Who here has worked in sales for the car audio business?
I would like to discuss a few topics concerning retail car audio. I have spent many many hours along with the other golds and several non gold members writing DIY articles, doing hours of research on simple threads, and recommending products from the internet such as Ebay and several others. All of which could very easily have taken money out of my pocket as an installer, salesman, and manager in the car audio business. Why did I do it? Because this is where I learned most of what I know. I am a result of the patience of TTocs and Swez and a few others that took the time to teach me.
Long story short, I want to give everyone here an inside view of the car audio world. From the sometimes cruddy pay to the crippling long hours. I want to discuss the tactics of the salesman, the shortcuts of the installer, and the need to knows before any member here walks through the door of a car audio shop and gets ripped off.
Not to steer you away from the whole basis of this forum, but to tell you why this forum is important, and to give you a good understanding of how business works so that if you have to go to a stereo shop, you will know what to expect.
I thought I would start with sales.
Things to look for in a salesman:
Beware of the good salesman - he will take your money and you won't realize it until you get home.
I was taught to mimic the posture, hand gestures, and language of the customer. If they fold their arms across their chest, I fold my arms across my chest. If they talk with their hands, I talk with my hands. If they cuss, I cuss. This breaks down any uncomfortable barriers and makes you think you are on their level.
I was also taught to introduce the customer to the highest priced item first. To go on and on about how amazing and cutting edge the features were. If they want something in the $200 range on a HU, I showed them the $400 HU, then the $325 HU that did almost all of the same thing as the $400 HU, but for almost $100 less!!! That is the kicker, you are up 200, then tell them they are saving 100, and that's the most valuable item in the store to them.
Payment plans. Once I bump their budget up $200, then save them $100, I introduced the payment plan. $200 down (their origional budget) and $50/week. But wait there's more... In house financing, now that they understand that they only have to pay $200 it is easy to tack on installation, installation parts, extended warranties and the 10% finance charge... and why not replace that rattling pair of front speakers that really are not in that bad of shape? By this time, the customer feels like they are my best friend and I am hooking them up big time. So by the time you leave my shop, I got you for $600 instead of $200 that you planned on spending.
Girlfriends -
My favorite customer has always been the young guy that brings his girlfriend along with him. A little joking around with both of them to get them comfortable, bragging on other customers that spent thousands of dollars on their bad ass systems, and then a harmless put down aimed at the guy.
By this time, the girlfriend is giggling, and the guy is in show off mode. Easiest sale in the world.
Guys, I'm not an ass. I was trained well as a salesman, and I was good at my job. My tactics were dirty, but I had to make money just like everyone else. I just want you to know what to look for. I hated sales, but sometimes I had to sell to get the install. I did alot of freebies as an installer, and always took the time to show the customers the hows and whys of the install. I guess it was kind of a two faced operation.
Who else here has done sales, and is there anything you would like to add?
Replies (1)
swez on 11/28/2006 16:25:57
More Car Audio Whore Stories:
This is gonna be a real eye opening thread when it runs it course Kit.
I don't have time to respond to this one now... but what you have noted, are the earmarks of a "productive sales con artist". (Not a "good" salesman)
Sadly, much of what you have outlined so far, is exactly how the game works for many in retail sales to younger adults. More to follow...
OK, had a few years of retail sales and 20 + years in Electronics Components and Materials. One gig happened to be in Car Audio and others like musical instruments, guitars, drum kits and other band related gear. There are certain tactics that work well in retail, but try them in a Corporate sales environment… and you’ll either starve or get the boot.
In retail sales, the first thing we try to do is size up the customer:
1.How much money is he going to spend today?
2.How much does he know about what he going to buy?
3.How big is his ego?
4.What triggers his “Buy it now” buttons?
Next, we attempt to make a personal connection with the buyer:
1.Ask a bunch of fluff questions and listen to his responses (Observe body language)
2.Mimic the customer’s behavior patterns w/o being obvious
3.Make him comfortable and act like we are his old buddies from school
Now that we have established some rapport, it’s time for the hard sell tactics:
1.Paint a glowing picture of all the stuff he wants to own (Imagine owning this stuff pal)
2.Show him the high end stuff and demo the best system in the house (He’s drooling now)
3.Show the low budget stuff and compare (His ego won’t let him linger long here)
4.Now, it’s time to talk turkey… “What’s it gonna be today chump”?
We generally only have one crack at this guy. Once he leaves the store, we may not see him again. So, it’s time to set the hook. We calculate all the items, throw in a pile of cheap freebies and then tell him it’s a great deal and we have an inside track with the Manager to cut a sweet deal if he balks.
If his ego is bigger than his wallet and common sense, then we can toss in some kind of short-term financing plan and help him establish his line of credit. Most of the time, this works like a charm. Sadly, this also works on some adults, who think and behave like teenagers too. Again, they are easy to spot like pigeons in leafted out tree.
Now, there a ways to beat this trap. But one has to be willing to research his purchases, know what a fair price is and be ready to hit the door if one senses a bad deal is coming down too fast. I'll leave it there for now and we can always come back to a better strategy later.
Swez
I would like to discuss a few topics concerning retail car audio. I have spent many many hours along with the other golds and several non gold members writing DIY articles, doing hours of research on simple threads, and recommending products from the internet such as Ebay and several others. All of which could very easily have taken money out of my pocket as an installer, salesman, and manager in the car audio business. Why did I do it? Because this is where I learned most of what I know. I am a result of the patience of TTocs and Swez and a few others that took the time to teach me.
Long story short, I want to give everyone here an inside view of the car audio world. From the sometimes cruddy pay to the crippling long hours. I want to discuss the tactics of the salesman, the shortcuts of the installer, and the need to knows before any member here walks through the door of a car audio shop and gets ripped off.
Not to steer you away from the whole basis of this forum, but to tell you why this forum is important, and to give you a good understanding of how business works so that if you have to go to a stereo shop, you will know what to expect.
I thought I would start with sales.
Things to look for in a salesman:
Beware of the good salesman - he will take your money and you won't realize it until you get home.
I was taught to mimic the posture, hand gestures, and language of the customer. If they fold their arms across their chest, I fold my arms across my chest. If they talk with their hands, I talk with my hands. If they cuss, I cuss. This breaks down any uncomfortable barriers and makes you think you are on their level.
I was also taught to introduce the customer to the highest priced item first. To go on and on about how amazing and cutting edge the features were. If they want something in the $200 range on a HU, I showed them the $400 HU, then the $325 HU that did almost all of the same thing as the $400 HU, but for almost $100 less!!! That is the kicker, you are up 200, then tell them they are saving 100, and that's the most valuable item in the store to them.
Payment plans. Once I bump their budget up $200, then save them $100, I introduced the payment plan. $200 down (their origional budget) and $50/week. But wait there's more... In house financing, now that they understand that they only have to pay $200 it is easy to tack on installation, installation parts, extended warranties and the 10% finance charge... and why not replace that rattling pair of front speakers that really are not in that bad of shape? By this time, the customer feels like they are my best friend and I am hooking them up big time. So by the time you leave my shop, I got you for $600 instead of $200 that you planned on spending.
Girlfriends -
My favorite customer has always been the young guy that brings his girlfriend along with him. A little joking around with both of them to get them comfortable, bragging on other customers that spent thousands of dollars on their bad ass systems, and then a harmless put down aimed at the guy.
By this time, the girlfriend is giggling, and the guy is in show off mode. Easiest sale in the world.
Guys, I'm not an ass. I was trained well as a salesman, and I was good at my job. My tactics were dirty, but I had to make money just like everyone else. I just want you to know what to look for. I hated sales, but sometimes I had to sell to get the install. I did alot of freebies as an installer, and always took the time to show the customers the hows and whys of the install. I guess it was kind of a two faced operation.
Who else here has done sales, and is there anything you would like to add?
Replies (1)
swez on 11/28/2006 16:25:57
More Car Audio Whore Stories:
This is gonna be a real eye opening thread when it runs it course Kit.
I don't have time to respond to this one now... but what you have noted, are the earmarks of a "productive sales con artist". (Not a "good" salesman)
Sadly, much of what you have outlined so far, is exactly how the game works for many in retail sales to younger adults. More to follow...
OK, had a few years of retail sales and 20 + years in Electronics Components and Materials. One gig happened to be in Car Audio and others like musical instruments, guitars, drum kits and other band related gear. There are certain tactics that work well in retail, but try them in a Corporate sales environment… and you’ll either starve or get the boot.
In retail sales, the first thing we try to do is size up the customer:
1.How much money is he going to spend today?
2.How much does he know about what he going to buy?
3.How big is his ego?
4.What triggers his “Buy it now” buttons?
Next, we attempt to make a personal connection with the buyer:
1.Ask a bunch of fluff questions and listen to his responses (Observe body language)
2.Mimic the customer’s behavior patterns w/o being obvious
3.Make him comfortable and act like we are his old buddies from school
Now that we have established some rapport, it’s time for the hard sell tactics:
1.Paint a glowing picture of all the stuff he wants to own (Imagine owning this stuff pal)
2.Show him the high end stuff and demo the best system in the house (He’s drooling now)
3.Show the low budget stuff and compare (His ego won’t let him linger long here)
4.Now, it’s time to talk turkey… “What’s it gonna be today chump”?
We generally only have one crack at this guy. Once he leaves the store, we may not see him again. So, it’s time to set the hook. We calculate all the items, throw in a pile of cheap freebies and then tell him it’s a great deal and we have an inside track with the Manager to cut a sweet deal if he balks.
If his ego is bigger than his wallet and common sense, then we can toss in some kind of short-term financing plan and help him establish his line of credit. Most of the time, this works like a charm. Sadly, this also works on some adults, who think and behave like teenagers too. Again, they are easy to spot like pigeons in leafted out tree.
Now, there a ways to beat this trap. But one has to be willing to research his purchases, know what a fair price is and be ready to hit the door if one senses a bad deal is coming down too fast. I'll leave it there for now and we can always come back to a better strategy later.
Swez
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