Hey there!
Are you accidentally talking yourself out of car deals in the first 60 seconds?
One of the biggest mistakes I see on the showroom floor is what I call "The Feature Torture." We’ve all been there—you’re excited, the car is great, and you start dumping every single spec and safety rating onto the customer until their eyes glaze over. But here’s the reality: information overload is a deal-killer. If your buyer is an "I" style personality, you aren't just boring them—you’re actually pushing them off the lot.
Today, I’m going to show you how to identify the "Influencing" buyer and, more importantly, how to pivot your pitch to match their energy. We want to be known for helping customers achieve their goal, which is buying the vehicle they need, and not just for our product specifications and super awesome safety features.
Let's dive in.
Stop burying your "I" style buyers in data and spreadsheets. They hate it!
If you lead with the owner’s manual, you’ve already lost the "I" style buyer before the test drive even starts.
In the Maxwell DISC Method, the "I" stands for Influencing, and these people are the connectors of the world. They are outgoing, high-energy, and they value relationships over raw data. When you start rattling off fuel ratios, you are speaking a language they find incredibly draining.
They don't want a lecture. They want an experience. If you notice your buyer is talkative, friendly, and seems more interested in who you are than what the car is, you are dealing with an "I” style of communication. To win here, you have to put the clipboard down and pick the relationship up.
Focus on building a personal connection before you ever talk features and benefits.
Great communication begins with connection, and for an "I" style, connection is the only way to the close.
These folks love people and they love being heard. If you jump straight into the "four-square" (The one that was given to you by your sales manager and makes you sound like a robot) or start pushing for the credit app before you’ve established rapport, they will feel "sold" rather than "served." The "I" style only listens when it’s convenient for them. And it’s only convenient when they like you.
Spend the first few minutes talking about their world, their family, or their weekend. Use the Relationship Circle:
Ask about their hobbies.
Ask about their travel experiences.
Ask about their kids or pets.
Put selling on the back burner.
For an "I" style, if they don't like the salesman, they won't buy the car—even if it's the best deal in town.
Paint the picture of the outcome they actually want to live.
The "I" style buyer lives in a world of emotions and aspirations, not nuts and bolts.
Instead of telling them the car has a 12-speaker sound system, tell them how they’re going to be the "cool parent" in the carpool lane or how incredible their favorite playlist will sound on that summer road trip. You have to help them see themselves achieving the outcome they want.
Don't say: "This SUV has a 5-star safety rating and 80 cubic feet of cargo space."
Say: "Imagine how easy it’s going to be to load up the whole family for that camping trip you mentioned, knowing everyone is totally safe and comfortable."
Keep the energy high and the conversation moving.
"I" style personalities have a high "distraction" factor, so you need to be the lead in the dance.
Because they are so social, the conversation can easily go off track. You need to keep the energy up and maintain the momentum. If the process feels slow, bogged down in paperwork, or overly formal, their interest will drop. Keep your delivery punchy, stay enthusiastic, and keep them engaged by asking for their opinion. The more they talk about how they feel about the car, the closer you are to the "yes."
Ready to turn that "I" style buyer into a lifelong referral machine?
Knowing the theory is one thing, but having the right words at the right time is what separates the top 1% from the "average" associates.
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