The word “social” in social network can be a bit misleading when building an online brand for your company.  Social networking was born out of the concept of sharing one’s personal life and not professional endeavors.  Today, people as well as companies are using social media to drive personal and professional branding.  Social networking is still a format that is deeply embedded in personal…

To build your personal brand that attract prospects and referrals, gain customers by beating out the competition and ultimately increase yours sales; you must differentiate and stand out.  Here are three focus areas that will help you build your own personal brand: 



Under Promise, Over Deliver.  Many sales people will do less than they promise while chasing a sale.  Their…

Most dads’ have a toolbox.  Some fathers actually use their toolboxes and other toolboxes collect dust.  Some fathers have giant roll around toolboxes and others have small handled boxes.  When you open up a father’s toolbox, the variety of tools varies from father to father.

As salespeople and management, we all have a toolbox so we can “fix” things. Our toolboxes may…

There are forks in the road in everyone’s lives.  The pathway we choose when faced with at fork can sometimes dramatically alter our journey.  I stood at one of those forks when I was invited to participate with The Landmark Forum.  I heard about the cult rumors about this organization, but participated anyways.  I was born, raised and…

Hold your horses!  We might just be in jeopardy of a recovery breaking out!!! 

After two years of struggling and scratching, there is a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel for the automotive industry as the Seven Horsemen of the Recovery have been spotted in cities and towns across the United States.  Below is a brief description of each of the Seven Horsemen of the Recovery.  Be…

In real estate it is location, location, location.  In the retail sales world, it is perception, perception, perception.  Every one of your consumers wants to have a individualize experience when doing business with your organization.  I like to call it the “Disney” experience since Disney has set the benchmark in customer service.  It might be a…

Below is one of my favorite tales of two dealerships. It is a favorite story because I believe both dealerships had the best of intentions, just one made a positive impact and the other a not so positive impact on how one woman in a vast world of consumers experienced buying her first brand new car.

The ink on the divorce decree was nearly dry and I was out to make some big changes in my…

Overland Park, Kan., May 2, 2011 ― NCM Associates, a leading provider of retail automotive 20 Group services, Education, Retail Operations Consulting and the originator of the NCM Benchmark® for Success program for automobile dealers, today announced that Helms Brothers Mercedes-Benz has tripled its gross profits through the implementation of the Mercedes-Benz Pre-Owned Profit Improvement Program under the guidance of NCM…

When a friend posted this picture on Facebook, first I laughed and thought back to those crazy college days with pranks and practical jokes involving duct tape.  Then my thoughts wandered into the humor of my adult life, where I joke about things being held together with duct tape and Popsicle sticks.  Then it dawned on me there is another meaning to…