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September 18th, 2019 by Tara Taffera
Who do you need to hire to sell your automotive film? What’s the first thing you text a customer when they call you? How do you talk to a potential customer? SunStoppers Window Tinting owner Mike Burke, revealed all of that and more in a recent seminar on automotive selling strategies at the International Window Film Conference and Tint Off™. His company has 15 locations and has appeared on WINDOW FILM magazine’s Top Dealers list for the past two years.
It was a rapid fire, non-power point style presentation where Burke, a tinter himself, talked to his peers about how to sell and grow a business.
“I used to hire by skill level but not anymore,” said Burke. “You know the kid in the movie Rudy? That’s the kid you need to hire and teach him how to sell and tint. Here are just a few examples of how Burke and his staff bring in customers.
First, he said you must know your market. If you are high-end, target that market, if you are on the lower end that’s fine, but target that market. He mentioned you as a business owner must know what kind of customer you want to reach.
“A Tesla customer is my perfect customer and I go after them,” said Burke. And it’s not about quantity.
“You need to find that select group and attack them. That’s sales,” he said.
So when the marketing works and a customer finds Burke and makes the call this is how he proceeds: “Before we talk, is this your cell number? Yes. Ok great let me send you some links with photos and video so you know how we will tint your car.”
Burke spent a lot of time telling attendees tips on just being a car guy. He spoke to them just as he speaks to his customers.
“I’ve done 20 Camry’s this week. I can’t wait to do that car,” said Burke. “Dude, I love that car.”
When talking to a customer, talk to them like you would your girlfriend. “Sweet talk them,” he said.
“I’m trying to get you guys to laugh a little bit,” said Burke.
His sales skills work and most of the time price is not an issue, according to Burke. For example, he told a story about talking to a guy about bringing his truck in to be tinted.
“The customer brought his truck in the next day without even asking for a price,” said Burke. He wanted to bring his truck to me because I was so excited about it and asked him all of these questions about it.”
Want to upsell your customer? He gave advice for that too.
“Sir, you’re driving a Tesla. You don’t want our basic tint do you?”
“You have to look at that client as a customer for years to come,” added Burke.
In case you think major marketing dollars have to be spent to find these customers, this isn’t necessarily the case.
“I sell more jobs off Instagram than anything else, that’s my portfolio,” he said.
