The competition in the automotive sector is becoming more intense, so dealerships need to step up. One effective way to do this is by mastering the art of dealership upselling, which involves encouraging customers to purchase a more expensive or higher-end product or service than what they originally intended to buy.
Here are a few tips:
Provide true value for money
Value-based dealership upselling involves discussing customers’ pain points, needs, and preferences before offering them a product that best suits them. For example, if someone is looking to buy a Kia Stonic for road trips, but as a salesperson, you know that the Kia Telluride is a better fit for their requirements, you can persuade them to upgrade to that make and model, which offers better capabilities and features for long trips.
Personalized recommendations
By offering personalized recommendations at the time of checkout, sales personnel can assist customers in purchasing their dream car and suggest parts and accessories that can enhance the vehicle’s performance. This not only ensures a smooth ride for the customers but also generates additional revenue by promoting highly-rated products and considering customer preferences.
Offer customers “early-bird offers” or “limited time deals”
Dealership upselling, when combined with time-limited or discounted deals, subtly encourages customers to make an immediate purchase. This allows salespeople to enhance the value of the product and increase return-on-investment simultaneously. Events like Black Friday are ideal for limited-time offers due to their built-in deadlines. Occasionally, you can extend the deadline, which further motivates customers by creating a greater sense of urgency. This enables your dealership to expedite the customer’s buying process and quickly capture their interest.
Offer product demos and trials
Product demonstrations and complimentary trials provide customers with the opportunity to experience firsthand how the enhanced version of the actual product or service would function in real-world scenarios. For instance, certain makes and models of automobiles may have limited safety functionalities such as blind spot detection and adaptive cruise control. However, with a more advanced model, customers can avail features like driver drowsiness detection, pedestrian detection system, rear occupant alert, and many other additional features. The most simple way to use upselling, is to train sales team to propose product demonstrations or complimentary trials to enable customers to comprehend the advantages of these premium features.
Additional services
Add-ons provide a great opportunity to customize and personalize the buying journey, enhancing the likelihood of customers remembering your dealership in the future. They also facilitate smoother operations between the parts department and the service lane. For instance, if a customer purchases a challenging-to-install part, you can offer them a discounted installation service at the service lane.
Sales personnel can also improve upselling techniques in the maintenance and repair services sector. Instead of offering two free inspections and a couple of tune-ups, why not suggest upgrading to a package that includes regular oil changes, tire rotations, and fluid checks for a slightly higher price?
Provide visual examples
Upselling walkthroughs in dealerships are crucial as they benefit both the salesperson and the customer. The salesperson can generate higher revenue, while the customer can enjoy a premium product or service. To effectively upsell, it is important to help the customer visualize the benefits of a particular feature or upgrade. For example, if you want to convince them about the experience of having a sunroof in a vehicle, show them one so they can experience it firsthand. This will help them understand the value of the upgrade and make a more informed decision.
Hence, it is evident why dealership upselling walkthroughs hold great significance – they offer a mutually beneficial outcome for both the salesperson and the customer. The salesperson benefits from increased revenue, while the customer receives a superior product or service.
