Introduction

The ability to close a car sale is the most essential part of selling your car and yet it is one that can take a little time to master effectively. Understanding what a potential buyer wants, reading body language and trying not to be excessively pushy are critical aspects when you close a car sale but help is at hand with our practical guide about how to close a car sale. Selling your car is the culmination of all your hard work preparing the vehicle for sale, writing the sale advert and arranging viewings. We want to ensure that you get the best possible deal when you sell your car.

1. Sell The Benefits Of The Car Not The Features

The classic mistake that sellers make when attempting to close a car sale is to religiously list the technical features of the vehicle, such as ABS, power assisted steering, dual airbags, engine management systems, sun roof, immobiliser, car alarm etc. The flawed thinking behind this is that by endlessly listing the car’s features you will easily sell the car and close a car sale. Instead adopt the reverse approach and help the potential buyer understand the benefits to them of a given feature.

Example

a) Listing the feature only; This car has air conditioning.

b) Listing the feature and relating this to a benefit for the potential buyer;

This car has air conditioning which is ideal for those hot summer days when you are queuing in traffic and need to stay cool, or to prevent the children from getting overheated in the back of the vehicle.

2. Understand Your Buyer

Do not presume. If you presume anything about your potential buyer then you may come across as arrogant. Instead listen to the buyer as they view your car and hone in on the questions that they ask. Read their body language, look to see where they spend most of their time when viewing your car. For example do they keep sitting in the driver seat and adjusting it, which may suggest that they are interested in the comfort of the vehicle and space for their legs. In this case you can focus on the specially designed seats that we purpose built for the vehicle.

Do they keep checking the vehicle identity number or looking our for it on the windows of the vehicle, suggesting that they are conscious about confirming the car’s identity. In which case you can point out where these features are and produce copies of the MOT certificate to compare the number and any HPI or VOSA car background checks that have been carried out.

Do they ask about air bags, roll bars or ABS? If so they may be trying to establish the safety of the vehicle and in which case you can point out these features or produce copies of the safety rating for your car and the benefits to both the buyer and their family members.

3. Give The Buyer Space

The traditional high pressure method of sales has always promoted the importance of wearing down a potential buyer until they capitulate and close a car sale. Usually this will take the form of continually asking questions or demonstrating features of the vehicle and it is both annoying and off putting. Instead warmly welcome the buyer when they arrive for the car viewing appointment and give them time and space to look around the car without interference, by leaving the vehicle unlocked. Stay in the background and inform them that you are available if they have any questions. You can actively sell the features and benefits of you car at a later point, when the customer has had time to digest the information. Adopting this approach will present a professional image and may actually increase your chances of closing a car sale because it builds trust between you and the car buyer.

4. Sell The Car Brand

Some buyers may not actually understand the value of the specific car brand that you are attempting to sell. Provide some personal experiences of how your particular car has been beneficial over and above another comparative brand and most importantly link it to the potential buyer. For example what are the benefits of a Peugeot over a Renault. Perhaps one is slightly cheaper, or easier to maintain. Promoting this aspect of the brand will enable your potential buyer to identify more easily with the car and means that you can close a car sale more effectively.

5. Promote Your Unique Selling Points

You may do an excellent job of selling your car to a potential buyer but you also need to promote the reasons why they should make the purchase from you, rather than go elsewhere. The internet is a highly powerful tool for price comparison and it is becoming more common for potential car buyers to physically view a car and then buy it cheaper online. You need to identify what you can offer that a competitor may not and this is true whether you are a dealership or a lone seller attempting to close a car sale on a private vehicle. Try to project professionalism and engage in good customer service to encourage the potential buyer to be loyal to you and close a car sale with you rather than with another seller, dealership or online.

The little things often matter so take time to clean and vacuum your car before sale, do an oil change and make sure all paperwork for the vehicle is accessible and neatly sectioned off, preferably in a plastic file or folder to make viewing it simple. Offer the potential buyer a hot drink and biscuit whilst they view the car. These small things are important and may be your unique selling points as other sellers may not bother with them.

6. Negotiating Price

This element often takes first priority but it is your job to ensure that it is the last thing you discuss with a potential buyer. If a potential buyer is satisfied with the features and benefits of a car, the car brand and you as the seller, the value should be clear to them. Treat price negotiation as a marathon not a sprint. Remember that your approach throughout the whole car sale process will be justifying why you want to charge the sum you have presented to the buyer.

A potential customer will always want to haggle over price and some room for reduction needs to be built into the original price that you advertise the car for, so ensure that you take this into account in the initial car advert.

Keep negotiations positive and avoid negative phrases like “You must be kidding right?”, “Make me a better offer”, “I couldn’t possibly sell it for that price”

Instead consider using phrases like;