Go out and get it

My wife and I bought a new car a couple of weeks ago and it was a fast painless transaction that took less than ten minutes, and in the comfort of our own home. No it wasn’t via an e-commerce deal, but needless to say we had spent many an hour researching safety ratings, fuel economies, kw output and the number of airbags etc beforehand. This research had narrowed down our selection to a few, however we had no real car in mind yet.

I was home for lunch and about to head back to the office when my wife saw an advert for one in the local paper with a good price, so I phoned the dealer to check the mileage. In the conversation the dealer asked if I was keen to come and see it, and being on my way back to work I explained I didn’t have enough time. Instantly he said he could bring it to us within five minutes, he hooked me and I agreed. Now I was thinking it would take about 10 minutes but he arrived within 7, now this was prompt service.

Needless to say we liked the car and bought it then and there. So although it may not have been the cheapest cost for a similar model with similar options and kms, it was the proactive approach of the salesman that got us to sign on the dotted line.

We had struggled in the last month to get a time for my wife and I to be able to view and test drive cars with two little ones at home and work commitments. So when the car was promptly brought to us the decision was easy. I know we would have continued looking on the internet and in papers without actually getting to the point of test driving and eventually settling with the cars we have, which by the way I’m quite happy with because my car is a ’76 Holden Premier stationwagon that I love and have poured truck loads of cash into it. I don’t really want to sell it, my wife however is determined we have no space for 3 cars and it has to go.

And to prove the point that A: she is serious that it is going, and B: you need to be proactive in selling, she sold my car within an hour of buying the new car. We had a load of firewood delivered in the afternoon and as my wife was paying for the wood she just happened to ask the guy delivering the firewood if he was interested in buying the Holden. So that afternoon I get a call at work from the firewood guy offering to buy it.

So don’t rely on advertising alone, go out and chase those leads and opportunities like our car dealer who has a plaque on his desk that states ” Those who wait for a passing ship drown. Those who swim to find a passing ship are saved”. It certainly worked for him.