AutoSuccess Jun04

June 2004

Coming In July...AutoSuccess Radio - Live Weekly Training Sessions

Three Powerful Wordsto Sell More Effectively

How to Get MoreCustomers to Buy From You

Values, Advantages & BeneÞ ts

Strategies for a Successful Meet and Greet

10 Tips for Recruiting Sales People Successfully

a division of Systems Marketing, Inc. www.autosuccess.biz




Strategies for a Successful Meet and Greet

10 Tips for Recruiting Sales People Successfully

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PERMIT NO 215

America is the Land of OpportunityAn Interview With Russ Darrow


he auto industry is notorious for being slower than most when it comes to change. One example is

that automotive spends more on advertising than any other industry, but comes in 17th when it comes to investing in connecting with consumers on the Internet. With this reputation, you might think a car dealer who has been in the business for 28 years, of all people, would also be reluctant to make changes to the way things are, especially if things are going pretty well. This is far from the case with Dav’ahnn (pronounced “Dah-von”- his Mom is French and his Dad Greek) Cartas, Internet Director for John Reggans’ Everett Chevrolet in Everett, Washington. What Cartas embodies is the perfect blend of the neo auto dealer: he has a zest for new ways of connecting with auto consumers and selling cars, combined with an unwavering belief in good

old fashioned customer service. This combination has enabled Everett to scale great heights and be a leader in the online automotive channel.

Cartas’ expertise in the Internet channel was born of a natural curiosity

and the drive to do things better. First a salesman, and then a sales manager, Cartas worked his way up, and after being in the business for 23 years, he realized the Internet was the place to

be. “I had to do it because no one else was doing it,” he admits “Honestly, I think people were a little scared. It was risky.” Eventually, Cartas was recruited to Everett Chevrolet. Tim Fuller, Everett’s GSM, had a similar insight with Cartas – he knew he

wanted to build a fi rst-class Internet department at Everett. Cartas said he made the move to Everett strictly for its excellent reputation.

An Internet department of a sorts already existed at Everett, but it was “limited in structure and success,” explains Cartas. With the full support and backing of Fuller, who Cartas credits with having the foresight to create and develop Everett’s Internet program, Cartas turned the Internet program into a goldmine for the dealership. In their best month, they sold over 60 cars via the Internet, but have set a goal to sell 100. The key to Everett’s success is the team, Cartas says, but he admits, “The Internet is deep and tenacious work. The

Everett Chevrolet and Dealix Corporation

Customer Service is the Name of the GameDe

alix

Customer service is the name of the game and when I worked for a dealership,

I knew Dealix was doing it right.

Dav�ahann Cartas (sitting), Evertt Chevrolet�s Internet Director and Tim Fuller (standing) working to Þ ne-tune their Internet sales process.

consumer responses back to dealers in able to help them increase close rates. “Dana sent me an email once,” recalls Cartas, “when we got a complaint from an Internet customer. Dana was right on it, and she sent me an email saying, ‘Mr. Cartas, this kind of complaint can be deadly for a dealership’s reputation. I have already followed up with this customer on your behalf, but you need to call him right away.’ I was so impressed, I thought - this lady is really on the ball!”

Both Dealix’s Ezeir and Cummings are auto industry veterans. Ezeir is an expert in the Internet leads space, having been in the business for as long as consumers have been going to the Web to research cars. Cummings has extensive experience working in dealerships, starting out as a sales person over 20 years ago, and eventually moving to customer service because she enjoyed that more than selling. Cummings joined the Dealix team because “customer service is the name of the game and when I worked for a dealership, I knew Dealix was doing it right.”

There’s one big word in this business,” says Cartas, “and that’s ‘follow-up.’ Follow-up means you develop a relationship with the customer. And the key factor with the Internet is honesty. The Internet had created an environment where you must provide integrity and information for the customer. Everett Chevrolet knows this, and so does Dealix.”

Dealix Corporation is located in Redwood City, California. For more information, contact: Rao Wu, Dealix Sales Director, at (866) 253 – 5064.

average ISM lasts in his or her job for only seven months. And in the Pacifi c Northwest, I’d say it’s more like two months. It takes dedication, a positive attitude, and teamwork to succeed.”

With the help of Fuller, Cartas

recruited another Internet manager and also trained four more fl oor sales people to specialize on Internet customers. He also provides special Internet pricing, information on vehicles, and selected lead providers.

For a dealership with very specifi c standards for how it treats and caters to its Internet customers, Everett was had equally lofty standards when it came to choosing its lead providers. For its new car leads, their provider of choice was Dealix Corporation.

“We believe the key to superior service is to give good information and you’ll get good information back,” says Cartas. “This is why I like working with Jeff,” he says, referring

to Jeff Ezeir, Dealix’s Regional Sales Manager and point person. “Jeff is like a consultant for us,” says Cartas. “He is a very important source for the latest industry news and information. He’s got his fi nger on the pulse of what is happening in the Internet

automotive channel, and I rely on him for that.”

“What’s most important,” continues Cartas, “is that Jeff is not a stranger. We’re in continuous contact. He exercises service and response, and that’s what I like. Because, it’s minutes in this game; not hours, and Jeff understands that.”

Dealix Account Manager, Dana Cummings, is also available to provide support and service to Everett when they need it. Regularly surveying consumers who submit leads through Dealix’s auto portal, InvoiceDealers.com or one of its many partner sites, the lead provider is able to communicate specifi c

Dealix

Jeff Ezeir is a Senior Regional Sales Manager for Dealix Corporation

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Three Powerful Words to Sell More Effectively Brian Tracy

More Customers Will Buy From You Steve Hiatt

How to Hone Your Writing Skills for Sales Success Dawn Josephson

Values, Advantages, & BeneÞ ts Zig Ziglar

Strategies for a Successful Meet and Greet Lydia Ramsey

I Want to Think it Over... Jim Adams

America is the Land of OpportunityAn Interview With Russ Darrow Patrick Luck

10 Tips for Recruiting Sales Poeple Successfully Mark Tewart

Walk Around Presentation Terry L. Isaac

10 Tips to Prevent the Afternoon Slump Jerry Teplitz

Website Tips to Boost Sales Dennis McDonough

Ragsdalecars.com Tom Gravel

I N S I D E

AutoSuccess Magazine is published monthly at 756 South First Street, Suite 202, Louisville, Kentucky, 40202; 502.588.3155, fax 502.588.3170. Direct all subscription and customer service inquiries to 877.818.6620 [email protected]. Subscription rate is $75 per year. AutoSuccess welcomes unsolicited editorials and graphics (not responsible for their return). All submitted editorials and graphics are subject to editing for grammar, content, and page length. AutoSuccess provides its contributing writers latitude in expressing advice and solutions; views expressed are not necessarily those of AutoSuccess and by no means reflect any guarantees. Always confer with legal counsel before implementing changes in procedures.© All contents copyrighted by AutoSuccess Magazine, a Division of Systems Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without express written consent from AutoSuccess. AutoSuccess may occasionally make readers’ names available to other companies whose products and/or services may be of interest; readers may request that names be removed by calling 877.818.6620. Printed in the USA.Postmaster: Send address changes to AutoSuccess Magazine, 756 South First Street, Suite 202, Louisville, Kentucky 40202.

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Toll Free: 877.818.6620Facsimile: 502.588.3170Web: autosuccess.biz

Proverbs 3: 5,6Trust in the Lord with all your

heart, and do not rely on your own insight.

In all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make straight your

paths.

God Bless America Success Driven Solutions

Patrick Luck, Editor & Publisher• [email protected]

Susan Goodman, Vice President• [email protected]

Thomas Williams, Creative Director• [email protected]

Courtney Hill, Advertising Services• [email protected]

Kelley Humkey, Advertising Services• [email protected]

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sales and training solutionBrianTracy

There are three powerful words that you can use as you proceed through the sales conversation in order to have the most successful results.

The fi rst is the word feel. For example, “How do you feel about that?” is a very easy question to answer. It is almost impossible not to express a feeling when asked for one. A few other questions to gain an emotion response from your prospect are, “How do you feel about shopping for

a new vehicle?” or “How do you feel about leasing?”

The second and even more signifi cant word is think. When you ask, “Do you think this would be better than what you’re currently driving?” you are asking the person to take a much more defi nite stand. People are sometimes a bit more hesitant to answer a “think” question but they are much fi rmer in defending their position once they have.

The third expression is in your opinion. The word feel is soft, the word think is harder, and the words in your opinion are the most defi nite and specifi c of all. When you ask, “In your opinion, is this the best choice of vehicle for what you want?” you are asking the prospect to take a defi nite stand.

Once a person has stated their opinion on a subject, they are locked into it. They almost always will defend and justify their decision rather than change it. Carefully phrased questions are powerful tools in every part of the sales process. The more of them you have and the better you use them, the more competent you will appear and feel, and the more sales you will make.

Use feel during the early part of your sales conversation. Focus on getting good information rather than trying to sell. Second, move to asking questions using the words think and in your opinion later in the conversation when you want a defi nite answer or you are moving to close the sale.

Brian Tracy is the Chairman & CEO of Brian Tracy International. He can be contacted at 866.300.9881, or by email at [email protected].

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sales and training solution


SteveHiatt

Walk arounds - the point where the buyer does the mental part of buying before considering the fi nancial aspects of

his/her purchase. Almost every manager and sales person has heard phrases like: Explode the car! Get them involved! Build value. But the question is how?

Prepare:Walk arounds are where customers do about 80% of the buying. The interesting thing is that each customer is really keyed into about 20% of the features: the ones important to them. Prepare investigative questions in order to discover what is most important to the customer. Asking questions is the best way to learn how to base your presentation:

What do you drive now?What do you enjoy about it? What might you like to change about what you are driving?What else would you alter?

Did you want something basic or loaded with options?Are you looking for a manual or automatic? Are you interested in a new or used vehicle?

Set the stage:Once you have asked enough questions to confi dently select a vehicle based on the needs and wants of your customer, it’s time to set the stage. I suggest a friendly statement like, “You know, based on what you’ve told me, I think I have the perfect vehicle for you. Let’s go get it.” Go get the vehicle. You want to separate the vehicle from all the others, so that you and your customer are without distraction. Ignore loud-speaker pages, turn off cell phones and focus on your customer.

Show it:Practice your walk around. My staff starts at the hood of the vehicle and works counter-clockwise, so that the customer winds up on the passenger side last, in order to step into the automobile and be shown the interior features.

It is best to have familiarized yourself with

the features of the car to have a versatile presentation. Be ready to make the engine a performance engine, an economy engine or a dependability feature so that you can tailor your presentation to your customer. The paint can be both appearance related, dependability related, or environmentally related. The key is your knowledge and preparedness.

Customer involvement:The best way to build value in the presentation is to question and confi rm the value of features you highlight with your customers. This includes using yes questions such as, “Isn’t it great that the doors have child safety locks to protect your family?” and “Now that you’ve sat in the driver’s seat, the lumbar is perfect for your back, isn’t it?”

The other part of involvement is making a feature, advantage, and benefi t presentation. If you only show your customer the vehicle’s features, you will only make the car seem more expensive. However, when you show them the advantage of that feature and how it benefi ts the customer, then you have effectively minimized the price and maximized the value of the automobile.

This would be illustrated by:• Showing a feature• Dramatizing the advantage • Gaining customer agreement in the benefi t.

“Sue, this vehicle is equipped with anti-lock brakes. The advantage is that these brakes will not lock up during emergency braking conditions giving you the ability to brake and steer, so that you have a better chance of avoiding an accident and staying out of harm’s way. Doesn’t that make you feel safer?

When this process is understood, prepared and practiced by you, more customers will buy from you. The key is to prepare and have your customers’ best interests in mind.

Steve Hiatt is the Owner of Five Star Mitsubishi. He can be contacted at 866.265.5616, or by email at [email protected].

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How to Hone YourWriting Skills for Sales Success

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marketing solutionDawnJosephson

Write with the same expertise the professionals do in order to hold a reader’s attention.

Good writing skills are just as important to success as is the ability to locate prospects and close deals. Without good writing skills, emails, prospecting letters, thank you notes, and even ad copy may very well undermine the professional image you work so hard to achieve.

You don’t have to be a professional editor to write effectively. In fact, there are a number of self-editing techniques professional writers use to catch errors. Use these guidelines as a way to proofread your own writing so you can make all your printed materials refl ect your professionalism.

1. Read your work out loud.After scanning the document silently, read it aloud and really listen to the words you’re saying. Is it east to read? Will people understand it? Is it a run-on sentence? Is it interesting?

When you read to yourself, you’re relying on only your eyes to catch the errors. However,

when you read a document out loud, you’re activating your sense of hearing; your brain will concentrate on each individual word rather than a visual cluster. Now you not only see missing commas, incorrect words, or subject-verb disagreements, but you can also hear when something sounds out of place. This way you can catch more errors and produce a written document that engages your reader.

2. Rely on yourself, not your spell-check.While spell check can locate and correct misspelled words, it can’t catch the words spelled correctly but used incorrectly. Words like: right/write, meet/meat, you’re/your, there/their/they’re, no/know, plus others. Such words, called homonyms, are often immune to computerized spell check features.

As you reread your document, both silently and out loud, pay special attention to known homonyms and read out your contractions. If your text reads, “You’re guaranteed a free saftey inspection,” proofread it, this way when you write a sentence like, “You’re complete satisfaction is guaranteed,” you’ll be able to catch it.

3. Start from the end.The more you read something, the more your brain begins to memorize it. If you read a document over and over, you eventually get to the point where your brain knows what’s coming next, so your eyes go into scan mode. While you think you’re really reading the document closely, your brain is only picking up key words and drawing on memory to fi ll in the blanks. So even though your 50th read-through confi rms that your document is error-free, your reader (who has never seen the document before) will quickly spot errors you have scanned across.

Mix things up for your brain. Read the last sentence of your document fi rst just to check for things like sentence structure, grammar and spelling. Then read the sentence above and so on. By treating each sentence as a stand alone unit rather than as part of a fl owing document, your brain will not be anticipating the next memorized line. You’ll catch more errors when you look at the individual elements of your document instead of focusing on the overall content.

4. Go to the experts.You may have a dictionary and a thesaurus, but do you have a good grammar guide? Anyone who produces written documents can quickly improve his/her writing simply by referring to a grammar guide for writing tips.

Your local bookstore has many guides available. Browse through a few to determine which one adequately addresses your particular writing challenges and goals. Some guides focus specifi cally on grammar issues, while others pay particular attention to matters of writing tone and style. Choose a guide you’re comfortable with, refer to it often, and watch your skill as a writer improve.

Better Writing NowPractice self-editing so every written document you produce showcases your knowledge, competence, and professionalism. Your customers will be unable to resist your written word, and your sales fi gures will soar.

Dawn Josephson is the President and Founder of Cameo Publications. She can be contacted at 800.452.4806, or by email at [email protected].

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ZigZiglarsts ms ls fi s lr


Computers help us save time. They help us save money. They provide us with entertainment and make our lives

generally easier. If another invention comes along that gives us better time and money savings, we will leave our old computers behind and invest in this new technology.

You see, we don’t want computers ---we want what computers do for us! We want the solutions computers offer us. We want the values, advantages and benefi ts of computers. Our customers are the same. They want what our products and services will do for them.

When we are solving our customers’ problems and challenges this week, we need to concentrate on selling “solutions” not products and services. There are a couple of ways to accomplish this.

1. Use these words on every customer interaction.There are three very powerful words that you should use on every sales call. When you use these words, you assure yourself that you are in a selling mode and not a telling mode. These words are: values, advantages and benefi ts. If you can condition yourself to use these words, you can better interpret the worth of your products and services to your customer. These phrases contain selling words:

Mr. Jones, the value of our service contract is _____________.Ms. Smith, the advantage of four-wheel drive is ___________.Bob, the benefi ts of our comprehensive coverage are ______and _________.

2. Use bridge statements to prepare your customer for your beneÞ t.Bridge statements prepare your customer to hear your values, advantages, and benefi ts. At the end of the statement,

you communicate your benefi t. A bridge statement can be as straightforward as, “The benefi t to you is _________.” It is your responsibility, not the customer’s, to interpret the worth of your product or service. When you use bridge statements you can assure yourself that you are selling benefi ts. What this means to you is ________. You’ll like this because __________. The benefi t to you is ____________.

Your customers don’t want your product or service; they want what it will do for them! You are responsible for demonstrating the worthiness of what you sell.

Does this work? Only if you do. Good luck and good selling!

Zig Ziglar is the Chairman of the Board of Ziglar Training Systems in Dallas, TX. He can be contacted at 866.873.0026, or by email at [email protected].

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Strategies for aSuccessful Meet and Greet

sts ms ls fi s lr

sales and training solutionLydiaRamsey

Use these simple strategies for a successful start.

Smile. Your facial expression

says more than your words. Look as if you are pleased to meet the other person regardless of what’s on your mind. Put a smile on your face for the person standing before you.

Make eye contact. Looking at the people you meet says you are focused and interested in them. If you are staring off somewhere, you may appear to be looking for someone you might prefer to come along.

Introduce yourself immediately. As soon as you approach people you don’t know or are approached by them, say who you are. Don’t stand around like someone else is in charge of introductions.

Include a statementabout who you are when necessary. It is not always enough to say, “Hello, I’m Mary Jones.” Give more information. “Hello, I’m Mary Jones, welcome to XYZ Motors.”

Offer a Þ rm handshake. Extend your hand as you give your greeting. The person who puts a hand out fi rst comes across as confi dent and at ease. Make sure that this physical part of your greeting is professional—no bone-crushing grips or wimpy limp-wristed shakes.

Learn how tomake smooth introductions. In business always introduce less important people to more important people. Example: “Mr./Mrs. Customer, I’d like to introduce you to Eddie, my manager. Eddie, this is Mr./Mrs. Customer and we drove the four door.”

Know who the more important person is. The client or prospect is more important than your boss.

Pay attention tonames when you meet people. Concentrate and repeat the name as soon as you hear it, because you stand a better chance of remembering it later.

Use the Þ rst namesonly after they give you permission. Not everyone wants to be addressed informally on the initial encounter. It is better to err on the side of formality than to offend someone right off the bat.

Your goal within the fi rst few minutes of meeting people is to make them feel comfortable and put them at ease so they

will want to do business with you. When you are confi dent of the rules for those initial encounters, you will have a solid start for long-term, profi table relationships.

Lydia Ramsey is the President and Founder of Lydia Ramsey, Inc. She can be contacted at 800.452.5606, or by email at lramsey @autosuccess.biz.


I Want to Think it Over...

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sales and training solutionJimAdams

Believe it or not, “I want to think it over” is the best thing that could be said to a sales person before he/she presents the

initial fi gures.

Let�s take a look why:• Because 90% of customers will leave without buying if given fi gures before committing to purchase.• Because customers often use the phrase as a stall. • Many times customers will mask the real objection with, “I want to think it over,” because the sales person has not built enough rapport for the customer to open up.

Understanding these things will help sales people appreciate that if the customer is sitting at their desk, they are ready to buy a vehicle now. We also need to understand that the majority of the time, the sale is made after the fi fth or sixth closing attempt.

Let’s take a look at some closing techniques to use before you have given the customer a price.

“I just really need to think it over”

AfÞ rmation statement • That’s great, I’m happy to hear you’re seriously considering our new model.• Super, buying a new van is a big decision, I’m happy that we’re in the running.• Fantastic, I know from whom you buy is as important as what you buy.

Summary• So that it’s clear in my mind, you loved the van right? • The captain’s chairs are going to work out for the kids, aren’t they? • Great, and you’re going to love that fuel mileage won’t you? • You can see how that warranty will give you some peace of mind, huh?

Assumptive Statement• Sounds like we have found the perfect van for you and your family.

• Looks like you have found your next van. • This seems like the van you want to own.

IsolateI guess what I�m asking is other than making sure that we keep the Þ gures within your budget, is there any other reason why we can�t send you home in your new van now?

I am sure one of your major considerations will be if we can make it affordable. So, besides making sure that the numbers work out to your beneÞ t, is there any reason why we shouldn�t just wrap up the details while you are here?

Overcome and close• Customer: No, I guess if the payments were ok we would take it.• No, if you can give me enough for my trade we would do it• No, if I can do it with no money down and you can pay off my trade-in, we will do it.

• Sales person: Great. Fitting it into your budget is the easy part. When we get that accomplished how would you like to title your new van? In just your name or would you both like to be on it?

Overcome and close on the objections that come

• Customer: Yes• I need to check with my insurance• I want talk to my wife/husband• I need to check out the competition

The key to isolating the objection is removing it from all other things that will prevent you from closing the sale today. Again, remember the sale is generally made after the fi fth or sixth closing attempt.

Sales person: Great. So if the insurance is reasonable and we can fi t the payment into your budget it’s a go?

Customer: Well, as long as the insurance isn’t too high.

Sales person: I’ll get the paperwork started and we will call your agent before you

leave to make sure the coverage is in place. When we get the details worked out how would you like to title your new van?

Sales person: Other than your wife/husband giving the go ahead we could wrap this up now?

Customer: Sure, if she/he likes it we’ll probably buy it.

Sales person: Good, lets get the paperwork started and also see if we could meet with your wife/husband to go over the numbers with you both. When we get the details worked out how would you like to title your new van? (99% of the time this is a real objection. Do everything in your power to get both buyers present before you present your offer.)

Sales person: So other than me proving to you that our van is the best value, we could go ahead and fi nalize everything today. Let me ask you, what other minivans are you comparing?

Know the competitive advantages on everything that you sell. Running down the competition only cheapens your product and makes you look suspect. Show the customer in black and white using all resources available to reinforce your value story.

Sales person: As you can see this new van is the best choice for you and your family. Let’s get the paper work wrapped up so you can start enjoying your new van. When we get the details worked out how would you like to title your new van?”

Remember the key is to continue to stay positive and clarify each objection, isolate it from all others and close on the objection.

Jim Adams is the General Sales Manager at Roper Kia in Joplin, MO. He can be contacted at 800.905.0627, or by email at [email protected].

At ADP, we’re committed to helping dealers make the most of their technology investment. This focus has inspired us to develop a new training program that brings an ADP application expert directly to your dealership. We can improve dealership system utilization by focusing on specific ADP applications or a particular job function. The Tune-Up Training Program includes a comprehensive assessment that will help employees make the most out of their current positions and assist them by increasing knowledge and productivity levels.

Get it at www.DealerSuite.comFor more information on the Tune-Up Training Program, contact

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www.autosuccess.biz16

Russ Darrow was born in 1940, in Milwaukee. In 1965 he moved to West Bend, WI and, at 25 years of age, became the youngest Chrysler dealer in the nation. He added his second dealership in 1967, in Appleton, and three years later, the third, in Waukesha.

Today, Mr. Darrow serves as the chairman and chief executive offi cer of Russ Darrow Group, Inc., a holding company that owns 19 automobile dealerships, 29 franchises and a leasing company. He and his wife of 42 years, Susan, have four adult children Russ III, Wendy, Heidi, Michael, and 12 grandchildren.

Darrow is an example of Wisconsin family values leading to success. Recently the Russ Darrow Group surpassed a total of over 200,000 vehicles sold at retail since the fi rst dealership in West Bend. As Russ likes to say, most of those sales were “one at a time, face-to-face, person-to-person.” Russ started out as one of the smallest businesses in Wisconsin and has developed into one

of the largest. The Russ Darrow Group has been named one of the “Top 100 Privately Held Companies in Wisconsin.” Forbes Magazine has named his company one of the 500 largest privately held companies in the country.

Russ just completed three years as chairman of Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Inc., an organization that helps inspire kids about life and their potential in America’s free enterprise system. He is also a trustee of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee and has been a long-time board member and past president of the Kettle Moraine YMCA in West Bend. Russ and Susan are involved in many other organizations serving children and health issues, e.g. Children’s Service Society, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Wisconsin, Creative Sharp, ARC; as well as the arts in southeastern Wisconsin.

Recently, we had the opportunity to ask Russ some questions.

AS: You�ve said in other interviews that you are living the American Dream. What do you mean by that?

It means that America is the land of opportunity, where someone can start with nothing and with hard work and a little luck can work towards being a success. I’m living proof of that. After my sophomore year at UW-Madison I was looking to buy a car. I went to a dealership and after negotiating with the sales man we struck a deal. The only catch was that they wouldn’t take my car as a trade in and I had to sell it myself. That’s exactly what I did. I fi xed it up, detailed it and sold it for more than they would have given me at the dealership. That was more money in my pocket. That’s where I caught the bug. I told my parents that I was going to take a break from school and try my hand at selling cars.

I got a job at that local dealership, where I worked long and hard to learn the car business. Besides buying a house, it’s the most expensive thing most people buy. I learned early on that in order to be successful, a sales man must listen to what his/her customers want. In this day and time, the family car plays a critical role in every family. It takes parents to work, children to school and all of them to family vacations. Access to affordable transportation is critical to every day life here in Wisconsin. To be a part of making that life a little better has been pretty rewarding.

Another trait of being successful is you must be aggressive, competitive, while not being afraid to fail. So after fi ve years as a sales man, I felt I could take this approach and sell cars on my own. My parents co-signed a 50,000 loan for me with the bank, and just like that I was the youngest Chrysler dealer in the United States at the age of 25.


PatrickLuck

�I�ve put my focus on my employees because I know if I motivate them and treat them the right way, they will in turn do the same to our customers.�

june 2004 17

From there, one dealership turned into two, then into four, and now we’ve got 19 throughout the state. Over 38 years I’ve gone from selling one used car into 19 dealerships and I have created thousands of jobs for Wisconsin residents. We now sell 16,000 vehicles a year. I’d say that’s a pretty good example of living the American dream.

AS: What�s the most important component to building a successful business?

People. Hiring, training, motivating and giving people the opportunity to advance are critical. Treating customers as you would wish to be treated. You have to be a good listener, caring, intense, accountable and be a good leader. You have to be prepared to stand up for your beliefs and you have to be willing to take a chance. Together, these traits have helped me to grow our family business from one dealership in 1965 with eight to 10 employees to 19 dealerships with approximately 950 employees.

AS: Why would someone who has been so successful in business now want to run for the U.S. Senate?

Our family has always had a motto that we have followed – Learn, Earn and Return. I have worked hard to follow that motto. Thirty-eight years ago, I started by learning about the auto industry and along the way through hard work and determination I was able to earn a profi t. But, over the years, I was always able to return to my community, to give back.

Whether it was through my involvement with Junior Achievement, the West Bend YMCA, or the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, giving back to my community has been a focal point of my life. Being involved in my community,

returning service and support to my community has always been important.

I would like to take my lifetime of business experience and community service to serve the fi ve million people of Wisconsin. I have been working hard to learn what is important to the voters across this state and to earn their support, and their vote, and in exchange I am committed to returning their voice to Washington.

AS: Why did you decide to run for ofÞ ce at this stage of your life?

I’m at the right point in my life to be able to focus on that job and to do good things for every person in Wisconsin. You might think a senator can’t do that, but they can. Focus on helping every person, just like I did in my business.

But the main reason that I’m getting into this race is because I want my children and grandchildren to have the same opportunity to succeed in life that I’ve had. I feel it’s critical to have someone in the United States Senate that truly represents the people of Wisconsin.

On September 11th we were attacked, thousands of innocent people died and we were forced into the war on terror. Wisconsin needs a Senator that understands that. Our incumbent U.S Senator was the lone vote against the Patriot Act, designed to track suspected terrorists. He also voted against the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. I would have supported our law enforcement communities by giving them the tools to fi ght the war on terror and keep us safe. To me, there is nothing more important than the security and safety of our country. Wisconsin needs a Senator that puts his constituents’ interests ahead of his own personal political agenda.

AS: Why do you think your experience of being a car dealer would make you qualiÞ ed to be a U.S. Senator?

For nearly four decades my wife and I have lived in the real world. We’ve sacrifi ced and saved and in the process built the family business piece by piece from scratch. For the last 38 years, we’ve lived taxes and healthcare. We’ve put thousands of people to work throughout this state. We’ve set priorities, balanced budgets and made payroll and have more than 38 years, 2000 weeks of experience of signing the checks on the front and not just the back.

As a U.S. Senator I will not only fi ght to keep more jobs from leaving, but also look to bring additional industries to our state and nation, while working to retrain our work force so they can be competitive in a global based economy.

I’ve put my focus on my employees because I know if I motivate them and treat them the right way, they will in turn do the same to our customers. I’ve learned as a businessman, you have to be a good listener, a good leader, a motivator, and you must be open-minded. The way to get ahead in life is by being able to adapt. There is no one solution to all the problems we face every day. Different problems sometimes need different solutions and a good Senator must realize that.

Furthermore, I have built my business by being accountable and treating people with respect. I’ve spent the last eight months traveling this state asking people what they want in a U.S. Senator and what they’ve told me is that they want someone who not only listens, but also hears their concerns and is willing to do something about them.

continued on page 18

www.autosuccess.biz18

As a business owner I have always listened to my customers. I believe there are too many elected offi cials who ignore the majority of their state’s constituents. I’ve seen the looks on the faces of thousands of people throughout Wisconsin. They can’t understand why the incumbent Senator is concentrating on campaign fi nance reform while our state is facing the loss of tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs and health care costs in Wisconsin are skyrocketing.

AS: What are the hot button issues you�ll be addressing during your campaign?

My campaign is focusing on three key issues. First and foremost is national security. We need to fully support our troops and law enforcement communities. Secondly, there must also be a concerted effort to stop the fl ow of jobs out of the state of Wisconsin. And last, but not least, our state needs a Senator that will focus on more affordable healthcare for the citizens of Wisconsin.

I know that without a strong national defense, nothing else matters. We saw what happened to our economy after 9-11. As a U.S. Senator, I will make sure that our law enforcement offi cials, and our troops, always have the tools necessary to fi ght the war on terror both here and abroad.

From my experience in building my business and creating thousands of jobs, I know that low taxes help small businesses to create meaningful jobs. As a U.S. Senator, I

would vote to make the President’s tax cuts permanent. As a businessman I know that tax cuts and incentives work, while tax hikes are job killers. When people get to keep more of their own money, they put it back into the economy. In the retail business, we see it every day. When the economy is faced with another tax increase, it makes it harder for businesses to hire more workers. It’s simple economics, I’ve learned in the real world. I would also vote to repeal the death tax that currently punishes small businesses like the auto industry. We must eliminate government created barriers that make it diffi cult for businesses like the auto industry to transfer from one generation to another.

Finally, from my experience as an employer, I know that we must work to make healthcare more affordable. I would support increasing medical savings accounts, associated health plans that allow small businesses to pool

together to increase their purchasing power and tort reform. We must eliminate the number of frivolous lawsuits that drive up the costs of healthcare in our country.

AS: One more question for you. What kinds of similarities are there between running a successful business and a successful campaign?

I’ve been a sales and marketing guy all my life and I’ve learned a couple of things over the years. In business, in order to get your product out to the public, you have to think outside the box and be willing to try new things. The same thing is true when running for offi ce.

For instance, we created our own short fi lm entitled, “The Right Russ: The Movie” to kick off the public phase of our campaign. It was a huge success, premiering to a crowd of nearly 700 people at the Pabst Theatre in downtown Milwaukee just last month. In addition to that, tens of thousands of copies of the movie were shipped out to households throughout the state.

Also, today’s world moves quickly and nothing moves faster than the Internet. Our campaign website is state of the art and allows volunteers interactive access to nearly every aspect of our campaign. To really appreciate just how diverse it is, I would encourage you to check it out at www.TheRightRuss.com.

Patrick Luck is the Editor and Publisher of AutoSuccess Magazine. He can be contacted at 800.331.9507, or by email at [email protected].

continued

TO ALL,

IT IS MY SINCERE PLEASURE TO BE ABLE TO WRITE THIS LETTER FOR THE WOLFINGTON GROUP.

ON MARCH 11th - 14th THIS YEAR, THEY CAME TO OUR DEALERSHIP AND HELPED US DELIVER OVER 50 UNITS! THEY DID IT IN SUCH A WAY SO AS TO NOT UPSET ANY OF MY SALES STAFF AND AT A PROFIT THAT WOULD MAKE ANY DEALERSHIP ECSTATIC. MORE IMPORTANTLY, THEY HELPED MOVE OVER-AGED INVENTORY, AND DID ALL THIS WITH GREAT INTEGRITY WHILE MAKING AN ENJOYABLE EXPERIENCE FOR ALL.

I OBVIOUSLY WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND WOLFINGTON TO ANYONE WHO NEEDS TO MOVE AN ADDITIONAL 50 - 70 UNITS AT A HIGH PROFIT AND CSI!

THANKS WOLFINGTON GROUP, LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR NEXT SALE.

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MarkTewart

10 Tips for RecruitingSales People Successfully

Sales people provide life for all companies. If everything starts with sales people, it only makes sense to make sure that you are

recruiting the best potential sales people

Tip 1: Recruit from want, not need. Make recruiting an everyday activity, don’t wait until you need it.

Tip 2: Have a strategy to recruit people all the time. To orchestrate a successful ongoing recruiting program you must fi rst have a game-plan. Plan and develop a fl ow chart of your desired results. Write down the obvious. You must know why you are looking to create a recruiting strategy. “When the why gets strong, the how gets easy.”

Tip 3: Know who is in charge of recruiting and his/her qualifi cations. People must be educated on creating and orchestrating a strategy that works. Don’t leave the who and how to chance.

Tip 4: Newspaper ads – the Sunday paper is full of ads for sales people. If you plan on using help wanted ads as part of your recruiting, you must write the ad with the mindset of the good sales person you are looking to recruit. Use two age-old formulas: WIIFM – “What’s in it for me?” and AIDA – “Attention, interest, desire and action” when creating your ads.

Tip 5: Try using several avenues to recruit such as full color newspaper inserts, business journal classifi eds, a banner ad on your web site, local colleges, Internet job postings, radio ads, military bases, job fairs and employee referral program. Never leave the vitality of your company to just one avenue of marketing. You must build a marketing web that has many marketing branches to attract good people.

Tip 6: Have an “ideal employee” profi le. Know who you are looking for before you fi nd them. When you’ve developed a

precise guideline of what the perfect recruit looks like, you can begin your process with that in mind and then remove the emotions involved in interviewing.

Tip 7: Payment plans satisfy base-level needs of the potential recruit. Pay all recruits during training and guarantee them a living wage during their learning curve. Many potentially good sales people are not given the chance to ever enter the business. Lower the barriers of entry in order to fi nd the best people.

Tip 8: Have at least 50 written interview questions. Don’t you show a sales person how to profi le customers? Preparation is key to a good interview. Be ready with sub questions to the interviewee’s answers that allow him or her to elaborate and communicate in detail. A good interview will follow the 80/20-rule and allow the recruit to speak 80% of the time.

Tip 9: Test and profi le a potential sales person. Anyone who has interviewed people has come across a great interview, horrible employee. A good recruiting strategy must utilize many tools to reduce the emotion and help to make a more logical and quantitative selection. There are many tools today that can be used to gauge the personality, sales aptitude, emotional IQ, intelligence and just about anything else you want to know about a possible future employee

Tip 10: Don’t hire people based only upon resumes. If you want to hire good sales people, recruit and hire based on talent and attitude and teach them the necessary skills.

Recruiting and hiring effectively is a continuous process that is both part science and being creative. Having a consistent plan will make your recruiting a success.

Mark Tewart is the President of Tewart Enterprises. He can be contacted at 866.429.6844, or by email at [email protected].

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Walk Around Presentation

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sales and training solutionTerry L.Isaac

1. Return to the customer and pull the vehicle out into the drive off lane. Use the customer’s name often and remember,

that to build value and justify cost, you must show features with benefi ts of every vehicle you show new or used. 2. Unlock all doors and pop the trunk and hood before starting the presentation to have a smooth, professional process.

3. Begin the walk around at the rear of the vehicle, working your way around, presenting the features and benefi ts at each station you come to. (Write out your presentation and practice it.)

4. After showing the rear features of the vehicle, have the customer step up in front of the vehicle to show them the headlights and other features.

5. End the walk around by showing the engine features and benefi ts; explain the warranties. On used inventory, read the window sticker since they vary from factory, 30 days, or As Is.

6. After you have covered the vehicle from back to front, ask the customer to step back with you to show them more features of the automobile. Show them the headlights and front end features. Step back with the customer and say, “Mr./Mrs. Customer, you must admit Honda, they sure did make a great looking vehicle.” Note: The walk around is the time to build rapport with the customer asking questions about them.

Demonstration Drive of The Vehicle1. Start the process at the end of the walk around. Ask the customer to get into the vehicle so you can fi nish explaining the features of the vehicle and make sure all

passengers have on seat belts.

2. Showing excitement is very important in selling the vehicle and motivating the customer to make a decision on buying now.

3. The sales person always drives the vehicle off the lot fi rst. Drive the vehicle on a designated route; your job is to control the process.

4. Begin the demo ride by covering the safety features fi rst:

Front and side airbagsSeat belts Side protection systemAnti-lock brakes

5. After the safety features, start with the driver’s door and cover the rest of the features as you follow them across the front of the vehicle.

Example: “Starting to my left, this vehicle has door locks, power windows, power rearview mirrors, the instrument panel has your gas, water, oil, and pressure readings. The service center will let you know if you have a problem with your vehicle. This arm controls your wipers, turn signals, and your rear wiper. Moving to my right, this is your climate control center--I’ll come back to the stereo--this is your power outlet, cup holders…” Continue to cover the features and show the stereo last by asking your potential buyer his/her favorite station, set the radio, cover the features, and then leave on the radio.

6. Finish the demo at the designated area; tell the customer it’s their time to drive and tell you how the vehicle makes them feel.

Note: The ideal of the customer driving the vehicle is to take mental ownership. The demonstration goal is 90% with customers.

Terry L. Isaac is the Corporate Sales Trainer for the Neil Huffman Auto Group. He can be contacted at 866.265.4680, or by email at [email protected].

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JerryTeplitz

Tip #1:Drink your water.Even when you work behind a desk all day, your body uses water. People in the

car business are constanly on the move. By the time you are thirsty, you’re already dehydrated, which impairs your physical and mental functioning. If dehydration is one of the factors attributing to an afternoon slump, you are now in both a brain slump and body slump.

To prevent this, drink a minimum of eight glasses of water a day, and more if you are physically active. Liquids like coffee or cola dehydrate you and worsen a slump.

Tip #2: Avoid sugarand simple carbohydrates.A candy bar mid-afternoon may give you a quick sugar rush, but this rush is fl eeting. Sugar and simple carbohydrates get absorbed immediately into the bloodstream. In response your blood sugar rises and your body secretes insulin to bring your sugar level back down. Unfortunately, your body doesn’t know when you’ve stopped eating the candy, so it drops you into a low blood sugar level by taking too much sugar out of your body. This is why people who rely on sugar for energy have highs and lows throughout the day.

Candy isn’t the only culprit. Simple carbohydrates, such as a white bread sandwich and some dessert at lunchtime, can cause your blood sugar to drop after a few hours. To avoid this, incorporate more protein and complex carbohydrates into your diet. Products made with whole-wheat fl our, or served with brown rice, won’t trigger blood sugar highs and lows, and will keep you on an even keel.

Tip #3: Eat small meals.Disipline yourself to have six small meals over the course of the day instead of two or three large ones. Eating a big meal in one sitting overwhelms your body and causes it to work harder to digest the food. As a result, the digestive process diverts blood from your brain and extremities to aid digestion. With smaller meals your body doesn’t have to work as hard.

Tip #4: Evaluate your lighting.Most offi ces are lit with cool white fl uorescent tubes, which have a terrible

effect on how people feel and function at work. A better option is full spectrum fl uorescent tubes, as these simulate the wavelength of sunlight. Full spectrum lighting provides many benefi ts: headaches disappear and afternoon fatigue declines, while productivity levels rise.

If your offi ce doesn’t already use full spectrum fl uorescent tubes, you might want to replace the tube just in your offi ce. Your company may want to replace the tubes company-wide to invest in your company’s human capital. The increase in productivity will be visable. Tip #5: Take walking breaks.Walking gets your blood circulating, helps you breathe better, and stimulates your brain due to the increased blood fl ow. Take a fi ve or ten minute walk during the day. Walking outside will give you the extra benefi t of fresh air. Walk through your used inventory once a day and study it.

Tip #6: Meditate.Meditation is great for rejuvenating your body. Each time you meditate, you’ll feel like you just took a six-hour nap. By meditating for fi fteen to twenty minutes twice a day, you’re keeping your body continually energized. If you do run into the afternoon slump, meditating for a quick fi ve minutes can immediately re-energize you. When you meditate, you go into a state similar to deep sleep. Your heart rate, breath rate, and vital signs are lower than the normal state of sleep, so in effect, you give your cells and your body a tremendous amount of rest in a very short period of time. You may even fi nd that you require less sleep at night since you are giving your body much well needed rest twice a day. Try it at lunch.

Tip #7: Take your vitamins.Several vitamins have an energizing affect on your body, such as B-complex and Ginseng, so take them every day. You get the maximum benefi t from your vitamins when you divide your dose throughout the day and take them with a meal. For example instead of taking 100 milligrams once a day, take fi fty milligrams with breakfast and fi fty with lunch. By doing so, you get much better absorption and greater benefi t.

Tip #8: Listen to some music.Music can energize you, and choose carefully. Find music you enjoy. Upbeat

music can get your body into a more upward stance. If you are listening to music with lyrics, make sure they are positive and motivating.

Tip # 9: Take time to breathe and stretch.Deep breathing is another way to give yourself an energy boost. Your cells require an exchange of air in the lungs to get the waste products out of the body. If you’re not breathing enough, you’re getting a build-up of waste products. By doing some breathing exercises during the day, you’ll get a lot more fresh air into your system, your cells, and your brain.

Try this exercise: While counting to seven, breathe in slowly, fi lling your stomach fi rst, then the chest, and fi nally the shoulders. Then exhale slowly, starting at the shoulders fi rst and fi nishing with the stomach, again while counting to seven. Do this three to six times. When you do, you are dramatically increasing the exchange of fresh air in your body.

Equally important is standing up and stretching. When you stretch and move, you not only increase the blood fl ow in your body, but you are also stimulating the lymphatic system, which removes waste products from your body and only functions from muscular contractions. So if you are sitting for hours at a time, you are actually building up waste products in your body. Do some stretches in the middle of both the morning and afternoon.

Tip #10: Handle negativity.Negative people and images can have a draining effect on your energy. Conversely, if you spend the day surrounded by positive people and images, you can feel energized by them. If negative people surround you at work, use your mind to go into the positive realm when they’re going into the negative. Make a conscious effort to stay positive even when others are negative around you.

Jerry Teplitz is the President of Jerry Teplitz Enterprises, Inc.. He can be contacted at 800.453.8216, or by email at [email protected], or visit www.teplitz.com.

10 Tips to Prevent the Afternoon Slump

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Website Tips to Boost Sales

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marketing solutionDennisMcDonough

If you are using your dealership web site to help drive sales, let customers perform vehicle searches and set up service

appoitments. There are several musts for you to have on every page:

Provide your physical addressYou need a physical location where your customers can go, and you must tell them how to get there. Customers need a place where they can shop for more cars get all the paperwork handled, and obtain service. You must give your dealership’s actual street address and provide a link for driving directions.

Provide your telephone numbersMake it easy for your customers to contact you, your sales people, or your service staff if they have questions about their vehicles. Keep in mind, too, that not all your customers feel comfortable in conducting

business over the Internet. Many would prefer to speak with someone. Include your local and 800 numbers. You should also include a fax number for those instances where a customer needs to send a document that they cannot email.

Fax and phone tip: Don’t include your phone number or fax number in text form on your website. Put these into graphics. Text could be picked up by spammers and you will receive unwanted faxes and phone solicitations.

Provide your email addressA basic “wsinfo@” e-mail address is good for general inquiries about your dealership. You must have someone check and respond to the mail regularly. Each one of your sales people should have his or her own email address, as should F&I, customer relations, and parts and service.

Two things to consider when you include email addresses on your web site:

1. Don’t use single word email addresses. Spammers who use dictionary broadcasts of emails will fi nd you.2. Don’t use “Mailto” links in your site. Spammers who use spiders to fi nd email addresses will gather them and clog your inbox with unwanted mail.

The Internet has added a dimension to the business. With a presence on the Internet, you are still doing business with people who want your product and need to know how to reach and visit you. Having your basic business contact information displayed prominently on your web site shows your potential customers that you are open, available, and ready to serve.

And that can help increase your sales.

Dennis McDonough is the President of Bit-Concepts. He can be contacted at 877.354.1998, ext.202, or by email [email protected].

TomGravel

Ragsdale Auto Group in Massachusetts has always been an innovative dealer group. However, we’d always seemed

unable to harvest the profi ts some dealers were making through their web sites and digital marketing strategies. At Ragsdale we had to continue to pay for leads because our site was unable to generate the volume needed to support an Internet department. Our current site was good and functional, yet seemed to lack results. With this so evident, we decided to make a change and needed to build a web site that would, in turn, focus its efforts on driving measurable results. Once we launched our new site www.ragsdalecars.com, the results were dramatic. Within 30 days of going “live” we tripled our Internet sales, quadrupled our gross, and eliminated most of our 3rd party lead providers. There were many important elements that we took into:

TrafÞ cAt Ragsdale we realized having the best web site would mean nothing without traffi c fl ow, which has been a challenge for us in the past. However, now we’re at the top of the major search engines for the most popular search phrases in our market. For example, if you go to Google.com and type in Worcester Chevrolet or Worcester Kia or Worcester Cadillac, you will notice that we appear at the top of the list of links. This strategy alone has increased our traffi c dramatically.

Interactive siteFrom the traffi c we drew, we needed to develop leads. As a result we decided our site had to be world class, featuring not only statistical information, but multimedia pieces as well. The only concern was that our web site needed to have the ability to deliver these presentations over low-speed modems, since over 50% of our customers were still on dial-up. The speed and ease of use of these new multimedia presentations impressed everyone, especially our customers. Now our site contains buzzmails and virtual test drives that have helped to triple our results.

ProcessFortunately, at Ragsdale we also realized that all the leads in the world without the right people and process could actually hurt us more than help us. Therefore we chose a partner that not only had the digital marketing tools, but also understood the car business and could help us with training. This has been one of the most vital ingredients in our recent success. Not only have our leads increased and our 3rd party costs dropped, but we are now more effi cient and effective at converting our leads into appointments that show up and hold good grosses. The key has been automating 95% of our email communication with our Buzztrak tool. As a result, our people have been able to focus the majority of their efforts on the phones, versus staring at a screen and typing email all day long.

If you’re looking for some fresh and innovative ideas, visit www.ragsdalecars.com.

Tom Gravel is the Director of Sales and Marketing for Ragsdale Auto Group. He can be contacted by email at [email protected], or visit www.ragsdalecars.com.

Top 10 Keys To Our Success1. Commitment from the top.2. World class web site promoting your profi t centers.3. A CRM and Internet lead management tool to manage and measure customer activity.4. Sales people with good phone skills. 5. A clearly defi ned process. 6. Training for your sales people to become experts.7. Automating as much of the email process as possible so your people have more time to sell cars.8. A smart pricing strategy.9. A “Why buy here?” presentation.10. Measure your progress: leads, appointment %, show %, close %, etc.

Ragsdalecars.com

june 2004 27

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