What does it take to become a BMW salesman?

[howarjjason]

Hey I am new to the forum, I live in the Seattle, WA area and am trying to find out what do hireing managers look for in a sales person?
I have done retail sales before and tried the computer gig but am unhappy listening to the lame proablems that users are faced with. I was told by a wise man (my father) that find your passion (BMW's) and if you can be employeed in an industry that you are passionate about then you should be happy. So any pointers or tips I can use when calling the Sales Manager would be very much appriciated!
Thanks
Jason

[328isRob]

My advice would be to start surfing the web, reading everything you can find about BMWs to become knowledgeable. Then start going to different dealerships (BMW, Audi, MB, etc.) and pretend like you are shopping for a car. Learing alot by watching the salesman and also getting a customers perspective about what they are doing wrong and right.

[howarjjason]

Thank you for the helpful insite. I have surfed the web and found some good tips like, alot of the customers that are in the market to buy a BMW have more cash then time so schedual a time to go and show the car to them at work or home... or if someone from out of state is flying in for the car offer to meet them at the airport with the desired car... etc. I am pretty knowlageable on the mechanical part but I could always learn more. I guess I need to know how to approach the dealership of intrest. Who do I talk to, what should I wear, should I call in or go in person... stuff like that. I will though go in to the different dealerships and play the buyer part. That was a very good suggestion.
THANKS!
Jason

[martin_t]

Hi Jason!
I live in Stockholm, Sweden and share your quest to become a BMW salesman! I have never worked in sales, but I have been successful selling my own cars myself, when needed. And I have worked in marketing/planning in the computer business. Now I am a tech writer in the IT business, but I am getting bored with all the technical stuff, not to mention translation. Cars are my passion, and BMW tops it. Life is to short to work with things you don't really like, I think.

I purchased a new 320i sedan (E46) 2 years ago. I have used the approach of staying in touch with my salesperson, dropping in now and then, talking briefly to her (it's a she), staying abrest of the news etc. Sometimes she asks me what I think, and once I corrected the pricing an a car they had miscalulated on (she was impressed then). I pick up all the new brochures and price lists and plow through them. I configure loads of cars just for the fun of it.

It would be fun to have direct contact via mail, I think! My address is:

[email protected]

I was going to write more here, but realized that the salewoman might read this...

More on e-mail!

Martin