Modesty is over-rated. 

It's okay to stand in front of the mirror or your peers and proclaim that you're going for sales person of the month.  It's okay to claim to achieve the highest gross in the coming month.  Simply put, it's okay to choose the prize.  Actually, it's better than okay.  It's essential.

Choosing the prize means you understand what it takes to get there.  Deciding on excellence and the benefits that come with such an achievement causes one to understand the…

Continue

"I will persist until I succeed."

 

That was the first line in the Scroll Marked lll in Og Mandino's classic, "The Greatest Salesman In The World."  Having had the privilege of being able to spend time in his NH home, I can honestly say, I have witnessed persistence like no other.  Og Mandino spent his writing life with one goal - change lives!  Simply stated but difficult to accomplish.  is writing and speeches are a large part of what inspired me to write adn travel the world…

Continue

When I'm speaking at a convention or large sales seminar, a common question I get asked is, "What will this book cost me?"  There is a two part answer to this question.  If you believe in what I've said and want to buy it, the cost is a few dollars.  But, if you don't, not having the information will cost you a fortune.  Now, I want to give something back.  A Free…

Continue

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…

Continue

We've all seen ads looking for sales pros.  Dealer web sites invite us to meet their "professional" staff.  Customers all want to be handled "professionally."  Yet, there is still a perception that having a real professional staff is a matter of luck or just playing the numbers game in hiring.  However, luck has nothing to do with professionalism.  Like everything else we've talked about, it's a choice.  But, it's a choice that can be influenced.

 

First, to determine what is…

Continue

While training a group of experienced sales people, I posed a question.  "How much do you want to earn this year?"  I thought this was a direct question.  Simple and to the point.  I was amazed at the answers (which turned into stories) from these seasoned veterans.  Some complained about higher taxes.  Others were already adjusting their goals (downward of course) because they weren't on track.  But, they all had one thing in common.  It was someone else's fault that they weren't going to…

Continue

Where you are at this very moment is exactly where you chose to be.

 

The first time I heard that statement, I was having the worst month ever.  I looked at the person who said that, like they had two heads.  My response, less than kind, was, "Are you seriously telling me that somehow I decided to go broke and have a really bad month?  Is that what you're saying?"  He didn't even bat an eye.  "Yes," he continued, "And I can prove it."

 

He proceeded by asking me…

Continue

It's Monday morning and I'm getting ready for a new adventure.  While I'll still be working with dealers to help them staff up and train, I'll be responsible for marketing and delivering on my own.  With the market still not where it needs to be and many dealers believing they still do everything right, this is a scary endeavor.  How can one possibly compete  with companies that have been around for a while?  How can a "new kid" (even as old as I am), possibly go up against the old…

Continue

Business has begun to pick up.  You've lost some people due to the previous year's slow down.  You've added a franchise.  You want more coverage.  All of these are legitimate reasons to begin a hiring campaign to add sales people to your team.  But, other than the cost of advertising, are you prepared for the "real hidden cost" of hiring?

 

There are two directions to take when beginning a campaign.  You can go for experience or you can train new salespeople in the style of…

Continue

Without spending too much time stuck on memory lane, I look back on some of the first cars I sold when I started in the business. There was a bill-of-sale, odometer statement for the trade-in, maybe a bank contract, and a buyers order. That was the entire paper process. You finished the deal by putting a stock tag on the trade (No FTC labels back then).



Within the year, there were added papers to verify that neither party tampered with the narrow gas tank h*** that was now standard… Continue

Kids are expensive.  I know, tell me something I don't know.  But, I thought it would get easier as they grew.  WRONG!  As I set my daughter up in her first apartment at college, the bare necessities had me hoping for a lot more book sales and training assignments.  But, we went shopping anyway.  She needed everything from bedding to pots and pans.  Furniture to picture frames.  For those of you with college age kids, you know what I mean.

 

So, after many trips to stores,…

Continue

Do as I say, not as I do.  How many times have we been in situations just like that and walked away scratching our heads?  Managers and dealers tell us that we need to increase volume, raise gross, or achieve higher CSI in one breath, and then when suggestions to do exactly that come up, they reply, "No!  We've always done it this way."

 

As a trainer, I have the priviledge to be in a different dealership almost every week.  Part of my obligation is to point out where the…

Continue

One exercise we use in our training at The Dealer Resource Group is to show our students what type of investment is required to open a franchise auto dealership.  We discuss land costs, buildings and equipment, people, and of course, cars.  Our goal is to demonstrate how much a dealer is spending just to open the doors and give sales people a place to work and earn a living - potentially a great one.  On top of that, we can add advertising to get customers in the showroom.  No matter how…

Continue