Personal Contact
Key to Repeat And Referral Sales

Automotive sales professionals know personal contact is the most effective method to secure repeat and referral business. Networking is about building a portfolio of prospects. Sincere personal contact builds a future. Sounds like a lot to digest. In fact, it reads like something you'd find on the dust jacket of a book.

Here's the skinny. There is a good deal of hype about social media and how it is a good avenue to gain additional sales. There is no doubt social media, as a medium, is a great tool for creating a following. It is even a reasonably effective avenue to brand yourself. It is not, however, an effective tool to develop customer-partners.

Let me clarify why I say that personal contact is the most effective method to increase repeat and referral business. Think back to the last vehicle you sold. That person is now a customer. To move that customer to customer-partner, you must build a real relationship. By-the-way, a customer is someone who has purchased a vehicle through you but has no loyalty to you or your dealership. A customer-partner has loyalty, measured in terms of repeat and referral business through you.

To develop loyalty leading to repeat and referral business requires more than a blog, RSS feed, monthly flyer, newsletter, or even a well crafted email. Customers need personal follow up that is sincere and specific. A phone call, a note, a greeting card are most effective at creating strong relationships.

Consider this, you`ve moved to a new community. Welcome Wagon was in to see you and left a box of goodies. Included is a free oil change from a reputable national chain. Two days later your phone rings and it is the salesperson you purchased your vehicle from. She lets you know that even though you moved she is still available if you require assistance. You chat for a moment and, before hanging up, she recommends a local service center for your auto needs.

If this was really you, where would you go for service? More importantly, where would the car salesperson be in your list of who to recommend to buy a car from?

On the other hand, let's assume your auto saleswoman simply sent you an email. Would you feel the same way? Would it have been as effective?

Given a choice, people prefer to do business where they feel good. Personal contact results in people traveling across town, going out of their way, even paying a little more. And customers who feel this way graduate to customer-partners. Customer-partners are loyal. Customer-partners are the foundation for a secure future.

Years ago Bell had this great little tag-line promoting long distance "Reach out and touch someone". The background has changed but the theme is the same. When it comes to securing your business you need to reach out. The emphasis is on you because the receiver must see the reaching out as authentic. Sincerity comes through personal contact. And no, I am not suggesting telephone contact as the only sincere method of staying in touch. Notes and greeting cards are also effective personal contact tools.

To be effective you need to make it personal. A caveat of marketing is "The medium is the message". That holds true for engaging your prospects and customers. To make it personal, to decide to take action, a prospect or customer must perceive the message as being especially prepared for him or her. To be successful in creating repeat and referral business, you must make it personal.

Remember: Nothing happens until someone sells something.

Sales Champions Make It Happen!