AutoKnerd Dispatch - Saturday Edition

“Empathy Isn’t the Endgame - It’s the Entry Point

Andrew Sardone
September 06, 2025

🟢 Saturday Starter:

Truth Bomb 💣

You don’t close deals.
You open people.
Today, remember: the more someone feels seen, the easier the rest gets.

- Andrew

Now Playing: EP55

ICYMI — EP55: The Test Drive Trap

What if your test drives are backfiring because you skipped the most important part?

EP55 dives into how most consultants gloss over the Discovery phase, treating it like a warm-up instead of the turning point it really is. We break down:

The Discovery disconnect that’s costing you trust
One script that changes the game
Why empathy-before-engines always wins
And how to lead the customer before you ever hand over the keys

This week’s printable tool helps you shift from “Can I help you?” to questions that actually start a connection. It’s fast, it’s fun, and it leads directly to better test drives and higher closing confidence.

Use it in the first 5 minutes of the convo, then watch how much easier the rest of the deal flows.

UP NEXT THIS WEEK:

AutoKnerd Podcast EP56: “They Told You What They Need… Now What?”

Why do so many consultants lose control once the wheels start rolling?

We flip the lens and focus on the next big CX mistake: giving a test drive that ignores everything they just told you.

Get ready to learn how to tailor your presentation, map features to life goals, and stack trust one alignment-check at a time.

🎧 EP56 drops Thursday. Don’t miss it..

🧠 Knerd Nugget of the Week

Mega-Commitments Tracker

Salespeople who ask at least three curiosity-based questions before presenting a product build 24% more trust and close 18% more deals on average.

(Source: AutoKnerd internal data + pilot group testing)

📥 Download Last Weeks Tool—> Trust-First Closing Cue Card

AutoKnerd History Lesson

Weird & Awesome from Automotive History

The Test Drive Passport

In the 1950s, some dealerships used “test drive passports” that stamped a customer’s name into a personalized booklet they could keep after the drive.

It made people feel like the car was already theirs.

Wouldn’t that be a cool CX comeback?

Today’s Mission: Don’t sell a car today.

Instead, get three people to say:
“Yeah, that’s exactly what I need.”
When that happens, the car sells itself.

— Andrew Sardone

AutoKnerd, out. 🤘😝

AutoKnerd Dispatch - Saturday Edition

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