Um, I like have a neighbor that is trying to get me a job as a used car salesman. She said I have the perfect temperament.
Two questions:
Should I take something like this on? I have NO experience in sales, except vending.
What the hell did she mean about me being perfect for the job? Is there some stereotype I’m unaware of?
She reckons you’re a bottom-feeding scum-dweller.
But hey, at least she didn’t suggest you become a telemarketer…they’re the bottom-feeding scum-dweller’s bowel actions!!
PS…and before all you telemarketers jump down my throat, I’m one too.
Are you aware of the stereotype of the used car salesman as an agressive, sleazy, dishonest, lying, scumbag? Because that’s the only one I’m aware of.
That’d be it.
Uh, no!
Eww, I’ve never owned a used car, so I wouldn’t know.
I compare myself to Hillary on the Fresh Prince of Bel-Aire!
There are certain personality traits that seem to go hand-in-hand with being successful in sales positions. It helps to be somewhat outgoing, at ease talking with people (strangers), able to handle (and sometimes ignore) rejection with aplomb, and to see it as helping folks get what they want rather than as a way to separate them from their money.
Some people seem to be naturals at selling, while some are dismal at it. Regardless, it’s possible to learn techniques and approaches that maximize one’s ability to sell. If you do have the right personality for it, lack of experience is a temporary hindrance. You’ll probably have to give it a try to assess if this is a good fit for you.
My impression is you can make a little money if you’re honest, beyond that the more you lie and cheat the more money you make.
Do you know anything about cars? I know salesmen don’t always (or usually), but to me it would seem like a prerequisite.
I have a cousin who used to be a used-car salesman. He is extremely knowledgeable, ethical, credible, honest and friendly. People trust him. If he lived near me, I would send all my friends to buy cars from him without hesitation. He had health problems so had to stop working, and now is having financial difficulties. I wish he were a used-car salesman again. Maybe you could be like him!
Self-perceptions are a weird thing. You friend probably sees you closer to this.
I, for one, *cannot wait *to see how this all pans out.
What?!? A used-car salesman who’s a respectable human being? Next you’ll be telling us that there are honorable lawyers and honest auto mechanics! It staggers the mind to even contemplate.
There is probably more money to be made as an used car salesman today.
I read that there is a shortage of used cars for sale - partly because the economy has been so bad for the past years that there were fewer new cars sold, thus reducing the inventory of used cars down over the years. For that reason, you can sell an used car for more than you could have in the past, and it will cost you a bit more to buy one than you would have paid in the past.
So, based solely off percentage/commission, you should be able to earn more.
Also, don’t most car dealerships offer a 6 month warranty on used cars? So, it seems to me if you can negotiate a fair price (based off Kelly Blue Book, etc.) and find a car you like, you at least have 6 months to see if you bought a lemon.
For that reason, I don’t think it would be impossible to be a good used car salesman and NOT be a ruthless asshole - you get a nice commission, the buyer has a warranty and everyone can pretty much go online to see what a fair price would be. I think you could be honest and successful at the same time.
And regarding personality - maybe you are just the “nice guy” that people would trust and have a less pushy/slimey personality that would fit well at a used car dealership.
I have a theory that a good salesperson is born, not made. If you have the sales personality, you will be successful in sales. If you do not have the sales personality, you can learn to sell to some degree, but will not be as successful at it as a born salesperson.
This is based on my business relationships with a large number of salescritters.
To be fair, there ARE a lot of used cars just sitting around out there in the wild.
Make sure you stock up on polyester leisure suits!
As hustles go, it’s tried and true. For people without a lot of pesky ethics, it’s almost made to order.
Besides, what have you got to lose? An morning stealing from people’s flowerbeds and an afternoon standing at the highway on ramp?
I say expand your horizons and give it a go. It could prove profitable.
Oh, and please report back, I’m dying to know if you take to it!
You think of yourself as vain, condescending, stuck-up, and living in your own little world where the peons should be grateful for the chance to wait on you?
You get more money if you lie, but only short term. If you’re going to make a career of it, you are going to need to build up word of mouth referrals, which won’t come if you screw people over. Although that supposes that you have some control over how sales are made at the lot or dealership where you work. It’s usually the business as a whole that gets the reputation.
The smartest post so far. Salesmen rely on return business and referrals. If you make it a habit to fuck people over, your income is going to disappear. This is particularly true in new vehicle sales. When I briefly sold RVs (and did quite well at it), it was interesting to me to see how other salesmen did in relation to their sales pitch. The worst guy there was this slob who tried to high-pressure people and would make the most outrageous (and easily disproved) claims and assurances to potential customers. I had customers come on the lot and when I asked if they needed assistance said “Yes, but we don’t want to talk to that fat guy again.” The guy was barely making his mortgage payments each month, and his desperation showed in his interactions with people.
On the other hand, the most successful guy in the place had so much return/referral business he sometimes had to share commissions by allowing another salesman to help him out. Watching him work was an education in how to be successful at sales without lying, cheating, or being a scumbag. I was matching him in sales during my last month there, and always wondered if I would have replaced him as the top seller.
As you said, the business reputation is ultimately what makes or breaks a dealership. Poor or shoddy warranty and repair service will kill your business in short order. The place I was working at was finally recovering from a disastrous reputation for fucking over people once they had made a purchase.
Load of tosh, salespeople come in all kinds of personalities. Some of the best in the world are very introverted technical people. 99% of people are never exposed to the top sales people in the world, they work on major deals worth many millions and even billions of dollars and not trying to flog you are a dodgy used car.
it’s a bit like people making the assumption that all chefs are like Gordon Ramsey or a fry cook at Maccas.
