Untitled project

You know, most people have this cinematic idea of how car sales work, that the real business happens on the lot.
Right, the kicking, the tyres, the test drive.
Exactly.
The handshake in the showroom.
But if you really look at the data, if you look at how people actually buy cars now, that is not where the psychological battle is won or lost.
No, not at all.
By the time they're actually on the lot, the hardest work should already be done.
If you're waiting for them to show up to start the selling process, you're already way behind.
The real game happens so much earlier, it happens on the phone and usually it's over in less than three minutes.
And that three minute window is.
I mean, it's everything.
It determines if a customer even shows up, let alone if they buy from you.
Which brings us right to the focus of today's deep dive.
We're doing something a little different today, bit more specialised.
We are digging right into the Internet call guide revised.
And we should give a specific shout out here.
This deep dive is really for everyone who attended Mark Rodriguez's recent workshop, the one at the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.
Yes.
If you were there in that room, this is your reinforcement.
Mark isn't just an author, he really wants to be your coach, your guide.
He gave you the script and today our job is to unpack the why behind it.
Exactly.
A lot of people, you know, they see a script and just see lines to memorise, but Mark's material, especially this generic Internet workflow, it's really a psychological map.
So that's our mission today.
We are going to deconstruct it.
We're going to break down the manager pivot, the logic behind the P4 appointment, and maybe most importantly, how to psychologically commit a customer to actually showing up.
And how all of this moves you from just being a click to being a true consultant.
I love that.
So let's jump in.
The guide has these steps, right.
We're going to skip past the intro and land right in the middle at step two, build value and discovery.
This is the foundation.
And in the source material, this is where the rep is asking those crucial questions.
What are your must haves?
Are you replacing a current vehicle?
Stuff like that.
But there's one question in step two that I think really scares a lot of salespeople.
It's the money question.
The guide tells you to ask, what price range or monthly budget should I be looking at?
And that is the critical piece of information.
You're right.
Most reps are terrified to ask that.
Early they think they're going to scare the customer away.
Right?
They think it just kills the whole vibe of the call.
But Mark's guide completely flips that.
You need that budget number because you're going to use it as a tool in like, two minutes.
You aren't asking for it to disqualify them.
You're asking so you can be their hero in step four.
Okay, so let's connect those dots step two to step four.
But first there's step three, the hold.
The script says, let me go to work for you, and then you put them on hold.
It does.
It says, can I place you on a brief hold while I cheque the inventory and speak with my manager?
Seek with my manager.
Why is that phrasing so important?
Why not just say, let me cheque the computer?
Because checking a computer makes you a clerk.
Speaking with a manager makes you an advocate.
It completely changes the dynamic.
You're not just looking at a screen.
You are going to bat for them with a person who has authority.
So you do the hold, you come back, and this is step four, the appointment.
This is the manager pivot we were talking about.
Walk me through this.
Because the wording is so specific.
It's incredibly specific.
So let's say the customer has a trade in and they gave you a budget.
Back in step two, you come back from the hold and you say this.
Thank you for holding.
I spoke with my manager, and it looks like if your vehicle appraises for what it should, there should be no reason why we can't get very close to that budget you mentioned.
Whoa.
Okay, pause right there.
There's so much going on in that one sentence.
If your vehicle appraises for what it should.
Exactly.
It's conditional.
But look at what you just did.
The customer's number one fear is, I'm going to drive all the way down there and then find out I can't afford this car.
And you just took that fear off the table immediately.
And you did it using the manager's authority.
You're saying, we heard you about your budget and the boss thinks we can make this work.
But it's not an unconditional promise that.
If keeps you safe and notice the order.
Only after you solve the budget problem does the rep say, also, it looks like that vehicle is available.
That's the key most new salespeople lead with.
It's here.
But availability doesn't matter if the customer thinks they can't afford it.
You have to pair the availability with the budget reassurance.
It's like you're giving them a safe yes to come in.
That's a perfect way to put it.
And the script even has a version for a customer with no trade in.
It says, based on your budget, he believes there are a few programmes we can utilise to make this work for you.
Again, you're quoting the manager, he believes, and you're validating their concern.
You're positioning yourself as the helpful bridge to the manager.
Precisely.
You went to the boss and you got good news for them.
Now they're emotionally ready to talk about time.
Which brings us to the next big part of the script we've tackled.
Can I afford it?
Now we have to get to when can I come in?
The guide calls this the P4 appointment.
Right.
And this is all about taking professional control of the schedule.
I want to read this line exactly as it's written because it's so deliberate.
Now, customer name.
I schedule all my VIP Internet business by appointment.
And the reason for that is your time is valuable.
There are like three huge psychological triggers in that sentence alone.
Okay, let's unpack them.
What's the first one?
Exclusivity.
I schedule all my VIP Internet business by appointment.
VIP Internet business.
That sounds pretty good.
Makes the customer feel special.
It does, but it also elevates you the salesperson.
It implies you're a busy professional, you're in demand.
You don't just sit around.
I mean, a top surgeon works by appointment.
Right?
It signals status.
It definitely sounds better than, yeah, just swing by whenever.
Swing by whenever basically means my time is worthless.
And what's the second trigger you see there?
The benefit to the customer.
The reason for that is your time is valuable.
You're framing your process as a benefit to them.
It's the classic, what's in it for me?
And then the third trigger immediately follows, which is the contrast.
The script says, we'd rather wait on you than have you wait on us.
I love that line.
We'd rather wait on you than have you wait on us.
It creates the service first mindset.
It basically says, if you make an appointment, you become a priority.
If you just walk in, you might have to wait around.
It makes the appointment feel like a shortcut to better service.
And speaking of service, the guide goes even further.
He gets into this whole hospitality aspect.
Yeah, this is where you can really separate yourself from the competition.
The script promises a very specific action.
It says, in fact, I'm going to have that vehicle pulled up front for you to make this visit really smooth.
And think about the normal experience you get to a dealership, you wander around a giant lot in the rain trying to find the car.
It's just friction.
It starts the whole interaction off on the wrong foot.
But pulled up front implies the car is waiting for you.
Mark even talks about the details in the workshop.
If it's winter, the car should be warmed up.
Heat on summer, AC blasting.
Oh, that's a really nice touch.
And it goes beyond the car.
The guide suggests offering them a coffee or water right away.
I'll have the car ready and a coffee waiting for you.
It turns the arrival from a chore into, like a VIP welcome.
It makes the appointment feel more real.
If I know that car is sitting there idling, warmed up just for me, I feel a much stronger obligation to actually show up.
That's the unspoken part of it.
They did all this work for me.
But even with all of that, we know what the biggest enemy of every sales appointment is.
Ghosting the silent killer.
The customer says 2.
00pm and at 2.
15, you're just standing there.
Happens all the time.
But this guide has a very specific tool to fight it.
It's what we're calling the professional courtesy close.
This might be my favourite part of the entire thing, because it feels so, I don't know, so human.
It just appeals to basic decency.
The line is, if for any reason you find yourself running early or late, would you give me the professional courtesy of a call?
Using those two words, professional courtesy is so deliberate, it elevates the whole interaction.
It's a subtle reminder that this is a business arrangement between two adults.
But then it adds the real magic.
And I'll do the same for you.
That's it.
That's the reciprocity.
It creates a social contract.
Explain that a little more.
Why is adding I'll do the same for you so important?
Well, if I just ask you to call me, that's a rule I'm giving you.
People tend to resist rules.
But if I say, hey, I promise to call you if I'm running late, will you do the same for me?
Well, now we have an agreement.
A partnership.
It puts you both on the same level.
It does.
And psychologically, it makes it so much harder to just blow you off.
You aren't just missing an appointment.
You're breaking a personal promise to someone who just promised to respect your time.
It's so simple.
But I can totally see why that would work.
And that's really what this is all about.
It's about structuring respect right into the conversation.
So we've got the appointment locked in.
We've got the professional courtesy agreement.
Now we have to swap contact info.
And even this part is scripted to be smooth.
Right.
It avoids that awkward fumble of so can I get your number instead?
It says, would you rather write my name and contact number or should I text it to you along with an appointment confirmation?
That's what's called a choice of yeses or an option play.
Meaning either answer they give is a win for you.
Exactly.
Option A, they write it down.
Great.
That's a physical commitment.
But option B is what most people pick.
Oh, just text it to me and.
Boom, you've just confirmed their cell number is real and works.
Correct.
And you've opened up a text channel, which is how most people prefer to communicate anyway.
It's completely frictionless.
And it all ends with the sign off.
Thank you for choosing Dealership.
So subtle, but so powerful.
Thank you for choosing.
It assumes the sale.
It implies the decision has already been made.
So when we put all these pieces together, we've taken a generic Internet lead and turned it into a confirmed VIP appointment with a social contract attached to it.
Yeah, and the whole thing moves the salesperson from being just an order taker to a real consultant.
So.
Well, think about the manager Pivot.
A clerk says, I don't know, let me cheque.
A consultant says, I spoke with the manager and I see a path forward.
For you and the appointment setting.
A clerk says, when do you want to come in?
A consultant says, I work by appointment.
To respect your time and that professional courtesy.
Close.
A clerk just hopes you show up.
A consultant establishes a mutual standard of respect.
It's really about giving the salesperson confidence, isn't it?
That's exactly what it is.
When you know what to say to handle the budget question and you know how to stop getting ghosted.
You just sound different on the phone.
You sound like someone people want to do business with.
So for everyone who was at that workshop, this is why you have that workbook.
It's not just to memorise lines.
The words matter, but the intent behind the words matters more.
You have to believe your time is valuable.
You have to genuinely want to help the customer.
Right.
You can't fake the I'll do the same for you part.
No, you have to mean it.
Okay, so let's quickly recap the journey.
We started with the manager pivot.
Step four.
You validate their budget using the manager's authority.
If it appraises, we can get close.
Then we move to the P4 logic.
I schedule all my VIP business by appointment using exclusivity and respect for their.
Time, followed by the hospitality piece.
Pulling the car up front, heat on, coffee ready.
Making the arrival a great experience and.
Locking it all in with professional courtesy is social contract.
Give me the courtesy of a call and I'll do the same for you.
It's an incredible amount of psychology packed into what is really a two or three minute conversation.
It's really dense.
Every single sentence is doing some heavy lifting.
So for everyone listening, if you have that workbook from the Gen Y Ed workshop, go back and scan it.
Look at those lines we talked about.
Don't just read them, practise them.
Feel the authority in that P4 section.
And hey, if you found value in this deemedive, if this helped you understand the why behind this script, please do us a favour and leave a review.
It really helps us know what's hitting home for you.
We do read them and we appreciate it.
Before we go though, I want to leave you with a final thought.
We talked about a lot of techniques today and I'm sure some people are thinking, isn't this just manipulation?
That's the big question, right?
And I want to leave you with this provocation.
The script isn't about tricking anyone.
It's about creating a structure for respect.
But think about that professional courtesy line one more time.
If you skip that line, if you're too afraid to ask for that courtesy, what are you implicitly telling the customer?
Are you telling them that their attendance doesn't really matter?
Are you telling them that your time has no value?
Because if you don't respect your own time enough to ask for a simple phone call, why should they respect it enough to show up?
That's definitely something to chew on.
Respect starts with you.
It always does.
Thanks for listening, everyone.
We'll see you on the next Deep Dive.