| I remember years ago hearing from a phone | | | | different industry saw what I was doing and |
| trainer from Belgium, in his heavy French accent, | | | | asked me to do some work for him. Not only did |
| "If you live off the floor, you'll die off the floor". | | | | I take the job, but I did it for free. I owed this |
| He was right. People will RV, and thank goodness | | | | man, for many reasons. He's one of my mentors. |
| there is nothing we can do to stop them. Part of | | | | Someone I would trust with anything or anyone. |
| our problem today is that there is not a lot of | | | | This type of human association is worth more |
| them coming in the front door. Don't get, or stay, | | | | than all the gold in the world. More on mentors |
| discouraged. Remember the harder we work the | | | | another time but suffice to say this person did |
| luckier we'll get. I know that the sales and money | | | | not come into my life by accident. It felt good to |
| are available to us if we just know where to look. | | | | repay his guidance with hard work, a good |
| Diggin' for Gold. | | | | product and good service. |
| California is Gold Country and I enjoy prospecting | | | | He has since sent so much business my way I |
| as a hobby. Unfortunately, I get to use the | | | | can barely keep up. He has put our business on |
| analogy more than I get to go out actually looking | | | | the map. Now the clients he has referred to us, |
| for gold anymore but... Prospecting for gold is an | | | | have begun sending us referrals as well. We don't |
| art and a science, combined with hard work. You | | | | have to look for any clients. We do good work, |
| could just pack up your shovel, pan, sluice box | | | | provide a good service, provide tremendous |
| and a strong back, head into the hills or a river | | | | value, and they just keep coming. I am a firm |
| and start digging. But more than likely you'll end up | | | | believer in referrals. I spoke at the RV Dealers |
| with a sore back and an empty pan. Or you could | | | | Association Convention this year, because of |
| do some research first. Discover where gold | | | | referrals. |
| might actually be. Understand what geological | | | | You see it doesn't matter if your customer buys |
| features of the land to look for. Go where gold | | | | from you or not, or if they qualify or not. None |
| has already been found. Listen to people who | | | | of these have anything to do with asking for |
| prospect. (Don't ask them where the gold is, they | | | | referrals. If they buy, tell them thank you, and |
| won't tell you. Just let them talk...there's a lesson | | | | ask them for referrals. If they don't buy, tell |
| there.) | | | | them thank you for coming, and ask for referrals. |
| We do all this, before we even pick up the shovel. | | | | If they can't buy, tell them your sorry, and ask |
| You see, I don't mind getting dirty. I just want to | | | | for referrals. |
| do it with a Purpose in mind and maximize my | | | | I've been in the RV business for a long time so |
| return. | | | | here's a little truth. I don't care what other |
| So where is the "Gold" in the RV business. Well, | | | | trainers have told you. I remember going to |
| like prospectors during the gold rush, many times | | | | classes and they would talk about asking for |
| it's laying right at our feet. 3 key markets to look | | | | referrals and tell me most everyone would give |
| at are. | | | | me a referral. I remember thinking, what planet |
| 1. Repeat Business | | | | are you on? Most people will not give you a |
| 2. Referral Business | | | | referral. Get over it. |
| 3. Service Drive | | | | I come from the RV sales line and did very well |
| Let's look at the facts: | | | | and I know most people won't cough up a name |
| 1. Repeat Business. | | | | and number, period. Setting unrealistic and |
| Math doesn't lie. If someone bought an RV, there | | | | unachievable goals is foolish. Your job is to ASK |
| is a good chance at some point they will buy | | | | EVERYONE. The right way. Some will, some |
| another. The average time for someone to trade | | | | won't, so what, next. The few you will get will be |
| in their RV is around 39 months depending on | | | | worth all the no's you will ever get. |
| where you are. If you're relatively new to the RV | | | | Referrals have a higher closing ratio ( 6 times the |
| business and you have not built your customer | | | | walk in customer ) and usually decent gross |
| base yet, there are still ways to tap this market. | | | | profits as well. A warm relationship, an |
| If you have been in the RV business for a couple | | | | appointment coming in, beats a fresh up any day |
| of years you should be taping this now. If you | | | | of the week. It is usually not just an easier sale, |
| have been in for several years you should be | | | | but a more pleasant experience for you and the |
| taking, (or waiting for), very few walk in | | | | customer alike. |
| customers. | | | | I personally know a salesperson who sells 5+ |
| Do your own math. Find out how many RV's you | | | | motorhomes per month without taking any ups |
| have sold during your career. Most sales people | | | | because of repeat and referrals alone. He got in |
| don't know. After the deal rolls we maybe, | | | | one dealership and stayed there. |
| maybe call the customer to make sure they are | | | | 3. Service Drive |
| happy and that's about it. I know as well as you | | | | This is an untapped gold mine. If you have a |
| do that it is all about "the deal today" but if I don't | | | | service department talk to your sales or service |
| continue to stay in contact with my sold | | | | manager and ask how many customers come |
| customers I have placed my own self imposed | | | | through the drive in a month. |
| limits as to their value to me, and my income. | | | | Depending on the size of your dealership and how |
| If we work smart, we "create" be backs, not | | | | long the dealership has been in business, it is not |
| hope we will get one. Customers trading in quickly | | | | unusual for me to hear numbers like 200-400 per |
| is not unusual. I've seen it happen the same day. | | | | month. Yours maybe more or less but that is not |
| I've seen customers buy and trade 3 units within | | | | the point. The point is who is out there. Qualified |
| 6 weeks! Stop thinking that "you would never do | | | | buyers, that's who's out there. |
| that", "you" are not buying anything. "They" | | | | Figure out, realistically, how many customers you |
| are...let them. | | | | could touch in the service department per month. |
| Find out today how many RV's you have sold at | | | | As an individual salesperson, taking out the |
| your dealership. Managers, get the sales people | | | | weekends, then your week days you are off. |
| the info. If you have been with your dealership | | | | You have about 2-3 days per week to do this. Go |
| for a few years you may be shocked to learn | | | | meet 1-2 people each day. You have the time. I |
| what that number is. Say you sell 5 units a month. | | | | know it, you know it. Take action and watch |
| That's 60 a year and you've been with your | | | | what happens. |
| dealership for say, 4 years. That's 240 sold | | | | Let's say you meet 5 new people per week. |
| customers. 240 buyers who liked you, believed | | | | Remember, all you need to do is offer someone |
| you, listened to you, and trusted you. Now ask | | | | a cup of coffee and start a conversation with |
| yourself when was the last time you called any of | | | | open ended questions. That's 20 opportunities per |
| them? It's not about the floor traffic...it's about our | | | | month or 240 opportunities a year you got |
| attitude and work habits. | | | | because you stayed away from the updesk, got |
| If you're new to RV sales, get a list of orphan | | | | off the internet, stopped texting your buddy |
| owners. Orphan owners are previously sold | | | | (who doesn't pay your bills) etc. If I gave you |
| customers whos salesperson no longer works for | | | | 240 more opportunities, qualified RV owners, do |
| the dealership. How big is that list? At one of my | | | | you think you would make a larger income? The |
| in house training dealers they estimated they had | | | | closing ratio on these types of customers is high |
| over 30,000. Most with no salesperson attached | | | | but let's say that it was typical of a walk in |
| to them. You work hard for your deals. How | | | | customer, 10%. That's 24 deals per year. |
| would you like to work half as hard for the next | | | | Now you do the math. How much is your |
| one, and make more money? | | | | average voucher times 24? Probably between |
| 2. Referral Business. | | | | $8,000 and $25,000 per year. And that is just the |
| How do you get referrals? ASK | | | | service drive. We didn't even count the money |
| Ask and ye shall receive. | | | | from repeat and referral business. We do this in |
| Seek and ye shall find. | | | | our sales training classes in more detail |
| Knock and the door shall be answered. | | | | If you know what you are doing in RV sales you |
| I don't make this stuff up! It never ceases to | | | | could make a living and rarely take an up. Work |
| amaze me what people will do if you ask. So who | | | | smart and eliminate the frustration. The RV |
| do you ask for referrals from? Everybody. When | | | | business, regardless of our present temporary |
| do you ask for referrals? All the time. | | | | economic condition, is a great business that will |
| I run a web video production company as well as | | | | allow you to take care of yourself and your |
| my sales training company. It started from me | | | | family, if you Sell On Purpose. If you focus and |
| doing my own personal videos for training and | | | | take action, you just got a big raise. |
| marketing purposes. A friend of mine in a | | | | May the bottom of your pan.... always be yellow. |