Share This Information To Make a Deal Go More Smoothly
1."I plan to get my new car this weekend."
When you contact the dealership, be sure to tell the salesperson that you're ready to buy now (some people don't do this, for whatever reason). If you are frank about being ready to buy, you go from being an average sales lead to a hot prospect. A hot prospect is incredibly attractive to car salespeople, and being one will get you faster, more enthusiastic service and better deal offers. Conversely, if you're not planning to buy your new car for several months, tell the salesperson that, too. You may not want a lot of immediate follow-up from the dealership if you're not yet ready to pull the trigger. Telling the dealer you're six months away from a purchase will slow down the follow-up calls and emails.
When you contact the dealership, be sure to tell the salesperson that you're ready to buy now (some people don't do this, for whatever reason). If you are frank about being ready to buy, you go from being an average sales lead to a hot prospect. A hot prospect is incredibly attractive to car salespeople, and being one will get you faster, more enthusiastic service and better deal offers. Conversely, if you're not planning to buy your new car for several months, tell the salesperson that, too. You may not want a lot of immediate follow-up from the dealership if you're not yet ready to pull the trigger. Telling the dealer you're six months away from a purchase will slow down the follow-up calls and emails.
2. "I'm calling to confirm my test-drive appointment this evening."
Here is a car business truth: Many customers who set appointments to test-drive a car or see a vehicle in a particular color simply never show up. After a few years of being stood up by customers, a salesperson who isn't confident his 7 p.m. appointment is actually coming may not take the extra steps to make the appointment easier. He might skip things like getting the car out of storage and having it rinsed off or gassed up ahead of time. In such cases, the shopper who keeps the appointment might have to wait while the salesperson handles the things that could have been handled earlier. Calling to confirm your appointment can save you some serious wait time.
Here is a car business truth: Many customers who set appointments to test-drive a car or see a vehicle in a particular color simply never show up. After a few years of being stood up by customers, a salesperson who isn't confident his 7 p.m. appointment is actually coming may not take the extra steps to make the appointment easier. He might skip things like getting the car out of storage and having it rinsed off or gassed up ahead of time. In such cases, the shopper who keeps the appointment might have to wait while the salesperson handles the things that could have been handled earlier. Calling to confirm your appointment can save you some serious wait time.
There's another reason this confirmation call works to your benefit: Your salesperson may use the call to suggest things you can do to speed up the visit while you're there. This includes such things as paperwork to bring along and maybe even where to park on the lot. Another pro tip: If you're looking to see a specific car, this is a good time to verify it is in stock and ready to go.
3. "I have a trade-in, and I'd like to have it appraised as soon as possible."
Getting a trade-in appraised can take time. Moving that process up earlier in the deal-making can speed things along. It also lets the salesperson know that it's very important to you to get a good trade-in value. If it turns out you and the dealership are thousands of dollars apart on the trade-in value, the earlier you know that, the better.
Getting a trade-in appraised can take time. Moving that process up earlier in the deal-making can speed things along. It also lets the salesperson know that it's very important to you to get a good trade-in value. If it turns out you and the dealership are thousands of dollars apart on the trade-in value, the earlier you know that, the better.