Sales Department Presentation/Demonstration

According to a recent study in the automotive industry, up to 80% of the buying decision is made during the presentation/demonstration, so pay attention.

Ron Rauscher
Barrhead Motor Sport, Ltd.
Barrhead, Alberta CANADA

Ron, after reviewing your test results we noticed you scored very well on the Sales Department Presentation/ Demonstration online course. What is the purpose of doing a presentation/demonstration?

After you have welcomed a customer to the dealership and found out what they’re looking for, it’s time to do a presentation/demonstration. The purpose is to build value by providing the customer with key features and benefits.

What is the difference between a feature and a benefit?

Features describe what it is. Benefits explain what it does for the customer. For example, if the feature is fuel injection then the benefits may be better throttle response or increased fuel economy.

What are some important tips regarding features and benefits?

Never give a feature without giving the corresponding benefit. I think the radio station says it best, WIIFM — What’s In It For Me. Customers want to know how they will benefit. Also, it is important to remember that you can overload a customer with too many features if you’re not careful. This is called "feature overload" and should be avoided.

Chalk Talk With Dr. Nikki

Features & Benefits

^#1 Look for customer hot buttons while presenting the product. These are features that really get the customer excited.

^#2 Features describe what it is. Benefits describe what it does for the customer.

^#3 Giving features without giving the corresponding benefits is called "feature overload" and can make the customer feel uncomfortable.

^#4 Never use adjectives before stating price: terms like MSRP, starting price, asking price, list price, etc. all invite customer negotiations and devalue the product.

^#5 Having strong product knowledge is a critical component of giving a successful presentation demonstration.

Where does the demonstration part come in?

The demonstration is where you begin to show the customer exactly how the product works. This helps to tap into the customers emotions and gives them the feeling of ownership. A great way to demonstrate the product is to have them sit on the unit and begin showing them how all of the instruments and controls work.

What else did you learn in the course?

I learned how to handle price on the showroom floor. When a customer asks, "How much is this unit?" you can really build value if you tell them the price, then give a good feature and benefit, and then ask a question. The feature and benefit after the price builds value, and the question helps keep the customer focused on the product, not the price.

How important is product knowledge?

It’s impossible to build value and give a successful presentation/demonstration if you don’t know about the product. Our customers are oftentimes very educated about the products because this is such an enthusiast-based business. Without product knowledge you can lose credibility with the customer.

Landmaster is continuing to grow by adding over an additional 90 new dealers to its national and international mix of dealers. Landmaster’s primary focus this year has been adding dealers in the farm and agriculture segment. “By taking on the Landmaster product, several of our large implement and tractor dealers are starting to see more residential-based consumers stop by their dealership vs. the typical farm and commercial user. Prior to this, dealers primarily dealt with commercial and farm customers; now dealers can benefit by selling our UTVs along with their other products to the residential large landowner,” commented David Piercy, director of marketing for Landmaster.