New Car Sales Training Should Be First About Results, Then About The Process

Selling cars today in many ways is a paradox. It is theprocess that common sense takes a back seat to the
easiest sale while also being the most challenging sale.existing belief that is driving the process. The most
Almost everyone needs a car in the United States ofupset person in this new car dealership was the sales
America just because of our country's size. That istrainer who had not say so in the hiring or in the
why selling a car is easy because the need is present.development. Given that the new hire sold 6 cars in a
However, the flip size due to the variety of cars, theweek and the existing trained new car sales men had
price range, the credit of consumers, etc. making thatonly sold 4 or less, I probably also would be upset if I
sale is still a challenge.was the sales trainer because the results demonstrate
One of my executive coaching clients is a new carthat the process is not working. Essentially, the sales
salesman. His new car dealership hired another newtrainer's job is on the line along with the general
car salesman with a proven track record of selling 16manager who instituted this new car sales training.
cars per month. This individual was not mandated toWe see how processes continue to function even
go through the standard new car sales training. Whatwhen we know that they are not working from public
happened is that this sales person was using his owneducation to corporate sales training. And we know
sales process and that process had already sold 6that they are not working because we are not getting
cars in one week. And he had no client base.the results that we need. Simply speaking, sales training
However, the car dealership is still mandating theirjust like any other learning event should deliver the
existing sales force to continue with the sales trainingresults. If the results are not being delivered, then find a
so that their process will be consistently utilized by thatnew process. Never, absolutely never, should the
force except for the new person. Their belief is thatprocess be more important than the results.
their sales training works stands in direct opposition toSo if your sales business training to coaching is not
the results. None of their existing sales people aredelivering the results that you need, take time to
selling 6 cars in a week.examine the process and maybe even dismantle it.
A process is only as good as the results it deliversRemember that no sales training process should ignore
whether that is in sales to manufacturing. When thethe basic emotions along with attitudes that are driving
results are not being delivered, as in this case vehiclesthe buying/selling process. To do so suggests that you
sold, then the process needs to be reexamined.have placed more value on the process than on the
Unfortunately, there has been such an incredibleresults.
investment into their sales training and their sales