Doctors don’t prescribe treatment until they diagnose the problem. They ask questions. They look at data. They determine the cause before recommending the cure. You need to do the same in your dealership.
I worked with a dealer whose close rate was dismal. Only 15% of walk-ins purchased. His sales team was frustrated. They were wasting 85% of their time on price-shopping tire kickers. The owner’s conclusion? “My salespeople need to be stronger closers.” He wanted me to fix the sales team.
But when I dug into the numbers and looked at the big picture, I discovered something interesting; his store sat next to a major freeway. Huge traffic count. And there, in big bold letters visible at 70 miles an hour, was the message: “LOW PRICES.”
Same language on the building. Same language on the website. Same language in his ads. In other words, he had built a magnet for price shoppers.
His biggest problem was not weak sales skills; his biggest problem was that he was systematically attracting the wrong people. If you hang a sign that screams “cheap,” don’t be surprised when bargain hunters show up.
The solution was not more closing techniques. The solution was to reposition the message. We shifted the language to emphasize quality, design expertise, professional installation and long-term value. In short, we worked to attract the right customers and repel the wrong ones. Close rates improved because the input improved.
Now let me give you the opposite example: I was working with a dealer in Colorado. They had plenty of leads. The owner wanted more. He felt like the marketing wasn’t producing enough ROI. So we dug into the numbers. They were closing three out of 10 quotes—30%. That’s dismal for in-home appointments. By the time you’re standing in someone’s living room with samples open, you should be closing a minimum of 50%, and more like 70%-80%.
Here’s the key: they were attracting qualified leads. The marketing was doing its job. The problem was the sales process. The team was not trained in a diagnostic selling system. They were presenting product instead of uncovering problems. They were professional “order takers.” The prescription? Weekly sales training built around a structured diagnostic selling approach. Role play. Coaching. Accountability.
Most of the salespeople improved significantly, although one did not. Despite repeated training and one-on-one coaching, her numbers never came up. Ultimately, she had to be let go and replaced.
Two dealers with problems that looked the same on the surface: low ROI and low close rates. But completely different root causes.
This is where many dealers go wrong. They feel pain in the business and immediately reach for the nearest solution. Leads are slow? Spend more on ads. Close rates are low? Blame the sales team. Salespeople are frustrated? Run a promotion.
If you misdiagnose the problem, you’ll prescribe the wrong treatment, and the wrong treatment not only fails to solve the issue, it wastes time, money and morale.
Speaking & Webinars. Jim is a sought-after speaker and founder of Flooring Success Systems. He delivers powerful live and virtual presentations that help floor dealers grow sales, improve margins, and strengthen their businesses. His team also offers a complete turnkey webinar package—handling hosting, promotions, and full execution. To inquire about booking Jim or setting up a custom event, contact Support@FlooringSuccessSystems.com.
