Want to know a simple way to save thousands of dollars on your next car purchase?
I want to let you in on a little secret…
Building a relationship with a trusted Ford dealer isn't just about friendly service and a great buying experience.
Trust can also lead to massive savings, often thousands of dollars, off the price of your new car or truck.
Here's what you'll learn:
- Why Trust Is The Most Important Factor When Car Shopping
- How Trust Opens Up A Whole New Level Of Financial Incentives
- How To Build Your Own Trusted Car Buying Network
- Strategies To Really Maximize The Savings Trust Brings
Why Trust Is The Most Important Factor When Car Shopping
Want a surprising stat?
48% of car buyers say they'd be willing to pay higher prices if they could trust the dealership.
Pause for a second and really let that sink in…
Customers are willing to literally pay more money for the piece of mind that comes with trust. But here's the best part.
If you build up a relationship with a trusted contact at Ford dealers Brisbane or your local Ford dealer, you often get both that trust and lower prices at the same time.
Why does this work?
When you go to buy a car, your local dealership is trying to make money in several ways.
You can only focus on the sticker price of the car, but a dealership is also thinking about:
- Profits from financing
- Trade in values
- The service department
- Extended warranties
- Future sales
A trusted contact at your local dealership sees the big picture. They know that keeping you happy over years of ownership is much more profitable than just the initial sale.
This is very different from when a cold caller comes in to buy a car.
The moment they step into the dealership, everything is transactional. Every interaction is a deal negotiation.
The interactions that build a trust relationship, on the other hand, are completely different.
The Hidden Financial Benefits Of Dealership Relationships
Ready for another stat that might surprise you?
Did you know that 65% of a dealership's revenue comes from repeat customers?
In fact it gets even better…
Research from BetterCarPeople.com found that 50% of all car customers are planning to buy their next vehicle from the dealership where they service their current car.
So what does this mean for you?
It means that your trusted dealership contact wants to keep you as a customer for many years to come.
They'll often work much harder to make deals happen because they get it – your lifetime value as a customer.
Let's dig into some of the financial benefits you gain when you have a trust relationship with a car dealership.
Pre-Release Information
When they know you're coming, your trusted contact at a dealership will let you know about:
- Upcoming sales events and special promotions
- The end of model year clearances
- Manufacturer incentives before they're made public
- When it's best to get a high trade in value.
Priority Treatment
If you have a relationship, when inventory is low, guess who gets first dibs?
You and your trusted contact.
Hold vehicles for you. Get you into hard to find models. And process your paperwork faster.
Negotiation Leverage
Here's where most of the savings will come.
With a trusted contact at the dealership, you'll often be able to:
- Waive unnecessary fees
- Maximize manufacturer rebates
- Get better financing terms
- Receive a more realistic trade-in valuation.
But here's the best part: They can offer you all this because they know that when you're done buying your car, you'll be back. For service, for financing, for another vehicle.
It's not about squeezing every last penny out of you for one transaction. It's about building a long-term relationship that's worth much more than one sale.
How To Build Your Own Trusted Car Buying Network
Ok, that all sounds great. But how do you actually build these valuable relationships?
Start by building a relationship with the service department first.
The easiest way to connect with any dealership is through the service department. And here's why this works so well…
Service departments are much less high-pressure than the sales floor. The staff have time to actually talk to you. And they see you at the dealership when the "car buying stress" isn't happening.
Here's my tried and tested step-by-step process to build a relationship:
Step 1: Choose Your Dealership Carefully
Look for dealerships that:
- Have been in business for years
- Have good online service reviews
- Are local to you
- Represent the brands you're interested in
Step 2: Start With Simple Service
Book yourself in for:
- An oil change
- Tyre rotation
- Basic inspection
Use these visits as an opportunity to talk to the service advisors.
Step 3: Ask Questions (But Don't Interrogate)
Don't grill people, but do show a genuine interest in the dealership and people's lives. Ask things like:
- How long have you worked here?
- What do you think of the new model lineup?
- Any advice for someone thinking of upgrading?
Step 4: Be A Good Customer
This means:
- Arriving on time for appointments
- Paying bills on time
- Treating staff with respect
- Referring friends when appropriate.
Step 5: Express Interest In Future Business
Make sure they know that you're thinking of buying an upgraded model in 1-2 years time. And ask if they can recommend someone in sales when the time comes.
This is where the magic happens. The service team wants to help you make a sale. But they're going to introduce you to sales staff as a "valued customer" not a cold lead.
Smart Strategies To Maximise Your Savings
Ok, so now you've built the relationship. How do you leverage it for maximum savings?
Time is important
Your trusted contact can help you time purchases for:
- End of financial years
- Model changeovers
- Low sales periods
- When the dealership needs to hit targets.
Bundle your business
Don't just think about the car purchase itself. Bundle up all your business. Including:
- Trade in
- Financing (even if you shop around)
- Extended warranties
- Future service.
The more business you bring to the dealership, the more flexibility they have over pricing.
Don't be afraid to tell the truth about your budget
This sounds counterintuitive. But with a trusted contact, being open and honest about your budget actually often works better than trying to play games.
They can:
- Show you vehicles that fit your budget
- Time your purchases to get maximum incentives
- Structure deals that work for you.
Think about Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles
Your trusted contact is an expert on used cars as well. They'll be able to point you towards:
- Trade ins from good customers
- Lease returns in great condition
- Vehicles with full service histories
These insider secrets can save you thousands when buying used cars.
Wrapping Up The Deal
Building a trusted relationship with a car dealership contact isn't just about getting a better deal on your next car purchase though.
It's also about having someone who truly understands the entire car buying process in your corner.
Someone who can guide you through the maze of incentives, rebates, and financing options that confound so many buyers.
The truth is that the entire car buying process is just too complicated for most people to do on their own.
And the second you introduce a buyer's agent into the equation (read: someone who works for the car dealership) the playing field is no longer level.
Cars and trucks just get more and more expensive every year. While your pay cheque probably hasn't kept pace.
It's no wonder that many buyers get a sour taste in their mouth when they have to buy a new car.
If you know where to look for value, car buying can actually be a great experience.
A trusted relationship with a car dealership contact can help you get that value.
Whether it's a brand new Ford vehicle or a certified pre-owned model, that relationship can save you thousands of dollars over the life of your vehicle.
Remember, it costs a business 5-25 times more to acquire new customers than to keep existing ones. This fact is not lost on car dealerships. That's why they are often motivated to treat relationship customers so very well.
Start building those relationships today. You and your future bank account will thank you for it.
