Being a new car salesperson is an intimidating process for anyone. The stigmas present today in the automotive industry make it increasingly difficult for new car salespeople to feel comfortable. As a sales manager, it’s critical that we train our new salespeople to not just be adequate at their jobs but extremely successful. Ultimately as a sales manager, if you can create killer salespeople, it will end up being lucrative for both the salesperson and yourself. If you don’t guide your recruits on how to do the job well, it’s not going to be a good reflection of you.
Many people that join the automotive sales industry come from other sales industries and that leads them to believe they can apply all the same tactics in order to be successful, this is often not the case. Luckily, with a bit of proper training and repetition, anyone with discipline and a willingness to learn can be a successful car salesperson. In this article, we’re going to break down 10 different tips you can use to help train your new car salespeople.
One of the most common mistakes all salespeople make is that they talk when they should be listening. The last thing you want is for your customers to feel like they aren’t being heard. Buying a car is a massive investment and many people are anxious throughout the process. Therefore, it’s incredibly important to be receptive to what people are saying and be a good listener to keep them confident and relaxed.
Selling a car is business, but it’s important to break up the monotony and actually get to know your customers. Are they a fan of the same hockey team you are? Do they want a van because they want to go on a ski trip with their family at your favourite mountain? These are the kind of things that lead to conversations that can build rapport between you and the customer. Too often, car salespeople focus too much on getting through the process and seeing customers only as numbers instead of getting to know them. If you want to increase your closing percentage, building a rapport with customers will be a huge part of that.
Just like Fort Minor said, “a hundred percent reason to remember the name”. When you first meet your customers, DO NOT zone out when they say their name, listen for it and remember it. Subconsciously, people enjoy being called by their first name, so if you can use their name when appropriate, you should. Remembering and addressing your customer by name should help them feel more comfortable and contribute to rapport building.
Every customer will have objections to why a car isn’t right for them and what they need in the car they want to buy. Your job as a salesperson is to know all the common objections and be able to provide solutions to them. If you’re so focused on selling and not addressing the customer’s concerns/objections, you’re going to not only fail to sell, but you’ll also going to come off as a salesperson and not someone looking out for the best interests of their customers.
It doesn’t matter what you’re selling, you need to know everything about your product. If you work for a Ford dealership, you better know every detail about Ford as a manufacturer as well as details on each of their vehicles. If your customer has any doubts that you don’t know about the details and specs of the vehicle you’re trying to sell them, they’re going to instantly lose confidence in you. You’re supposed to be an expert on your product, and if you can’t convey that, selling will be extremely difficult.
With Covid-19, now more than ever it’s important we adapt and use more technology to get our jobs done. This could mean familiarizing ourselves with video chats so we can meet with our customers over video and even give them live video walkarounds of vehicles. Ensure your trainees know and understand how to use your CRM.
We know about all the stigmas around car salespeople. If we want to combat these stigmas and make people feel better about trusting dealerships and salespeople, we need to act accordingly. Make sure you train your newcomers to be honest and only make promises they can follow through on. While being dishonest may get you a quick sale every now and then, in the long run it not only damages your dealership’s reputation but also the industry’s reputation.
While there are plenty of training programs out there that cover different pricing models, most of these don’t touch on how the local market affects pricing. Pricing is often based on inventory and what the market is currently selling a particular vehicle for. Make sure they know that as the market fluctuates, the way they sell has to adapt as well. If the newcomers or any salespeople for that matter ignore market trends, they’re going to see their customers go to the competition for business.
So many people in all industries love to bash their competitors to make themselves feel better about their own business. Teach your newcomers to only talk respectfully about competitors and to never be so unprofessional as to make belittling comments about them to your customers. If you can convey to your customers that you have enough confidence that you don’t feel the need to take shots at competitors, the customer will feel much more comfortable working with you.
It’s impossible to know everything there is to know about anything. Make sure you remind yourself and your team that there is always something to learn. Whether you’re reading a book on how to become a better communicator or you attend a sales training seminar, it’s important to always seek knowledge and keep your mind sharp.
Sales managers can help new salespeople feel confident by giving them clear training, real feedback, and simple habits they can repeat every day. Teach them to listen more than they talk, ask good questions, and focus on the customer’s needs instead of a canned pitch. Show them how the sales process works at your dealership, walk them through real examples, and coach them on how to handle common situations. When new hires know what to say, what to ask, and how to respond, they feel less nervous and more in control with each customer.
Listening is important in car sales because customers are making a big, stressful purchase and need to feel heard. When a salesperson talks nonstop, the customer’s real needs and worries never surface, and the deal often falls apart. When a salesperson listens, they can spot key details, like budget, family size, driving habits, and deal breakers. That information makes it easier to match the customer with the right vehicle and address their fears. Good listening also shows respect, which builds trust and helps customers relax and open up.
Rapport turns a cold sales interaction into a human relationship, which makes people more likely to buy. When new salespeople find common ground, remember names, and show real interest in customers’ lives, it feels less like a transaction and more like a partnership. Customers who feel a personal connection are more open to talking about their budget, preferences, and concerns. That openness lets the salesperson tailor the experience and present options that feel right, which increases the chance of closing the sale and earning repeat business.
New car salespeople need strong product knowledge so they can answer questions with confidence and reduce customer doubt. When a salesperson understands trims, features, warranties, and technology, they can match vehicles to customer needs instead of guessing. If they stumble on basic details, customers start to question everything, including the dealership. Deep product knowledge also helps when handling objections, since the salesperson can offer clear trade-offs, upgrades, or alternative models that still fit the customer’s priorities.
New salespeople should use technology to make buying easier, clearer, and more flexible for customers. This includes using the CRM to track leads, follow-ups, and customer notes so no detail gets lost. They can use video calls for virtual introductions, show vehicles through live or recorded walkarounds, and send digital quotes or trade appraisals. Technology also helps them stay organized, remember customer preferences, and respond faster. When used well, it supports a smoother, more modern experience instead of replacing the human connection.
