How many features or specifications does the typical new vehicle have today? 50? 100? 150? If you are talking about all of them in your product presentation you're talking way too much! Out of the potential 100 things you could point out in your presentation, how many really matter to an individual customer? Well it could be any subset of the total couldn't it?

We often see product presentations that are ineffective for two reasons.  One, the presentation on a given vehicle is the same every time… no matter who the customer is. Two, the presentation tries to cover every conceivable feature regardless of whether that feature is important to the buyer or not. 

So how do we focus on only the features that are important to the customer we are working with today? It starts with knowing the customer's DBM – Dominant Buying Motivation. What is their greatest area of interest?  What must their next vehicle be really good at?  Is it Safety? Convenience? Economy? Performance? Handling? Style? Image? Off-road capability? With that information we could really narrow our focus in the presentation.  We could make sure that the bulk of what we highlight on the vehicle makes the case that this is their best choice for satisfying that DBM.

So how do we get that DBM?  Well imagine that a customer came in and they said: "the most important thing for me is that the vehicle be really safe for my family if we are ever in an accident."  That would be easy wouldn't it? You could make your presentation focus on all of the various safety features from construction and crash zones to ABS brakes and side air curtains.  Asking them good questions in the interview will get this same information. Want to know what's most important? Ask them! What's most important in your next vehicle? What does it have to do really well?

What we are talking about is "personalization" of the presentation and it all comes from the job we do in the interview. Too often we see salespeople leave it up to the prospect to "connect the dots" between product features and their needs.  Instead we need to really understand their needs so we can make the best case for our vehicle meeting those needs.  In your interview remember F.O.R.M. – Family, Occupation, Recreation, and Money. Ask lots of good questions in these areas and apply what you learn to the selection and presentation.

Now instead of rattling off a list of features in our presentation we can focus on only the ones that matter to this prospect AND with each feature we can relate it back to their needs and lifestyle.  The prospect will appreciate your professionalism and overall it takes less time.  They have so many choices in today's market and a true professional will first understand their needs and second help them feel confident about the best choice to meet those needs.

Remember that asking lots of questions makes the process "all about them" and makes your job much easier.  Ask your way to success!

"Seek first to understand, then to be understood"
- Steven Covey

ISI/PAL Automotivaters is a Canadian company celebrating 20 years of helping dealerships increase volume and profit through training, coaching, and accountability systems. Our clients range from single dealerships of all sizes to dealer associations and entire dealer networks in Canada, USA, New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, Indonesia, French Polynesia, and Asia.  

See us at: www.automotivaters.com

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