What do YOU have in mind? Part 5

(This is the final installment in the allegory. Next edition will outline some of the lessons that can be used by sales professionals.)

Lake Arrowhead, California

It’s three weeks later, and we could not be happier. Danielle has contacted the people I suggested. One of them has already taken delivery of a new Canuck.

Every time that she contacted one of the people………………….

Sorry, I had to step away from the laptop to take a cell phone call. It was Bill from the second dealership.

Once again, he kind of gave me a speech. He spoke so fast that I still didn’t get the name of the dealership.

He told me that he had heard from Gavin a few days ago and that I “was pre-qualified to the max.” Gavin had given him my phone number.

He had an interesting question: “What would it take to earn your business, Dave?”

He did call me by my name this time.

I asked him what vehicles he had that would suit my needs and he told me he had tons of them on the lot…just come on back and he’d show them to me. I could tell he had no idea who I was, and clearly did not know what I had been looking to purchase.

I may stop by in my Canuck the next time I visit Dani. Just to thank him for ignoring me. I’ll bet he asks if this is my first visit.

As I was saying, Dani has called to thank me and give me a bit of an update every time she has contacted someone I referred to her.

The irony is that I didn’t know what I needed. I knew what problem I wanted solved. I was not too sure about the process to select a vehicle for my needs. I sure didn’t know the brand name, Canuck.

Only one person was interested in what I had in mind.
I didn’t want “Today’s Special.”

I didn’t need Patty to approve the vehicle.

I didn’t really want a loan, but I was offended that Ricky spent no time listening to what I was trying to accomplish. And his cigarettes gave off nearly as much bad odor as his bad mood.

And, boy, what’s the deal with Bill?

TMI!!

He showed no interest in me or why I was there. Do we really need to know about all the places he worked, and that he roughs up his wife? It’s pretty sad that he called me back today without really knowing why I should talk to him, or why I should come in again. I think he is just “following up” to fill in some time, or because his manager told him to do so.

And that really nice lady who didn’t tell me her name and was so hung up on the number of miles in a lease. I was never going to lease a vehicle. Telling me that it was an incentive was bizarre. I had no interest in her incentive. But then, she had no interest in my agenda.

Thanks, Danielle.

Thanks for listening to me rather than just giving me a speech about you, your vehicles, your dealership, and your manufacturer. I needed all that information, but not until it was relevant to me and my agenda.

By the way, all my friends who told me I was dumb to buy a gas-guzzler now…? They all love the Canuck. One family bought one from Danielle. And, now that we have the room, more of them have invited themselves to travel with us.

And the dogs.