| The old way to get car sales leads was to wait for | | | | customers if not great generators of leads, this lack of |
| either store traffic or lot traffic. Sometimes, leads were | | | | membership by those within the car selling industry |
| secured on the golf course or at some Chamber of | | | | confirms that most new car salesmen or new car |
| Commerce event. However, the 21st century, | | | | saleswomen do not know how to prospect. |
| especially the Internet, has changed how to get car | | | | When professional sales people take control of their |
| sales leads. Now these salespeople must act like the | | | | leads, they can take greater responsibility for their |
| rest of the sales professionals. | | | | sales success. For they can overcome some of the |
| The most common professional sales gap for car | | | | obstacles that are preventing them from selling cars |
| salesmen or car saleswomen is the inability to get | | | | especially credit issues or financing. No longer can the |
| sales leads. This industry has for decades relied on | | | | blame the car dealership for poor traffic and dismal |
| foot traffic. This belief is still very much alive in spite of | | | | monthly sales. |
| all the information to the contrary. | | | | What I know after working with numerous individuals |
| New car salesmen or new car saleswomen still | | | | who make their living by selling cars is that most do not |
| believe that qualified prospects will walk through the | | | | know how to prospect. One of the best ways to |
| door. This belief has them engaged in marketing | | | | prospect is to join a networking group. These groups |
| activities that truly do not generate new sales leads. | | | | range from the national formal such as Business |
| And then they blame the dealership for lack of | | | | Networking International (BNI) to local informal groups |
| business. | | | | such as Northwest Indiana Networking Group. |
| I have surveyed many of my business acquaintances | | | | And the real question to be asked is: Why would |
| from East Coast to West Coast who belong to formal | | | | anyone waste time with a suspect when finding |
| business networking groups and learned that very few | | | | prospects is so much easier? If you are selling cars, |
| of these groups have members from new car | | | | then shift into 4th gear and find your own leads |
| dealerships or used car dealerships. Given that each of | | | | through proven prospecting strategies. You will be truly |
| these members within these groups are potential | | | | surprised by the results of your efforts. |