The Science Behind the Sale

Bart Carpenter is not a trained psychologist, but he does have some insights into the human mind that he thinks could be useful to agents. At Agent Summit 2012, he presented “Increasing Product Sales Through Customer-Tailored Presentations,” a workshop designed to help give agents a new edge in their presentations to dealers.

Carpenter’s approach begins with collecting subtle clues to determine each customer’s communication style, then applying proven techniques to build relationships and overcome resistance. “It’s a skill, not a process,” he says. “From an agency standpoint, it’s about trying to get products in dealerships and trying to get them to sell it.”

Mr. Personality

Carpenter currently serves as director of training and consulting for GSFSGroup in Houston. He got his start in the auto industry after moving from his native Mississippi in 1987. He first worked his way up to management level at a major dealer group, then made stops at Half A Car and Joe Verde’s Training Network before going to work for Toyota Motor Corp. in 2003.

Carpenter was part of the team that launched Toyota’s Scion marque. Carpenter’s job was to “train the trainers,” and it was this experience that helped shaped his methods. Scion’s marketing was aimed squarely at the youth market, and the new cars were sold under the “Pure Price” model.

“When you can’t negotiate, that puts the salesperson back in the game,” Carpenter says. “What will make the dealership stand out is selling value.”

When he joined GSFSGroup in 2006, the company asked him to put that revelation to use. Carpenter led a team that developed a training curriculum based on selling the value of F&I products. The key point for agents, he says, is to focus not on how you sell, but why the dealer buys.

Deep Thinking

In many cases, GSFS’s method requires agents to put aside much of what they think they know about the selling process. Human beings are, by nature, reluctant to change, and dealers are no different. To break through the wall of resistance, Carpenter offers a four-step process.

Step 1: Consider the science behind decision-making. Agents who start their presentations by listing the product’s features and benefits may be putting themselves at a serious disadvantage. Carpenter says that decisions are made “from the inside out,” and one must first appeal to the internal, subconscious part of the brain. "It is what Simon Sinek calls the ‘Golden Circle,’” he says. “Think about buying a car. It’s an emotional decision looking for logical justification.”

To target the part of the brain that controls decisions and behavior, look for reasons why a dealer might feel the need for a change. Ask about the strength of the support behind their current lineup. Is the dealer getting the support, service and training they need? How about pricing? “They won’t see the change or be willing to change unless they see the need,” Carpenter says.

Step 2: Recognize the decision-maker’s communication style. As illustrated in the chart below, there are four basic types of communicators, and everyone falls into at least one category. “Some people I can pick up on in a matter of seconds; some take three or four visits,” Carpenter says. “The majority you can identify in minutes.”

Those minutes are spent asking open-ended questions that demonstrate genuine interest and keep the dealer talking. Pay attention to the pace: If they answer quickly, they’re most likely “dominant” or “influential.” Slower answers indicate a “conscientious” or “steady” type. But those aren’t the only clues. Carpenter also looks for key words and phrases, volume and body language.

Step 3: Learn how to read each type. Dominant types like to control the conversation, solve problems and get immediate results. Conscientious communicators prize quality and accuracy, and they ask a lot of “why” questions. Influential customers tend to be democratic and optimistic, and they don’t like to be slowed down by details. Steady types are sincere, helpful and conflict-averse.

But what does all that mean to an agent? Better communication, a quicker rapport and greater influence, Carpenter says, once you’ve mastered the final step.

Step 4: Personalize your presentation. Tell your dominant clients how your product solves their problems. To the influential, explain how it will make their dealership more competitive. Tell the conscientious how it reduces risk. For the steady, explain why the results will be more predictable.

By taking in all the information and details and tailoring your presentation to your client, Carpenter says, you will close more deals and create more productive dealers. In short, he says, “Get on the same wavelength.”

The Breakthrough

If you tell Carpenter that this theory of sales sounds a little too touchy-feely for you, your agency or your dealer clients, he won’t mind. But he will point out that GSFS has trained scores of F&I managers on the same process, and the results have been good: On average, their students have enjoyed a 10 percent increase in vehicle service contract sales and a $200 boost to their profit per retail unit.

“We don’t teach it as a process,” Carpenter says. “We teach it without putting a label on it. We just teach them to ask questions and pay attention to what they hear and see.”