One of the transactions that many consumers seem to be afraid of is buying a vehicle, and with good reason. A former sales representative from an automobile dealership recently confessed to using psychological tricks in order to get unsuspecting customers to buy a car or truck. He revealed some of the methods he was trained to use for the purpose of overcoming resistance and influencing people to make the commitment to purchase on the spot.
Closing techniques are things that automotive sales people are instructed to do in order to close the sale and finalize the buying transaction. One closing method is secretly referred to within the industry as the Abraham Lincoln Close. It is used when a potential buyer says that he or she would like to think about whether or not to buy a particular vehicle, rather than immediately agreeing to the deal.
The salesman tells the customer that, when Abraham Lincoln was faced with an important decision, he had a wise way of analyzing the situation so he could make an intelligent choice. Honest Abe, the salesman says, would take out a sheet of paper, divide it into two vertical columns, and label the two columns Yes and No. Of course, the salesman does this in front of the customer, taking out a sheet of lined, notebook paper as he delivers the pitch.
The salesman continues to say that, in the first column, Lincoln would write down all the factors in favor of one particular course of action, and in the second column he would write down all the negative aspects of the decision. The sales person then assists the customer by writing down, in the first column, a long list of reasons why they should buy the vehicle under consideration. After the first, "Yes" column has been filled out, the sales person then asks the customer to tell him if there are any negative reasons. Unlike with the first list, the salesman does not offer any suggestions to go into the second, "No" column. It is unlikely that the customer will be able to think of enough negative reasons to counteract all of the salesman's positive ones.
Another psychological ploy the sales representative revealed to using was the use of the term, OK. When he wanted a prospect to sign a binding sales document, he would never ask the person for his signature. Rather, he would casually ask him to OK what they had talked about, and then hand him the pen and paper.
Despite the fact that an automotive sales person may say he is looking out for the best interests of his customer, a wary consumer will not be fooled into rushing into a sale that he or she may later regret. Instead, buyers should realize they are being subjected to professional sales tactics, and remember they always have the right to walk out of the dealership without any obligation to buy a car or truck until they are absolutely certain they are doing the right thing.
