During this part of the selling process, you have completed your discovery and have a good understanding of the specific vehicle that your prospects have interest in. You are ready to do your “walk-around.” This is where you literally walk the prospect around the equipment, highlighting features that match the customer’s needs identified during the discovery process.

Performing a solid walk-around is a very important part of the sales process, but it’s probably one of the most neglected and poorly performed aspect of selling. The idea of a complete and thorough walk-around once a prospect has chosen a product is to educate the buyer and create excitement. They know what they want and it’s your job to reinforce their choice and create an overwhelming desire to own it.

Start with a Compliment

A great walk-around always starts with a compliment. Once you know what model they have settled on, compliment them on their choice and share with them some interesting fact, accolade or award that it has received.

You might say something like, “First of all, this is a great choice that you have made because when it comes to premium product for you and your wife, this stands out with the new look, its comfort features, along with the proven performance you have come to expect.”

Remember, your job is to create a sense of confidence in the choice they have made and excitement in their thoughts about owning it. Your ability to make the prospect feel good about their choice is critical to closing the sale.

Using Brochures

The walk-around can also be a learning opportunity for you. Grab a brochure on the unit the customer is interested in. Read it entirely and watch for words or descriptions that are not a part of your natural selling vocabulary. Write them down and practice doing a walk-around with those words or descriptions when no potential customers are around.

Any professional, regardless of the field of expertise, are the best at what they do because they practice before the game, not during the game. If you are going to be the number 1 salesperson in your dealership, it’s not going to be luck that gets you to the top. It is going to be your dedication to becoming the best at what you do. Don’t wait until you have a prospect in front of you to practice on them. Do it before they get there.

If you are not good at memorizing, then I would encourage you to take the brochure and highlight any word you think is something that will create some “pop” in your presentation. Add the brochure to a binder and have extra for prospects. As you’re doing the walk-around, hand them a brochure with a highlighter and ask them to highlight words as you explain key features and explain how they compare to features on competitors’ units.

The Power of "Yes"

Now, it’s time to isolate the unit from other units that are sitting around. Your goal is two-fold. Now is the time to show case the model that they are considering. You want it to be the total focus of the walk-around so you have their complete attention. Second, if you and the prospect are squeezing around and between other models, they will quickly get distracted, frustrated and begin to lose their excitement.

Once the unit is pulled away from the other units, you goal is to take control of the process. I know that some salespeople like to hand keys to the prospect as they begin, thinking it starts the ownership process. I disagree. I find that keeping the keys helps you keep control of your walk-around and your ability to keep the prospects focused as you build their excitement and enthusiasm and then move toward the “yes” that closes the sale.

Best Practices with Bob Clements is a series brought to you by Yanmar.

More from Bob Clements

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When you are ready, stand in front of the unit with the prospect and simply say, something like, “I don’t know if you are aware of it or not, but while all of the manufacturers make great products, you will find that our products are designed with a focus on performance, durability and value. Based on what you told me, those are three things that are important to you, right? You will discover features on our products that are not available on any other product sold today. You will find that’s what sets us apart from the rest.”

Notice that you have already earned your first “yes.” You have set the tone for the walk-around, which gives you the ability to flow into the rest of your presentation. From there I would say, “There are so many features that have been designed into this unit, the best thing to do is start at the front and work our way around. Fair enough?” I like to use “Fair enough?” as a question at the end of that statement because it gets the prospect saying “yes” to you again, which kicks off the sales process.

Keep in mind that your goal of the walk-around is to highlight features and the benefits those features provide the customer. It’s also important to understand that selling is about creating a “yes” momentum that will carry through to the final “yes” you will need to close the sale.

As you talk about features and benefits of the product, ask your prospects yes or no questions that can only be answered with a yes about the feature or benefit you just mentioned. The more times that a prospect says yes, the easier it becomes for them to say yes at the end as you progress into your close.

Tune in for The ‘Walk-Around’ Part 2: Be an Enthusiastic Expert to Earn the Sale