Get Buyers Through Your Doors

You’ve just set an appointment, and are one step further to selling a car! However, if your buyer doesn’t show up to the dealership, then it’s all for nothing. In automotive sales, having a strong show ratio is incredibly important. Customers miss appointments all the time for a variety of reasons, and that means less car deals for you. Whether they decided to take their business elsewhere or even just forgot, that equals less car deals.

If you were able to set the appointment, then the deal is hot. So, letting that slip away and having a consistently unsatisfactory show ratio will severely damage your auto sales career. Instead, stay prepared to stay in front of the buyer and keep them engaged until they are in your dealership! When you can do this, you will be able to achieve an almost 100% show ratio and sell a lot more cars! In this automotive sales blog, learn the show ratio tips and techniques needed to make sure your appointments walk through your dealership’s doors!

Show Ratio Tip #1 – Send a Video

It’s no surprise that nowadays video has become a great way to help you sell cars. Video is often used to grab customer’s attention so car sales professionals can set an appointment. Yet, sending an automotive video is a great way to increase your appointment show ratio as well! In fact, video confirmations are one of the best ways to make the appointment feel real to the buyer, which will icnrease your show ratio.

Following up helps you stay in front of the buyer’s mind, and video is a great way to make that engaging. A great video to send a customer who set an appointment is a confirmation video! Here, you can tell them what to expect during the appointment, and explain all of the work you are going to do for them prior to the appointment. If you have already cleaned up the vehicle and pulled it around front, include that in your video as well. When a customer is able to see the car they’re interested in, start to build expectations for the appointment, and see the sales professional they’ll be working with, it does a world of difference in making the appointment feel real. In turn, your appointment show ratio will increase!

Show Ratio Tip #2 – Manager Confirmation Call

Getting sales managers involved in your car deals is always a great idea! Even when you’ve already set the appointment. In this case, rather than a confirmation call, it is more of a welcome call. The customer has already set the appointment, so your sales manager can help increase your show ratio by making a call to welcome them to the dealership. Here, sales managers will be able to talk you up, confirm the appointment time, and ask to be introduced to the buyer when they visit. This helps ensure more buyers show up. Additionally, it increases the chance they will make a purchase because they are meeting the manager early. This allows you to stay in front of the buyer’s mind and creates a V.I.P. buying experience that increases show ratios!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htW0RkBydpg

Show Ratio Tip #3 – Text Them

If you want customers to show up to your appointment, then it needs to feel real. The importance of an appointment is based purely on the perception of the buyer. So, if it feels like a real appointment to the buyer, then it is. Likewise, if it feels fake to the buyer, then it is a fake appointment. Keep your deal feeling real by using text to increase your show ratio.

After you get off the phone with a buyer, send the buyer a text! This can include information on the appointment, and a picture of the vehicle they’re interested in. Alternatively, you can text them a calendar invite. When you have a buyer that agrees to meet with you at a specific date and time, a calendar invite is a good way to have them show up! Then, the morning of the appointment, send your customer another text. This message can include important information, such as where they should park, where they can find you, what you’re wearing, and how excited you are to show them the vehicle. These types of texts are great ways to increase your appointment show ratio in automotive sales!

Show Ratio Tip #4 – Missed Appointments Don’t Mean No Appointments

In automotive sales, how you approach a missed appointment can make a huge difference on your overall show ratio. Sometimes, customers just forget, and even if they just decided to blow the appointment off, there’s still a chance that you could re-set the appointment. So, when you have a buyer who does not show up for their appointment time, reach out to them almost immediately!

Call your missed appointments with a sense of urgency and excitement. Your attitude could be the thing that makes or breaks the appointment. Don’t make it easy for the buyer to say "no" to rescheduling your appointment. Instead, make it easy by saying something like, "I am outside the dealership looking for you..."

When you call customers like you are expecting them, most will apologize and reschedule. Mistakes happen, and even if they forgot their appointment, it’s still a hot deal. In fact, they may even head down to the dealership right after you call them. However, in cases where customers say they’re looking around elsewhere, this is your chance to get the deal back to your dealership. Find out why they’re shopping elsewhere and ensure them that for what they’re looking for, you are the best place to give it to them. This should help you win back some of those appointments!