1-31-09 Apex, NC... We are already a month into 2009 and things are still dragging along. Today after a college football all-star game, Howard Schnellenberger, probably one of the greatest coaches ever, said this... "Keep your eyes and ears open and you're going to learn a lot!" Well said. If you are in the car business you are learning on a daily basis. What really has to happen is that we as an industry, both dealer and manufacturer, have got to get consumer confidence up and convince the public to return to their normal pattern of buying vehicles at regular intervals. This is a global camaraderie; Toyota, Ford, KIA, GM... it makes no difference. To survive we have to work together. We have to get it together. We have to focus together. And we have to succeed together.
Keep your eyes and ears open... you might improve results.
Happy selling!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
The Last Daze
1-30-09 Apex, NC... There is a lot of activity going on in the dealerships this time of the month, and a lot of pressure. Contrary to popular belief, the deals can be found any day a customer walks into a car dealership BUT the end of the month always has its own set of priorities. If you are buying a vehicle this is not a bad time to walk into the store; the salespeople are eager to please and if they have the vehicle on the lot you can move forward rather quickly and get a good deal that also is fair to the dealership. Without some profit, a store will quickly close its doors.
So if you need a new ride, there is no better time than the present...
Happy selling!(And BUYING!)
So if you need a new ride, there is no better time than the present...
Happy selling!(And BUYING!)
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Stunned-U-LESS Package $819 BILLION!!
1-29-09 Apex, NC... I usually never have two blogs in one day... The Stimulus Package, hopefully will work...unfortunately it is full of well, a number of things!
The deficit soars. It is almost an eye-opening trillion dollars. And it turns the government into KING KONG. We taxpayers are all Faye Wrays... This is unreal scary...The thing costs more than the Iraq War for gosh sakes!
I say give every family in America $45,000; every single person $25,000 and get rid of unemployment. Do NOT expand it... People need a finacial jump start. And this almost trillion dollar super fund is not going to work as well as having everyone being fiscally responsible to turn this recession around. Add it up; it is cheaper. A bridge loan at 0% to everyone is way cheaper than this large bureaucratic gorilla.
Even eleven Democrats voted NAY; let alone every single Republican...
How about this for a social program GIVE US OUR MONEY BACK!!!
As always,
Happy selling!
The deficit soars. It is almost an eye-opening trillion dollars. And it turns the government into KING KONG. We taxpayers are all Faye Wrays... This is unreal scary...The thing costs more than the Iraq War for gosh sakes!
I say give every family in America $45,000; every single person $25,000 and get rid of unemployment. Do NOT expand it... People need a finacial jump start. And this almost trillion dollar super fund is not going to work as well as having everyone being fiscally responsible to turn this recession around. Add it up; it is cheaper. A bridge loan at 0% to everyone is way cheaper than this large bureaucratic gorilla.
Even eleven Democrats voted NAY; let alone every single Republican...
How about this for a social program GIVE US OUR MONEY BACK!!!
As always,
Happy selling!
The Opposite of Lay Off is Stay On
1-29-09 Apex NC... As we all well know, retail anything is a challenge today. I still firmly believe that you grow your business out of this economic situation NOT cut, spend, and slash the company to do so. Many salespeople in every sector sat on their hands, dooming and glooming in December; and sales reflected that. The only way to climb back up is through you!
Interestingly, if you search the web, you find success stories. Companies who are adding people and opening new stores. They exist. Not surprising to me, growth companies do one common thing. They believe in it. They support it. They make it a top priority. In fact growth and this common factor go hand-in-hand. They train their people, involve their people, and they pay attention to their people. TRAINING is the common thread in success... It keeps people on the same page. It simplifies process and energizes organizational climate. It works. One well-known company in 2008, averaged 240 hours of training per employee per the year. Enough said...
We live in the age of speed. BlackBerrys, computers, navigation make it a breeze to access information. Yet one thing has not changed since the 1950's. We stop what we do and watch the local news on T.V. Why? It ties us to community. Links us to information that we need. And no matter the electronic device, we simply need this information to connect.
Just as the local news is the common link for community, training is the common link for success. Staying connected keeps the company strong. Training is the driver to professional success.
Happy selling!
Interestingly, if you search the web, you find success stories. Companies who are adding people and opening new stores. They exist. Not surprising to me, growth companies do one common thing. They believe in it. They support it. They make it a top priority. In fact growth and this common factor go hand-in-hand. They train their people, involve their people, and they pay attention to their people. TRAINING is the common thread in success... It keeps people on the same page. It simplifies process and energizes organizational climate. It works. One well-known company in 2008, averaged 240 hours of training per employee per the year. Enough said...
We live in the age of speed. BlackBerrys, computers, navigation make it a breeze to access information. Yet one thing has not changed since the 1950's. We stop what we do and watch the local news on T.V. Why? It ties us to community. Links us to information that we need. And no matter the electronic device, we simply need this information to connect.
Just as the local news is the common link for community, training is the common link for success. Staying connected keeps the company strong. Training is the driver to professional success.
Happy selling!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Why I Love Recessions!
1-27-09 Apex, NC... I love recessions. Here is why.
1. Recessions keep you humble. You really get to assess your personal and professional portfolio HONESTLY in tough times. Egos must hit the curb.
2. Recessions make you listen. When things are brewing as they are right now, you need to make the most out of every contact and situation. You do that by active listening.
3. Recessions keep you focused. When you have to put food on the table, you stay on the straight and narrow.
4. Recessions never suffer fools lightly. The cakes, the fakes, and the flakes go away. The lazy perish. People do not hide well in these times. The good people stand out.
5. The Charles Ponzi type people pop out in recessions. When the money is tight, the schemes, some long-standing, dissolve like a Fizzi.
6. The arrogant and the greedy types get theirs in recessions. They cannot hide their cars, their beach houses, their office makeovers, their oriental rugs, and their shower curtains any longer when they let people go for the good of the company they soak off of.
7. Good habits are created in recessions. Waste not want not. Watching assets, conserving water and gas, eating healthier and cheaper, reading more, and paying attention to the little things.
8. Recessions draw people together. Facebook is taking off. People stay home more and actually pay attention to their kids.
9. Recessions create opportunity. The good people who have lost their positions or have had their salaries freeze, will find their passion and make it work.
10. Recessions increase FAITH. The relationship we really should have is straight up beyond the heavens. Count your blessings.
HAPPY SELLING!
1. Recessions keep you humble. You really get to assess your personal and professional portfolio HONESTLY in tough times. Egos must hit the curb.
2. Recessions make you listen. When things are brewing as they are right now, you need to make the most out of every contact and situation. You do that by active listening.
3. Recessions keep you focused. When you have to put food on the table, you stay on the straight and narrow.
4. Recessions never suffer fools lightly. The cakes, the fakes, and the flakes go away. The lazy perish. People do not hide well in these times. The good people stand out.
5. The Charles Ponzi type people pop out in recessions. When the money is tight, the schemes, some long-standing, dissolve like a Fizzi.
6. The arrogant and the greedy types get theirs in recessions. They cannot hide their cars, their beach houses, their office makeovers, their oriental rugs, and their shower curtains any longer when they let people go for the good of the company they soak off of.
7. Good habits are created in recessions. Waste not want not. Watching assets, conserving water and gas, eating healthier and cheaper, reading more, and paying attention to the little things.
8. Recessions draw people together. Facebook is taking off. People stay home more and actually pay attention to their kids.
9. Recessions create opportunity. The good people who have lost their positions or have had their salaries freeze, will find their passion and make it work.
10. Recessions increase FAITH. The relationship we really should have is straight up beyond the heavens. Count your blessings.
HAPPY SELLING!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Wanted Dead Or Alive
1-26-09 Apex, NC... Have you seen your wanted poster nailed to poles, pinned on the post office bulletin boards, or distributed as fliers? Nope. Me either. We have to work at being wanted. If you are in the car business in 2009, times by every stretch are challenging. I am in a lot of stores and it usually is the same. Used cars are holding their own, give or take; and new vehicle sales, even with the incentives, could be better. In fact it MUST get better.
If you are in the business, think out of the box a little bit and see what you can come up with in drawing traffic to your store. If you are a customer, tell your salesperson what you need and what you want. Tell the truth. Here is a fact. The customer always fibs first; so be upfront and give the dealer all the info he or she needs to help you with your car problem. Problem? Yep, you would not walk into the showroom if your vehicle was a cream puff that you loved beyond all things. It is a win win. We can fix your problem if you just let us. Enjoy the process and your new ride!
Happy selling!
If you are in the business, think out of the box a little bit and see what you can come up with in drawing traffic to your store. If you are a customer, tell your salesperson what you need and what you want. Tell the truth. Here is a fact. The customer always fibs first; so be upfront and give the dealer all the info he or she needs to help you with your car problem. Problem? Yep, you would not walk into the showroom if your vehicle was a cream puff that you loved beyond all things. It is a win win. We can fix your problem if you just let us. Enjoy the process and your new ride!
Happy selling!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Good News
1-25-09 Apex, NC... Man, good news now a days is as rare as snow in the Keys... For example, NO ONE remembers that Ford Motor Company had a huge profit in the first quarter of 2008 or that price of gas last summer forced us to use fuel more wisely; in fact with gas at $1.90 give or take, we have not changed our habits. Did you know that for every penny we save at the pump, we put a billion bucks back in our pockets?
We just have to create our own good news. We need to focus on opportunity not problems, and successes not failures.
Bad news sells papers and bad news leads on the six o'clock news. You read that Harley is laying off a thousand people, and Nortel is in the tank... and so on. Bad news breeds like a bad cold. People get worried. People panic. Most of the mess we are in economically has been spun from investors and from speculators. I simply refuse to participate. Things are getting better. This is the country to be successful in. Pity parties are out. Common sense and hard work are in. Negatives are out and service to others is in. The next time you get a bad case of pessimism, call me, the Therapist is always near by.
The only restructuring we need is between our ears and the only bankruptcy we really fear is in our hearts.
Happy selling!!
We just have to create our own good news. We need to focus on opportunity not problems, and successes not failures.
Bad news sells papers and bad news leads on the six o'clock news. You read that Harley is laying off a thousand people, and Nortel is in the tank... and so on. Bad news breeds like a bad cold. People get worried. People panic. Most of the mess we are in economically has been spun from investors and from speculators. I simply refuse to participate. Things are getting better. This is the country to be successful in. Pity parties are out. Common sense and hard work are in. Negatives are out and service to others is in. The next time you get a bad case of pessimism, call me, the Therapist is always near by.
The only restructuring we need is between our ears and the only bankruptcy we really fear is in our hearts.
Happy selling!!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
A Special Thank You
1-24-09 Apex NC... I simply had to put the Mayor's remarks in my commentary this morning. PLEASE read the following...
Dear Supporters,
Thank you for your kind and encouraging notes of support for my efforts
on behalf of the American Auto industry. I am grateful that former
President Bush agreed to provide vital federal assistance in the form of
a bridge loan to keep our domestic industry viable until President Obama
was sworn in.
Still, we face monumental challenges in this new year. And while I
have high hopes for the new administration, I am convinced that the
policy changes necessary to ensure success will require continued
engagement and advocacy by citizens from across the once-prosperous
industrial heartland of America.
The ailing conditions of virtually the entire U.S. manufacturing sector
was not brought about by a lack of productivity or greed on the part of
working men and women. Nor even can it be fairly blamed completely on
“bad management.”
An unholy alliance of Washington and Wall Street interests have
colluded to create Free Trade Agreements that have brought American
manufacturing - and indeed our entire economy - to its knees. They have
created a competition that Americans cannot win.
It is a race to the bottom that pits American firms against impossible
obstacles that include tariffs, subsidies (including health care),
currency manipulation, lax environmental standards and even child labor
in some parts of the world. The governments of our competitors rush to
the aid of their manufacturers in a myriad of ways, while ours is guilty
of exporting our standard of living.
It is Wall Street and Washington that should be ashamed of what they
have created, not the American worker, who is still among the most
productive on the planet. I will stack up the record of achievement of
the American Auto industry against that of the U.S. Congress or the Wall
Street wizards any day of the week. These people have been living on
borrowed time (and money) and cheating ways for decades while the
American Auto industry has been busy trying to reinvent itself, with no
help or leadership from the power brokers.
For these reasons, I am grateful for your commitment to this industry
and our nation’s future. It is only with the involvement and support
of everyday citizens that we may begin to turn things around and reclaim
the American Dream.
With proper leadership in Congress, the Obama Administration has an
opportunity to re-invest in American manufacturing and give working
people a fair chance. The President has said he will go “line by
line through the federal budget” searching out wasteful spending. I
hope you will join me in asking the new President to also go line by
line through each and every trade agreement, and work for FAIR trade
agreements that are fully enforced.
With vital federal support now and fair trade in the future there is
every reason to believe that the American Auto industry and other key
manufacturing sectors can again be the envy of the world, making the
cleaner, greener products that will help set us on the path to energy
independence and economic security.
Thanks again for sharing your support at this critical moment. Please
don’t give up hope. Together, we can and must reclaim the American
Dream for our children and grandchildren. May God bless you this new
year.
Yours for a better America,
Virg Bernero
Mayor of Lansing, Michigan
Dear Supporters,
Thank you for your kind and encouraging notes of support for my efforts
on behalf of the American Auto industry. I am grateful that former
President Bush agreed to provide vital federal assistance in the form of
a bridge loan to keep our domestic industry viable until President Obama
was sworn in.
Still, we face monumental challenges in this new year. And while I
have high hopes for the new administration, I am convinced that the
policy changes necessary to ensure success will require continued
engagement and advocacy by citizens from across the once-prosperous
industrial heartland of America.
The ailing conditions of virtually the entire U.S. manufacturing sector
was not brought about by a lack of productivity or greed on the part of
working men and women. Nor even can it be fairly blamed completely on
“bad management.”
An unholy alliance of Washington and Wall Street interests have
colluded to create Free Trade Agreements that have brought American
manufacturing - and indeed our entire economy - to its knees. They have
created a competition that Americans cannot win.
It is a race to the bottom that pits American firms against impossible
obstacles that include tariffs, subsidies (including health care),
currency manipulation, lax environmental standards and even child labor
in some parts of the world. The governments of our competitors rush to
the aid of their manufacturers in a myriad of ways, while ours is guilty
of exporting our standard of living.
It is Wall Street and Washington that should be ashamed of what they
have created, not the American worker, who is still among the most
productive on the planet. I will stack up the record of achievement of
the American Auto industry against that of the U.S. Congress or the Wall
Street wizards any day of the week. These people have been living on
borrowed time (and money) and cheating ways for decades while the
American Auto industry has been busy trying to reinvent itself, with no
help or leadership from the power brokers.
For these reasons, I am grateful for your commitment to this industry
and our nation’s future. It is only with the involvement and support
of everyday citizens that we may begin to turn things around and reclaim
the American Dream.
With proper leadership in Congress, the Obama Administration has an
opportunity to re-invest in American manufacturing and give working
people a fair chance. The President has said he will go “line by
line through the federal budget” searching out wasteful spending. I
hope you will join me in asking the new President to also go line by
line through each and every trade agreement, and work for FAIR trade
agreements that are fully enforced.
With vital federal support now and fair trade in the future there is
every reason to believe that the American Auto industry and other key
manufacturing sectors can again be the envy of the world, making the
cleaner, greener products that will help set us on the path to energy
independence and economic security.
Thanks again for sharing your support at this critical moment. Please
don’t give up hope. Together, we can and must reclaim the American
Dream for our children and grandchildren. May God bless you this new
year.
Yours for a better America,
Virg Bernero
Mayor of Lansing, Michigan
Friday, January 23, 2009
Baby Come Back
1-23-09 Apex NC... I normally give commercials on T.V. the smallest slice of attention. But there is one I think is just hilarious. It is the Swiffer ad that has the song in the background... "Baby come back, you can blame it all on me!" Floor mops are hiding in the bushes and in the grocery store aisles wishing to be invited back into the house. Once a central part of general clean up, the good ole' mop has been replaced by the Swiffer. The mop and the homemaker have broke up forever. The relationship has been severed; so much for loyalty...
Loyalty is the central theme in this very funny 60 seconds. Think about it.If you sell anything, you MUST keep your eyes on the relationship. Your owners and your referrals are the keys to success. Listen to them. And change with the needs and wants of the customer. Doing business as usual will leave you mopping up and all alone.
Happy selling!
Loyalty is the central theme in this very funny 60 seconds. Think about it.If you sell anything, you MUST keep your eyes on the relationship. Your owners and your referrals are the keys to success. Listen to them. And change with the needs and wants of the customer. Doing business as usual will leave you mopping up and all alone.
Happy selling!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Moving Forward
1-21-09 Apex, NC... Every time someone thinks of this slogan, they usually think of Toyota. It's in their commercials; heck it is their adopted slogan. Adopted? Well yeah... In 1930, Henry Ford wrote a business book called "Moving Forward". Ironic isn't it?
Here is a Henry I quote from 1930, "If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself."
Henry Ford, one of the greatest minds in automotive history never suffered fools lightly. His quotes are always to the point.
As the government moves forward and as 2009 moves forward; let's do it too...
Happy selling!
Here is a Henry I quote from 1930, "If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself."
Henry Ford, one of the greatest minds in automotive history never suffered fools lightly. His quotes are always to the point.
As the government moves forward and as 2009 moves forward; let's do it too...
Happy selling!
Monday, January 19, 2009
His Last Day
1-19-09 Apex, NC... There is probably no better positive messenger than the U.S. President. In fact, many times the President has to be a cheerleader. It is too early to grade Mr.Bush and it is way too early to grade Mr.Obama. I hope that the future shows both to be successful. Just as not having another terrorist tragedy on U.S.soil will help define George W., I pray that the economy defines Barack H.
If we do not move into better economic times soon, things could really soften and we could fall more deeply into challenging uncertainty.
Stimulus is key to Mr. Obama'a first term. The shovel-ready projects he proposes could move us into better times. Fixing consumer confidence is the number one benefit of stimulus. I wish the new President great luck! And I wish President Bush Godspeed.
Happy selling!
If we do not move into better economic times soon, things could really soften and we could fall more deeply into challenging uncertainty.
Stimulus is key to Mr. Obama'a first term. The shovel-ready projects he proposes could move us into better times. Fixing consumer confidence is the number one benefit of stimulus. I wish the new President great luck! And I wish President Bush Godspeed.
Happy selling!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Simple not Easy
1-17-09 Apex, NC... "Simple not easy" is a term I use in training classes to describe that simple focus is never easy. Whether you are pursuing success or simply walking west... each goal is never easy. I could have you stand on I 40 in North Carolina and ask you to walk to Las Vegas... pretty simple actually, just one foot after another. But it is not easy, even if you thumb some of the way.
Success is simple as well, just a lot of hard work. If you achieve anything in life the easy way, you never earned it...
Happy selling!
Success is simple as well, just a lot of hard work. If you achieve anything in life the easy way, you never earned it...
Happy selling!
Friday, January 16, 2009
Coupla Things
1-16-09, Apex NC... It looks like Nintendo still rocks in the video game market place. In December, it increased Wii sales 59 percent and sold 2.15 million Wii players. And all of this buying frenzy happened in in this cautionary economy. I want to remind you again that EXPERIENCE always sells. Give the customer the experience they both need and want, then get out of the way... here they come to buy it!
Just give people what they want and sales jump... There is a lesson here.
How about the miracle of the Hudson yesterday? How many times do we yawn and chat through the emergency procedures as we taxi for take off? Amazing what training does in the event of a disaster. Within minutes, all were saved on that U.S. Airways flight.
No matter the job, training is essential. Too bad it took this to happen for us to be more attentive when the flight attendant shows us how to use the oxygen mask.
Training means you never have to say you are not ready... Training is an investment!
Happy Selling!
Just give people what they want and sales jump... There is a lesson here.
How about the miracle of the Hudson yesterday? How many times do we yawn and chat through the emergency procedures as we taxi for take off? Amazing what training does in the event of a disaster. Within minutes, all were saved on that U.S. Airways flight.
No matter the job, training is essential. Too bad it took this to happen for us to be more attentive when the flight attendant shows us how to use the oxygen mask.
Training means you never have to say you are not ready... Training is an investment!
Happy Selling!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Gran Torino
1-15-09 Apex, NC... I have to smile when I think of Gran Torino. The new Eastwood flick of that title will force me to go see the movie, love the car. Now Clint Eastwood is no slouch either, but the draw is the car itself, a one year wonder made to look that way only in 1972; it was called the Ford Gran Torino Sport, 351 Cobra Jet (CJ), Cleveland Small Block V-8, six miles to the gallon on premium gas. I had one. Bought it in 1973 for $2700. Sold it for the same price in 1983. It was fast. It was big, solid and comfortable. Considered an intermediate sized car, it had a large foot print driving down the road. Wall-to-wall genuine imitation leather and crank windows, but it was a two door coupe so it didn't matter. The best thing about it was the Goodyear Polyglass GT H60's on the back that matched up well with the dual exhausts. It had a very cool presence. The rumble of those exhausts still ring like the sound of angels in my head, even after all those years. The design for Ford was brand new for 1972. The Gran Torino came in a fastback (remember) and a much rarer hard top. I had the hardtop. Looked cooler. And you honestly could not break the C-6 automatic tranny. I sure tried. There was also a regular Torino that year as well, but that usually had four doors and a 250 straight six, and the front end was different. It simply was not a Gran.
Sadly, they put a huge safety bumper on all the cars in 1973 and that killed the cowl look. In many circles that 72 was the car of the year.
As we see the Big Three facing such challenges today, remember that your first car probably was Detroit sheet metal. And when you started it up good things were soon to happen! Your best cruisin' memories did not happen in a Hyundai...
Happy selling!
Sadly, they put a huge safety bumper on all the cars in 1973 and that killed the cowl look. In many circles that 72 was the car of the year.
As we see the Big Three facing such challenges today, remember that your first car probably was Detroit sheet metal. And when you started it up good things were soon to happen! Your best cruisin' memories did not happen in a Hyundai...
Happy selling!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Is Training Worth It?
1-14-09 Apex, NC...As a start-up training and recruiting small business, I have realized that the old school thought that we can save money by training ourselves still exists. Let's have the managers do it and save a few bucks. Here is the thing; businesses can't afford not to emphasize training today. My cold calls end up dry; prospects postpone sessions, and I sit wondering why? Just like when we make health care free and then soon realize how expensive it is, NOT having your teams motivated, rehearsed, and refreshed with new ideas and strategies to serve customers costs the business revenue as well.
For customers, it is all about the experience. Training EXPERIENCE is invaluable. If you have to cut, scrimp, and save your way into 2009, don't make training your victim...
Train your people. Get them on the same page. Profits follow!
Happy selling!
For customers, it is all about the experience. Training EXPERIENCE is invaluable. If you have to cut, scrimp, and save your way into 2009, don't make training your victim...
Train your people. Get them on the same page. Profits follow!
Happy selling!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Motown Supreme
1-13-09 Apex, NC... Most of you know what my hometown is. My license plate says D-TROIT, and I drive a H 3 ALPHA... There is no doubt where my heart was born and raised. All year, Detroit has taken a beating. From the Mayor scandal, to the first with $4.00 gas, to the last place Tigers and the no place Lions; even Michigan Football had a tough year. Right now, it is the middle of a chilly, snowy January... It is currently 21 degrees with a little snow as I write this. The town of late has been bruised, beaten, and put away wet... err frozen wet...
But the town is truly upbeat, with the focus on the beat. Fifty years ago this week, Berry Gordy Jr. borrowed $800 to start Motown Records. The town came to life that day with music that will live forever. Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder; powerhouse voices equated with the greatest ever. The Supremes, The Vandellas, the Temps, and the Miracles WOW...
With the 2009 Auto Show and the historic Motown Sound, Detroit has good things going. It is a tribute to the hard working people who work and live in Metro Detroit. The car business is heading back, the Lions will win a game and there is nothing like Diana Ross singing "Baby Love, my baby love..."
We all can learn from the high energy, salesmanship, dedication, and hard work of Berry Gordy Jr.
Happy selling!
But the town is truly upbeat, with the focus on the beat. Fifty years ago this week, Berry Gordy Jr. borrowed $800 to start Motown Records. The town came to life that day with music that will live forever. Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder; powerhouse voices equated with the greatest ever. The Supremes, The Vandellas, the Temps, and the Miracles WOW...
With the 2009 Auto Show and the historic Motown Sound, Detroit has good things going. It is a tribute to the hard working people who work and live in Metro Detroit. The car business is heading back, the Lions will win a game and there is nothing like Diana Ross singing "Baby Love, my baby love..."
We all can learn from the high energy, salesmanship, dedication, and hard work of Berry Gordy Jr.
Happy selling!
Monday, January 12, 2009
It is an ObamaNation!
1-12-09 Apex, NC... I am trying to assess the fastest growing opportunities in the good ole' USA. What? Very funny. Nice... Someone out there just yelled Bankruptcy Lawyers... Hey, I am serious here... With Obama wanting millions back to work and with my area, the Triangle, wanting thousands back, I am thinking that career services will be a fast grow this year.
This past week, I had been working with Northwood University students, helping them with practice interviews and resume assessment. Northwood is the top automotive university in the U.S. with campuses in MI, TX, and FL. I enjoy doing it. I have guest lectured there so it was a natural. Now I have decided to add this to my menu portfolio and integrate it into the business. Most of us are either job creators, job enablers, or job sustainers if we contribute in this website. And helping others succeed truly defines our own success. There is an African proverb out there that says something like this... No one is truly a person until they are with other people. I firmly believe that.
I want good people to find good jobs, yet many of them blow the interview for a multitude of reasons; usually it is blatant lack of preparation or a poorly written resume, but unbelieveably, dressing inappropriately, forehead-propped sunglasses, and gum chewing are pretty close behind.
The new Prez wants everyone working... I am IN! With a little support, we will head in the right direction and again be the boomimg economy we have always been.
Happy selling!!
This past week, I had been working with Northwood University students, helping them with practice interviews and resume assessment. Northwood is the top automotive university in the U.S. with campuses in MI, TX, and FL. I enjoy doing it. I have guest lectured there so it was a natural. Now I have decided to add this to my menu portfolio and integrate it into the business. Most of us are either job creators, job enablers, or job sustainers if we contribute in this website. And helping others succeed truly defines our own success. There is an African proverb out there that says something like this... No one is truly a person until they are with other people. I firmly believe that.
I want good people to find good jobs, yet many of them blow the interview for a multitude of reasons; usually it is blatant lack of preparation or a poorly written resume, but unbelieveably, dressing inappropriately, forehead-propped sunglasses, and gum chewing are pretty close behind.
The new Prez wants everyone working... I am IN! With a little support, we will head in the right direction and again be the boomimg economy we have always been.
Happy selling!!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Are You Upset?
1-11-09, Apex NC... By now, all of you have watched a little football this weekend and the upsets just keep on coming... How can one team be favored to win by 10 and lose by 20? How could Vegas be so wrong? Back in August, the Detroit Lions were undefeated in preseason at 4-0, the then QB Kitna predicted at least 10 wins... He was almost right. I saw 16 wins... Detroit was indeed perfect in the regular session too.
The weather forecasters will often predict partly cloudy, and the next day will be wet and windy. The same people that predicted $6.00 gas when it was $4.00, are telling us it will be $2.50 by spring.
The lesson is this, refuse to participate in the future when we can manage the present, because quite honestly, we do not have a clue. Those "experts" who compare 2009 with 1931 and 1945 honestly have no idea as to what the heck will happen over the next 12 months.
Just take everything in with a grain of salt. The only people in America who have earned the right to be negative with evidence are the Detroit sportswriters; get in front of a customer in the morning, smile like crazy and write him up. The economy will be pretty good right about then.
Happy selling!!
The weather forecasters will often predict partly cloudy, and the next day will be wet and windy. The same people that predicted $6.00 gas when it was $4.00, are telling us it will be $2.50 by spring.
The lesson is this, refuse to participate in the future when we can manage the present, because quite honestly, we do not have a clue. Those "experts" who compare 2009 with 1931 and 1945 honestly have no idea as to what the heck will happen over the next 12 months.
Just take everything in with a grain of salt. The only people in America who have earned the right to be negative with evidence are the Detroit sportswriters; get in front of a customer in the morning, smile like crazy and write him up. The economy will be pretty good right about then.
Happy selling!!
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Passion LLC
1-10-09, Apex NC... Over half of the professional base in this country is small business. Small businesses create the fastest growth and an immediate opportunity. If you love what you can do and can turn it into a company you are very lucky. This is America. The small businesses within the car business itself are job creaters, job enablers, and job sustainers. No other industry has the potential this one has; reinvention is the cornerstone of what we are and what we do. The challenges are enormous, but look at the dividends. With so many people out of work, our business will welcome the most qualified. Sales drive the economy. Nothing moves in this global market without this fact. We have touched the bottom of the cycle and are heading on up again. Spring, a new administration, and fresh ideas will make 2009 the avenue we want it to be. I am so glad to be a small part of the regrowth.
Today, the U.S. Navy commissioned the newest and last of the Nimitz Class aircraft carriers, the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). My Dad served on the same ship as the President did, the USS Philippine Sea (CV 47). While my Dad was a Machinist Mate and the President a Naval Fighter Pilot, each did what they could to make us free.
Today as the giant aircraft carrier was slowly manned, you saw the miracle of individual hero assembled from the deck to station. God bless and protect them.
Today, the U.S. Navy commissioned the newest and last of the Nimitz Class aircraft carriers, the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). My Dad served on the same ship as the President did, the USS Philippine Sea (CV 47). While my Dad was a Machinist Mate and the President a Naval Fighter Pilot, each did what they could to make us free.
Today as the giant aircraft carrier was slowly manned, you saw the miracle of individual hero assembled from the deck to station. God bless and protect them.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Sermon on the Engine Mount
1-8-09 Apex, NC
Good morning my automotive brothers and sisters.
For all you newcomers, welcome to St. Henry II located in the diocese of GM, Ford and Chrysler. For you transplants in the back pews, this homily is for you too. So stay awake before you head back to Tennessee and Georgia. Remember we are all believers. Although I personally did not spend last night in a Holiday Inn Express, I did study for the priesthood in my youth, fully qualifying me to give you the message of Hope and Increased Consumer Confidence in this a new year...
If you read and listen to the deathsayers out there today, terms like FEAR, LOW, THE NEW NORMAL, NO IMPROVEMENT, SHEDDING JOBS, CUTTING COSTS... Blah Blah Blah...on and on my brothers and sisters. These are the non-believers. They are non-autophytes. And I say this to all the non-believers out there. CRAPPOLA!! Knock off the doom and gloom. 2009 is not 1929.
You want success in this business? Then go after it. You want to fix consumer confidence? Fix it. No one said it was easy. Obama says hard work and responsibility will get us out of this current fiscal challenge. I have to agree.
Customer Confidence will increase with the following strategy. Give your potential and current faithful an EXPERIENCE. The reason Fresh Market can sell their products for more than the local grocery store is the experience. The reason Walmart and McDonalds grow is VALUE. The reason why the electronics industry is growing is ENTERTAINMENT. Who does not want a Wii, even if they cannot afford it. This ain't ROCKET SCIENCE brethren!!
Stimulus with stimuli. Stimulus means EXCITE TO ACTION!!
We need born again car people. Genesis is indeed Chapter One. The beginning to our renewed success is simple.
Go back to Fundamentals. Make it FUN. Take the DUH out of middle and focus on your MENTALS.
Greet everyone everywhere with a smile. It is the best way to quickly improve your looks. And you just never know when that smile might lead to a visit to your dealership. Be ethical. Be honest. Be friendly. Give the customer what they NEED first, then what they want. Listen. Stop playing games. Stop the spring butt to and from the desk with your salesperson as the messenger. Remember the customer's last experience determines the next visit. So stop hitting the customer in the face with a full pop pencil. They are as smart as we are so treat them as such.
The average customer hated shopping for a car in great times. That's why they tell you they are just looking!! They detest the process even more now and put it off in bad times for more reasons then we think about. Remember that old school rhymes with mold and fool. You will get a better profit with service and value than by playing hide the peanut. Knock off maxing profit with every deal and with every trade. The very same people who hate shopping for a new vehicle LOVE buying one when the experience is there. Make it fun and reduce everyone's stress. Your customers will love you and will have other followers come to your congregations.
Amen and Alleluia... Now please stand... And pass the basket!!
Good morning my automotive brothers and sisters.
For all you newcomers, welcome to St. Henry II located in the diocese of GM, Ford and Chrysler. For you transplants in the back pews, this homily is for you too. So stay awake before you head back to Tennessee and Georgia. Remember we are all believers. Although I personally did not spend last night in a Holiday Inn Express, I did study for the priesthood in my youth, fully qualifying me to give you the message of Hope and Increased Consumer Confidence in this a new year...
If you read and listen to the deathsayers out there today, terms like FEAR, LOW, THE NEW NORMAL, NO IMPROVEMENT, SHEDDING JOBS, CUTTING COSTS... Blah Blah Blah...on and on my brothers and sisters. These are the non-believers. They are non-autophytes. And I say this to all the non-believers out there. CRAPPOLA!! Knock off the doom and gloom. 2009 is not 1929.
You want success in this business? Then go after it. You want to fix consumer confidence? Fix it. No one said it was easy. Obama says hard work and responsibility will get us out of this current fiscal challenge. I have to agree.
Customer Confidence will increase with the following strategy. Give your potential and current faithful an EXPERIENCE. The reason Fresh Market can sell their products for more than the local grocery store is the experience. The reason Walmart and McDonalds grow is VALUE. The reason why the electronics industry is growing is ENTERTAINMENT. Who does not want a Wii, even if they cannot afford it. This ain't ROCKET SCIENCE brethren!!
Stimulus with stimuli. Stimulus means EXCITE TO ACTION!!
We need born again car people. Genesis is indeed Chapter One. The beginning to our renewed success is simple.
Go back to Fundamentals. Make it FUN. Take the DUH out of middle and focus on your MENTALS.
Greet everyone everywhere with a smile. It is the best way to quickly improve your looks. And you just never know when that smile might lead to a visit to your dealership. Be ethical. Be honest. Be friendly. Give the customer what they NEED first, then what they want. Listen. Stop playing games. Stop the spring butt to and from the desk with your salesperson as the messenger. Remember the customer's last experience determines the next visit. So stop hitting the customer in the face with a full pop pencil. They are as smart as we are so treat them as such.
The average customer hated shopping for a car in great times. That's why they tell you they are just looking!! They detest the process even more now and put it off in bad times for more reasons then we think about. Remember that old school rhymes with mold and fool. You will get a better profit with service and value than by playing hide the peanut. Knock off maxing profit with every deal and with every trade. The very same people who hate shopping for a new vehicle LOVE buying one when the experience is there. Make it fun and reduce everyone's stress. Your customers will love you and will have other followers come to your congregations.
Amen and Alleluia... Now please stand... And pass the basket!!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Randomitis
1-6-09... Apex NC, I have some random stuff I am throwing at you today. Food for Thought!
In 1908, the Model T got 25 MPG... I need to get one fast.
Prez-Elect Obama states things are terrible and getting worse, yet he somehow has access to .75 TRILLION for what I am calling, "Shovel Projects"... bridges, highways etc... If things are that tough fiscally where is the unlimited money coming from? Oh yeah... We are the Shovel Support Group, you have to dig that...
I am excited the 2010 Cadillac SRX is coming. Trust me, it will be worth the test drive.
13.2 million vehicles in total 2008 vehicle sales; actually not as bad as the negatives have hammered since August. I still think 2009 will be up in sales. Why? Consumer confidence is the sole reason for success and failure here. The car business must refocus itself on the customer. This is not Rhodes Scholarship stuff. Sell vehicles people NEED and WANT. The product gets better every day. The car business will be better in 2009.
The busiest profession?? Bankruptcy Lawyers...
Gas has climbed in the Raleigh NC market. It is about $1.71 a gallon. Keep it under two bucks a gallon and we can give ourselves the stimulus package every day.
Makes cents to me... At least that way I can buy my own shovel.
Happy selling!
In 1908, the Model T got 25 MPG... I need to get one fast.
Prez-Elect Obama states things are terrible and getting worse, yet he somehow has access to .75 TRILLION for what I am calling, "Shovel Projects"... bridges, highways etc... If things are that tough fiscally where is the unlimited money coming from? Oh yeah... We are the Shovel Support Group, you have to dig that...
I am excited the 2010 Cadillac SRX is coming. Trust me, it will be worth the test drive.
13.2 million vehicles in total 2008 vehicle sales; actually not as bad as the negatives have hammered since August. I still think 2009 will be up in sales. Why? Consumer confidence is the sole reason for success and failure here. The car business must refocus itself on the customer. This is not Rhodes Scholarship stuff. Sell vehicles people NEED and WANT. The product gets better every day. The car business will be better in 2009.
The busiest profession?? Bankruptcy Lawyers...
Gas has climbed in the Raleigh NC market. It is about $1.71 a gallon. Keep it under two bucks a gallon and we can give ourselves the stimulus package every day.
Makes cents to me... At least that way I can buy my own shovel.
Happy selling!
Monday, January 5, 2009
It is All About You!
1-5-09 Apex, NC...Not that long ago, I was in a busy new restaurant in town and I was talking to the owner. I had to meet him because he just launched his business, and I wanted to wish him well. As we chatted, I realized probably the biggest relationship mantra in the Universe. "It is not who you know. It is not what you know; it is who knows you."
This has not left my head... I know that by our meeting, more people would visit his outstanding location and in turn, he would mention what I am all about. Win Win.
The more people you meet, the better the chances to your success.
Happy selling!
This has not left my head... I know that by our meeting, more people would visit his outstanding location and in turn, he would mention what I am all about. Win Win.
The more people you meet, the better the chances to your success.
Happy selling!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
PDGV
1-4-09... Apex NC: Check this out. The PDGV factor is critical in the retail automotive business, in fact in any business. An NFL running back has to have it to make it to the Pro Bowl, so does the successful HUMMER salesperson.
The P is patience. Success is hard work and it is never overnight. Be focused and know it will take time. Never give up. The D is determination. Failure just is not an option. If you have a bad day, so what. You have to be stubborn in your professional and personal avenue to success. The G stands for guts. Do you have what it takes to take risks? Are you willing to head to the unknown? Are you mentally locked in? Success is there. And finally, the V is vision. If you can see it and you believe, success is at the end of the rainbow.
Patience, determination, guts, and vision... these are the keys to your success. Max them all and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Happy selling!
The P is patience. Success is hard work and it is never overnight. Be focused and know it will take time. Never give up. The D is determination. Failure just is not an option. If you have a bad day, so what. You have to be stubborn in your professional and personal avenue to success. The G stands for guts. Do you have what it takes to take risks? Are you willing to head to the unknown? Are you mentally locked in? Success is there. And finally, the V is vision. If you can see it and you believe, success is at the end of the rainbow.
Patience, determination, guts, and vision... these are the keys to your success. Max them all and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Happy selling!
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Organizational Cobbler
: 1-2, Apex NC... Did you know that shoe repair is one of the growth industries in 2009? More and more people are going to the shoe cobbler to repair their shoes, purses, boots and belts rather than buy new. It makes sense to have things last, especially if they are quality things.
The shoe cobblers of the automotive business are the sales trainers. However, the typical thought process in the dealership, especially now, is to eliminate formal training and just let the managers do it, thus "saving" money in this tight economy. " We will just do it in-house." But just like with shoes, every organization needs morale and process cobbling to keep the people they have. Finding, recruiting, hiring and training brand-new people are far more expensive than improving the people that are already acclimated to your goals and objectives.
There are good sales trainers out there who can cobble some "sole" into your people. Call me and I will do it. You get 30 minutes of FREE training on-site or by phone anywhere in the United States as an introductory offer from VTR Consulting LLC.
You can re-heel shoes forever. And you can keep your people the same way. In this economic environment, training makes more sense than ever.
Happy selling!
The shoe cobblers of the automotive business are the sales trainers. However, the typical thought process in the dealership, especially now, is to eliminate formal training and just let the managers do it, thus "saving" money in this tight economy. " We will just do it in-house." But just like with shoes, every organization needs morale and process cobbling to keep the people they have. Finding, recruiting, hiring and training brand-new people are far more expensive than improving the people that are already acclimated to your goals and objectives.
There are good sales trainers out there who can cobble some "sole" into your people. Call me and I will do it. You get 30 minutes of FREE training on-site or by phone anywhere in the United States as an introductory offer from VTR Consulting LLC.
You can re-heel shoes forever. And you can keep your people the same way. In this economic environment, training makes more sense than ever.
Happy selling!
Thursday, January 1, 2009
First Impressions
1-1, APEX NC... Good morning and Happy New Year to everyone.
I am getting ready to do mock job interviews with Northwood University students next week. For three days I will interview the students for positions and assess their performances. These are smart kids, because job interviews need preparation. The biggest challenge for job seekers today is not a tight job market or the bear economy; it is getting ready for the interview. People looking for work spend numerous hours preparing for these interviews by focusing on the questions the interviewer will ask. WRONG. Successful candidates, those getting the positions, must focus on the ANSWERS. It is not about the questions, it is about how they are answered.
And first impressions are everything. Gum chewing, strong perfume, lack of knowledge about the company they are interviewing with... That's a start at failure. The candidate's chances at getting the position is now at zero.
Contact me and I will help prepare you for the interview. It is the prerequisites that will put you in the career you want, not the questions the interviewer asks...
www.vtrconsulting.com
Set up your mock interview today...
I am getting ready to do mock job interviews with Northwood University students next week. For three days I will interview the students for positions and assess their performances. These are smart kids, because job interviews need preparation. The biggest challenge for job seekers today is not a tight job market or the bear economy; it is getting ready for the interview. People looking for work spend numerous hours preparing for these interviews by focusing on the questions the interviewer will ask. WRONG. Successful candidates, those getting the positions, must focus on the ANSWERS. It is not about the questions, it is about how they are answered.
And first impressions are everything. Gum chewing, strong perfume, lack of knowledge about the company they are interviewing with... That's a start at failure. The candidate's chances at getting the position is now at zero.
Contact me and I will help prepare you for the interview. It is the prerequisites that will put you in the career you want, not the questions the interviewer asks...
www.vtrconsulting.com
Set up your mock interview today...
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