The job of a car salesperson is notoriously difficult. Thanks to pop culture portrayals of the profession, most customers walk onto the lot already wary of the establishment’s employees. They expect to see a slick talker dressed in a plaid sport coat. Obviously this image is ridiculous, but it’s unfortunately something that a lot of professionals in the industry have to overcome before they can complete a sale. There may also be a number of unknown circumstances that could be negatively impacting sales performance.

Keep reading to learn about a few tips and tricks that could help to improve car sales on the lot:

Treat every interaction as a conversation

If you walk up to every potential customer with a sales pitch ready to go, you may end up seeing many of them walk away. If your opening line sounds like a sales pitch, it’s going to immediately make the other party put up their guard. Instead, treat every interaction as a friendly conversation. Don’t be too quick to launch into the myriad reasons why the customer should consider a specific vehicle.

Axle Addict recommended starting with a few questions to get the conversation started. Ask each customer how they decided on your dealership and what kind of car he or she is interested in. From there, you can have a straightforward conversation that may eventually lead to a sale. Remember to listen carefully to what customers say and don’t try to push them outside of their price range. Most people are smart enough to realize that tactic, and they won’t respond well.

Use mystery shoppers

If you ever feel like your customer interactions are going well, but you still aren’t closing deals, one way to find that missing ingredient is through the use of mystery shoppers. By hiring a mystery shopping company, you can pinpoint key sticking points that are stopping you from making sales. Not only can you get honest feedback about your customer service, you can ask specific questions about your dealership, products and other services.

Become an expert on every product

An effective salesperson knows everything about the products he or she sells. This is especially vital for those in the automotive industry because not only does each vehicle greatly vary from one to the next, they are a significant, long-term investment for the customer. If you can’t satisfactorily answer every question your customers have, you run the risk of losing their interest. As Car Sales Professional noted, you need to know every inch of the products you sell so that the customer views you as an authority. Very few customers actually want to talk with a salesperson, but won’t mind a conversation with an authority on the subject. If you can reach that level of expertise, you’ll be likely to see more sales in the future.

Never try to rush into a sales pitch, assess your own performance and study up on your products – these are three ways to increase your sales on the car lot. As long you’re always striving to improve, you’ll be more likely to see success in the future.