overcoming price shopping objections

by Christine
(Minnesota)

I work in car sales and the most difficult objection for me to overcome is people who are shopping out other dealers for price.

Price is set by management, I can't control it...

I've worked with many shoppers who are savvy enough and quite determined to buy based solely on price (we meet all their other needs). Other dealerships are willing to sell at invoice, while we are not.

I sell myself, the dealership and service... but too often get a very apologetic reply: We want to buy from you, but the price is their reason for buying elsewhere. Any suggestions?




Hi Christine, and thank you for a great question.

I get asked this question a lot especially from people who work in certain industries where they have no unique selling points and nothing but price to distinguish them from the competition.

My reply is to suggest that they look at 3 sales training areas of what they do.

...2 of which you have already touched on in your question, but stay with me you will see the points I'm making...



Find a way to look unique

Look for a way to look unique, to make your sales offer appear different, and to wrap things up in different bundles.

In the car sales market one way to do this is to make you, the car sales person, the unique selling point. From your question it sounds like you have this selling skill and can use the technique.

For anyone unfamiliar with this concept in direct sales you manage your customer like you would an account in B2B sales. You look for reasons to conatct regularly, gain referral sales from family and friends, send them information and build a long term profitable relationship.




Sell all the available benefits

You mention selling on service, and I presume you sell all the other available benfits like add-ons, cover, finance, pre-sale testing etc.

Sell a package not just a car. Meet the buyer'sneeds and then some.




Now Assess Your Sales Skills

Now I'm going to ask you to be very honest with yourself.

Take all the above points and assess what actions you have taken to use them in your sales pitch.

Be honest with yorself and ask sales questions such as:

Have I really done everything I can to put together packages for customers that using everything available to me.

Do I really get all the buyer's needs and meet them all except the price.

Is it the price that stops my sales or could I do something more.

If you are happy that you are doing all that is possible and it is just price that is stopping you selling then I suggest 2 actions:

1. Speak with the people who own the business and give them specific examples that prove your point.

2. If you don't get any changes that put you on a level playing field with your competitors then consider taking your sales skill to somewhere that will make better use of them.

As sales people we may have really great skills and we can close deals and overcome objections. But there is a limit to what we can achieve when we are selling at a disadvantage.

You have probably heard sales people saying they can sell sand to the Arabs. Well maybe they can but not if there is another supplier with exactly the same sand but at a lower price.

I hope this gives you some food for thought.

Best wishes

Stephen Craine