send relevant information, answer questions before they’re asked, and be the person they think of when the topic of vehicles comes up in any context.
Why This Matters for Your Dealership
Proactive Training Solutions has spent 30 years measuring what actually moves the needle in automotive sales. The difference between a good month and a great month at most dealerships comes down to execution on the fundamentals — and this is one of them. Apply this consistently and you’ll see it in your numbers within 30 days.
About Proactive Training Solutions
Proactive Training Solutions was built on one belief: every salesperson can be great with the right training. Founded by Alan Ram and carrying his 30-year legacy forward, PTS delivers the most comprehensive automotive sales training in the industry — from BDC coaching to floor management to phone skills. The techniques in these videos are the same ones transforming dealerships across the country.
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