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The Walk-Around Isn’t a Step. It’s the Stage.
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The Walk-Around Isn’t a Step. It’s the Stage.

Understanding the Customer’s “Why” Before the “What”


He hadn’t said much yet.

Early 40s. Drove in with a trade. Eyes sharp, posture relaxed. The kind of buyer who knows what he wants but won’t show his hand too early.

After a solid needs analysis, I walked him out to the lot. The Q5 he asked about was parked neatly between two others. I reached into my pocket, clicked the fob, and pulled it out into the lane.

That’s when the shift began.

He looked at it a little differently now. Not from a screen. Not from across the row. But center stage. Front and center. His choice. His future.

That’s the moment most salespeople don’t recognize.
They think the walk-around is a box to check.
A few buzzwords. A door slam. A backup camera demo.

But what it really is... is the most important presentation most people will ever give in their career.


It’s Not a Tour. It’s a Transfer of Belief.

The walk-around is not for the customer to understand the vehicle.
It’s for the customer to feel ownership of it before they ever sign.

And that’s where most get it wrong.

They go too broad. They wing it. They memorize features instead of connecting them to value. They try to impress instead of relate.

But if you’ve done the work up front — if you’ve really listened during the Needs Analysis — then the walk-around is no longer a performance.

It’s a personalized presentation built around what actually matters to this person.

Not the last buyer. Not the average buyer.
This one.


Understanding the Customer’s “Why” Before the “What”

Before the walk-around starts, great salespeople go hunting for hot buttons.
These aren’t just preferences. They’re motivations.

And they usually fall into one of six buckets — what I call S-P-A-C-E-D:

  • Safety

  • Performance

  • Appearance

  • Comfort & Convenience

  • Economy

  • Dependability

Find the top two for your customer, and you’ve got the playbook for the walk-around.

If Safety is key? Emphasize crumple zones, airbag placement, driver assist tech.
If it’s Comfort? Talk cabin silence, seat materials, dual-zone climate, back seat legroom.

A buyer doesn’t want to hear everything.
They want to hear what matters to them.
When you show that, they stop seeing you as a salesperson…
and start seeing you as someone who understands them.


The Walk-Around Framework: Structure Creates Trust

Here’s the path I follow — always tailored, always fluid, but never accidental.

1. Isolate the Vehicle

Pull it from the row. Make it the star.
When it’s out front, it creates space — literally and psychologically — for the buyer to explore.

2. Control the Flow

Keep the keys in your pocket. Tell them where you’ll start. Invite them into the experience. Don’t let them wander. You’re the guide, not a bystander.

3. Use the SUVPS Structure

This framework turns information into influence:

  • Safety
    Start at the front. Talk crash structures, sensors, and front-end design.

  • Utility
    Move to the back seat and trunk. Open doors. Discuss child seat hooks, cargo space, power lifts.

  • Value
    Highlight standard features. Talk about what they’re getting that others upcharge for.

  • Performance
    Pop the hood. Point out fuel systems, drive modes, AWD benefits.

  • Styling
    Step back. Let them see it. Compliment the lines. Reinforce that this vehicle makes them look good.

4. Finish with the Interior

This is where most buying decisions are confirmed. Comfort. Tech. Feel.
Let them sit. Let them touch. Ask questions that get affirmations.
Can you see yourself driving this to work?
That screen layout make sense to you?
That leather's nice, right?


Advanced Walk-Around Tactics for Top Performers

If you’re ready to step up, start adding these to your process:

  • Feature → Advantage → Benefit
    Don’t just name things. Walk the logic.
    “This vehicle has blind spot assist (feature), which lights up anytime a car is in your blind zone (advantage), so your lane changes are safer and more confident, especially on longer commutes (benefit).”

  • Segway Phrases
    Use phrases like “This means…” or “That gives you…” to turn facts into value.

  • 40 Yeses
    Ask small yes-oriented questions.
    “You can see how this feature helps, right?”
    “That makes your life easier, doesn’t it?”

The more times a customer says yes, the closer they are to saying it when it matters most.

  • Enthusiasm That Matches the Moment
    If you’re not genuinely excited about what you’re showing, why should they be?


It’s Not a Sales Step. It’s a Belief System.

The walk-around is where you either reinforce the customer's decision — or raise new doubts.

It’s where belief is transferred from the salesperson to the buyer.
From possibility… to reality.
From interest… to ownership.

And it’s not about showing everything.

It’s about showing the right things, in the right way, to the right person.

That’s how pros sell. That’s how you create a memory, not just a moment.

Because here’s the truth:

If you do this right, they won’t just want the car.
They’ll want
you to be the person who gives it to them.

That’s not a transaction. That’s trust.

And that’s what lasts.

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