AutoKnerd

EP56 - Turning Discovery into a Walkaround That Wins

Too many salespeople kill deals during the walkaround by turning it into a boring spec sheet recital. The result? Customers tune out, trust drops, and the deal falls apart.
 
In this episode of the AutoKnerd Car Sales Podcast, Andrew shows you how to flip the script, deliver a customer-first walkaround, and prove you were listening — all while boosting commissions.
 
🚗 What You’ll Learn in EP56:
• The Spec Sheet Trap (and why it destroys trust instantly)
• The 3-Feature Rule for walkarounds that win customers
• How to use the Feature-to-Benefit Cue Card (FREE tool below)
• Scripts, roleplays, and dealership-ready drills
• The commission connection: why “proof you listened” = more sales
 
📄 FREE TOOL: Feature-to-Benefit Cue Card 👉 Download here: CLICK HERE 🎙 LISTEN NOW:
📍 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3wlcFqVhfPsE5qo53xuy9k
📍 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/autoknerd/id1733675016
📍 Podbean: https://btedesign.podbean.com
📍 AutoKnerd HQ: www.AutoKnerd.com

EP55 – The Test Drive Trap: Discovery Isn’t a Checklist

AutoKnerd Podcast — Selling Cars Starts With Trust
What if the secret to selling more cars isn’t about the test drive at all? On the AutoKnerd Podcast, we break down the sales process to its core: building genuine trust with buyers before the keys ever change hands.
Hosted by and veteran trainer Andrew Sardone, this weekly show is built for automotive sales professionals, consultants, and dealership teams who are ready to move past outdated scripts and start real conversations. Each episode delivers practical tools, word-for-word examples, and strategies you can use right away on the lot.
 
You’ll learn how to:
 
Avoid the “test drive trap” and other sales mistakes that cost you deals
Turn “I’m just looking” into meaningful dialogue
Use empathy-driven discovery questions to uncover real buyer goals
Build stronger customer experiences that drive repeat business
 
 
🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or AutoKnerd.com, and start selling with confidence, clarity, and connection. 
 
👉 Every episode comes with free tools and resources you can download — because better conversations start before the engine does.https://autoknerd.com/p/the-test-drive-trap-part-1

Closing Without Pressure: How to Finish Deals With Trust

How do you close a deal without blowing up all the trust you just built?
That’s the question we tackle in AutoKnerd Podcast EP54: Closing Time – How to Finish Without Breaking Trust.
 
In this episode, Andrew Sardone breaks down:
✅ Why most consultants lose deals in the last 5 minutes
✅ 5 trust-first closing phrases that confirm instead of corner
✅ The body language and tone shifts that ruin the close
✅ How to spot “trust signals” before you ask for the commitment
 
If you’ve ever felt that sinking moment when a customer pulls back right at the finish line, this episode will give you the tools to close confidently without losing your humanity.
 
📥 FREE TOOL DROP: Download the Trust-First Closing Cue Card here → https://autoknerd.com/p/%20trust-first-closing-time 📺 YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/tOh-Xjqd5l8
 

EP53 Mega Commitment = Mega Commission

Every sales consultant knows how important those little affirmations are — the nods, the “sure,” the “yeah, I see that.” But too many get stuck there. They rack up micro-yeses without ever bridging to the big commitment that closes the deal.
In this episode, we break down how to move from casual agreement to confident commitment without losing the customer’s trust. You’ll learn:
How to recognize when a customer is signaling readiness.
Why pushing too fast kills deals (and how to avoid it).
Simple phrasing shifts that turn “I like it” into “I’ll take it.”
This isn’t about pressure — it’s about confidence. About giving the customer what they already want, with the clarity and trust that gets them off the lot happy.
 
🎙️ Tune in now and get the practical tools you can use today to close stronger, faster, and with more trust.
 
🛠️ Free Tool Drop:
Download the Mega-Commitment Tracker — a one-page sheet that helps you identify where customers are giving you micro-yeses, and how to confidently bridge them to a final commitment.
 
👉 Get it here: Mega-Commitment Tool

EP52 Micro-Yeses in Car Sales: Stack Small Wins to Close More Deals

Car sales success is built on micro-yeses — small agreements that build trust, reduce resistance, and make closing feel natural. In this automotive sales training episode, Andrew Sardone shows how to engineer micro-yes momentum across the dealership sales process: greeting, test drive, feature demos, and numbers. You’ll get scripts, CX psychology (halo effect), and a free Micro-Yes Tracker to map small wins in every deal.
Takeaways: micro-yes vs. trial close, test-drive conversion, halo effect, authentic framing, pitfalls to avoid, manager coaching cues.
🎁 Free tool: Download the Micro-Yes Tracker at AutoKnerd.com.
 
Keywords/Tags: car sales, automotive sales training, dealership sales process, closing techniques, trial close, customer experience, CX, test drive, building trust, sales scripts,  micro yeses

AutoKnerd x The Bliss Podcast Interview Part 2

“This conversation could change how you sell — and why you sell.”
 
When two worlds collide — one built on kindness and car sales, the other on empathy and enterprise systems — something powerful happens.
 
That’s exactly what went down when Andrew sat down with Stephen Sakach, founder of Zero Company and creator of the BLISS philosophy: Build Love Into Scalable Systems.
 
In this episode, we explore:
Why emotional intelligence isn’t a soft skill — it’s your secret weapon
How empathy can be embedded into systems (yes, even at scale)
What the future of leadership, sales, and AI looks like when love is in the loop
Stephen doesn’t just talk about changing business from the inside out — he’s doing it.
From AI-powered marketing to purpose-driven leadership, his work is reshaping how companies connect with people, including those of us navigating the fast-paced world of dealerships and retail sales.
 
🎧 New to this story? Start with Part 1
Stephen and his team at The Bliss Podcast invited Andrew onto their show first — and that conversation sparked everything.
If you haven’t seen that episode yet, go watch it now:
👉 Click here to watch Part 1 on The Bliss Podcast →

EP50 - The Trust Equation: Empathy + Trust = SOLD

🚗 Why do some consultants close effortlessly while others keep grinding with no results? In this special 50th episode of AutoKnerd, we crack the code behind The Trust Equation—a proven formula that turns cautious shoppers into confident buyers.
🤝 You’ll learn how Credibility, Reliability, and Intimacy work together to build unshakable trust—and how self-orientation quietly kills deals before they even start.
💡 Packed with real stats, practical scripts, and CX psychology, this episode will show you how:
Active listening boosts your win rate
Empathy drives more referrals than slick talk ever could
Trust creates loyalty that no rebate can touch
📬 Want more tools like this?
Sign up for The AutoKnerd Dispatch—our weekly email packed with free sales tools, CX breakdowns, and retro-futuristic wisdom to keep your close rate climbing.
👉 Join the Knerds: AutoKnerd.com
🧠 Listen now and start rewriting the rules of customer connection.

EP51 Why Customers Lie (And What They’re Really Telling You)

Decode customer “lies” into trust‑building opportunities — plus grab your free Empathetic Decoder in the show notes.In this episode of the AutoKnerd Podcast, Andrew Sardone explores why customers sometimes say things they don’t really mean — and how those “lies” are actually signals about trust, fear, or control. From “I’m just looking” to “Not buying today,” you’ll learn how to decode the real meaning behind common phrases and respond with empathy that builds confidence instead of pressure.Discover practical ways to turn hesitation into trust and objections into opportunities — so you can create stronger connections, better experiences, and ultimately, more sales.👉 Want a cheat sheet to put these strategies into practice? Download your free copy of The Empathetic Decoder here! - https://autoknerd.com/p/the-empathetic-decoder