Green Pea Playbook
The sales process

The Road to the Sale: the 7 steps to selling a car

Every dealership has its own version, but the Road to the Sale always comes down to the same seven steps. Skip one and you'll feel it at the desk.

By Ethan Reynolds, author of The Green Pea Playbook
Short answerThe Road to the Sale is the process a car salesperson follows with every customer. The seven steps are: 1) greeting, 2) fact-finding, 3) vehicle selection and walkaround, 4) demo drive, 5) trade appraisal, 6) first pencil (presenting numbers), and 7) the close. Each step earns the right to move to the next one.

Why the process matters

New salespeople love to jump straight to price. It feels like that's what the customer wants. But a customer who hasn't picked a vehicle, driven it, and pictured themselves owning it will always negotiate harder, because to them it's still just a number on a screen. The process builds value before you talk money.

1. The greeting

You have a few seconds to lower the customer's guard. Walk up at a relaxed pace, smile, introduce yourself, and ask for their name. Don't lead with “Can I help you?” because it invites “No, just looking.”

Sample word track“Welcome in! I'm Ethan. And you are? Good to meet you, Sarah. What brought you out today?”

And when they say they're just looking? Here's what “just looking” really means.

2. Fact-finding

Ask questions and listen. You're finding out who the vehicle is for, what they drive now, what they like and dislike about it, how they'll use the new one, and whether there's a trade. The goal is to find the real reason they came in today.

  • “What are you driving now? What do you like about it? What would you change?”
  • “Who'll be driving it most of the time?”
  • “Are you planning on trading that in?”
  • “If we find the right one, were you looking to get something today?”

3. Vehicle selection and walkaround

Pick one vehicle based on what you learned, not five. Then present it. A good walkaround connects features to what the customer told you in fact-finding: the cargo space for the family that hauls hockey gear, the towing package for the boat owner. Get them in the driver's seat before the drive.

4. The demo drive

The demo drive is where customers start to take ownership. Drive first if your store allows it so you can show features, then switch at a safe spot. Plan a route with a highway merge and a few turns. Talk less. Let them feel the car. On the way back, have them park in the “sold” spot near the showroom door.

5. The trade appraisal

If there's a trade, get the keys and walk it with the customer. Have them point out anything wrong with it (they'll be honest about damage they'd otherwise fight you on later). Then send it to be appraised while you move to the desk.

6. The first pencil

The first pencil is the first set of numbers you show the customer: price, trade value, down payment and monthly payment. Present it confidently, ask for the sale, and then stop talking. Most new salespeople lose deals by filling the silence.

Sample word track“Based on what we talked about, here's where we are. If everything looks good, just OK it right here and we'll get the paperwork started.”

7. The close

Closing is mostly handling objections, which we cover in detail in How to handle car sales objections. If you can't overcome one, get a T.O. before the customer stands up. Once it's a deal, the customer goes to F&I (finance) and then to delivery.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Road to the Sale the same at every dealership?

The steps are close everywhere, but names and the number of steps vary. Some stores add a “sit down” step before numbers or count delivery and follow-up as steps eight and nine.

What's the most skipped step?

Fact-finding and the demo drive. Both feel slow, and both are where most of the value gets built.

Where can I get a printable checklist?

The Green Pea Playbook includes a one-page Road-to-the-Sale checklist you can keep in your pocket.

Keep reading

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