The American Car Salesman

The American car salesman is both hated and revered.
He is the last of a rare breed - the ultimate maverick.
He walks with confidence and takes offense at direction.
He cannot be left on his own, yet his spirit will not be dominated.
He is free enterprise personified.
The American automobile salesman laughs in the face of affirmative action. He is one of the few workers in society who is paid exactly what he is worth.
While the average person views an hourly wage as security, he disdains it as unnecessary limit on his ability to produce.
He hears negative responses every day, but has never learned the meaning of defeat.
He believes free enterprise was created with him in mind.
He has the instinct of the hunter, coupled with great compassion and kindness. He speaks eloquently and detects the most innocent untruth from his customers.
He would never bow his knee to any king or queen, but has the uncanny ability to treat his customers like royalty.
He is uniquely talented, endowed with savvy that cannot be taught in a classroom.
His spirit is what America was built on.
He is a loner who has difficulty walking in step with others, yet he gravitates towards those who are like him.
He is intensely competitive, nevertheless quick to give a helping hand to a struggling brother.
He is a dealer's biggest liability, yet he is that same merchant's greatest asset.
Some elements of society would like to eliminate him, but have found him to be indestructible.
Without his personality, his smile, his spirit, there would be a giant void in America.

Larry Bruce

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Craig Darling on August 28, 2010 at 12:16pm

I love this. It is on the wall at a dealership where friends work. Framed and matted. It is so true. And because of the car business, I figured out long ago... I can do what ever I want to do in the US to work towards success!

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on August 28, 2010 at 12:35pm

Is really cool, isnt it!

Craig Darling said:

I love this. It is on the wall at a dealership where friends work. Framed and matted. It is so true. And because of the car business, I figured out long ago... I can do what ever I want to do in the US to work towards success!

Permalink Reply by Bob Gaber on September 2, 2010 at 8:32pm

With your permission, I am going to copy and print it and provide it to all my students.

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on September 2, 2010 at 8:57pm

Yes,please do Bob....all trainers should~!Bob Gaber said:

With your permission, I am going to copy and print it and provide it to all my students.

Permalink Reply by Tim Pendergast on September 4, 2010 at 10:00pm

I passed this out to all my people at the store. Even the mechanics loved it! Having it framed on my bar room wall. Thanx Craig

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on September 4, 2010 at 11:10pm

Welcome,it was given to me as well.....pass it along!

Tim Pendergast said:

I passed this out to all my people at the store. Even the mechanics loved it! Having it framed on my bar room wall. Thanx Craig

Permalink Reply by mike holmwood on September 7, 2010 at 10:17pm

intensely competitive but quick to lend a helping hand. how true

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on September 7, 2010 at 10:54pm

Very true,isn't it Mike

mike holmwood said:

intensely competitive but quick to lend a helping hand. how true

Permalink Reply by Ernie Kasprowicz on September 16, 2010 at 9:25am

While I agree this is an accurate description of the way it was,...does it reflect today's salesperson. The 2nd to last line "Some elements of society would like to eliminate him..." seems to ring true. I hear over and over again from people lamenting how today's salesperson can't or doesn't sell. That they are limited by corporate structure or pricing constraints, that they just aren't what they used to be. Is that true?

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on September 16, 2010 at 9:43am

Well, it's been tired , eliminating the salesperson with horrible result.I think it does indeed have much to do with a different ,more corporate structure in dealerships.The bigger groups that have "Corporate Trainers" then rely on that training so they relax and depend on that from Corprate and then say they see them maybe once a month.Daily training should be held....how often?

Ernie Kasprowicz said:

While I agree this is an accurate description of the way it was,...does it reflect today's salesperson. The 2nd to last line "Some elements of society would like to eliminate him..." seems to ring true. I hear over and over again from people lamenting how today's salesperson can't or doesn't sell. That they are limited by corporate structure or pricing constraints, that they just aren't what they used to be. Is that true?

Permalink Reply by Ernie Kasprowicz on September 16, 2010 at 10:33am

Uh, daily, lol. Why do pro football teams practice daily the same plays they have been running since training camp? They adjust to the competition at hand and then practice how to be successful.

Craig Lockerd said:

Well, it's been tired , eliminating the salesperson with horrible result.I think it does indeed have much to do with a different ,more corporate structure in dealerships.The bigger groups that have "Corporate Trainers" then rely on that training so they relax and depend on that from Corprate and then say they see them maybe once a month.Daily training should be held....how often?

Ernie Kasprowicz said:
While I agree this is an accurate description of the way it was,...does it reflect today's salesperson. The 2nd to last line "Some elements of society would like to eliminate him..." seems to ring true. I hear over and over again from people lamenting how today's salesperson can't or doesn't sell. That they are limited by corporate structure or pricing constraints, that they just aren't what they used to be. Is that true?

Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on September 16, 2010 at 10:39am

That is exactly right,From 1976 up till we started AutoMax 12 years ago I was never in a store from being a salesperson to Gm that we didn't have daily meetings....daily!

Ernie Kasprowicz said:

Uh, daily, lol. Why do pro football teams practice daily the same plays they have been running since training camp? They adjust to the competition at hand and then practice how to be successful.

Craig Lockerd said:
Well, it's been tired , eliminating the salesperson with horrible result.I think it does indeed have much to do with a different ,more corporate structure in dealerships.The bigger groups that have "Corporate Trainers" then rely on that training so they relax and depend on that from Corprate and then say they see them maybe once a month.Daily training should be held....how often?

Ernie Kasprowicz said:
While I agree this is an accurate description of the way it was,...does it reflect today's salesperson. The 2nd to last line "Some elements of society would like to eliminate him..." seems to ring true. I hear over and over again from people lamenting how today's salesperson can't or doesn't sell. That they are limited by corporate structure or pricing constraints, that they just aren't what they used to be. Is that true?