How long? How long before we get away from the past images of the shyster? The all about me, just in it for the quick buck ? The compassionless shark? .........The answer lies within us.

I've been blessed to have witnessed a rather curious cycle, perpetual in nature, yet new to each generation of car people.

Each generation despises the old car dogs and feel they have a better way than the old fashioned dinosaurs roaming the car lots. In some ways they are right, in some ways they are wrong.

I've been the green pea who wasn't going to be a "car salesman" like those old dinosaurs. I wasn't going to be rude to people. I wasn't going to pressure people into cars they couldn't afford or didn't want. It was the early 90's, I was a strapping 6'2" 205 pound ball of energy. A country boy who was going to teach them a thing or two. After all they were mostly crass, lazy, and over weight. They were old fashioned, almost always smoking cigarettes, and all were smart aleck's to customers as well as other associates. They seemed shady and uncaring to me. I wasn't going to be like them, I did not respect them, I was determined to beat them.

My customers were actually going to like me, and I was going to be 100% transparent, honest, and I was going to make my customers happy. I was going to work hard. Like so many before me, I was going to revolutionize the car business. 

Then "it" happened. You know what "it" is. My sales managers asked "green pea, how many did you sell today"- "Uh, none boss, but I got two going tomorrow, maybe three." The next day turned out to be a repeat, as was the next. While I'm  waiting on be backs those old dinosaurs kept marking "X's" on the board.

Soon I realized I was taking the most test drives, I was working the hardest, heck, I was down to 185 pounds within a few weeks. I was being totally honest with my customers. I was doing everything possible to please my customers. However, my sales were meager compared to my amount of "ups" taken. The veterans said "you're burning ups boy, you won't last long." They were laughing at me as customers repeatedly walked me through our inventory, took test drives then promised to be back as they left time and again. They were poking fun at me and I was feeling the pressure. I became embarrassed, and desperate, I was working so hard I was exhausted physically and mentally,  I even told customers our used car cost off a sheet I found in the managers office! My new car close was "If I could sell it for invoice minus rebates would you buy it?" Desperate selling didn't work either. Either the customers didn't believe me or the lowest price wasn't selling cars for me.

I thought we had the wrong inventory for my customers, I thought my managers didn't give enough for trades, and I thought cars were cheaper at every other car lot in the world. But most of all I thought my customers were coming back. 

 I BELIEVED THESE THINGS BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT MY CUSTOMERS TOLD ME! 

Then a manager named Milton Moore taught me how to follow up. I was soon acclimated to the "oh, you did?" club. All my customers who promised they were going to think about it and be back, or go talk to their spouse and be back, had bought elsewhere. Most on the same day or the following day they left my dealership! They had all told me they were going to buy from me, many thanked me for not pressuring them, and all promised to buy from me when they were "ready."

THEY LIED! ALL OF THEM, EVEN THE PENTECOSTAL PREACHER FROM LAST WEEK! HOW COULD THEY? I HAD BEEN SO NICE AND SO HONEST WITH THEM?!?

At first I was angry with the people for lying to me. Then I witnessed something that made everything make sense. I observed Bob Crough, our used car manager speaking with customers and listened to him. His customers had the same objections my customers had, they said,"we are going to think about it and we will be back", but he explained to them why they SHOULD buy now rather than leave, then he asked them to do just that,  AND THE PEOPLE BOUGHT AND WERE HAPPY! He painted the greatest pictures with words, and he was so masterful at fielding objections and turning their fears into warm fuzzy feelings! They thanked him, they were happy! I was amazed. The light came on, and it's never gone off.

I became a student of the game reading Zig Ziglar, Joe Giradi, Jim Zeigler, Joe Verde, and Grant Cardone. I learned that people don't buy what you sell, they buy what you believe. I learned an extremely high percentage of people will fib when it comes to money, it doesn't make them bad people, it makes them human. It's a defense mechanism often used to protect their assets. I learned that people WANTED to feel good about a decision they came to make. That feel good did not stem from agreeing with them when they were in defense mechanism mode. After all if I agreed with them when they were fibbing to me, what did that make me, the co fibber, the fib enabler? Of course it did, I was a fib enabler rather than a sales person. I had been so stupid! 

I soon learned to sell "feel good"- I sold me, the dealership, the product, the financing, the trade value, the value in buying local, the urgency, I sold from a servants heart. I listened between the lines and discearned when they wanted a $14,000.00 dollar car rather than a $6000.00 dollar car. I learned to ask questions that brought out the map to gold, right out of the customers mouths. The more they told me about themselves the more we bonded and the more I learned. I eagerly awaited their objections, I fielded them with ease, most importantly, I learned to turn their FEAR into comfort.

These people wanted a sales person they liked, but they wouldn't buy just because they liked me, they wanted a sales person who would make them feel good about making a decision. I used to let them choose to make no decision at all when they fibbed to me assuring me they would be back, while I smiled and agreed with them. I was so oblivious to what they really needed I literally sent them down the road to buy another car! They liked me, but I DID NOT overcome their fear, I fed into it. I had been the biggest dummy in car sales history.

Customers won't buy if they don't like you, but they won't buy just because they like you. You HAVE to be able to sell the feel good. People don't want to be sold a car, THEY WANT HELP BUYING A CAR!  In order to help them I had to earn their respect and ask for the order. What a revelation! Just three months into the business, and I had learned so much about human nature. I realized the steps to the sale were magic when followed, I thought those were a bunch of crap, but, boy was I wrong. Buying a car is a magical experience, and it's to be treated as such. I HAD TO PUT THE MAGIC IN IT!!

Now I'm 47 years old. I've made six figures for over 20 consecutive years, I've been there and done that as a record setting salesman, F/I Mgr, UCM, NCM, GSM, GM, Platform GM.  In some ways, I've evolved into that dinosaur I so resented as a green pea. I'm thankful to Bob Crough and Milton Moore and I'm paying their teaching forward everyday.

 I'm still that energetic country boy who wants to revolutionize the auto industry by making my customers love and trust me. I'm committed to training and coaching sales people and sales managers on the best practices, in order to grow them personally and professionally. What I had to learn through observation, and trial and error, I am now teaching everyday.

I coach daily, and it brings me joy. One sales associate, one meeting, one conversation at a time, I AM REVOLUTIONIZING OUR REPUTATION AS CAR SALESMEN.

I don't smoke cigarettes and pitch quarters and make fun of green peas. I'm not rude or disrespectful to my customers. If I say i'm going to do something, I do it. If I promise something I deliver it. Over the years I've likely spent $40,000 or $50,000 of my own money buying extra keys, spare tires, or fixing a stereo, knob or something whether I promised it or not. Even if the customer fibs and says "you said" it had this or that, I don't argue, if the dealership doesn't buy it, I will.

I follow up religiously. I don't make people feel like dog poo if they are currently too credit challenged to buy right now. I'm not rude to buyers who are defensive or standoffish. I'm very kind to green peas, often laughing to myself at their innocence rather than laughing at them. I especially get tickled when they are convinced agreeing with customers is the right thing to do EVEN when the customers are in the defense mechanism mode. I advise them of what I know, but that dynamic is one you have to experience before you accept it. I teach them to be honest and true to their word.

I get a real thrill out of watching them grow as sales associates, and as human beings. Knowing they can support their families better. As an entry level dinosaur I know I still have a lot to learn, but I can assure you the imprint I am leaving on this business is better than the one I inherited. The lasting impression I am leaving on the customers is one of a sales professional who cares. In some strange way I'm still trying to prove to those old dinosaurs there is a better way, and I am living it everyday one sales associate and one customer at a time.

Roger Williams

The AutomotiveCoach

Corporate Sales Manager

Fletcher Auto Group