Auto Sales Training Tips and Strategies

Image via Wikipedia

by Mak

The process of investigating may seem like a tedious one, but it is a necessary one. You will use the information you learn through investigating to make your presentation easier and build confidence. It can be key to closing a sale. Learn good investigating skills like watching, listening and questioning and learn how to appropriately use the information to increase your sales.

Car Sales Training Tip One: Proper Study Skills Getting to know your customer is the key to a good investigation. As salespeople, we are lucky because we have the gift of gab. Spend some time just chatting with your customer. Don't focus on the car or the bottom line; instead just get to know them. Ask about their kids or their favorite professional sports team. See if you share any interests in common. A word of caution, it is very easy to step on toes so avoid topics like politics or religion. These topics are very likely to cause problems in the conversation so it is best to avoid them all together. The time you spend getting to know your customer will make investigating their needs and wants much easier.

Car Sales Training Tip Two: What's the Point? Investigation does serve a purpose, and an important one at that. Throughout your investigation, you will gather information that you can use when you make your presentation. Furthermore, your customer will feel more comfortable with you and be more likely to have faith and confidence in what you are selling them. Finally, because you have good rapport, have made a proper presentation and your customer trusts you, it is much more likely that you will close the sale.

Car Salesmen Tip Three: How to Conduct a Proper Investigation Actually listen to your customer and make sure you hear what they are saying. A prime mistake made in investigation is assuming you understand what they are saying. Take the time to make sure you hear them correctly. Also, sit back and watch them. Take note of where they pause and why. Use this information to tailor your sale pitch to them. Question your customer to further narrow down their car choice. That is all it takes!

The investigation portion of the sales process may be one of the most tedious, but it is also one of the most important. Learn to put good investigating skills to use to discern what your customer wants and needs. Build rapport to make your presentation easier, build trust and close the deal. Use simple tactic like watching, listening, questioning and keeping on track to make investigating easier. A thorough investigation is key to increasing sales.

About the Author:
Atten: Car salespeople. Mak has many more tips and strategies. Get his free 5 part mini e-course on automotive sales training. It's a must have car sales training course to help you sell more vehicle in the car business.

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Know the Competition When Selling Your Art on the Internet

Image by cinnablythe via Flickr

by Leigh-Ann Lemire

Knowing what your competition is actually doing is beneficial when it comes to selling your art on the internet.

Corruption in the art world and making a profit off of the hard work of artists is not a new subject. Artists copying the works of famous painters, including the signatures and then selling the works for a huge profit and factory hand painted art are just a few of the things your "competition" is up to that you need to watch out for.

An Imitator Selling for Less

Some years back, I knew a very talented artist that sold his art in an area for artists to sell at the ocean in Southern California. His style was western art that was textured and colorful with incredible sunsets and lighting. It went with any decor at home or in a business. He sold a lot, had repeat customers and referrals.

The area had many artists with booths. One of the regular artists saw the success of the western style painter. Instead of staying true to himself, he copied the work of the other - it didn't look as good. To make matters worse, he set his prices lower and took away business from the western style artist.

You can find the same thing now occurring online. Spend a while each week to look at what other artists are doing to ensure that you are not being copied. When describing your art, be sure to mention that it is original and that you have painted in the same style for a number of years.

Factory Produced Original Art

There are assembly lines of people that have one part of a painting to do before sending it on the conveyor belt to the next person who adds his part. The "artists" are trained to rapidly paint a certain part of a painting. The entire painting is done within a matter of a couple minutes.

You may find the most incredible huge painting that is framed for less than a hundred dollars - something just isn't right with that. A real artist is unable to purchase the supplies such as canvas and paints for the price the mass produced painting is sold for.

When you next see a seemingly gorgeous piece of art that is being sold for an extremely low price, you can guess it is created by the competition as above.

The Make a Buck Off Art People

I recently read an artist on how to sell art online thinking that there were going to be tips for artists to sell their works. The article was not about helping artists, it was about exploiting artists to make a living. It went into how to find cheap art and then sell it for a profit. It outlined how to find art at auctions, tag sales, thrift shops and other places. The article went on to say how it was more profitable to get paintings that were signed as you can get more money that way.

The article writer explained in detail how to take advantage of artists for your own profit. When selling your own paintings and creations, be sure to mention that it is an original painting that you created. Say that you are an artist that is selling your art to make a living.

Cut Rate Pricing

While researching, I found an original artist selling his works on eBay. For an artist, eBay has a huge amount of competition from low prices to the quantity available. Then there is the competition from the sellers of art that are explained earlier in this article.

This artist made sales but not in a way that would help him to stay in business. One of his auctions was for a matching set of three paintings. He did as his competitors did and put free shipping on the auction. The auction started at a ridiculously low price and ended at $150. For the size of the canvas and supplies - even if he got them at wholesale, plus pay for the shipping, the artist did not make any money. He didn't get any payment for his time. This artist in business was creating a "losing" instead of a living with his art.

Point out what is good, special and original with your art and forget about attempting to keep up with the competition. Know what your competition is doing, but don't do the same. You are your own real asset because you are authentic, original artist - you are very valuable.

About the Author:
Learn how to sell your art with the information, downloads, tips and services at Help 2 Succeed. Visit the Uber Article Directory to get a totally unique version of this article for reprint.

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