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Is the Auto Sales Profession for Me?

148 messages,  Last post on Aug 24, 2009 at 6:44 PM

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What is this discussion about? Automotive News


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#2 of 148
how to figure out if selling cars is for you? by cole
Aug 17, 2007 (7:31 am)
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Replying to: kirstie_h (Aug 17, 2007 7:41 am)

I'm actively looking to leave my current career for a couple of reasons, including micro and macro economic ones. I'm in a sales career now and have though many times about selling vehicles. From the pros out there, any advice on figuring out if I'd really enjoy it and be good at it?
#3 of 148
Re: how to figure out if selling cars is for you? [cole] by joel0622
Aug 17, 2007 (7:40 am)
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Replying to: cole (Aug 17, 2007 7:31 am)

 
Hey you Hostess with the mostes, I think that would be a fantastic new topic to start here if there already isn't one.
 
I still don't know where to find all the topics on edmonds.
#6 of 148
Re: how to figure out if selling cars is for you? [cole] by joel0622
Aug 17, 2007 (7:53 am)
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Replying to: cole (Aug 17, 2007 7:31 am)

Cole there are allot of different things to take into account.
 
You have already found one great resource and that is this web site. Read through it and you will get a good idea of the very wide perception people have of the folks in our industry. Allot of it has to do with what your selling and how your management staff works.
 
Next look at your personal life. Are you married with kids, if so will your wife be able to handle you working every Saturday and late 3 nights a week with some Sundays thrown in the mix to?
 
I see you are in OH so you may have Blue Laws which makes this a mute point.
 
Next, do you have some money in the bank to carry you for awhile? If you are broke right now then your chances of success are cut in half. It takes awhile to get going and make decent money.
 
Can you handle rejection? You get it daily.
 
Are you afraid to talk on the phone? If you are not willing to have a stack of prior customers phone numbers handed to you and call them then it may be rough.
 
Can you handle boredom, yet stay motivated? There are days when this business is boring as hell.
 
There are a bunch more things but this will get us started.
#7 of 148
retire into auto sales by qbrozen
Aug 17, 2007 (8:22 am)
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maybe i'm off my rocker, but I often dream of retiring into auto sales. Its something I've always wanted to do, for some reason, and have even discussed my own lot with the wife. But I know that would be too difficult and require too much money and risk for us to bear.
 
Anyway, I figure if I can comfortably retire and sell cars more as enjoyment than necessity, maybe it won't stress me out as it does those folks who depend on it. Maybe I'm just dreaming.
#8 of 148
Re: how to figure out if selling cars is for you? [cole] by madmanmoo
Aug 17, 2007 (8:27 am)
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Replying to: cole (Aug 17, 2007 7:31 am)

Do you enjoy making money?
Are you self-motivated?
Can you handle repeated rejections with a good attitude?
Do you have a stable home life?
Do you have a problem with long hours?
How are you at overcoming objections?
 
If you are a really nice guy, I don't think this is the business for you. I think you can answer those questions above and know what the best answers would be for a salesman.
 
I think if you can be successful in car sales, you can be successful in most any sales. It can be tough to keep your attitude straight. That's why you take your days off and enjoy life outside as much as possible.
 
Joel touched on the boredom factor. Sometimes the dealership is so slow you can watch sweat form. It's mind numbing. Can you deal with that? Being able to get along with your fellow salesmen is almost as important as being a salesman.
 
I think that's a start. How about some other sales shmo helps out a little too. What'd I miss?
 
-Moo
#9 of 148
Re: how to figure out if selling cars is for you? [madmanmoo] by kyfdx HOST
Aug 17, 2007 (9:39 am)
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Replying to: madmanmoo (Aug 17, 2007 8:27 am)

"If you are a really nice guy, I don't think this is the business for you."
 
Hmmm... maybe I should try it...
#10 of 148
Re: how to figure out if selling cars is for you? [kyfdx] by graphicguy
Aug 17, 2007 (9:46 am)
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Replying to: kyfdx (Aug 17, 2007 9:39 am)

ky....you just brought a grin to my face.
 
I'm curious myself. Car nut. While I have little sales experience, I've got tons of sales management experience. I know how the sales career works. Yes, rejection is a big part of it. Good demeanor (at least I think so)!
 
My issue is I want to take a crack at it part time. Do dealerships have part time positions? Or, are they all full time gigs?
 
While money isn't the issue with me (I'm assuming if you sell, you get compensated), I'd be curious to hear what the real earnings are of a good car sales person.
#11 of 148
Re: how to figure out if selling cars is for you? [graphicguy] by joel0622
Aug 17, 2007 (10:16 am)
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Replying to: graphicguy (Aug 17, 2007 9:46 am)

GG, it will depend on the area that you live in, but we have Sales people that make over $100K a year, those that make $30K a year, those that make me wonder why they even do it and a whole bunch in the middle. If I had to guess our average guy hovers around the $50K mark.
 
We have partime sales people. The thing about part time in the car biz is that it works out to about a 40 hour week.
 
The only problem I have with PT sales people is that customer service suffers. Allot of times other sales people have to take care of your customer, and no sales person in the world wants to handle some one elses problems.

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