What happened to Record Players and Emails by Chris Justice

What ever happened to record players? How about Beta tape players? Anyone remember pagers? Here's a good one,typewriters.

One thing is for sure nothing is forever. No matter how useful or advanced, it to will one day be obsolete.

Now in my mid 30's, I remember thinking how hip and cool my generation was. I can only smile as my kids today refer to my generation as "old school".

Today I would classify most Auto Dealers as "old school". Within about 10% - 15%, most Dealers operate the same way they have for the last 20 years.

Here's the proof. Do you or any of your people use terms like:bouge, lot up, phone up, used car appraisal, 4 square, if I could would you, if it was that cheap why didn't you buy it?

Still running Ads like;
Push pull or drag... any trade welcome
Double your rebate/down payment
low interest rates
No reasonable offer refused
Liquidation Sale
Inventory reduction sale
Used Car blow out

Any of this sounding familiar? I see the same combination of ads I saw 18 years ago. The culture of the stores are the same, even the vocabulary is the same.

In any other industry, you did what you were doing last month, you could be out of business.

In the mid 90's when the internet started becoming popular. Dealer would get emails from 15 year old kids asking about their high priced sports car. They hated it. Now guess what? The 15 year old kids are now in their 30's. These adults are now part of your market.

A lot of Auto Dealers thought the internet was a "fad". "This is a people's business. You can't BUY a car on the internet".

Well Ebay sells a car every 60 seconds.

You want to know which new technology will affect your business tomorrow? Look at what kids are into today. Think for a moment. Who started the YouTube movement, Facebook and Twitter?

Kids today consider email to be for old folks. They "instant message" each other. Statistics show that instant messaging will replace email in less than five years.

Are you connecting with your customers through iphones, videos, texting, share sites, blogs, surveys, rewards club, monthly contact, video follow up, pay per click, banner ads, referral marketing, instant messaging and web chat?

We live in the best times, in the best country ever given to man by God. Take advantage of all the resources available to you.

If your not everywhere online...your nowhere.

Become an expert in technology... or hire one.

What say you? Feel free to comment.

By Chris Justice with No comments

The Secret

Over the last sixteen years I have seen a lot in the car business. I have made some really good friends over the years as well.

When I first started as a salesman, I had no training at all. The Manager instructed me to grab a customer, take them on a demo ride and on the way back ask them "If all terms are agreeable can I earn your business today". Well after two weeks of not selling a single car I realized there was more to it than that.

Les Brown said "Whatever you are seeking is seeking you".

I became a student of the ideas, beliefs and practices of top producers in sales. Only about 10% in the automobile sales industry do things right. They are honest, they love their customers, they are professional, well groomed and their customers love them.

They seem to move from one transaction to another effortlessly while maintaining relationships with previous customers.

Seek first to make friends. Build relationships. When a connection is made, don't let people go. Stays in touch...build on it.

Do I ever screw up? Sure I do and when I do I work to make it right.

In this economy I sell more cars now than ever because of relationships.

Remember, "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care".

By Chris Justice with No comments