Strategy & Tactics: The 12-Volt Insight

Reviewing the basics and fundamentals of our industry can help bring your skill level from good to great.

WORDS BY ADAM DEVINE

Whether you have been in the industry for 20 years or two, these key words will always come to mind: complacency and insanity. By nature, humans are complacent creatures. We find a comfortable rhythm and tend to stick with it, rarely straying beyond our comfort zone. Albert Einstein is widely credited with stating the following: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”

Whether we fall into the category of store owner, sales professional or technician, all of us can fall victim to complacency. You may find yourself wondering, “Why isn’t my business growing?” or “Why am I finding it difficult to close sales?” You might ask, “Why do all my installations seem like they’re the same?”

Those three positions, while vastly different in terms of day-to-day tasks, are highly dependent on one another. If complacency starts at the top, it will ultimately work its way down to all levels of the business.

The Owner is the Captain of the Ship

If you are the man or woman who oversees the ship and leads the crew, then it all starts with you! If you’re not finding ways to inspire and grow your team, then don’t expect your financial gains and growth to change. As a leader, you are looked up to for guidance and structure, plus continual support. Without a great captain, the ship may drift off-course and the crew will be less likely to respond to direction.

As the captain, you should be asking yourself, “What can I do differently to achieve expected results?” It all starts with having a plan and building a solid foundation. You are in charge of delegating tasks to your crew to help you achieve desired results. If you don’t have a strategic business plan for the next three, six, or twelve months, that’s an excellent place to start.

As a business owner, you need to know where your business is strong and where you can find areas of opportunity for improvement. Recognizing these areas and drilling down on your numbers and books will help you begin to plan and implement changes.

Know and Understand Your Numbers

How often do you dive deep into your books and really assess the business? Are you staying high level and just looking at your P&L? To make or develop any real strategic business plan moving forward, you have to dig deep. The numbers on the screen are a direct reflection of how you are steering the boat and its current condition. If there is an area in which you

are excelling, do you know why? Is it the sales approach, your advertising or your prices? There are also two sides to this question. In other words, what are your opportunities? Why are you weak in the areas that need improvement? Could it be a lack of tools, education, or desire to make a change?

Get to Know Your Key Demographic

If you are expecting your showroom to fill up and your phone to ring off the hook without putting in the work, you will be severely disappointed and you’ll wait a long time. The market in Naples, Fla. is flooded with luxury and exotic cars. Upper- to middle-class individuals are going to have different wants and needs than a college student whose goal is to rattle his car until the mirror falls off. Knowing your demographic is crucial

Learning to tailor a product demonstration to a client is an important aspect of closing the sale.

to designing a strategic business plan that can positively impact your financial gains.

A solid piece of business advice can come from the most unlikely source. In the movie Joe Dirt, Joe offers simple yet often overlooked words of wisdom to Kicking Wing, who owns a fireworks stand but sells only the fireworks he prefers. When it comes to a lack of sales, Joe says, “Well, that might be your problem. It’s not what you like, it’s the consumer.” That simple, yet powerful statement has a huge impact on how you run your business. Are you selling only what you like, or have you also taken into consideration what your consumer wants and needs?

Truly knowing my demographic took time and effort. From attending local Cars and Coffee events, to taking note of the exotic cars in my area, I was able to learn that my customers have a more refined or seasoned taste that I need to cater to. For example, they are not interested in loud systems. Instead, they have an interest in safety, sound quality and radar and laser protection.

Be the Expert in Your Niche

We know the categories, but how do we attack them? For us at Devine Concepts, a great start was implementing a Radenso RCM Ultimate Edition into our shop’s demo vehicle, a brand new Mercedes GLC 300. (You can check out this demo vehicle in the Installs section of this issue of Mobile Electronics magazine.)

Why did we do this? Because that type of vehicle is on par with what the majority of our clientele drives. They can relate as well as see the value in a luxury demo car. In any sales scenario, you should always use top down selling. Always! The GLC 300 received a high-end, built-in radar and laser defense system. Not only did we install the best equipment, but the installation matched in quality. We took the time to build custom acrylic pods, ensuring the system stayed as clean and stealth as possible. Any integration into the cabin appears factory.

Our vehicle has a great system and a great install. Now what? Do we just show it to every client who walks in? We could, because it wouldn’t hurt, but to really see return on investment, we have to market to clients who already want what we have. Attending a local Cars and Coffee event on a Sunday, while providing a demo of our system, is an example of a great opportunity to show clients what’s possible.

Partner with your dealers. They are there to support you. We did just that. We helped sponsor a high-end auto show, and we had our GLC 300 on display. Jason and John from Radenso helped tend the booth with us. Afterward, we saw a dramatic increase in sales and custom OEM integration. Our booth was flooded with visitors at the event, and most of them had no idea this kind of install was even possible!

Utilize the Art of the Demo to Close the Sale

How you approach your clients in your sales presentation is going to direct the course of the sale. You have to be

Devine Customs prides itself on a clean, organized facility. During a tour, the client is able to see the shop’s dedication to quality.

able to read your clients. You are there to impress them with what’s possible, something they may not know existed. Effective merchandising stems from keeping your client’s attention on what you are presenting.

Are you set up to offer product demonstrations? If your answer is no, or if you’re unsure what “the art of the demo” is, now is your opportunity to grow as a sales pro. The art of the demo can be as simple as ensuring that the product is placed into the client’s hands, or their device is connected to the display so they can touch, feel and interact with whatever you’re trying to sell. A demo can be as complex as setting up the perfect stereo triangle for an audio demonstration, ensuring the client is equal distance from the source, and you are playing their favorite track in high resolution. A salesperson must sell the experience, not the specs.

By tailoring your sales and demo approach to your clients, you will yield more positive results. Some clients care about specs and technical inner workings, and some just care about the end result. With time and a few lifestyle questions, you will be able to quickly determine which category they fall into. Two industry professionals who gave solid sales advice that rings true and has always stuck with me are Andy Wehmeyer of Audiofrog and Ata Ehdaivand of Absolute Electronix.

In an online video interview, Andy spoke perfectly about the clientele who is just looking for the result. You can’t impress them with technical specifications. In this scenario, too much “tech speak” can work against you. Ata offered simple but effective advice on this topic. Once you know the demographic of your client, and you’ve tailored your demo and made recommendations, it’s time to ask for the sale and stop talking. Give the client time to process and let them make a decision. If you continue to talk after asking for the sale, you may find that you just talked them out of it.

Fulfill the Promise to the Client

The technician is a craftsman and a sculptor, but they’re only as good as their last install. The vehicle has made it to the bay and it’s up to them to fulfill promises made to the client. When checking the vehicle in with the client, you should take time to review the invoice, expectations, product locations and intended results. Ask your client prior to checking the vehicle’s functionality if there are any issues you should be aware of, such as recently tinted windows or a stuck window motor.

Giving specific examples may help jog a client’s memory, since the typical response is, “Everything’s fine.” Being in South Florida in rainy season with a window that will not roll back up will drastically diminish the client’s experience. Always note any issues you find and review them with your client and have them sign off before they leave. Doing so will cover you and your business from any unwanted or surprise damage claims.

Protect the vehicle with seat covers, fender covers, steering wheel and shifter covers, and interior and exterior protection film. Using proper tools for disassembly and reassembly will also protect from any unnecessary damage. Keep your tools, work area and machines clean. Just as the art of the demo is essential in the sales process, proper client education at the end of the sale is just as important. Making sure your client understands how to properly use their new equipment will enhance their experience and they will leave confident they made the right choice.

The vehicle checkout process is just as important as the check-in. Ensure all systems function the same as they did when they came in. Forgetting to plug a power window switch back in can easily happen when installing a pair of door speakers. Finding and correcting any issues will always be a better scenario than a client finding it days later and returning for troubleshooting.

Continue to Seek New Experiences

The MECP Program is an excellent resource for technicians and sales pros of all levels to develop best practices, and learn industry standards and fundamentals. As vehicles get more and more complex, OEM CAN Bus, MOST and data bus infotainment systems continue to advance. The expectation of staying connected in the vehicle has become a standard. Attending trainings and events such as KnowledgeFest will keep you on the continued path of exceling at your trade and expanding your skillset. Networking is important, too. Remember, the only stupid question is the question left unasked. At the end of the day no one can force you to be a better you!

Whether you’re the owner, sales pro or technician, your future is in your own hands. The sheer act of reading this article means you’re already part of an exciting industry. After 20 years, I still go to work every day just as excited as I was at 16 years old, modifying my first car. Technicians get to play with some of the latest and greatest technology and vehicles, share knowledge, resources and best practices with our clients. We are able to provide each client a small taste of the world in which we live. They, in turn, take that experience with them and share it with others.

My best advice—never stop learning, growing and sharing. Continue to push yourself into new experiences and find your capabilities. You’d be surprised at what you can accomplish when you stop being complacent and step outside your comfort zone.

Networking and training at events such as KnowledgeFest are integral to staying informed about the evolution of technology and OEM integration.