I have been exposed to the car business since I was a kid, benefiting the lovely traits from my parents. I sold the old beaters for my dad at the shop to the public. It eventually evolved from there to getting into the Repossession business and so forth evolving to Internet Sales etc. I didn’t get suckered into the dealerships to make money, shoot you can make a decent living, very nice, off selling cars. I sold a ton. What driven me to sell more and stay with the dealerships is the passion of sales. Getting to the dealership to help with balloons, getting the lot looking good and making coffee for the boys. This is what made me successful at the dealership is the joy of working a deal and making a family, individual, happy with their purchase.
I did have to fight my battles and to stand my ground. The most popular term of hate, being snaked! Many have tried it however I stood my ground. Drove me a little bonkers and they were shocked how I kept track…. Hello I controlled the CRM / Kiosk etc & Internet. I knew everyone that walked through that door.
People make their own choices of complaining about how sales suck, not making money, on and on and on….. Get your A** out of huddle,drop your smoke, get back to basics and get your feet on the street! You make your decision of making money!

You can complain all day about how sales suck, Surely I am the last person that wants to hear it because you can make money and more sales, just get out there and do it.

I was sitting there reading the paper looking at the want ads, (remember them?) when it hit me. Everyone here seems happy, they all look like they have a purpose. Honestly I had no idea what kind of money car salespeople made.

I went to the receptionist, remember it was my day off, so I’m in shorts, probably a Van Halen t-shirt, sandals, you get the picture.
The receptionist looked at me like I had three heads when I asked for an application. She then went on to inform me that they did not hire sales people with out experience. So with that I went off filled out the app and brought it back the next day.

Well I got the interview with John Marazzi and ultimately the job, but it was one of the most incredible interviews ever. In fact it totally changed my perspective on interviewing people, and I have interviewed hundreds!

John asked me how many hours a week I worked, hah, 80 or so. He asked how much i made and I proudly exclaimed 68k! He said wow, that’s a lot of hours for such a little amount of money.

I had no idea what to say, I was actually speechless. John then told that in order to make the transition to selling ca5rs from a 22 year comfort zone there would have to be a considerable amount of pain in what I was doing. He told me to go home and talk to my wife, think hard about it then let him know if I still wanted to make the change.

I did just that. I called him the next day, told him I was ready. I started training the following week. I poured myself into it. I practiced walk-arounds in my driveway at night with friends, family, neighbors. Penciled deals at my dinner table. The point was that there was no try. I had a family to feed. I sold 9 minis in April 2002. I finished that year with a higher year to date than I had ever made before. Seven months later I was promoted to the desk. (The Internet Department is another story.)
Sure this business is stressful at times, but I don’t recall ever smiling, laughing and pumping my fist in the air while bussing tables. Sales can be exhilarating!
If we suck, it’s because we have hired ourselves into that position. I have since interviewed mortgage brokers, realtors, etc. for sales positions and I have asked them the same question that John asked me.
It’s been kind of fun reliving that story and I even felt a bit self indulgent but what the hell. What we as managers need to do is maintain the integrity of Salesmanship. If we choose to let people who want to “Play cars” walk in and out of our showroom on a whim then we will have no choice but to settle for “Suck”