As much as many of us like to talk about all we've learned in the car business, some of my best lessons have come from the strangest places and yet I have used them to help me succeed.  As a writer, I live life by paying attention and observing.  Then I see what lessons I can apply to my everyday life.  This was a big one.

When my son was 10, he was selected to the "Major" league division of his little league.  This was a big deal and I thought he'd be very excited.  He would…

Have you ever noticed symphonic conductors are the only ones not making a sound?  During a performance, conductors manage by miming; through facial expressions and hand gesturing, they guide the musicians through a performance. Like a coach, a conductor is unable to offer instruction during a performance; he has to rely on thorough preparation and…

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"You don't get paid for the hour.  You get paid for the value you bring to the hour.” 

~ Jim Rohn

Recently, I had a day in which the time seemed to sit still.  I glanced at the clock for the tenth time and it was only 1:30pm.  How could this be?  I felt like…

I love reading Jim Ziegler’s articles there is a lot of hard core truth in what he writes, most of all you can bet he is passionate and believes and lives every word. While reading this latest article “Coffee’s for Closers” it floored me that we still see this connection between the “PRICE” and the "Close". What’s even more ironic is that is that what actually “CLOSES” a car sale is as old school as it…

With summer here and hot weather with it, what is proper attire for dealership employees? At our dealership our sales, parts , and service are allowed to wear polo style shirt with our company logo but no jeans and no shorts. The first dealer I ever worked for required dress shirt and tie (and they still do). Some other dealers in our area allow shorts and polo shirts. So my question is what is professional attire in todays market? Does it depend on what…

Disappointment

If I live whispering the words, if only,

I will live a life that bears no fruit and ends quite lonely.

My dreams and fortunes are waiting to be found,

all I have to do is flip those 2 words around.

Going from a wish to a demand,

puts my future back in my hands,

the plane of success only I can land.

If only I had fortune and fame,

I can, only if I develop a reputation and build…

Apparently, some  dealers are keeping the $7,500 tax credit provided by the federal government for buying a new Volt. The practice is creating a little bit of heartache for GM.

I say, apparently, because of a report earlier this week in the National Legal and Policy Center seems to indicate it might be happening.

In a New York Times blog…

Hey dE! I don't get to blog much since I'm always working on making dE the best website ever, but since I'm working my 3rd 8:30-9er, I figured I can spare a few minutes.

I was sitting here doing my work as usual when hunger struck. Was thinking a Snickers bar would do the trick. So I got up to walk to the vending machine. Mind you, I love Snickers! So I got out my dollar bill and saw…

One question I hear more often than others is, “How often should I post to my blog?” But to answer this question there are so many other related factors to consider it will take you burrowing down a deep rabbit h*** of other similar topics, such as:

1. Why would a car dealer want to blog?
2. What is blogging and how is it different from…

Does this conversation sound familiar?

Bob: “Hey Joe, it’s GREAT to talk to you. How are you on this OUTSTANDING day? How is the weather where you are, old…

Don't miss the next Digital Dealer Webinar featuring an encore of another of our most popular sessions from the 10th Digital Dealer Conference & Exposition!

Ralph Paglia, VP Digital at Tier 10 Marketing, will be sharing his session "Integrated Social Media for Car Dealers" tomorrow 6/2 at 11:30am EST. Register HERE!

Check out the promo video for the 10th Digital Dealer…

This year, I made a trip to Japan, which was a year long adventure in coordinating and planning with a group of college buddies.  Despite a tragic earthquake and tsunami followed by a real nuclear threat, we continued to plot and chart our big adventure.  It was during all this adjusting, forecasting and…

MORE EXCITING NEWS:

(dE will be interviewing Mike Dullea, CEO of Vinsolutions, to get more details about the partnership with Autotrader and the behind the scenes story.)

Here is the Dealer Magazine Article:…

http://www.dongraffautomotive.com

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/don-graff/14/896/a39

One of the issues I hear about frequently from my client dealerships is that of sales staff retention. Let me venture out onto the limb to suggest that, just perhaps, the requirements for a sales…

To be convicted is to be found guilty and given a sentence of a specified time, with the chance of rehabilitation. When convicted, there is still hope; it means all is not forgotten; there is still another chance. This is not the case when something is condemned; being condemned means to be found incurable, lost, with no chance of being restored. When a home is…

Many American’s believe Memorial Day is a day for family parties, or community gatherings to mark the beginning of summer vacations. To a veteran or member of our military it has nothing to do with parties or vacations, it is deeper and more personal; it is a day to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the name of…

dE Interviews: The Host (Elizabeth Kilbride) of "All Fired Up Military Monday" Radio show

1. How long have you been on Dealer Elite?







I am new to Dealer Elite, having been invited a few weeks ago.







2. What do you like best about Dealer Elite?







While enjoying the many ideas offered by industry leaders, I…