Being a car audio salesman is tough.......cant find any good words for selling poinds for anything with a dual nameplate....any pointers from the pros??
FYI i have been in retail sales for all of two weeks now.......
Replies (18)
swez on 10/3/2008 20:23:25
Selling is a steep learning curve until we learn to have confidence and hands-on experience with the products on the shelf. Our skills to prove to others what works and how to get there is also needed. That's the value of a decent demo system and a salesman who knows how to set one up.
Selling is tough right now as so many are cash/credit poor and looking for low cost products that give the best bang for the buck they have on hand. "Dual" products have a place in the tier 3 market. But one has to show the buyer how to get the most from them.
Side bar thought:
A few years back, a neighor's kid had a buddy with Dual Subs and a Soundstorm amp. They sounded like "hammered dog pile" in his car. I had a quick look and did some clean-up work on this kids' rig. After 45 minutes of rework and tweaking, his system actually sounded pretty decent for the gear on hand.
The point here, most low budget systems will work if one knows what they are doing. Get your hands on some of the gear available and figure out how to make it work to the "average Joe consumer." Once you know how to make it work, you can sell it with confidence.
What other brands are available in this store for you to sell?
Swez
Victor on 10/3/2008 21:09:09
As we all say
In car audio 10% is product selection and 90% installation.....
if you can insure your 90% ... any product can be sold.... be it a low grade product or a extreme high end one.. the difference it makes is from 91% to 99% .....
If its about convincing the customer... what i have noticed with the Indian consumer ( who wants everything and don't wanna spend anything ) ...
many consumers come with a certain product in mind ... some have heard from their friends, family, researched on the internet etc...
i dont sit and argue with them or try and explain car audio or car audio products..
simply give them what they ask for ... cause if i sit and convince them that X brand is better than Y, then they feel I earn more in X so i am pushing it... so he goes to the next shop and buys brand Y ...
instead give him what he asks, fill your pocket and get rid of him...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Give options to a sensible consumer...
Config A - precisely that sets in his budget ( not less than -5% of his budget )
Config B - a tad bit higher than his budget
Config C - 50% more than his budget
Preferably keep config A one single brand all around, and mix and match in config B and C.
If you can give him a demo of all these nothing better than that... Show Config C first and then B and A ...
most of them as i have noticed settle for a system thats a tad bit above their budget ...Config B ....
never quote a config or show them a demo for something thats under their budget ...
Quote high on install fees, so that you can later on have some margin to give him discounts or some free items for promotion...
There are some consumers who are a lot more smarter.. they don't tell u a budget, just say, no budget constrains, ask u to show high end stuff, you think they gonna buy it, and try to lure them more with sweet talks of discounts and stuff, then either they just walk off like a window shopper or settle in for a low budget system and expect us to give a huge discount ....
with them, do not talk of any discounts or freebies until they have committed and you start installing a particular system and know what your margin would be on the entire install.
What is important is knowing your consumer... his need, his desires, his fascinations and his ability to spend as opposed to his willingness to spend....
this would come only with experience as you deal with more and more people from various segments of the social structure...
sometimes one needs to totally dominate the consumer, let him know in sweet words " you know nothing about an audio system, cut the crap, and let me do the install for you, if you ain't satisfied, i shall take it back without charging u a single penny".... show him your level of confidence, consumer builds his confidence on you only if he realizes your confidence in yourself, in your knowledge and in your work...
no matter what, even if he does'nt buy what you wanna sell , he should under no circumstances leave your shop without filling ur pocket, even if thats just a few bucks...
margin and volume are inversely proportional ... so if u are ready to work on slim margins you can get pretty good volumes, and if u want hefty margins expect lesser volumes in terms of sales...
although in both the cases, you cannot compromise on your 90% of quality install .... u can go pretty low on product margins, but never go low on install fees, that ways you will even start building a good reputation of a quality installer...
hope this helps...
comments..??
Victor...
ps: I cud send you 2 files, one which has a quotation and the other a brief about the configs... will help you get a professional approach...
what would be your email id.?
SQLThump on 10/5/2008 16:40:15
Vic, my address is Shanksta187420@aol.com
Appreciate the advice fellas, will give as much feedback as possible, being my "no web at the crib" restraints.
Brands and productswe sell, an odd mix......
midrange JVC decks
Pioneer decks, basic amps, basic to midrange subs
Dual subs, amps, decks...HURL!
Kenwood decks and low speakers
Alpine decks (we carry almost every one) Type-S speakers, amps (lots of PDX) and Type E subs
JBL subs and amps
Infinity speakers
FOCAL SPEAKERS AMPS AND SUBS !!!!!! That deserves a yell!
A jensen deck, and a flipout DVD.......YUK!!
JL amps and subs, and one pair of comps
Rockford Punch series amps and subs (better than before, but still suck)
low end Panasonic decks
Streetwires cables
Several portable Xm units
A few portable nav's Garmin, Tom Tom, Magellan, 1 Navigon and 1 Harmon Kardon
Verizon, T-mobile and AT&T cell phones, plans accessories
Alarm, remote start lighting accessories
In short, were are an odd bastard child of a specialty shop and a and a big box store. We offer a lot of products, but a weird mix of them, and the cell phones break my balls because half of our customers are in for phones, and every time I have to refer them to someone who knows wireless who is usually busy, and I lose business, and half the time the customer walks.......
Most of my knowledge is in istallation, and paring up bass packages. I know a little about most the decks, very little about nav units
I would love to go into more detail, but im about to pass out at my moms house, and I gotta an hour drive home......I'll have to get back to you tommorrow
Victor on 10/5/2008 18:23:18
mailed you...this guy was a sony fan, so had to give him one of those options too...
anyways..
You got a whole lotta brands there to work with, you should be having real fun..... Its a nice mix-match of low-mid-high end products ....
In your free time, try make configs like the mail i sent you.. becomes easier for you to suggest when a client comes in.....
go budget wise.. say X budget - Cofig 1-2-3....... Y budget Config 1-2-3- and so on.... this way u can move faster through clients and confidently too...
regarding learning HU's and Nav units... note down the model numbers and grab its owner manuals.... read read read.. thats the only way other than hands on experience.....
dont limit yourself to saying u got expertise in sub-amp pairing or enclosure design etc... u be "Mr. Know it all" when it comes to car audio... dont back off at anything, and even if you dont know about something, ( you know that u dont know) but the client should never know that you dont know... always be confident in front of the client....
About cellphones, well you should ask your employer to limit you to car audio sales only and you will do a wonderful job for him.... Although if you know basic electronics, some computer, and audio-video basics then it aint difficult to understand mobile technologies........
gotta get back to work, more laters...
comments..??
Victor...
MrBrownstone on 10/6/2008 10:28:16
Sales is about asking questions & getting someone to make a decision. Try to remember also that budget is a major factor as well.
You may find it a lot harder to move product lately as noone has any money as well as the mobile phone has swallowed up 1/3 of our market. Gas being 250% more expensive makes driving a rarity rather than a right.
In any case, it's all about the questions you ask. If a guy is looking at the pretty lights, he's a shopper. If he's looking at a specific product & comparing 1 to another, he's ready to buy at the moment.
Demo a good/great product and try to find out what is the main issue: trying to add a component or planning a system. Get the guy to tell you about what type of system he's looking for & what he's trying to accomplish. From there, every product is in it's place.
I don't envy you, but showing your customer a demo car is the best tool you have. If you have a booming system, and that's what he wants, start there.
swez on 10/6/2008 13:15:50
All good comments so far and I agree... get your A, B & C's product groupings together and learn how to bundle them is ways to make the sale. This takes time and right now with Christmas down the stretch, the homework you do now, will pay off when the crunch time comes.
Nav units are pretty easy to learn. If you can take one home and play with it for a few days. (Very intuitive) I've been using Garmain products for ~2 years and they are very easy to program, reliable and consistant with functions from 3-4 years back. Just learn one product at a time and then figure out what product line nets the biggest sales spiff for your time and sell that brand like a Pro.
Finally, selling to the average Joe/Jane customer is all about asking specific questions and homing in on their perceptions and budget constraints ASAP. Some will have brand biases from the get-go. Others are open and willing to be educated, based on features, price and ease of use. That takes time to a-mass and conquere.
You have the install bay basics now, but sales is all about price, value, customer interface and perception of what works. Give it time to gel.
Can we say AMEN... (I Agree) to these basic principles?
Swez
SQLThump on 10/7/2008 06:26:04
Big restrictions I have is the location of my store. I work in Boulder, Colorado, which has the reputation for being the most free thinking hippy town in the US, possibly the world.
Biggest thing is my market. Few people are interested in much more than an Ipod or Xm interface with the stock stereo in their Pruis or Suburu, which makes up a huge amount of out clientele.
Hard to learn too much new stuff about the install to, as most of my questions are very stupid to most our installers, who always have some bonehead remark to make as opposed to something helpful as far as an answer.
I dont get how somebody couldn't answer one stupid quiestion that prevents it being asked again, instead of a "no **** you dont know whats up"
Am learning a lot about portable nav and have noticed Garmin has the setup as far as practicality and ease of use, and makes the nabv interface on our Kenwood indash's king compared to the others.
Still trying to carve my own notch in the store. We are in kind of a slump right now, so it not neccessarily the best time to learn, but i am definitely picking it up.
m,ore later guys
swez on 10/7/2008 08:51:27
Free-flow, Hippy types huh? This kind of clientel are tire kickers and egg-heads that ask all too many questions but don't often buy right away.
Uhm, when dealing with the installers, treat them like free agents of great knowledge and just play dumb for now. Sooner or later they'll come around and realize that your success in the front of the store, keeps them busy and making a buck. (No sales... No install work) Both are needed to keep the biz running smooth.
Training during the slow times is harder as we have to do much of that on our own. This allows one to play with the gear on hand, do some reading and get some "hands-on-time" under the belt. Now is a good time to blunder and cut your own path. When biz picks up next month, you'll be ready with your best picks and razor sharp when it counts.
FYI: In retail, when things are too slow, some folks get downright ornry. They are bored, making no money and not busy enough to stay out of trouble. Some even make up trouble just to pass the time. Avoid those idiots at all costs when possible. LOL
Swez
SQLThump on 10/9/2008 10:42:43
Not free flowing.....but free thinking......translated means "my pot smokin hippy ass knows more than you even though you are a pro, and I'm just a hippy"....
Seroiusly, even the vehicles worked on reflects this. 15% of vehicles on the road here are Suburu's (Flatirons Suburu, the local dealer, is the number one selling dealer of Subees in the nation) and another fair amount are Pruis's.
Loving it so far though, even though we are hella slow. The parking lot for our business and neighbors is ripped to shreds due to moving an old train station out, so the devastation is affectng our business negativly as well.
My bosses told me during interview that I should expect three months to pass before I truly feel comfortable with my job. It takes that long to learn out computer system, build clientele, and get the installers to talk to you without crappin a brick. So me feeling a little, but not too uncomfortable here is not too big a deal to anybody.
At least one of the installers is a badass, with a "the only stupid question is the one you dont ask" attitude, so he has been as eager to snawer my questions as I am to ask them. We pretty much made a pact, and he doea a top notch job up-selling all of my customers into nicer head units ant the like.
Main thing I'm not liking is the people who are totally convinced that it is my fualt that their stock stereo went out, and are angry with me for seling them a new unti at much cheaper that Suburu will replace the stocker for........Hippies..............
Loving life in general, and am having much fun deciding what my next system will look like with all the fine gear that we sell, and my deep employee discount that takes effect in a few months.
Victor, if you can ClubMail me the documents you sent me that would be great. I can't check my private E mail at work, and I'm not at mom's very often, so ClubMail is the only one I can check at work.
I'll start a new topic on the plan for the new system......
Victor on 10/9/2008 18:58:00
cant send .pdf files or attachments via clubmail.... SAD
SQLThump on 10/11/2008 16:17:23
Fell that... love "price is no option" types........usually the cheapest of all.
Seems you carry a lot of the same gear we do...minus Blau and Sony. Config C would definitly be one mean ass upper range engine, worthy of almost any subs you threw at it.........
I think my improvements need to be more expeirence at the job (gets better every day), and confidence to "show some balls" to a customer and tell them how it is without calling out Config A for the load of **** it really is.....
Victor on 10/11/2008 20:35:13
We've gotto carry sony, cause that sells a lot to those who tend to bargain a lot and are looking for cheap stuff...and most of them have not heard about other brands, and sony definitely has wide spread brand recognition..
where as Blau .. well I would not refrain from saying that they got one of the best Price/Performance ratio ... they got some real good products... specially HU's, components and Plug n Play amps....
one thing you should see in those quotations ... the Blau Config A is actually better performing than the Config B that carries sony, but since I noticed the clients affinity towards sony, so I put it in the category 2 and pushed it to him.
many times one needs to do this.. only to maintain the ego of a client where he feels a particular brand is as good as he thinks...
\When he auditions, he realises that he can get better than his favourite "Sony" and for a neat price too... Where as the Config C was never intended to be sold to this client.. It was just there to show him that If you want some real good stuff, you gotta pay....
"""confidence to "show some balls" to a customer and tell them how it is without calling out Config A for the load of **** it really is..... ""
yes keep this is mind.. never say one particular brand you are carrying is not good or full of ****.. cause after all you have to sell that brand too... simply show him something better and let him judge the difference..
no mom differentiates between her children, she may have her own reservations about them, but to a visitor she will never let it show...
Victor...
swez on 10/12/2008 13:21:46
Easy there fellas! We run a PG site and some of the comments on this topic are pushing the envelop a bit. (Edit when possible and keep it sane?)
Swez
PS Yes, it will take a while to get the salesman gig down to the nitty-gritty. Now is the time to make your mistakes, learn from them and be ready for the holiday spending spree.
OK, if your Hippy-dippy type customers think they are experts, let them feel superior as long as you close the deal in the end. (Turning a sale) Vic has a good plan in offering A, B & C line packages and that's a solid thought to get where the buyer will open his wallet.
Feel free to mix & match too. We all know that the gear is only ~20% of the outcome and a seasoned installer can do his magic in the install bay later. If your installers can "sell up" the customer with a few timely tips, all the better. (Everyone wins this way)
For now, you are a salesman in training according to "House Rules". (Who knows what the "House Rules are until we become part of the clan?") This is good and feel free to "play dumb" and let other team members be the heros for now. (Feeds their egos and shows you how they think too)
You're best times will come later... For now, just go w/ the flow and learn the "in-house" politics and how the other players think now. Afterall, you're playing in their "sandbox" as an unknown exponent and don't see/know the "House Rules" yet. Give it time to gel.
That won't be forever, but your time to shine will come later. Count on that in the future, but just figure out the basics for now and let others indoctrinate the "House Rules" game plan as they see fit.
ttocs on 10/12/2008 17:30:59
Oh man, customers........ I lost patients for this years ago and that was why I started to hide in the install bay.
I gave my customers the same advice that I give out here, what sounds good to you? What are you wanting from your system? What do you not like about what you have now? How much do you what to spend? After those questions I would normally know what area to show them, and then give them the choice of good, better, BEST! Don't tell that that anything you sell is bad and don't be that salesman from one store bashing the brands at the other store. When you do that you either cut that guy out of a future sale from you or if they are a store lackey then they will just fold like a cheap suit but either way that person does not respect you. If you get the customers respect they MAY listen to you and your recomendations but even if they don't but they will remember you.
What store are you at?
Pinch on 10/16/2008 10:50:13
Greeting from sunny Nevada. =) I just happened to pop in and check what CK was up to these days and this topic caught my eye, so I thought I'd throw my glove in the ring (...or something).
It sounds like you're getting some great tips from the pros here as is always the case. On top of these tips, I think another key to success in this industry is getting your hands 'dirty' and keeping them 'dirty.' A great sales specialist will be a FANTASTIC sales specialist if he/she has extensive product knowledge as well as a comfortable grasp on basic installation techniques. When you get to the point in the sale where you are discussing installation possibilities, see if you can get your 'go to' installer (that one with the great attitude would be perfect!) to join you on the sales floor to iron out the details. Your customer will appreciate the details, and you can listen and learn. It's a win-win situation if you ask me! =)
Also, someone mentioned the A, B, C demonstration. While a great tool for sales, it can also be a deal-breaker if your gear is not displayed neatly or if things are not installed/tuned properly on the sales floor. This is another opportunity for you to get your hands dirty. Practice selecting different combinations amps, speakers, and stereos and see what works as well as what doesn't. If it doesn't work, find out why. Doing this during downtime will help to minimize the number of times you have to say things like, "Well if this stereo WERE to power on it would have a beautiful OEL display" or, "These speakers normally sound better than anything in this room...I wonder what is going on..." or any one of a number of other ego-crushing phrases.
Anyway a belated welcome to mobile electronics and props to CK for being one of the most dependable sources for information available to the general populous.
Jared
SQLThump on 10/19/2008 13:47:57
Things are definitly picking up now. I have recieved some conflicting advise from my coworkers, and that tripped me out for a few, but I am building my niche in this little place.
We had out parking lot demolished for over a week, and now its all patched up (paving and striping finished this morning), things are doing much better. Business rocked compared to most of October, and on a Sunday, our weeks slowest day, this was a very welcome sight.
Learning the arts of being persuasive, and the arts of good presentation, are coming to me quite well, and I actually smoked my homie who got me the job in Gross Profit Dollars. Nearly twice as much earned, but he is ahead of me overall because a previous client of his came and got a $12,000 ticket racked up putting Focal and JL equipment into a Toyota minivan.
This was entertaining, watching this guy who claims to be a "pharmacist" (yeah right, coke aint perscription..) bring in "guaps" (store term when a grip and wad of cash form one lump "guap") o' cash in overstuffed white envelopes to pay for his rig. He brought us cash on like 3 different occaisions, and nothing under 3 G's.
Dissapointed though that his 12 grand didn't buy him a brutal world ending SQL rig, but people in my town aren't as into "loud" as I like.
Getting my Good, Better, Best presentations took some work, as I had to formulate opinions and ways to say "this gear sucks" without saying it sucked. Learning iPod interfaces was also a bit tricky, but I got most of them down pat at this point.
Our soundrooms leave a lot to be desired, we don't have a single ported enclosure outside of our low end demo room, and makes it hard to justify buying that pair of 12W6's when those GT512's are the ones knocking the hardest in the whole store.
Also, learning when to be the most energetic basshead/audiophile on Earth (some of the people say I am the most enthusiastic about car audio here by far), and to chill out and give information has been tough, but I am beginning to learn when it is appropraite and when it isn't. A couple of my customers have commented on how I am probably the most dedicated salesman they have ever seen.
More later, we are closing up shop about an hour late taking care of some cellular customers, and I am ready to go home.
On a less happy note, the Ghetto Hoopty Bucket is out of commision temporarily with a blown transmission, and I am finding myself driving a busted-ass Ford Explorer with no system at all for the time being. May all the good Christians pray for my hurt vehicle so maybe it can get back to it's highly important job of being the loudest vehicle in the area.............
swez on 10/19/2008 16:43:33
Am very glad to hear that things are coming around on the new gig. Just give it time, be natural and let your own style come together. On slow days, see if the boss will let you work on the displays in the demo room or main floor?
I did a major re-model in the show room display area one week and watched all that stuff go out the door in less than 2 weeks. It was a riot! (Merchandising is not about cardboard boxes in the back room) I set up some A, B, C combos that mated well together and just watched as customers marched out the front door with them.
The Manager did not get it at first. So, I just took slow times and built some combinations that got people talking and asking questions. Before long, walked over to the manager's office, (Half my age) and said... "Hey, where's all our floor stock gone"?
Sheepishly, he said... "We sold most of it already and I need to restock ASAP"! Do you mind setting up another grouping when we get fresh products in?
Sadly, I quit the next week after an altercation with the top salesmen on the team was fired. Yeah, that was my doing and a mission from day 1 spent there. He was a bum and I called him out in the back room after a few weeks of chasing customers away with his "BS games and tactics". Yeah, it went all the way up to "Corporate HDQ's GM" and he made the right call! He fired the guy 2 days later and I quit the following weekend. Had my reasons and it was a good learning experience too.
Anyway, back to to your situation... watch, learn, listen and find your own niche at this gig. Others may have bigger sales numbers for now. But you may surpass them in time with your own skills and savvy.
Swez
PS Is that Ford Explorer in decent shape? If yes, it will offer superior SQL/SPL performance over the Buick in time. This may be the blessing overlooked. (It all depends on your attitude and expertise)
SQLThump on 10/20/2008 09:51:27
No, the Exploder is a total heap. It is the most gutless, gas chugging, horrible handling heap of garbage I have ever piloted down the road. I could pack like 12 12's in there, but is there any desire? Far from it.
On top of all of that, its previous owner and the one before that were the biggest car hackjobs known to man, the wiring is all jacked up (not that I would use it anyway) the dash is in pretty bad shape, the stock speaker locations both suck and have damage done from the "modification" that put big magnet 6.5s where stock 5x7's were.
The whole truck is one horrible joke, and am ready to be back in my Bucket Dj'n the streets.............
On a funny note, 3 days after the car broke down, and I was unable to bump, I came down with a hella nasty cold........maybe having that much lung robbing SPL was "couging" something out that was gonna hem me up later......
FYI i have been in retail sales for all of two weeks now.......
Replies (18)
swez on 10/3/2008 20:23:25
Selling is a steep learning curve until we learn to have confidence and hands-on experience with the products on the shelf. Our skills to prove to others what works and how to get there is also needed. That's the value of a decent demo system and a salesman who knows how to set one up.
Selling is tough right now as so many are cash/credit poor and looking for low cost products that give the best bang for the buck they have on hand. "Dual" products have a place in the tier 3 market. But one has to show the buyer how to get the most from them.
Side bar thought:
A few years back, a neighor's kid had a buddy with Dual Subs and a Soundstorm amp. They sounded like "hammered dog pile" in his car. I had a quick look and did some clean-up work on this kids' rig. After 45 minutes of rework and tweaking, his system actually sounded pretty decent for the gear on hand.
The point here, most low budget systems will work if one knows what they are doing. Get your hands on some of the gear available and figure out how to make it work to the "average Joe consumer." Once you know how to make it work, you can sell it with confidence.
What other brands are available in this store for you to sell?
Swez
Victor on 10/3/2008 21:09:09
As we all say
In car audio 10% is product selection and 90% installation.....
if you can insure your 90% ... any product can be sold.... be it a low grade product or a extreme high end one.. the difference it makes is from 91% to 99% .....
If its about convincing the customer... what i have noticed with the Indian consumer ( who wants everything and don't wanna spend anything ) ...
many consumers come with a certain product in mind ... some have heard from their friends, family, researched on the internet etc...
i dont sit and argue with them or try and explain car audio or car audio products..
simply give them what they ask for ... cause if i sit and convince them that X brand is better than Y, then they feel I earn more in X so i am pushing it... so he goes to the next shop and buys brand Y ...
instead give him what he asks, fill your pocket and get rid of him...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Give options to a sensible consumer...
Config A - precisely that sets in his budget ( not less than -5% of his budget )
Config B - a tad bit higher than his budget
Config C - 50% more than his budget
Preferably keep config A one single brand all around, and mix and match in config B and C.
If you can give him a demo of all these nothing better than that... Show Config C first and then B and A ...
most of them as i have noticed settle for a system thats a tad bit above their budget ...Config B ....
never quote a config or show them a demo for something thats under their budget ...
Quote high on install fees, so that you can later on have some margin to give him discounts or some free items for promotion...
There are some consumers who are a lot more smarter.. they don't tell u a budget, just say, no budget constrains, ask u to show high end stuff, you think they gonna buy it, and try to lure them more with sweet talks of discounts and stuff, then either they just walk off like a window shopper or settle in for a low budget system and expect us to give a huge discount ....
with them, do not talk of any discounts or freebies until they have committed and you start installing a particular system and know what your margin would be on the entire install.
What is important is knowing your consumer... his need, his desires, his fascinations and his ability to spend as opposed to his willingness to spend....
this would come only with experience as you deal with more and more people from various segments of the social structure...
sometimes one needs to totally dominate the consumer, let him know in sweet words " you know nothing about an audio system, cut the crap, and let me do the install for you, if you ain't satisfied, i shall take it back without charging u a single penny".... show him your level of confidence, consumer builds his confidence on you only if he realizes your confidence in yourself, in your knowledge and in your work...
no matter what, even if he does'nt buy what you wanna sell , he should under no circumstances leave your shop without filling ur pocket, even if thats just a few bucks...
margin and volume are inversely proportional ... so if u are ready to work on slim margins you can get pretty good volumes, and if u want hefty margins expect lesser volumes in terms of sales...
although in both the cases, you cannot compromise on your 90% of quality install .... u can go pretty low on product margins, but never go low on install fees, that ways you will even start building a good reputation of a quality installer...
hope this helps...
comments..??
Victor...
ps: I cud send you 2 files, one which has a quotation and the other a brief about the configs... will help you get a professional approach...
what would be your email id.?
SQLThump on 10/5/2008 16:40:15
Vic, my address is Shanksta187420@aol.com
Appreciate the advice fellas, will give as much feedback as possible, being my "no web at the crib" restraints.
Brands and productswe sell, an odd mix......
midrange JVC decks
Pioneer decks, basic amps, basic to midrange subs
Dual subs, amps, decks...HURL!
Kenwood decks and low speakers
Alpine decks (we carry almost every one) Type-S speakers, amps (lots of PDX) and Type E subs
JBL subs and amps
Infinity speakers
FOCAL SPEAKERS AMPS AND SUBS !!!!!! That deserves a yell!
A jensen deck, and a flipout DVD.......YUK!!
JL amps and subs, and one pair of comps
Rockford Punch series amps and subs (better than before, but still suck)
low end Panasonic decks
Streetwires cables
Several portable Xm units
A few portable nav's Garmin, Tom Tom, Magellan, 1 Navigon and 1 Harmon Kardon
Verizon, T-mobile and AT&T cell phones, plans accessories
Alarm, remote start lighting accessories
In short, were are an odd bastard child of a specialty shop and a and a big box store. We offer a lot of products, but a weird mix of them, and the cell phones break my balls because half of our customers are in for phones, and every time I have to refer them to someone who knows wireless who is usually busy, and I lose business, and half the time the customer walks.......
Most of my knowledge is in istallation, and paring up bass packages. I know a little about most the decks, very little about nav units
I would love to go into more detail, but im about to pass out at my moms house, and I gotta an hour drive home......I'll have to get back to you tommorrow
Victor on 10/5/2008 18:23:18
mailed you...this guy was a sony fan, so had to give him one of those options too...
anyways..
You got a whole lotta brands there to work with, you should be having real fun..... Its a nice mix-match of low-mid-high end products ....
In your free time, try make configs like the mail i sent you.. becomes easier for you to suggest when a client comes in.....
go budget wise.. say X budget - Cofig 1-2-3....... Y budget Config 1-2-3- and so on.... this way u can move faster through clients and confidently too...
regarding learning HU's and Nav units... note down the model numbers and grab its owner manuals.... read read read.. thats the only way other than hands on experience.....
dont limit yourself to saying u got expertise in sub-amp pairing or enclosure design etc... u be "Mr. Know it all" when it comes to car audio... dont back off at anything, and even if you dont know about something, ( you know that u dont know) but the client should never know that you dont know... always be confident in front of the client....
About cellphones, well you should ask your employer to limit you to car audio sales only and you will do a wonderful job for him.... Although if you know basic electronics, some computer, and audio-video basics then it aint difficult to understand mobile technologies........
gotta get back to work, more laters...
comments..??
Victor...
MrBrownstone on 10/6/2008 10:28:16
Sales is about asking questions & getting someone to make a decision. Try to remember also that budget is a major factor as well.
You may find it a lot harder to move product lately as noone has any money as well as the mobile phone has swallowed up 1/3 of our market. Gas being 250% more expensive makes driving a rarity rather than a right.
In any case, it's all about the questions you ask. If a guy is looking at the pretty lights, he's a shopper. If he's looking at a specific product & comparing 1 to another, he's ready to buy at the moment.
Demo a good/great product and try to find out what is the main issue: trying to add a component or planning a system. Get the guy to tell you about what type of system he's looking for & what he's trying to accomplish. From there, every product is in it's place.
I don't envy you, but showing your customer a demo car is the best tool you have. If you have a booming system, and that's what he wants, start there.
swez on 10/6/2008 13:15:50
All good comments so far and I agree... get your A, B & C's product groupings together and learn how to bundle them is ways to make the sale. This takes time and right now with Christmas down the stretch, the homework you do now, will pay off when the crunch time comes.
Nav units are pretty easy to learn. If you can take one home and play with it for a few days. (Very intuitive) I've been using Garmain products for ~2 years and they are very easy to program, reliable and consistant with functions from 3-4 years back. Just learn one product at a time and then figure out what product line nets the biggest sales spiff for your time and sell that brand like a Pro.
Finally, selling to the average Joe/Jane customer is all about asking specific questions and homing in on their perceptions and budget constraints ASAP. Some will have brand biases from the get-go. Others are open and willing to be educated, based on features, price and ease of use. That takes time to a-mass and conquere.
You have the install bay basics now, but sales is all about price, value, customer interface and perception of what works. Give it time to gel.
Can we say AMEN... (I Agree) to these basic principles?
Swez
SQLThump on 10/7/2008 06:26:04
Big restrictions I have is the location of my store. I work in Boulder, Colorado, which has the reputation for being the most free thinking hippy town in the US, possibly the world.
Biggest thing is my market. Few people are interested in much more than an Ipod or Xm interface with the stock stereo in their Pruis or Suburu, which makes up a huge amount of out clientele.
Hard to learn too much new stuff about the install to, as most of my questions are very stupid to most our installers, who always have some bonehead remark to make as opposed to something helpful as far as an answer.
I dont get how somebody couldn't answer one stupid quiestion that prevents it being asked again, instead of a "no **** you dont know whats up"
Am learning a lot about portable nav and have noticed Garmin has the setup as far as practicality and ease of use, and makes the nabv interface on our Kenwood indash's king compared to the others.
Still trying to carve my own notch in the store. We are in kind of a slump right now, so it not neccessarily the best time to learn, but i am definitely picking it up.
m,ore later guys
swez on 10/7/2008 08:51:27
Free-flow, Hippy types huh? This kind of clientel are tire kickers and egg-heads that ask all too many questions but don't often buy right away.
Uhm, when dealing with the installers, treat them like free agents of great knowledge and just play dumb for now. Sooner or later they'll come around and realize that your success in the front of the store, keeps them busy and making a buck. (No sales... No install work) Both are needed to keep the biz running smooth.
Training during the slow times is harder as we have to do much of that on our own. This allows one to play with the gear on hand, do some reading and get some "hands-on-time" under the belt. Now is a good time to blunder and cut your own path. When biz picks up next month, you'll be ready with your best picks and razor sharp when it counts.
FYI: In retail, when things are too slow, some folks get downright ornry. They are bored, making no money and not busy enough to stay out of trouble. Some even make up trouble just to pass the time. Avoid those idiots at all costs when possible. LOL
Swez
SQLThump on 10/9/2008 10:42:43
Not free flowing.....but free thinking......translated means "my pot smokin hippy ass knows more than you even though you are a pro, and I'm just a hippy"....
Seroiusly, even the vehicles worked on reflects this. 15% of vehicles on the road here are Suburu's (Flatirons Suburu, the local dealer, is the number one selling dealer of Subees in the nation) and another fair amount are Pruis's.
Loving it so far though, even though we are hella slow. The parking lot for our business and neighbors is ripped to shreds due to moving an old train station out, so the devastation is affectng our business negativly as well.
My bosses told me during interview that I should expect three months to pass before I truly feel comfortable with my job. It takes that long to learn out computer system, build clientele, and get the installers to talk to you without crappin a brick. So me feeling a little, but not too uncomfortable here is not too big a deal to anybody.
At least one of the installers is a badass, with a "the only stupid question is the one you dont ask" attitude, so he has been as eager to snawer my questions as I am to ask them. We pretty much made a pact, and he doea a top notch job up-selling all of my customers into nicer head units ant the like.
Main thing I'm not liking is the people who are totally convinced that it is my fualt that their stock stereo went out, and are angry with me for seling them a new unti at much cheaper that Suburu will replace the stocker for........Hippies..............
Loving life in general, and am having much fun deciding what my next system will look like with all the fine gear that we sell, and my deep employee discount that takes effect in a few months.
Victor, if you can ClubMail me the documents you sent me that would be great. I can't check my private E mail at work, and I'm not at mom's very often, so ClubMail is the only one I can check at work.
I'll start a new topic on the plan for the new system......
Victor on 10/9/2008 18:58:00
cant send .pdf files or attachments via clubmail.... SAD
SQLThump on 10/11/2008 16:17:23
Fell that... love "price is no option" types........usually the cheapest of all.
Seems you carry a lot of the same gear we do...minus Blau and Sony. Config C would definitly be one mean ass upper range engine, worthy of almost any subs you threw at it.........
I think my improvements need to be more expeirence at the job (gets better every day), and confidence to "show some balls" to a customer and tell them how it is without calling out Config A for the load of **** it really is.....
Victor on 10/11/2008 20:35:13
We've gotto carry sony, cause that sells a lot to those who tend to bargain a lot and are looking for cheap stuff...and most of them have not heard about other brands, and sony definitely has wide spread brand recognition..
where as Blau .. well I would not refrain from saying that they got one of the best Price/Performance ratio ... they got some real good products... specially HU's, components and Plug n Play amps....
one thing you should see in those quotations ... the Blau Config A is actually better performing than the Config B that carries sony, but since I noticed the clients affinity towards sony, so I put it in the category 2 and pushed it to him.
many times one needs to do this.. only to maintain the ego of a client where he feels a particular brand is as good as he thinks...
\When he auditions, he realises that he can get better than his favourite "Sony" and for a neat price too... Where as the Config C was never intended to be sold to this client.. It was just there to show him that If you want some real good stuff, you gotta pay....
"""confidence to "show some balls" to a customer and tell them how it is without calling out Config A for the load of **** it really is..... ""
yes keep this is mind.. never say one particular brand you are carrying is not good or full of ****.. cause after all you have to sell that brand too... simply show him something better and let him judge the difference..
no mom differentiates between her children, she may have her own reservations about them, but to a visitor she will never let it show...
Victor...
swez on 10/12/2008 13:21:46
Easy there fellas! We run a PG site and some of the comments on this topic are pushing the envelop a bit. (Edit when possible and keep it sane?)
Swez
PS Yes, it will take a while to get the salesman gig down to the nitty-gritty. Now is the time to make your mistakes, learn from them and be ready for the holiday spending spree.
OK, if your Hippy-dippy type customers think they are experts, let them feel superior as long as you close the deal in the end. (Turning a sale) Vic has a good plan in offering A, B & C line packages and that's a solid thought to get where the buyer will open his wallet.
Feel free to mix & match too. We all know that the gear is only ~20% of the outcome and a seasoned installer can do his magic in the install bay later. If your installers can "sell up" the customer with a few timely tips, all the better. (Everyone wins this way)
For now, you are a salesman in training according to "House Rules". (Who knows what the "House Rules are until we become part of the clan?") This is good and feel free to "play dumb" and let other team members be the heros for now. (Feeds their egos and shows you how they think too)
You're best times will come later... For now, just go w/ the flow and learn the "in-house" politics and how the other players think now. Afterall, you're playing in their "sandbox" as an unknown exponent and don't see/know the "House Rules" yet. Give it time to gel.
That won't be forever, but your time to shine will come later. Count on that in the future, but just figure out the basics for now and let others indoctrinate the "House Rules" game plan as they see fit.
ttocs on 10/12/2008 17:30:59
Oh man, customers........ I lost patients for this years ago and that was why I started to hide in the install bay.
I gave my customers the same advice that I give out here, what sounds good to you? What are you wanting from your system? What do you not like about what you have now? How much do you what to spend? After those questions I would normally know what area to show them, and then give them the choice of good, better, BEST! Don't tell that that anything you sell is bad and don't be that salesman from one store bashing the brands at the other store. When you do that you either cut that guy out of a future sale from you or if they are a store lackey then they will just fold like a cheap suit but either way that person does not respect you. If you get the customers respect they MAY listen to you and your recomendations but even if they don't but they will remember you.
What store are you at?
Pinch on 10/16/2008 10:50:13
Greeting from sunny Nevada. =) I just happened to pop in and check what CK was up to these days and this topic caught my eye, so I thought I'd throw my glove in the ring (...or something).
It sounds like you're getting some great tips from the pros here as is always the case. On top of these tips, I think another key to success in this industry is getting your hands 'dirty' and keeping them 'dirty.' A great sales specialist will be a FANTASTIC sales specialist if he/she has extensive product knowledge as well as a comfortable grasp on basic installation techniques. When you get to the point in the sale where you are discussing installation possibilities, see if you can get your 'go to' installer (that one with the great attitude would be perfect!) to join you on the sales floor to iron out the details. Your customer will appreciate the details, and you can listen and learn. It's a win-win situation if you ask me! =)
Also, someone mentioned the A, B, C demonstration. While a great tool for sales, it can also be a deal-breaker if your gear is not displayed neatly or if things are not installed/tuned properly on the sales floor. This is another opportunity for you to get your hands dirty. Practice selecting different combinations amps, speakers, and stereos and see what works as well as what doesn't. If it doesn't work, find out why. Doing this during downtime will help to minimize the number of times you have to say things like, "Well if this stereo WERE to power on it would have a beautiful OEL display" or, "These speakers normally sound better than anything in this room...I wonder what is going on..." or any one of a number of other ego-crushing phrases.
Anyway a belated welcome to mobile electronics and props to CK for being one of the most dependable sources for information available to the general populous.
Jared
SQLThump on 10/19/2008 13:47:57
Things are definitly picking up now. I have recieved some conflicting advise from my coworkers, and that tripped me out for a few, but I am building my niche in this little place.
We had out parking lot demolished for over a week, and now its all patched up (paving and striping finished this morning), things are doing much better. Business rocked compared to most of October, and on a Sunday, our weeks slowest day, this was a very welcome sight.
Learning the arts of being persuasive, and the arts of good presentation, are coming to me quite well, and I actually smoked my homie who got me the job in Gross Profit Dollars. Nearly twice as much earned, but he is ahead of me overall because a previous client of his came and got a $12,000 ticket racked up putting Focal and JL equipment into a Toyota minivan.
This was entertaining, watching this guy who claims to be a "pharmacist" (yeah right, coke aint perscription..) bring in "guaps" (store term when a grip and wad of cash form one lump "guap") o' cash in overstuffed white envelopes to pay for his rig. He brought us cash on like 3 different occaisions, and nothing under 3 G's.
Dissapointed though that his 12 grand didn't buy him a brutal world ending SQL rig, but people in my town aren't as into "loud" as I like.
Getting my Good, Better, Best presentations took some work, as I had to formulate opinions and ways to say "this gear sucks" without saying it sucked. Learning iPod interfaces was also a bit tricky, but I got most of them down pat at this point.
Our soundrooms leave a lot to be desired, we don't have a single ported enclosure outside of our low end demo room, and makes it hard to justify buying that pair of 12W6's when those GT512's are the ones knocking the hardest in the whole store.
Also, learning when to be the most energetic basshead/audiophile on Earth (some of the people say I am the most enthusiastic about car audio here by far), and to chill out and give information has been tough, but I am beginning to learn when it is appropraite and when it isn't. A couple of my customers have commented on how I am probably the most dedicated salesman they have ever seen.
More later, we are closing up shop about an hour late taking care of some cellular customers, and I am ready to go home.
On a less happy note, the Ghetto Hoopty Bucket is out of commision temporarily with a blown transmission, and I am finding myself driving a busted-ass Ford Explorer with no system at all for the time being. May all the good Christians pray for my hurt vehicle so maybe it can get back to it's highly important job of being the loudest vehicle in the area.............
swez on 10/19/2008 16:43:33
Am very glad to hear that things are coming around on the new gig. Just give it time, be natural and let your own style come together. On slow days, see if the boss will let you work on the displays in the demo room or main floor?
I did a major re-model in the show room display area one week and watched all that stuff go out the door in less than 2 weeks. It was a riot! (Merchandising is not about cardboard boxes in the back room) I set up some A, B, C combos that mated well together and just watched as customers marched out the front door with them.
The Manager did not get it at first. So, I just took slow times and built some combinations that got people talking and asking questions. Before long, walked over to the manager's office, (Half my age) and said... "Hey, where's all our floor stock gone"?
Sheepishly, he said... "We sold most of it already and I need to restock ASAP"! Do you mind setting up another grouping when we get fresh products in?
Sadly, I quit the next week after an altercation with the top salesmen on the team was fired. Yeah, that was my doing and a mission from day 1 spent there. He was a bum and I called him out in the back room after a few weeks of chasing customers away with his "BS games and tactics". Yeah, it went all the way up to "Corporate HDQ's GM" and he made the right call! He fired the guy 2 days later and I quit the following weekend. Had my reasons and it was a good learning experience too.
Anyway, back to to your situation... watch, learn, listen and find your own niche at this gig. Others may have bigger sales numbers for now. But you may surpass them in time with your own skills and savvy.
Swez
PS Is that Ford Explorer in decent shape? If yes, it will offer superior SQL/SPL performance over the Buick in time. This may be the blessing overlooked. (It all depends on your attitude and expertise)
SQLThump on 10/20/2008 09:51:27
No, the Exploder is a total heap. It is the most gutless, gas chugging, horrible handling heap of garbage I have ever piloted down the road. I could pack like 12 12's in there, but is there any desire? Far from it.
On top of all of that, its previous owner and the one before that were the biggest car hackjobs known to man, the wiring is all jacked up (not that I would use it anyway) the dash is in pretty bad shape, the stock speaker locations both suck and have damage done from the "modification" that put big magnet 6.5s where stock 5x7's were.
The whole truck is one horrible joke, and am ready to be back in my Bucket Dj'n the streets.............
On a funny note, 3 days after the car broke down, and I was unable to bump, I came down with a hella nasty cold........maybe having that much lung robbing SPL was "couging" something out that was gonna hem me up later......
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