Sales of new cars may be down, but if you’re in business an impression can still be made in the car park with a used or second-hand executive car.
“You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression” is a very tired and overused cliché. Nonetheless, it is one that has to be considered when trying to get new business and maintain existing clients, especially in challenging economic times. What does this have to do with buying a car?
Well, to start with, the car you drive says a lot about you, the company you work for or the business you’re running. Used or new, saloon, hatchback or MPV, the vehicle you have in your office car park or arrive to a client meeting in, speaks volumes.
In the same way that a worn, crumpled suit with stains on it isn’t going to win over someone you plan to do business with, a clapped out, dirty and outdated-looking vehicle in the car park isn’t going to make an impression either. While it mightn’t look the best to have a top of the range brand new luxury car, still with plastic covers on the seat parked outside when asking an investor for funds to keep your business afloat, the opposite end of the scale will also cast doubts on your business acumen.
Cars are about status. The bigger, the newer, the shinier, the trendier, the more expensive, the more well kept the car, the higher the status of the owner, our brains tell us. A potential client may not think you have what it takes to do business with them if they observe you driving what they perceive to be an under-rated, cheap second-hand car.
The trick is to fool them. The same amount of money you might have spent on a second-hand car a few years ago could well buy a far more superior car in the current economic climate.
Job losses, business failures and the tightening of belts all around, mean that businesses and individuals are selling their cars to free up some cash. Proud professional owners of the most up-to-date cars with all the extras and features are selling them privately online.
Thus, there are bargains to be had in the second-hand market with nearly new premium cars on sale through private sales and car dealerships for thousands and tens of thousands less than basic brand new models. If you’ve a secure job or have some redundancy payment stashed away as capital for a new start-up, it might be worthwhile parting with some of your savings as an investment – on the impression you can make on new clients and new business you will hopefully drum up.
You don’t have to buy a new car – though if you do that too will certainly make an impression, there has been such a reduction of new cars on the road this year. Make a start on preparing for important business meetings by searching for a second-hand luxury car you’d be proud to drive, by searching online at www.carlot.ie.
