It only comes once a week, you don’t get second chances, and it’s without question the most important day for any motorcycle dealership. Using this time well can be the difference between a great week and a weak week. That day is Saturday.
Saturdays are about capacity, energy and the ability to capitalize on impulse. Do you have the mental and physical stamina to maximize your effort? Do your processes support effective Saturday retailing? Does your team have the right chemistry to create synergy and not cynicism? Is your team flexible enough to ride with the turns?
Make Saturdays count by following these guidelines.
Don’t Schedule Motorcycle Deliveries for Saturday
Why not schedule deliveries for Saturday? You want to free capacity for that guy who stumbles in with his friends, sees your most expensive motorcycle on the showroom floor, and says in a trancelike voice, “I must possess this … now!”
These are often some of your best sales and most loyal customers. They won’t grind you for price, they won’t grind you for add-ins, they won’t grind you with interminable back and forth negotiations. So what’s their motivation?
Driving these customers with all the force of a Japanese speed train is their desire to posses the motorcycle immediately. They want it now, and if you truly want to maximize your money day, you need the capacity to be able to roll the metal for impulse purchases. And, most importantly, this is how buying frenzies can begin. One sale begets another and before you know it you’re ringing your sales bell more than Willie G signs autographs at a HOG rally.
But many dealerships can’t because they’ve filled their money day with previously scheduled deliveries. Why? Because here’s how most motorcycle deliveries are scheduled: Salesperson says to customer, “When do you want to pick up your new motorcycle?” Customer says to salesperson, “Hmmm … how about Saturday?” Salesperson says to management, “He’s got to have it on Saturday.”
In addition to the sales capacity limitations mentioned above, Saturday deliveries often shortchange the customer. The salesperson is standing out in the parking lot, away from the action, and is watching the showroom floor teaming with his future commissions, which are going to other salespeople or out the door.
With this in mind, your salesperson’s final delivery conversation goes about like this: “Here’s the start button, here are the turn signals. Good luck.” As he throws the keys at the customer, and literally starts running back to the showroom floor, he calls out, “Don’t fall down!”
How could you quickly and easily revamp this scenario? When a customer isn’t taking possession of a motorcycle immediately, simply pose this offer: “We’re doing new motorcycle deliveries this week on either Tuesday or Thursday evening. Which of those days would work for you?”
Approximately 85 percent of your customers will pick one of those days. Sure you’re going to have a few people who will have to pick up their new unit on Saturday, but you can certainly manage that much more effectively than if everyone has to pick up their bike on Saturday.
Be Well Rested
Friday night is the worst night for a motorcycle dealership person to, how should I say, socialize. Staying at a Friday night keg party until 2 a.m. is the best way to ensure an awful Saturday at the store.
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Performance Based Selling
Get your sleep. Get a little exercise. Minimize the electronic noise in your life. Spend some quiet time in the morning and hit the store Saturday ready to give it your all. When the calendar reads Saturday, you’ve got to get people burning gas, so make sure you have the fuel to do so.
Be Organized
Your work area should be clean, and you shouldn’t have a bunch of calls or e-mails to return. You must come in to a clean desk, figuratively and literally, no matter what it takes.
Have your business cards ready to go; brochures stocked and ready to hand out; showroom floor in order; bikes clean; and target units identified.
You should also know what your bogie is for the day. Do you have to sell two units today or is it three? Do you have to do $3,000 on the counter or is it $4,000?
Keep Beverages Up Front
Want to upgrade your retail experience for customers? Offer bottles of water. Want to downgrade your retail experience? Offer every beverage under the sun and take forever to get it.
Offering a beverage to a motorcycle shopper on Saturday is a great thing to do. Get a mini fridge from an office cheapo store and keep nothing but water in it. It’s easy for you and great for customers.
Clean The Restrooms Frequently
Nothing turns customers off more than a messy restroom. On busy Saturdays make sure the trash can is emptied frequently, the counter is clean and the necessary stuff is stocked. This simple task can make a huge difference in customer perception.
Sell Your Stock
On Saturday you want to maximize your sales by selling the motorcycles you have in stock and on the showroom floor—don’t go on some wild goose chase looking for another color.
Don’t get me wrong: If the person has lived his whole life pining for an orange motorcycle, by all means, do what you can to get it for them. If not, sell the one in stock, and if they love it, you can always do custom paint later.
Sales Manager Stays On The Floor
To make your process run smooth, your sales manager must be available to approve deals, not out back with a customer, not out on a test ride, not in a meeting with the general manager. He or she must be on the floor with pen in hand ready to approve or reconstruct a deal—no exceptions.
Eat In
Bring lunch from home, pack a couple of protein shakes, get some bags of carrots, or order out for pizza and put it in the break room for a quick slice. This isn’t the day for fine dining; this is a day for all hands on deck; do what you have to do and ring the bell.
Filter Calls
Callers asking about basics like hours and directions can take away valuable selling time with customers. Have someone filter calls to keep your top gun salespeople from having to deal with this nonsense.
Floor Beats Phone
In the world of motorcycle dealership poker hands, floor beats phone. The person who has taken the initiative to get off their Lazy Boy to come and see you is a much higher quality prospect than the person at home who is in essence dialing for dollars.
You definitely want to take the incoming phone prospect, you definitely want to handle it professionally, and you definitely want to get the contact information for future follow up. But you want to keep in mind as you juggle your customers and your day that floor beats phone.
Want more fool-proof money day tips? Tune in next time for 10 more Saturday sales strategies.
