AutoKnerd

AutoKnerd Podcast The EV1 was not just early, it was dangerous. Not to drivers, but to an entire industry built on fuel revenue, service schedules, and old school thinking. In this episode, we dig into one of the most infamous automotive conspiracies of all time. Why did GM create one of the best electric cars ever made, then recall and crush almost every single one   We unpack the story behind: • Big Oil pressure • Battery patent wars • Internal GM politics • Lobbying behind closed doors • EV fear and mistrust • The scar customers still carry today   Most importantly, we connect this history to the conversations happening in dealerships right now. Why customers hesitate. Why EV myths spread so fast. Why trust matters more than torque or technology.   If you sell cars, service cars, or lead a team in the dealership world, this episode gives you a fast, clear, human explanation of why EV conversations feel so emotional and how to handle them with confidence and empathy.   This week’s AutoShop tool is The EV Trust Decoder, your shortcut to turning EV fear into clarity your customers can feel. Get the Tool! —> https://autoknerd.com/p/ep66

When customers start to drift emotionally, they rarely tell you — they just disappear. In this episode, Andrew Sardone breaks down how to spot doubt before it becomes disaster. You’ll get data, scripts, and a new tool that trains emotional radar across every department. Timestamps: 00:00 – Hook: Silence means drift 02:00 – The three signals of doubt 06:00 – The 43:57 talk-listen rule 09:00 – Scripts that rebuild trust 13:00 – Department breakdown: BDC → F&I 19:00 – Manager Challenge: Log one Confidence Save 22:00 – Wrap-Up and Tools Download the full EP65 Toolkit (Free to Dealer) at AutoKnerd.com

In this 30-minute episode, Andrew Sardone breaks down why the test drive is the emotional pivot of the sale and how great consultants create ownership moments through silence, observation, and timing.   You’ll learn: 🚗 The two Emotion Windows that decide most sales 🤫 Why confident silence builds trust faster than specs 🧠 The science behind emotional timing in customer decisions 📋 How managers can coach drives that close themselves   Nerd Stats inside: 78% of buyers say the test drive sold them the car (CDK Global) 69% call it the most crucial part of the buying journey (DealershipGuy) 80% say no online experience replaces a real drive (Urban Science)   Free Tool: Download this week’s AutoShop Test Drive Passport — the step-by-step checklist for creating test drives that move metal. 👉 autoknerd.com

When a customer finishes the test drive, you’re standing in one of the most important trust moments in sales. What you say next determines whether they buy — or keep shopping.   In this episode, Andrew shares how clarity, empathy, and pacing create confidence without pressure. You’ll also hear how this mindset connects to the new AutoShop Elite tool for multi-department coaching.   💡 Key Topics Turning excitement into confidence Reading customer tone and hesitation Why the best consultants pause before talking Teaching your team to earn commitment, not chase it   🧠 Want the matching training tools? Download the Free & Pro AutoShop versions at https://autoknerd.com/p/63   AutoKnerd: Where Car Sales Grow Up.

Customers don’t buy specs. They buy feelings.   In this week’s AutoKnerd episode, Andrew Sardone reveals why flooding your walkaround with 20 features kills connection — and how limiting your presentation to 5–7 emotionally relevant moments boosts trust, memory, and sales.   You’ll learn: • Why 95% of decisions are made emotionally (Harvard Business Review) • The psychology of working memory and the 7±2 rule • How to structure your walkaround for impact — not overload   🎯 Get your free companion tool: AutoKnerd Tool 062 – The Rule of 7 Walkaround Planner → https://www.autoknerd.com/tools   💌 Join the AutoKnerd newsletter for weekly tools, insights, and coaching resources. www.AutoKnerd.com Every Thursday: one new episode, one new skill, one new reason to love the car business again.

In Episode 61 of The AutoKnerd Podcast, host Andrew Sardone shares how to transform customer discovery notesinto a powerful, emotionally intelligent vehicle presentation.   Building on the discovery framework from EP60, this session helps sales consultants learn how to: ✅ Match customer needs, wants, and fears directly to vehicle features ✅ Replace feature-dumping with emotional storytelling and validation ✅ Build trust, improve CSI scores, and close more deals — all through empathy-driven communication   Listeners will gain a clear, data-backed method for creating personalized presentations that connect emotionally and convert confidently.   💡 Key Takeaways: How empathy and proof turn discovery into persuasion Framing presentations around emotion, not just logic The “Matchmaker” mindset that top-performing consultants use Real-world examples that drive higher CSI and customer loyalty FREE TOOL -- 'The Matchmakers Playbook' Tune in now to discover how to make every walkaround feel like a perfect match — for your customer and your sales goals.

Last week, we explored the art of asking better questions. This week, we’re tackling the other half of discovery — what you do with the answers.   Too many consultants ask great questions, then default back to their pitch. In this episode, Andrew Sardone breaks down how to use what customers tell you to build trust, tailor recommendations, and close more deals — without pressure or gimmicks.   You’ll learn: ✅ How reflective listening (echoing) builds trust ✅ Why sorting answers into Needs, Wants, and Fears changes everything ✅ How emotional validation improves customer comfort and buying confidence ✅ Real-world scripts that connect discovery to direction ✅ Coaching cues for managers who want consistency on the floor   OFFICE HOURS!! Ready to get your own person game plan set up. Ready to level up the way you should be. Schedule some time: https://calendly.com/andrew-autoknerd   📘 Download the Free Tool: EP60 – The Discovery Mapper (Lite Edition) Your 1-page worksheet for turning customer answers into guided action.   💡 Pro & Elite versions available inside the AutoKnerd subscription tiers.   🔔 Subscribe to The AutoKnerd Podcast for new episodes every Thursday. Every week we drop real-world tools, tested frameworks, and customer-first strategies that make you the consultant customers trust.

Are you asking questions that push customers away instead of pulling them in? In this episode, Andrew breaks down Discovery Pathways that help auto sales consultants uncover true customer needs, avoid sales “traps,” and build long-term trust.   You’ll learn: Why some questions shut buyers down instantly The psychology of better discovery (inspired by FBI tactics) How to create loyalty & referrals through smarter conversations 📌 Links & Resources: Book 1:1 Personal Training: [CLICK HERE] Sign up for the free tools / Newsletter: [CLICK HERE] Sign up for the Elite Beta tools: [CLICK HERE]  

EV sales don’t have to feel overwhelming. In this episode, we break down the 3 big myths that kill electric vehicle deals - and give you the scripts, confidence checklist, and gamified manager tools to close more sales. 🔋 What you’ll hear in this episode: Range anxiety explained (simply!) Scripts that work vs. scripts that lose the deal The 5-step EV Confidence Checklist every consultant needs How managers can use gamification & team tracking to build momentum Free access to the EV Confidence Kit (Lite)   🎁 Grab your free download: CLICK HERE BETA TEST SIGN UP!! --> [CLICK HERE TO LVL UP] 💬 Join the conversation: What’s the toughest EV objection you’ve heard from customers? Share it with us, it might make it into a future roleplay episode!   👉 Subscribe for weekly episodes that help you sell smarter, build customer trust, and stay ahead in the EV era.

Every consultant knows the feeling. Your customer walks in ready to buy… and then comes the third wheel. A friend, a spouse, or a coworker suddenly takes the wheel of the conversation.   Do you fight them? Ignore them? Or do you turn them into your secret closer?   In this episode of the AutoKnerd Podcast, we dive into: Why 61% of buyers say friends and family are the biggest influence in their purchase. The psychology of third-party influence: normative vs. informational influence, social impact theory, and more. Scripts and strategies to acknowledge, include, and redirect influencers without losing control. How managers can use the new Elite Manager’s Packet to train teams with plug-and-play Saturday Meeting drills and assessment sheets. 📄 This Week’s Free Tool: The Third Wheel Cue Card – ready to use on the sales floor. [Click Here] Listen now and start turning distractions into trust, influence, and deals that close faster.   👉 Download the tool and subscribe at EP57 - Third Wheel Tool   #AutoKnerd #CarSales #CustomerExperience #SalesTraining

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

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

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  

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

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

“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 →

🚗 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.

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

Vehicles are evolving faster than our delivery process—and it’s starting to show. In this episode, we unpack the irony of ultra-advanced cars being handed off with the same tired, rushed walkarounds. From ADAS systems and over-the-air updates to confused customers and botched first impressions, we explore what’s broken—and how sales consultants can bridge the tech gap with calm, clarity, and a little bit of care. If your customers leave delivery feeling more overwhelmed than excited, this episode is your roadmap out of the chaos. 🎧 Tune in, nerd out, and let’s make smarter delivery part of a smarter sales culture.

In this episode of AutoKnerd, we flip the script on what it means to be a strong closer in automotive sales. Forget the fast-talking, pressure-heavy tactics. Instead, we explore the power of quiet confidence—where calm presence, deep listening, and strategic silence close more deals than any flashy pitch ever could.   Grounded in behavioral science, neuroscience, and real showroom stories, this episode breaks down why confident sales consultants don’t chase… they anchor. You’ll learn how posture, tone, and empathy can build trust faster than any word track. Plus, hear how a zipper-smiled robot named Sprocket models the kind of calm that sells cars (and earns referrals).   Whether you’re new to the lot or twenty years in, this one will sharpen your mindset and your skillset. Quiet isn’t weak. It’s lethal—when used with care.