What does an Automotive Sales Consultant do?
An Automotive Sales Consultant sells vehicles on behalf of a dealership or car lot and tries to persuade visiting customers of the benefits of buying or financing one of their vehicles. This is their most fundamental task, and almost everything else flows from it. Auto Sales Consultants try to convince customers to consider a purchase or lease by offering them test drives, explaining vehicle benefits and clarifying financing options. They also process the paperwork and legal requirements of finalizing a sale or a loan contract for buyers.
Automotive Sales Consultant skills and qualifications
A qualified and effective Automotive Sales Consultant needs good industry knowledge and an assortment of communication and other soft skills to do their job effectively. These include:
- Strong knowledge of sales and persuasion techniques coupled with excellent knowledge of the products
- Superb communication and customer attention skills that help build rapport and persuade
- Intuition about customer desires and practical needs
- Strong knowledge about their industry and the general requirements of different customer types (commercial versus personal, for example)
- Precise written communication abilities for forming contracts and agreements
- Strong negotiation skills for managing the back and forth of a sale agreement on expensive products
- Solid experience with writing sales contracts, handling transactions and organizing sale financing
Automotive Sales Consultant experience requirements
An Automotive Sales Consultant should have previous sales experience when entering a starting position in a car dealership. Previous sales education and training would also be a definite bonus. Because the sales business runs on the metrics of successful deals, a consultant who has been working for several years should have a track record of effective closes and strong sales abilities. In the case of candidates for jobs in specialty motor dealerships, such as those selling industrial trucks or sports vehicles, experience in the related vehicle industry is an ideal quality.
Automotive Sales Consultant education and training requirements
For most Automotive Sales Consultant positions, specific professional training at a university level is more of a bonus than a rigid requirement. Entry-level candidates should have a minimum of a high school diploma or GED. A bachelor’s degree in marketing, business or communication is also useful for advancement to sales management and leadership positions. A sales management certification from the National Automobile Dealers Association can also be very helpful for career prospects. Automotive Sales Consultants usually need a valid driver’s license.
Automotive Sales Consultant salary expectations
According to Indeed Salaries, the position of Automotive Sales Consultant can be well compensated, with an average salary of about $68,381 per year. Compensation also often includes sale commission earnings of $30,000 or more per year and varies depending on experience, location and company.
Job description samples for similar positions
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Automotive Sales Consultant job description FAQs
What makes an effective, successful Automotive Sales Consultant?
The most useful skills an Automotive Sales Consultant needs are selling ability and persuasion of potential buyers. Consultants should understand that clients have their own reasons for considering a major purchase with a relatively high price. They should then work with this information to convince clients that it’s in their best practical interest to go through with a purchase.
What other compensation and benefits are commonly given to Automotive Sales Consultants?
Employers who hire Automotive Sales Consultants often need to offer a percentage of each sale by the consultant as a performance commission that can be deducted as an expense by the dealership. Additionally, in high-demand markets, employers often offer employee purchase discounts, dental insurance and paid time off.
What’s the difference between an Automotive Sales Executive and an Automotive Sales Consultant?
There is usually little effective difference between these two professional titles. They can generally be used interchangeably and carry the same sorts of duties, responsibilities and potential compensation benefits. In some dealerships, however, an executive position means a specific level of managerial responsibility.
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