Dealer Solutions August 2014 by Dealer Solutions Magazine

VOL. 7 | ISSUE 8 | AUGUST 2014

A Division of IPD

TOM HOPKINS Closing Through the Buyer’s Eyes PG: 18

The Game of Phones PG: 8

New Report Reveals 3 Fast-Growing Credit Growth Areas of 2014 PG: 12

Inside Feature

Principal’s Office with Lisa Copeland

Managing Partner of FIAT of Austin #1 FIAT Dealer in the USA

PG: 22

Everything is Awesome! Part 1 PG: 25

Your Dealership’s Social Media Sucks PG: 27

THE WORLD KEEPS CHANGING.... SO

O WHY DOESN’T YOUR DIRECT MAIL?

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C O N T E N T S 4

Featured In This Issue... Articles 7. Cell Phones, Brain Tumors and Rudeness By Jeff Cowan 8. The Game of Phones By Danny Benites 11. Boost Employee Engagement and Score Big with Today’s Highly Informed Customer! By Renee Stuart 12. New Report Reveals 3 Fast-Growing Credit Growth Areas of 2014 By Jenn Reid 15. Think Twice Before Going Under the Knife By Alan Ram 17. The What, Why and How of YouTube Marketing By Laura Madison 18. Closing Through the Buyer’s Eyes By Tom Hopkins 22. The Principal’s Office By Lisa Copeland 25.

Everything is Awesome! Part 1 By Cathy Nesbit

27. Your Dealership’s Social Media Sucks By Tim Martell 29. SalesPros GET PAID! Amateurs DON’T! By David Villa 30. Can We Change How Salespeople Are Perceived? By Charles Cannon

Editor David Villa Senior Assistant Editor Michael Oquendo Creative Director Austin Janowsky Marketing Director Jason Yamnitz

Contributing Authors Jenn Reid

Tom Hopkins

Laura Madison

Lisa Copeland

Alan Ram

Cathy Nesbit

Tim Martell Renee Stewart David Villa

Danny Benites Charles Cannon

Copyright ÂŠ2014 all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited unless expressly authorized by editor or publisher. The views expressed in the articles or advertisements are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the magazine or its staff. Editorial inquiries, questions or comments can be made to the Senior Assistant Editor at moquendo@ipdmail.com Advertising Sales: Please call 813-630-5888 ext 523 or 561 or email moquendo@ipdmail.com

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Jeff Cowan here. Thanks for watching and listening. Every once in a while the old, tired debate of whether cell phones cause brain tumors or not arises. It usually ends with two sides split; one saying they have proof that they do, while the other says they have proof that they don’t. Personally, I can tell you I do not know who is right or wrong in this case. One thing I do know is that cell phones do cause severe cases of rudeness. I cannot believe how many people will stop in the middle of a sale, presentation, meeting, or general conversation to either answer a cell phone call, or read a text and or respond to one. In my mind, few things, if any, are more rude than when the person I am in a conversation with stops the conversation to look at their cell phone, let alone answer a call, read a text, or respond to it. I am not alone in my feelings either. The next time you happen to be out in public, take a look at anyone that is being ignored. When the person they are with pays any attention to their cell phone, you will quickly see what I mean. You may be even more surprised at how easily these people are to find, since ignoring those in front of us to respond to our cell phones has become an epidemic. It should be easy to identify with these people since, chances are, you have felt the same way when this happened to you in the past. I talk about this here because I am alarmed at how many times we witness this scenario playing out when we do our side by side training. It is something that we see literally everyday, all across the country, and few in the work place seem to be concerned about it. If you are working with a customer and, during that time, you answer your cell phone, text, or even look at your cell phone to see who is contacting you, here is the very least your customer will be thinking:

1. This sales person is rude. 2. This sales person is not interested in me. 3. This sales person does not care about my concerns. 4. This person is too busy for my business. 5. This sales person is not organized. 6. This sales person/business is understaffed. 7. If I do not have their full attention when they are trying to sell me their product, how much of their attention will I have after they do? 8. I am in the wrong place. 9. If you want my business, I want your attention. And you know what? I think they are pretty justified in thinking this on all accounts. It is exactly how I feel when it happens to me. As a matter of fact, when it happens to me these days, regardless of the level of meeting or conversation I am in, I simply exit the situation. While having the best that technology has to offer can be important, having and using it does not, and never will, give us a license to be rude. Plus, whenever you are working with a customer and you take your attention away from them you are now allowing the customer to take control of the sale. If you are not giving them your full attention, then they will continue to examine your product to make decisions that are based on information they do not have, because you were not there to give it to them. Most of the time, their decision will be not to buy what you presented, but instead only buy what they originally asked

about, if anything at all. Any time you take your attention away from the customer, for any reason, allows them to consider your product without you there to guide them. Your closing percentage will drop off by 95%. Work the deal, customer, or situation you have in front of you and you will experience infinitely more success. The person on the phone is a possibility; the one in front of you is reality. I believe every business/sales person should implement the following rule in regards to cell phones and cell phone usage:

NO CELL PHONES ALLOWED IN ANY AREA WHERE A CUSTOMER MAY SEE YOU USING IT.

Simple and effective.

In closing out this message, let me share with you how far I have personally taken this. When going to a presentation, my phone is shut off and is in my briefcase until the end of the meeting and I am out of my customer’s sight. It has even carried over to my home. No cell phones at the dinner table or during other family events. Bottom line: It’s time to stop being rude to the people that mean the most to us; family, friends and customers, and start appreciating and taking care of what is right in front of us. After all, isn’t that where most of the things we seek are, right in front of us? Thanks for watching and listening. Right, wrong or indifferent, that’s way I see selling from my perspective.

Cell Phones, Brain Tumors and Rudeness By Jeff Cowan, CEO Pro Talk

Danny Benites

Meanwhile, The King and his BDC Clan had created a three step system nce upon a time, in the medieval of handling the incoming inquiries on landscape of the land of Autopia, their new-fangled phone system. He lived a man named King had realized that if he trained his BDC Bartholomew Dothpeddle Carseller, clan to complete each step before or more commonly known as King asking for an appointment, the BDC. He and his band of followers, likelihood of his potential customers known as the BDC Clan, had making the one month journey to his planted a new colony in a region of marketplace would dramatically Autopia previously inhabited by a increase. Now, the customers more traditional and outdated actually surviving the trip was another group known as the Veterans of story entirely. His appointment show Showruhm. The VOS had rate was incredibly low due to things practically become extinct due to such as Diptheria, Leprosy, the their unwillingness to adapt to the Plague, and common bandits. The new world and their modern three-step process did not take into gadgets...you know, the effect the obvious need to have a wheelbarrow, the sundial, pleasant phone voice, a quick gunpowder, and of course, the response, and attentive listening. The Moldboard Plough. There was one process, instead, focused on phone bit of technology in which they had concepts. These weren't necessarily grown increasingly frightful...the scripts, they were just general multi-line, VOIP, fiber optic concepts. Besides, paper was just telephone system. They knew getting introduced and was extremely what it was, but were afraid to use expensive. it for fear that it was possessed by evil spirits. The new King decided They knew to invest in one of these new phone systems and have it installed in the what it was, but complex where the BDC clan were afraid to peddled their goods. King BDC tried feverishly to teach the VOS use it... the principles of using this Here were King BDC's Phone technology to no avail. The VOS Concepts: chose, instead, to stand on the perimeter of the castle, smoking I. We doth have their Angelikarot cigarettes and what you covet. complaining about the Chancellor trying to low-bid their carriage (Translation: We got what you need!) trade-ins. Many of them told tales of the massive amounts of gold The King explained that this first order dragon coins their friends were of business was to widen the funnel, making in other kingdoms. so to speak.

He told his clan that most customers were not sure of what they wanted. He explained that 80% of them would choose another model other than the one they inquired about. They would regularly say, "Is thou desiring this carriage specifically, or wouldst thou consider one with similar features in a different shade of rust if it were the same or less gold coin?" Once this occurred, they would let the customer know that they had a terrific selection and would then take their first shot at setting the appointment by asking them if 3:30 or 4:45 would work better for them. (Taking in consideration the incredible travel time and the fact that clocks hadn't been invented.) If they were unable to get the appointment, on to step number two.

II. You doth possess what we covet.

(Translation: You got what we need!) The King explained that this step was designed to let the customer know thatthey were pumped up about the possibility of acquiring the potential customer's trade-in. Generally, step two would begin like this. "What type of carriage doth thou currently own?" After the response the clan would promptly jump for joy, expressing how much his Chancellor would love to have it. And then, a magical question. "Wouldst though consider selling us your carriage, even if thou were to purchase naught?" (Translation: "Would you consider selling us your car, even if you didn't buy anything from us?") He teaches to then immediately go for the second attempt at securing an appointment.

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Boost Employee Engagement and Score Big with Today’s Highly Informed Customer! Today, dealership managers view poor employee engagement as one of their biggest challenges. Sales teams are suffering from a lack of motivation. That means most salespeople have no plan, no focus, and no follow through. So, how is that a problem? Employee engagement is a measurable degree of an employee’s positive or negative emotional attachment to their job, colleagues and organization which profoundly influences their willingness to learn and perform at work. Direction and vision are what create consistent results. Without these two components, your employee’s will lose motivation and buy in (also known as willingness). Some automotive professionals argue that the salesperson lacks motivation because they’re at a disadvantage. Buyers spend hours and sometimes days researching their vehicle selection online. With every click of the mouse, they are collecting answers to their specific questions. As they get closer to making a decision, some buyers join informational forums, whereas others read blog posts and review sites. However, most buyers turn to their social networks to ask a friend. By the time they hit your showroom floor, the buyer has become the expert and the salesperson is on the defensive. Empowered and informed consumers have created their own journey. Today, the salesperson’s job is to meet them on their journey and work to collaborate, advise, and consult with them toward a final sale.

By Renee Stuart

Dealers who create a culture for everyone to actively support the success of the dealership, have the competitive edge. They implement ways for their employees to meet buyers where they are and encourage their people to join the conversation. They embrace employee advocacy and add millions of dollars to their bottom line every year. By helping your employees identify their own unique promise of value, and connect it to the dealerships value proposition, your people will become empowered and self-disciplined. They will also begin to actively promote what they do and where they work within their own personal network; expanding awareness of the dealerships brand. They will be more engaged and motivated to incorporate their values into the corporate brand strategy, showing up at work prepared to leverage their best professional self. Choosing to create a culture of engaged employees who are fully involved in, and enthusiastic about their work, will activate your team in a way that will further your organization’s interests, as well as their own. A personal & corporate brand strategy is the equation progressive dealers use to achieve long term success. This approach will provide you with new insights, and new understandings on how to engage your team, get more leads and sell more cars.

Dealers and executive managers, the time has come to develop a work environment that is powered by human connection. Invest in your human capital and leverage your people. To learn more about personal & corporate brand training, contact Renee Stuart Owner/Founder of Reputation Revenue.

I’m a highly charged motivator, committed to helping car people discover their best professional self. I recognize differentiation in all people. As your coach, I will help you dig deep to discover the value of your unique attributes, and assist you in monetizing your reputation. Renee Stuart

As you’re reading this, you may be wondering “what would happen if all my salespeople were fully engaged?” This is a good thing to wonder. O: (503) 3034699 | renee@reputationrevenue.com | www.reputationrevenue.com | www.reneestuart.com

Consumers are borrowing more money than they have in years, and they are making their payments on time, says a new report. Analytics show that credit growth remains strong in 2014, with bank-issued credit cards, home equity lines and auto loans proving particularly popular with borrowers. Analyzing the data generated by credit applications to study this growth allows businesses to compare credit applications longitudinally. This makes it easy to identify seasonal and annual trends, revealing which types of credit are popular with borrowers and offering further business opportunities for lenders.

New bank-issued credit cards lead the pack in terms of growth, according to a recent Equifax National Consumer Trends Report. Bank-issued credit cards saw a 28.5 percent increase in the total balance of new credit issued between January 2013 and January 2014. This is about 10 percent more than home equity revolving credit, which grew 18.4 percent during the same time period. According to the report, auto loans saw a 19.8 percent increase in borrowing.

“Spring is here, and consumers’ desire for credit appears to be rising alongside the mercury,” says Crews Cutts in an Equifax press release. Crew Cutts states that in January 2014, auto loan originations were almost 20 percent higher than they were at the same time last year, despite low numbers of new and used vehicle sales during the month. ”This suggests that consumers are responding positively to the generous terms and greater credit availability in the auto space,” she says. “Credit card and Home Equity Revolving Lines of Credit originations were also up sharply over the previous year, further signaling that not only are consumers interested in credit, but that banks are more willing to offer it.”

The Consumer Trends Report states that as of March 2014, there are more than 320 million outstanding credit card accounts. Also, in March 2014 the total credit card balance reached a 55-month high of $2.5 trillion. While borrowers are opening accounts and using them, they are also doing a better job of making their credit card payments on time. During the 12-month period ending March 2014, write-offs as a percentage of outstanding credit Why the increase? Amy Crew Cutts, card accounts decreased by 13.2 perChief Economist at Equifax, has a cent. couple of theories:

When it comes to home equity lines, analytics reveal a slightly different picture of credit growth. Though the number of new loans as of January 2014 increased by 10 percent year over year, the average balance decreased by 6.5 percent, indicating that, while more homeowners are opening home equity lines, they use them less. They are also doing a better job of making their payments: 69 percent of severely delinquent home equity line balances are from loans that originated between 2005 and 2007. Auto loans booming Based on the big data used to generate the report, people are borrowing money to finance new car purchases, and this number has been increasing from month to month in 2014. In January, 1.8 million people applied for new loans — up 4.7 percent from the same time last year. In March, the total balance of outstanding auto loans hit a nine-year high at $874 billion dollars — 10.3 percent higher than last year. Please visit the Equifax website or blog for more Automotive information.

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Think Twice Before Going Under the Knife by Alan Ram

Let me say at the outset; I love BDCs. Like anything else though, there are efficient, productive models as well as ineffective ones. Like plastic surgery, when done wrong, you can end up creating more problems than you solve. The acronym “BDC” does not have an absolute definition. There are several variations as well as activities that any BDC might be engaged in. Let’s talk specifically about how phone ups as well as Internet leads are handled at your dealership. A typical call to my office yesterday: A general manager calling from Washington State wanting training for his BDC that his dealership is in the process of setting up. My first question was, “What will your BDC be doing?” First and foremost on his mind was handling inbound sales calls as well as Internet leads. He followed that up by telling me that his sales staff is absolutely terrible on the phones and that listening to call monitoring makes him nauseous. His solution is hiring three or four people primarily dedicated to handling his sales calls and Internet leads. I replied, “So, your sales people are terrible on the phones? How much have you actually trained them?” There was a long pause before he replied, “We really haven’t done any training.” Well, there you go! That wasn’t too hard to figure out. His desire to set up this BDC was born out of a failure in training. You can’t blame your people if you have not properly trained them. Think about it this way; because you have failed to train, you’re now looking to hire a second group of people (that you probably won’t train properly either) to do what the first group should

be doing. Talk about an expense! Train your people to do the jobs you hired them to do! If I sell cars at your dealership I should be qualified to talk to customers not only face-to-face, but on the telephone and Internet as well. The skill set required to do so does not warrant the expense of hiring additional staff. Let’s take this a step further. One of the biggest challenges we have at dealerships today is finding good people. Put yourself in the position of a good salesperson looking for a place to work. You walk into a dealership to interview. It’s a beautiful facility and a great brand. Then the person interviewing you drops the bomb; “By the way, our BDC takes all sales calls as well as handling our Internet leads.” At that point, I would imagine you would stand up, thank the interviewer for their time, and walk out the door to the dealership that lets you handle phone ups and Internet leads. Do not kid yourself. That is a huge challenge that many dealers hadn’t considered, but are now facing. Good salespeople avoid working at those dealerships that severely restrict their opportunities and those dealerships tend to become a culture of telemarketers and greeters. Here’s something else that we all know: Customers today are more informed than they have ever been. This is no time to be dumbing down your process. Your customers have specific questions they want answered prior to touching tile at your dealership. Nonsalespeople are not equipped to intelligently discuss the product, competition, option packages, vehicle specifications or inventory. Unless your customers

are all simply calling to get directions to the dealership or inquire about your hours, your TRAINED salespeople should be getting the calls. Customers would also prefer to talk to the person they’ll be talking to when they get there. I am shocked when I hear that manufacturers are encouraging dealers to set up BDCs with non-salespeople taking calls and handling Internet leads when survey after survey has shown that customers hate being passed around. By having non-salespeople handle this initial lead, we’re simply starting to pass them around even earlier. If we truly care as an industry about what the customer wants, in this case, the customer has already spoken. A good BDC model is lean and efficient. Some critical functions your BDC can and should be performing are handling inbound as well as outbound service and parts calls. A well-run service BDC can be an invaluable asset. Your BDC can also be making third party follow-up calls to unsold customers as well as generating traffic with sold customer campaigns. There are plenty of high return activities your BDC can and should be focused on. You might just want to reconsider adding sales calls and Internet leads to that list. No dealership is going to consistently perform at a high level despite a lack of effective training as well as strong processes. Those are the foundations of any successful organization. Before you put your dealership under the knife take a good look in the mirror. Let’s make sure that your BDC is an investment versus a reflection of your failure to train.

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The What, Why, and How of YouTube Marketing Rather than resisting this movement, YouTube allows us to embrace it and control the message we would like to send.

Laura Madison YouTube is perhaps the most effective platform available to connect with customers online. It is a platform that attracts more than 1 billion unique visitors monthly; and it is grossly underutilized by the automotive industry.

Why Use YouTube? loading.. .

The statistics are powerful. 10 years ago the average car shopper visited 4.5 dealerships before making a final purchasing decision. Today, the average customer visits 1.3 dealerships before buying. Shoppers are using tools online to choose and price their next vehicle. When they finally come to the dealership, they are coming to buy. The ability to embrace YouTube as a form of communication will make a dealership more searchable online, provide a tool to convey a clear message, and ultimately expand market reach.

Visibility. YouTube has powerful search engine optimization, making a dealership more visible to car shoppers. Many search engines favor video content; particularly helpful content like how-to videos. The automotive industry has been forced into transparency with invoice prices posted on the Internet, powerful third party car reviews, and unlimited access to vehicle history reports for the used car shopper.

Communication. People prefer watching videos to reading long blog posts. Video also gives us the opportunity to articulately illustrate our message, down to the tone. So much of communication is non-verbal and video is the only platform that truly conveys facial expression, body language, and thus the precise intended message.

Differentiation. Marketing on YouTube is so underutilized by the automotive industry that participating in this medium is an immediate differentiator. Helpful videos like: how to check oil, how to tell when you need new tires, how best to test-drive a car, are all ways to identify your dealership as a valuable resource—one which will remain fresh on the mind the next time the customer needs service or a new vehicle.

More Dollars. Providing valuable content on YouTube gives dealers the opportunity to build relationships with customers leading to sales and service business. Why then, won’t we embrace and participate in this online movement? We have the opportunity to connect with our customers before we ever meet, and to leave the impression that we are both approachable and knowledgeable. This opportunity to connect with customers makes this platform

How To Create Video. This is where a lot of dealers get stuck. They believe they will need expensive camera equipment, advanced editing software, and a hired professional. Remember: these are not commercials. Valuable content doesn’t need to have incredible quality; it just needs to exist to begin working. Personally, I use my iPhone, free editing software iMovie, and a YouTube app called “Capture” to produce the videos on my own automotive YouTube channel.

How Do You Send a Valuable Message?

The ideas for content are, I believe, endless. Product tours, new feature reviews, used car spotlights, how-to and messages to customers are just the beginning of how dealers can connect. Some topics of mine that have been popular are: personalized messages both introducing myself and thanking customers for inquires and purchases, competitive comparisons, and new redesigned model tours. The advice I would give to dealers when creating this content is to be memorable. Show personality in your videos; make your customers feel they are getting to know the staff and store. I believe that being unique has been the largest factor to my popularity on YouTube. A dealership that can convey personality, produce consistent content, and promote videos on other mediums including Facebook and the dealer website has positioned themselves beautifully to dominate the internet space and attract new customers while retaining the customers they already have.

CLOSING THROUGH By Tom Hopkins

Years ago, I spoke at a banquet for top salespeople. Before I gave my talk, the speaker introduced someone in the audience and said, “This man earned twice the national average in sales last year…” The speaker’s manner suggested that it was quite an achievement. But, considering the large number of successful sales professionals in the room, that feat wasn’t all that impressive. So everyone craned their necks and looked at the man in puzzlement. The next words out of the speaker’s mouth made all the difference. He said, “and he’s totally blind.” There was a burst of applause. Then, the speaker said, “I’m sure many of us are wondering how you got into the top third in sales achievement with your cerity as you tout the benefits of Make handicap.” A when you’ve just told them you drive Make B. “Wait a minute,” the blind man replied, “I don’t have a handicap. I have an ad- Also, if you would drive a Make A vehicle vantage over every other salesperson in but can’t afford it, don’t tell them that my field. I have never seen a product either. They’ll wonder just how good I’ve sold, so I have to close through my you are at your job. Think about it for buyers’ eyes. What I do is what all of a moment. When you intend to make you sighted people could do. And you’d a purchase, who do you want to have make more money if you did.” help you? The newbie? The salesperson who is consistently on the bottom of the He’s 100% correct. You must see the sales chart? Or, one of the pros who are benefits, the features, and the limita- in the top 10% of the pack? tions of your vehicles from the buyer’s viewpoint. You must weigh those ben- Always keep in mind that people don’t efits on their scale of values, not yours. just buy your vehicles. They buy the dealership’s reputation. They buy the brand credibility. And, they buy you, personally. They need to feel that you’re a product of the product—that Buyers don’t come to your dealership to you truly believe in what you sell. If find out what you like. They don’t know you’re not sincere about your belief in you and don’t care what you drive…un- the benefits of the make of vehicle that less you drive a competitor’s vehicle. you sell, it will show in your demeanor If you do drive a make that is different or come out in something you say and from what you sell, don’t mention it. It your credibility with your buyers will be will make your buyers doubt your sin- blown.

Get yourself out of the way.

Everything you say and do impacts the buyer’s level of confidence in your competence. People will say yes to you based more on your conviction and enthusiasm than your product knowledge. If you don’t truly love the vehicle brand and models that you sell, you need to either fall in love with them or find another make to represent. Your lack of love for what you do will show through and instill something other than confidence in your potential buyers.

Don’t tell them what you like about the vehicles. Stop turning potential buyers off by saying, “What I like most about this feature is…” As I said, they don’t care what you like and they don’t care as much about features as they do the benefits those features bring to them. They need you to care about what they like…and want…and need.

THE BUYER’S EYES Con’t page 20.

The only way to learn what their needs are is to ask questions. Average automotive salespeople think their job is to capture the clients when they walk in, ask generally what they’re looking for, and quickly start walking in the direction of those models.

Do you see how these types of questions help you mentally filter through the hundreds of vehicles on the lot? Even if Jim Martin comes in saying he wants a new 4-wheel-drive truck, you may learn that Jim’s wife is expecting their first child soon and that they’ll need an extended cab at the least…something Champion automotive salespeople don’t young Jim may not be thinking of bedo that until they’ve gotten the buyer cause he’s always had a single-cab truck talking about what their new vehicle and likes them. needs to do for them and learning how much research they’ve already done. Mary Porter may come in wanting someThe only talking you should be doing thing sporty, but in drawing her out, you at this point in the sales cycle is asking learn that she has two big dogs that she questions. takes along on trips out of town on the weekends. In that case, the definition “What brought you in to our of “sporty” just went from being a twodealership today?” seater to something different, didn’t it? Another advantage of asking questions “Are you interested in a new vehicle, or is to learn how much knowledge the were you thinking of something used?” buyers already have about makes and models. Some will have done a great “What type of driving do you do? Mostly in amount of research online. They may town? Or, longer highway driving?” have friends or loved ones who already own that model and want the same ben“Do you typically carry a lot of cargo? efits. You’ll be wasting your time and Or, are you more likely to have a car theirs if you start every sales presentafull of passengers?” tion the same way because your buyers won’t all be at the same starting point. “What type of gas mileage do you get in With the right questions, you will quickyour current vehicle? Is that an important ly jump onto the ‘same page’ they’re on aspect of your decision today?” so you can take the best next step

in your presentation—making a great impression of being someone who truly listens and cares. You are an expert advisor in the automotive industry. When people talk about their needs, you think solutions. Most of your buyers will make vehicle ownership decisions once every 2 – 3 years. You are involved in those decisions daily and know so much from the experience your clients have with their vehicles. You think beyond basic wants and needs and go deeper into what’s truly going to be the best choice. There’s an old saying that “Knowledge is power, when properly applied.” Keep that in the forefront of your mind when you speak with potential buyers. The more knowledge you gain about their needs, wants, desires and financial situation, the more likely you are to help them make a wise decision about their next vehicle…and the one after that. Tom Hopkins has helped millions of sales professionals worldwide learn to serve more clients through proven-effective selling skills. His books have sold in the millions and hundreds of thousands of people benefit from his recorded audio and video programs daily. Download Tom’s eBook titled, “6 Practical Tips for Closing Automotive Sales,” here: https:// js167.infusionsoft.com/app/page/autoebook

The Principal’s Office

with Lisa Copeland

Managing Partner of FIAT of Austin #1 FIAT Dealer in the USA At least once a day my phone rings with a fellow car dealer from somewhere else in the country with the same question. “What is your strategy to sell cars to women and hire women sales people?” Frankly my strategy is no different for women than it is for any other consumer—but understanding how women shop has shaped everything that I do. Men buy. Women shop. It’s an experience, and women with money to spend have been conditioned to enjoy shopping. While men schedule golf outings, women organize a day around shopping. Over the decades of being in retail—both in the automotive world and in fashion—I have noticed that women will gather a group of friends, make reservations at a fabulous restaurant and then head out for an afternoon or evening of shopping. It can be entertainment, “retail therapy,” or just an opportunity to socialize with other women outside of their usual routine. Shopping disregards religion, political beliefs and backgrounds, giving women a chance to gather and bond. Given that, why is it that when women are surveyed 6 out of 10 would rather have a root canal than visit a car dealership? The answer is simple….It’s the experience, or lack of one! I like to use a dressing room analogy. When a woman goes to a department store and is looking for

the perfect cocktail dress, she grabs three or four off the rack. She puts each dress on and inspects it in the privacy of her dressing room. Only when it has passed her critical inspection, she steps into the common area with the big full length mirror…in hopes another woman is there. Even a complete stranger can provide validation that she looks great OR let her know that the color is just not right. Women tend to trust each other’s counsel when it comes to things as important as the cocktail dress for her company Christmas party. Women are authentic and transparent, and they expect that from others, and not just in a retail dressing room. I tell this story to illustrate that women are driven by relationships, trust and transparency. Numerous trainers and marketers profess to have all the answers on how to sell cars to women. As a female car dealer, and one who feels strongly about creating a unique shopping experience in my showroom, I keep an eye and an ear on what goes on every day. I don’t think there are magic words or different sales “closes” that are proprietary to selling cars to women. I do know that a world-class experience must be created at the dealership to entice her to enter, compel her to stay, and inspire her to purchase.

My top 10 tips for deale rs to authe ntica lly comp ete in this segm ent: 1) The management team and sales staff MUST mirror the demographic of the consumer entering the dealership. Do the calculations. Fifty percent of today’s consumers are female . 2)

How is she greeted when she walks through the door? Does she feel welcomed or intimid ated? I still hear stories from women that they are immedi ately asked upon entering the dealership “Are you the decision maker? ” YES, she is! Even if she has a spouse to consult, don’t kid yoursel ves. Women influenc e 95% of all purcha ses in the househ old.

Women are more interes ted in product benefits than specs. How will this vehicle help her? Is it safer? What is its fuel econom y? Is service conven ient? How does it meet her persona l or family needs? Listen to her wants, needs and desires . Don’t try to over whelm her with knowle dge or facts that are not import ant to her or that she has not requested—to rque and horsepo wer usually aren’t at the top of her list.

Your dealership must be clean, modern and kid friendl y. Women notice details, and the smalles t ones are often the most import ant. Are your restrooms clean? Is your showro om properl y mercha ndised? Are the sale people’s desks clean and free of debris? Do you have complimentary beverages and snacks? Little things matter.

5) 6)

Allow her time to “try it on.” Women shop for cars like they shop for expens ive shoes. She needs to try several on for size, move around in them and ask for feedbac k. This is not because she doesn’t know what she wants… it’s simply validat ion (remem ber the dressing room story?) Your closing process must be quick, efficien t and transp arent. Women are busy. Many juggle a full time job, kids, and the bulk of the househ old chores. While they like to shop, they don’t want to spend a lot of time in the dealership after the decision is made.

7) Collabo rate with her. For women conflict and negotiations can be stressf ul. If she knows the salespe rson is on her side, she will feel more comfortable. 8)

Tie your sales and promot ions to cause-b ased market ing. Women love to be part of a bigger cause. Our dealership hosts fundra isers on the showro om floor. From those events we gain clients, friends and raving fans.

Play in the social media world. Women use social media outlets to tell about shopping experie nces 10 times more often than men. They publicize the good, the fabulous and the UGLY! So beware…great customer service drives word of mouth publicit y.

10) Thank her for her busines s…celeb rate the deliver y of her new car and sit back and watch the power of her referra ls to her friends, cowork ers and family.

In conclusion, women are the engine of global economy, driving 80 percent of consumer spending in the US alone. There is no doubt they hold the purse strings. And when they’ve got a tight grip on them as they do now, companies must be shrewder than ever to win them over.

“IS YOUr DEAlErShIp StrUgglINg?” There is great news for you and your dealership. The car market is booming, sales are great and profits are better than ever.

Does the above statement describe your dealership? Unfortunately, in a booming market, many dealerships are struggling. Many dealers are struggling with sales, lower market share and less than desirable profits all while facing a changing marketplace with increased expenses and greater competition. If the last statement describes your dealership, it’s time for a change. • Do you have a system to recruit professionals? • Are your leaders/managers well trained on what to do every day that gets results? • Are your salespeople trained and executing properly with the customers you spend so much money to get? • Have you called your own dealership and listened to how your employees handle calls? • Do you have a pre-owned inventory system that allows you to turn your inventory once a month and make great gross profit? • Do your managers know how to work deals in the digital age and still maintain gross profit? • Do you have an effective advertising and marketing position in your marketplace that includes digital and conventional?

YES YOU CAN: • • • • • • • •

Sell More Cars Now Make A Lot More Money Gain Market Share Feel Better about Your Business Build a Team of Champions & Attract Winners Reach & Close More Customers Conventionally & Digitally Have Your Team Perform at Record Levels Create a Culture and Environment of Winning

Can you see the above in your mind? Can you hear more satisfied customers raving about you? Can you feel the difference in your business? Can you touch people’s lives? Can you smell the money?

Stop looking for a magic button. Stop looking for a new shiny object to fix your problems. Stop thinking that just training your people will fix everything. You Must Address All 4 p’s of Your Business – People, Process, Product and Market Positioning. Mark Tewart and Tewart Enterprises Inc. is the ONLY Total Dealership Solution Provider in the business.

“Quite simply, Mark tewart is one of the best trainers and consultants on this planet. he has been a big reason why we have had so much success.” - Mark Ford, James Hodge Ford

“We increased our gross profit $300-$800 per vehicle at our all of our dealerships immediately when we started working with Mark and tewart Enterprises Inc.” - Evan Martin, Bloomington Ford

First, go to www.dealershipsuccess.com and view a preview video. Second, call for a personal conversation about your dealership and your future at 888 2 Tewart (888-283-9278) or e-mail info@tewart.com with the words “Dealership Success” in the subject line. P.S. If you are an already successful dealer, are you leaving sales, market share and money on the table? Call me and I will give you two ways to increase all three immediately!

Mark tewart

president and author of the Best Seller “how to Be A Sales Superstar”

By Cathy Nesbit We use the word awesome a lot around here at Harry Robinson. We live it, strive for it, aspire to it in everything we do. Awesome= very impressive. To inspire awe. Sometimes the best I can do is have an awesome cup of coffee and my awesome is spent for the day, but honestly most days start off with a little bit of “don’t forget to be awesome” and end with a “wow my day was awesome.” One of the benefits of awesome is getting noticed. One sure way to be overlooked is to be average. Average is boring! Getting noticed requires awesome.

you’re not prepared to be awesome, don’t expect to grab or hold the attention of too many customers. Awesome isn’t always easy, but if you make a commitment to being awesome you will be rewarded; you will get noticed, you will attract new customers, and you will retain the customers you have. If you have to ask yourself, “am I awesome?”, chances are you need some work. I want to share a few fundamentals for obtaining awesome because anyone willing to put in the work can be awesome. Not only that, you can attract other awesome people...so there’s an entire team of awesome around you. That is awesome!

If you want to sell and service more cars, awesome is a For starters, Awesome Leadership. That’s where you must. Awesomeness isn’t all too hard to come by, so you if come in! Leading with vision. Communicating your goals. Putting in the hard work to achieve them. Hiring capable people who are efficient workers. Allowing those employees to be awesome at what they do & giving them the tools and training they need to unleash all the awesome they hold. Letting those employees know, really know, you appreciate them and you think they are awesome. That’s key to being an awesome leader and the first step to achieving full on awesome. Probably the best way to create full bodied awesome in your dealership is hiring to your weaknesses. Self reflect, you know where you are lacking. Never feel like you are wasting your money when you hire someone who makes you better. If your ego is getting in the way push it aside...ego and awesome don’t live in the same space. You may think awesome is a braggadocios word, it’s not. It’s an expression of aspiration. Ego is selfish. Awesome is empowering and selfless. Awesome is for the brave! Awesome People. You are responsible for your hiring decisions. Cultivate relationships with awesome people and they will accomplish awesome things for you. They will take pride in your business and their work. They will make your dealership a better place and treat your customers like family. They will do everything you have empowered them to do to ensure your business is growing. In order for this to happen they must be empowered, trusted, given training and the tools they need to be as awesome as they can possibly be. Look for Part 2 in September’s issue.

By Tim Martell ByMartell Tim ByMartell Tim y Tim - Martell CEO, Wikimotive By Tim Martell By Tim Martell CEO, Wikimotive Wikimotive EO,CEO, Wikimotive CEO, Wikimotive CEO, Wikimotive

Your Dealership’s Your Dealership’s Your Dealership’s Your Dealership’s Your Dealership’s Social Media Sucks Social Media Sucks Social Media Sucks Social Media Sucks Social Media Sucks

REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT REPORT

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By David Villa CEO, IPD

SalesPros get paid! Amateurs don't!

By David Villa - CEO, IPD

It’s been just over two decades now since dropping out of community college my firstnow yearsince in. I was a It’s been just over two decades young 19 year old new to responsibility and id dint dropping out of community college my first year what the world I would do in life. After in. I wasknow a young 19inyear old new to responsibility stumbling and out meaningless jobs I met and I didn’t knowinwhat in the world I would do the girl of mystumbling dreams and and in life. After in we andquickly out ofmarried meaningless jobs, I met the girl of my dreams we quickly immediately started a family.and Sounds like wisdom married right? and immediately Sounds It was at thisstarted point a a21family. year old new like wisdom right? It was at this point, a 21 year husband old new and husband and dad, that I realized I needed dad that I realized I needed to find out what it to find out wasgood thatat…and I was good at…and waswhat that Iitwas I needed to doI it quick. (813)@ipdmail 630-5888 Connect with David Villa needed to do it quick. It was at this point that I realized what it was I was born to do...I was born to sell! I was good at it and I http://www.imperialpressdirect.com MORE INFORMATION? For more information visit ipdmail.com Suddenly the light bulb went off...and I knew what loved it, and early on I realized that I’ve been selling I was born to do...I was born to sell! I was good at all of notthat professionally. I was an it, I loved it,my andlife…just realized I’ve been selling A Sales Pro doesn’t look for excuses as amateur, that’s right…I was nothing but a talented, A Sales Pro doesn’t excuses as it done; all of my life…just not professionally. That’s right, to why they look can’t for or aren’t getting wetI behind the earbut rookie! I followed into mywhy they can’t or aren’t getting I was anspunky, amateur, was nothing a talented, rather they find a way to get it it done. footsteps androokie! enteredI the automotive done; rather they find a way to get it spunky, father’s wet behind the ear followed in ad business and began calling the on local car dealersdone. and Sales Pros share certain my father’s footsteps and entered automotive Are you tired of being an meeting with GM’s thaton were more twice my ad business and began calling local carthan dealers attributes with others in their amateur? Are you ready and meeting that “I were more thanate”! twice age. with As anGM’s amateur got my lunch I wouldSales Pros share certain elite group such as: to get paid? Do you have my age. As an amateur “I got my lunch ate”! I would come home “tired…and frustrated”…and there Are ityou tired of abeing attributes with others in their what takes to be come home “tired…and frustrated”…and there were Attitude – Sales Pro’s have acquired anSales amateur? Are you you ready were many days that toget getup upand andcertainly Pro? Are many days thatI didn’t I didn’t want want to elite group suchthatas: the attitude requires and certainlydidn’t didn’t want to go on sales calls. Does this willing to put in want to go on sales calls. Does this story to get PAID? Do the you time have generates success story sound familiar? I was an amateur….I was necessary to get there? sound familiar? I was an amateur….I was engaged – Callhave it hustle, but sales what it takes to beyes a Sales • AttitudeMotivation – Sales Pro’s acquired engaged in a pursuit, but on an unpaid basis. If you answered and in a pursuit, but on an unpaid basis. Pro’s have the energy to make the the attitude that requires and generPro? Are you willing to put you are committed to Statistics show us that 80% of the people in sales calls, do the research, and improve or Statistics show us that 80% of the people in sales ates success applying the learned are amateurs. They mayamake little cash in in the time necessary to get progress day. but sales • Motivation – Calleach it hustle, are amateurs. They may make littlea cash onceonce behavior necessary to a while or close a deal here or there, but they are to is make the to Theythe Getenergy It – There a method in a while or close a deal here or there, but they Pro’s have there? be elite then welcome to far from getting PAID! If they work in sales the research, andare improve or just Sales Pro’s developed are far from getting PAID! If they work in sales andand calls, doselling. the club…And get ready aren’t making money…what are doing? they doing? progresslike each aren’t making money…what are they The The anyday. other professional. If you answered yes and to GET PAID! • They Get It – There is a method to answer to that question lies amateurs in what amateurs answer to that question lies in what don’t don’t Process…Process…Process! you are committed to apply selling. Sales Pro’s are developed just do. Amateurs don’t: Ask forAsk thefor sale (80%–never do. Amateurs don’t: the– sale (80% never Interest – Sales Pro’s want a career in like anyselling! other Ifprofessional. Process ing the learned behavior ask for the business)… Amateurs don’t: don’t: Educate ask for the business)… Amateurs Educate you use a sales job to tide themselves – (90% have NEVER a sales book). themselves – (90% haveread NEVER read a sales Process…Process! you over until a “real job” comes necessary to be elite, then • Interest – Sales Pro’s want a career in An amateur in the profession of sales will lose and will book). An amateur in the profession of sales along…you’re a amateur welcome to the club…and selling! If you use a sales job to tide most certainly won’t PAID. won’t get paid. lose and mostget certainly Success – Pro’s do whatever is you over until a “real job” comes The good news is you can become a PRO and get necessary to survive and thrive. They get ready to GET PAID! The good news is you CAN become a PRO and get along…you’re an amateur. paid! Making the transition from amateur to PRO success looks like, and – Pro’swhat do whatever is necesPAID! Making the transition from amateur to PRO • Success define means that you go from struggling to striving…a the foster what is necessary to get it means that you go from struggling to striving…a sary to survive and thrive. They Pro is someone who does what they do for gain, or done. Pro is someone who does what they do for gain, or define what success looks like, and other words they are getting they foster what is necessary to get in other inwords, they are getting PAID!paid!

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it done.

Can We Change How Salespeople Are Perceived?

By Charles Cannon

Pushy. Rude. Con Artist. When I did an informal survey asking people to describe auto salespeople with one word, these three were the most common words used. Being in the auto industry for over a decade, I can certainly understand why consumers feel this way. I have heard many horror stories from clients about bad experiences at dealerships and personally seen things done by salespeople that were shady. While the vast majority of salespeople in the industry are honest and conduct business with the highest integrity, a small minority have helped to fuel the stereotype of the “pushy” and “rude” salesperson. There are many solutions that we as an industry can start to implement that will slowly change how we are perceived. Among the many that come to mind, I will share three approaches. Ultimately, what you decide to do will depend on the culture of your dealership and what you want to accomplish. The first solution is:

We as an industry need to raise our Finally, salespeople should ask a standards and let potential hires know simple question throughout the transacthat it is a privilege to work at your tion process: dealership. When hiring:

*Conduct multiple interviews with different managers over a few days; *Consider personality tests performed by a licensed independent third party; *Ask your top salespeople for referrals. Top salespeople typically know other top salespeople in town and can possibly lead you to other proven winners. In my opinion, one of the core principles that a dealership should look for when hiring somebody is to make sure they are willing to be trained. Speaking of training, my second solution is:

Hire the right people.

Have a consistent schedule to train the salespeople.

In many instances, dealerships have lowered the bar when hiring a salesperson. Sure, you will find someone to fill the position, but are they the right match? A low bar means hiring an employee who does not appreciate the job or just has this position until they get a job they really want. This is also costly for the organization, both in terms of time spent with the new hire and the time needed to replace them.

Whether it is a few days a week, or every day, there has to be a focus on training the salespeople both as a group and individually. By consistently training, a dealership will be able to ingrain in salespeople exactly how they want clients treated during the entire sales process. Training will not only benefit the salespeople, but customers will have a better selling experience. A sales increase will soon follow.

What is best for the client? Many times, we ask “what is best for me?” or “what is best for the dealership?” While this does make sense, the customer is why we are here and they pay us to take care of them and service their needs.

Some examples of putting the client first: *Going to them to present a vehicle if they can’t (or won’t) come to your location; *Authorize your salespeople to offer a small compensation to a client that is unhappy for any reason for their experience (ex. free car wash, free tank of gas) without having to go to management. When the right people are hired, trained properly, and become client focused, we will be able to slowly change the perception that the general public has about salespeople. Then, when somebody does an informal survey asking, “What is the 1st word that comes to mind when describing auto salespeople?” we can be described more accurately: Professional. Knowledgeable. Exceptional.

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