Where do you advertise to find more sales people?
Hello Members-
I thought we could start the discussion off with a topic that is essential to all of us. Where do you go to find quality sales associates? Do you use a training company? Do you advertise online? Do you pay for referrals?
What source do you think is the best outlet for finding quality sales people? Let the group know what you have used that has been successful.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on -
We have conducted over 11,000 Salesperson Recruiting/Training Campaigns,trained over 100,000 Salespeople for Dealers in the U.S. ,Canada and Puerto Rico over the last 13 years.....
I can give you a step by step process to follow that we do for every dealer....it's vast and effective.....will you follow it?
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Permalink Reply by Ernie Kasprowicz on
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Joe, you asked what would seem to be a hot button question. Certainly a subject that pertains to nearly everyone in the retail sector and in this group. Yet, no one other than AutoMax Recruiting and Training, LLC has replied. Perhaps it is the time of year or end of month, I don't know. I have been involved helping automotive dealerships recruit, train and hire committed, well trained salespeople without bad habits for the better part of 13 years. What that experience has provided can help answer a few of your questions. First of all, every dealership AutoMax has assisted could have done things on their own....for a price, with varying degrees of success. Perhaps at a cost not as immediately tangible as investing in a professional service to assist, but there most assuredly was a cost involved.
Advertise online using as many relevant job portals, sites and boards as you can afford. In today's world, the best and brightest know that's where the best offers are located. Newsprint has become expensive in comparison and does not produce the largest quantity of quality applicants. For our clients we post help wanted advertising on up to 200 online avenues. That is massive exposure. At times, we are asked, "do we need to post on some many resources"? The answer is simply, yes, because no one knows exactly where your next great salesperson(s) are looking. The strategy is to be nearly everywhere a person could look, capture their interest with a valid offer, provide a real motivation to respond, answer their resume immediately to schedule an interview and you have a fighting chance to meet them person to person.
Certainly you can pay for referrals and I believe you can find some excellent salespeople via word of mouth. I do run into the situation whereby a dealer ends up with frustration a few months later when the grass doesn't prove to be any greener at your dealership. I always wonder: if the experienced person were truly doing well, has built up as a strong repeat and referral customer base as you would expect, why would they leave? Hey, sometimes it works out, more often it doesn't and you are back to looking again. On that topic of retention; not everyone is going to make it. You do increase the odds by preparing people not only to sell, but also how to market themselves with up to date strategies. It DOES make a difference.
Joe, if you have used a service in the past and it worked out well, or maybe even didn't, you may want to take another look. For about the same investment and at times, even less, you will find companies totally dedicated and with the knowledge of what content needs to be in a help wanted ad, where to place the ad, the ability to immediately screen the resume and contact the applicant to schedule a professional interview. On top of that, (which by the way is no small feat requiring knowledge, manpower, time and money), they can dedicate uninterrupted time to professionally interview and train.
Even if you don't use AutoMax Recruiting and Training, LLC (although you should at least look at our website dealer video testimonials), I would encourage the use of a professional service to at least advertise for you (which we can also provide). You will get a much better response of quality applicants without the hassle and inconvenience of doing it alone. I hope this was helpful and not deemed as only self serving.
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Permalink Reply by Jason McIntosh "Jmac" on
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Joe,
As a manager in a Chrysler. Dodge, Jeep store that retailed nearly 3000 units as well as 1500 preowned annually. We would run with about 25-30 total salespeople. Our top performers came out of Recruiting & training programs such as AutoMax. We also had another dealer locally that used them as well as most dealers in the area.
I am now a National Sales Trainer for that very company... As a manager I could admit trying to recruit walk in never really worked and even taking the time to do your own interviewing proved to be a nightmare.
The nice thing with this process is the end result... The people are "COMMITTED" and stand a better chance of retention especially with the support we leave them with the ongoing training tools incorporated with your existing training.
They have a clear cut idea of the sales process as well as not just relying on floor traffic, building their own business within a business and launching their exciting new career with social media techniques that have proven to be successful.
As trainers we still educate ourselves with the latest best practices attending any seminars we can as well as conducting inhouse training right on the showroom floor. we can even stay a second week and increase retention even further by giving new recruits 100% attention and selling cars for you at the same time.
Our dealers are lifelong clients that continue to grow and prosper with our assistance. It is a good feeling to help everyday people enter this life changing industry. Which leads me to another point... Many recruits that I have graduated and went on to be top performers, admittingly as a desk manager I may not have considered.
This process is a much better degree of measure to fill many positions within the dealership.
I was so happy with the results I decided to join them and has proven to be a wise decision.
I urge you to give it a shot.. We will exceed your expectations!
Check out what our dealers all across the country say!
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Permalink Reply by Joe Clementi on
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Jason,
Thank you for your share. I have utilized your program in the past and have had mediocre results. I was posting to see what the response would be from our members. I'm curious what others are using and what success stories they have.
Thanks again for your comments and suggestions.
Jason McIntosh "Jmac" said:Joe,
As a manager in a Chrysler. Dodge, Jeep store that retailed nearly 3000 units as well as 1500 preowned annually. We would run with about 25-30 total salespeople. Our top performers came out of Recruiting & training programs such as AutoMax. We also had another dealer locally that used them as well as most dealers in the area.
I am now a National Sales Trainer for that very company... As a manager I could admit trying to recruit walk in never really worked and even taking the time to do your own interviewing proved to be a nightmare.
The nice thing with this process is the end result... The people are "COMMITTED" and stand a better chance of retention especially with the support we leave them with the ongoing training tools incorporated with your existing training.
They have a clear cut idea of the sales process as well as not just relying on floor traffic, building their own business within a business and launching their exciting new career with social media techniques that have proven to be successful.
As trainers we still educate ourselves with the latest best practices attending any seminars we can as well as conducting inhouse training right on the showroom floor. we can even stay a second week and increase retention even further by giving new recruits 100% attention and selling cars for you at the same time.
Our dealers are lifelong clients that continue to grow and prosper with our assistance. It is a good feeling to help everyday people enter this life changing industry. Which leads me to another point... Many recruits that I have graduated and went on to be top performers, admittingly as a desk manager I may not have considered.
This process is a much better degree of measure to fill many positions within the dealership.
I was so happy with the results I decided to join them and has proven to be a wise decision.
I urge you to give it a shot.. We will exceed your expectations!
Check out what our dealers all across the country say!
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Ernie-
Thank you for your frank response to my question. I was posting the comments to find out what other dealers are doing in their respective markets. I'm sure the programs work in varying degrees in different markets. Thank you for your comments and suggestions.
Ernie Kasprowicz said:Joe, you asked what would seem to be a hot button question. Certainly a subject that pertains to nearly everyone in the retail sector and in this group. Yet, no one other than AutoMax Recruiting and Training, LLC has replied. Perhaps it is the time of year or end of month, I don't know. I have been involved helping automotive dealerships recruit, train and hire committed, well trained salespeople without bad habits for the better part of 13 years. What that experience has provided can help answer a few of your questions. First of all, every dealership AutoMax has assisted could have done things on their own....for a price, with varying degrees of success. Perhaps at a cost not as immediately tangible as investing in a professional service to assist, but there most assuredly was a cost involved.
Advertise online using as many relevant job portals, sites and boards as you can afford. In today's world, the best and brightest know that's where the best offers are located. Newsprint has become expensive in comparison and does not produce the largest quantity of quality applicants. For our clients we post help wanted advertising on up to 200 online avenues. That is massive exposure. At times, we are asked, "do we need to post on some many resources"? The answer is simply, yes, because no one knows exactly where your next great salesperson(s) are looking. The strategy is to be nearly everywhere a person could look, capture their interest with a valid offer, provide a real motivation to respond, answer their resume immediately to schedule an interview and you have a fighting chance to meet them person to person.
Certainly you can pay for referrals and I believe you can find some excellent salespeople via word of mouth. I do run into the situation whereby a dealer ends up with frustration a few months later when the grass doesn't prove to be any greener at your dealership. I always wonder: if the experienced person were truly doing well, has built up as a strong repeat and referral customer base as you would expect, why would they leave? Hey, sometimes it works out, more often it doesn't and you are back to looking again. On that topic of retention; not everyone is going to make it. You do increase the odds by preparing people not only to sell, but also how to market themselves with up to date strategies. It DOES make a difference.
Joe, if you have used a service in the past and it worked out well, or maybe even didn't, you may want to take another look. For about the same investment and at times, even less, you will find companies totally dedicated and with the knowledge of what content needs to be in a help wanted ad, where to place the ad, the ability to immediately screen the resume and contact the applicant to schedule a professional interview. On top of that, (which by the way is no small feat requiring knowledge, manpower, time and money), they can dedicate uninterrupted time to professionally interview and train.
Even if you don't use AutoMax Recruiting and Training, LLC (although you should at least look at our website dealer video testimonials), I would encourage the use of a professional service to at least advertise for you (which we can also provide). You will get a much better response of quality applicants without the hassle and inconvenience of doing it alone. I hope this was helpful and not deemed as only self serving.
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Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on
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things have changed Joe,check this out http://www.automaxrecruitingandtraining.com/dealer-testimonials/
Joe Clementi said:Jason,
Thank you for your share. I have utilized your program in the past and have had mediocre results. I was posting to see what the response would be from our members. I'm curious what others are using and what success stories they have.
Thanks again for your comments and suggestions.
Jason McIntosh "Jmac" said:Joe,
As a manager in a Chrysler. Dodge, Jeep store that retailed nearly 3000 units as well as 1500 preowned annually. We would run with about 25-30 total salespeople. Our top performers came out of Recruiting & training programs such as AutoMax. We also had another dealer locally that used them as well as most dealers in the area.
I am now a National Sales Trainer for that very company... As a manager I could admit trying to recruit walk in never really worked and even taking the time to do your own interviewing proved to be a nightmare.
The nice thing with this process is the end result... The people are "COMMITTED" and stand a better chance of retention especially with the support we leave them with the ongoing training tools incorporated with your existing training.
They have a clear cut idea of the sales process as well as not just relying on floor traffic, building their own business within a business and launching their exciting new career with social media techniques that have proven to be successful.
As trainers we still educate ourselves with the latest best practices attending any seminars we can as well as conducting inhouse training right on the showroom floor. we can even stay a second week and increase retention even further by giving new recruits 100% attention and selling cars for you at the same time.
Our dealers are lifelong clients that continue to grow and prosper with our assistance. It is a good feeling to help everyday people enter this life changing industry. Which leads me to another point... Many recruits that I have graduated and went on to be top performers, admittingly as a desk manager I may not have considered.
This process is a much better degree of measure to fill many positions within the dealership.
I was so happy with the results I decided to join them and has proven to be a wise decision.
I urge you to give it a shot.. We will exceed your expectations!
Check out what our dealers all across the country say!
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Joe,
I can appreciate that. This is a great place to get feedback and I would be curious of the responses too. I shared my story because of my personal results with the company... But think of it this way can an outstanding dealer have a sales consultant that produces mediocre results. Yes every dealership has at least one, and that is because they are doing a mediocre road to the sale. The trainer could have alot to do with the results.
I have countless students right here on this very site. Chris Justice from Classic Suzuki joined up as a referral from me and is a regular contributor. He has doubled his volume with the people we have found and trained If you look at top featured materials. John Reed Jr.'s Macism 101 is about me. I continue the journey with my graduates, which is why I turn them on to this site. A mediocre trainer may give you mediocre results, that is no the Training and Recruiting companys fault as well as the other trainers, Much like the outstanding dealer with the one meiocre salesperson.
I appreciate the opportunity to respond and the time you took to read. I will be watching for others response as well as to have better insight on where others go.
As passionate as I am about what I do and the results all over the country of my passion and the salesperson, closer, manager, trainer in me says " Joe... I don't want to bore you with what a great job I do because at the end of the campaign you will tell me what I great job, I did." Sorry when you believe as strongly as I do in what I do... you just cant hold back!, f
Good Luck Joe! If I can ever help or you want some references from my accounts just say the word.
Joe Clementi said:Jason,
Thank you for your share. I have utilized your program in the past and have had mediocre results. I was posting to see what the response would be from our members. I'm curious what others are using and what success stories they have.
Thanks again for your comments and suggestions.
Jason McIntosh "Jmac" said:Joe,
As a manager in a Chrysler. Dodge, Jeep store that retailed nearly 3000 units as well as 1500 preowned annually. We would run with about 25-30 total salespeople. Our top performers came out of Recruiting & training programs such as AutoMax. We also had another dealer locally that used them as well as most dealers in the area.
I am now a National Sales Trainer for that very company... As a manager I could admit trying to recruit walk in never really worked and even taking the time to do your own interviewing proved to be a nightmare.
The nice thing with this process is the end result... The people are "COMMITTED" and stand a better chance of retention especially with the support we leave them with the ongoing training tools incorporated with your existing training.
They have a clear cut idea of the sales process as well as not just relying on floor traffic, building their own business within a business and launching their exciting new career with social media techniques that have proven to be successful.
As trainers we still educate ourselves with the latest best practices attending any seminars we can as well as conducting inhouse training right on the showroom floor. we can even stay a second week and increase retention even further by giving new recruits 100% attention and selling cars for you at the same time.
Our dealers are lifelong clients that continue to grow and prosper with our assistance. It is a good feeling to help everyday people enter this life changing industry. Which leads me to another point... Many recruits that I have graduated and went on to be top performers, admittingly as a desk manager I may not have considered.
This process is a much better degree of measure to fill many positions within the dealership.
I was so happy with the results I decided to join them and has proven to be a wise decision.
I urge you to give it a shot.. We will exceed your expectations!
Check out what our dealers all across the country say!
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Permalink Reply by jeff weaver on
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Joe...This question sounds so simple...Here we are in an economy that has record breaking unemployment in some areas...That would beg the answer to be so obvious..."Just put up a sign...ANYWHERE...and flocks of unemployed should line up!!!! However, like most things in life...not so simple. No we can do what some of the other gentlemen have suggested...Hire a Professional Training and Recruiting Company....(Great Idea...considering that is what I do as well)...However I am not replying just for that....I really want Dealers to take a hard look at long time problem! The true solution is to take a real, hard, honest look at our own Dealership and practices. Are you committed to Sales Training on an ongoing basis...weekly...monthly...etc. Do you have a sales philosophy that helps your salespeople insure their present and future success???? Or are you the usual dealer who strictly lives for the moment...fixes the immediate problem...basically puts a BANDAID ON A GUNSHOT WOUND!!!!!!! That is the real situation that I see after doing this for 30yrs...Almost everyone in our business prepares in a reactionary mode...rather than creating a "Recession Proof Business"....Please go to my website ( jeffweaverenterprises.com ) and read the story about the little Honda dealer in Saratoga NY...and then call them....and then Call US...and you may never have to ask that question ...EVER AGAIN!!!!
Jeff Weaver
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Permalink Reply by Mark Winstead on
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Joe,
I am new to the Dealer Elite platform however much like most I have spent my formative years in the "business." We have travelled every avenue in search of finding qualified sales professionals. Experience will tell you that if you recruit a sales person from another industry who you may run into buying a T.V. for instance that the lure of high income and more stability would be enough for that person to come and work for you. Placing help wanted ad's traditionally create much buzz as well. What I have found that the former works much greater than the latter and when profitability was up you could take the time and spend the money to do both.
Sometime ago we decided due to a reduction in management and an increase in business to reluctantly try for the first time a recruiting/training company. I say reluctantly because we did things the "old school" way and dealers thinking was we can do it ourselves because theirs those that can and those that teach. Now know one likes to eat crow but here is what I discovered. The sales recruits that answered the ad and made it through the interview process and graduated the training process came with a vested interest in their success. We also found that this allowed our managers to be more selective and contribute to the initial training while maintaining a presences on the sales floor.
This is in no way an advertisement for any recruiting company because despite their best effort it is up to your managers to continue the education once they are gone. We have used AutoMax exclusively after weeding out the inept company's out there.
Our best sales professionals where hired and initially trained by AutoMax which delivered to us candidates that where taught the basics, motivated and hungry for success. I genuinely believe that this is the most cost effective way to identify qualified candidates.
Lost in all of this is the commitment to advance their education and having a training process that is planned out not shot from the hip. We have been fortunate here to develop close to a dozen of our sales pro's who have out grown their sales position and have become top producing managers here and at other locations around the midwest as well as other industries tied directly to the auto business.
There's no magic bullet here you never know when you will find your next 400 unit a year pro but the days of just hiring a warm body should be long gone.
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Permalink Reply by Craig Lockerd on
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Thanks Mark,we appreciate you!
Mark Winstead said:Joe,
I am new to the Dealer Elite platform however much like most I have spent my formative years in the "business." We have travelled every avenue in search of finding qualified sales professionals. Experience will tell you that if you recruit a sales person from another industry who you may run into buying a T.V. for instance that the lure of high income and more stability would be enough for that person to come and work for you. Placing help wanted ad's traditionally create much buzz as well. What I have found that the former works much greater than the latter and when profitability was up you could take the time and spend the money to do both.
Sometime ago we decided due to a reduction in management and an increase in business to reluctantly try for the first time a recruiting/training company. I say reluctantly because we did things the "old school" way and dealers thinking was we can do it ourselves because theirs those that can and those that teach. Now know one likes to eat crow but here is what I discovered. The sales recruits that answered the ad and made it through the interview process and graduated the training process came with a vested interest in their success. We also found that this allowed our managers to be more selective and contribute to the initial training while maintaining a presences on the sales floor.
This is in no way an advertisement for any recruiting company because despite their best effort it is up to your managers to continue the education once they are gone. We have used AutoMax exclusively after weeding out the inept company's out there.
Our best sales professionals where hired and initially trained by AutoMax which delivered to us candidates that where taught the basics, motivated and hungry for success. I genuinely believe that this is the most cost effective way to identify qualified candidates.
Lost in all of this is the commitment to advance their education and having a training process that is planned out not shot from the hip. We have been fortunate here to develop close to a dozen of our sales pro's who have out grown their sales position and have become top producing managers here and at other locations around the midwest as well as other industries tied directly to the auto business.
There's no magic bullet here you never know when you will find your next 400 unit a year pro but the days of just hiring a warm body should be long gone.
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Permalink Reply by John Fuhrman on
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Joe,
Like many responses, mine also comes from a training company perspective. However, that's where the similarity ends. Not every dealer can or should hire a training company to bring in sales people. Those who don't do not have to settle for less than top quality candidates just because they do it themselves. I have advised many dealers on how to "Do-It-Yourself" and get successful results.
In fact, right here on dealerELITE, I have posted video tips on hiring without help. I discuss advertising to interviewing and there will be more tips on the way. But, the bottom line is, first figure out what you really want and need, then see which way is the best approach. While paying a high price doesn't guarantee success, doing it yourself doesn't mean it doesn't cost.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Aronson on
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Joe,
It has been over 13 years since I last ran a dealership, however I believe the problem starts with management. I am still involved in the auto industry but as vendor. From 1998 to 2007 I had medium sized staffed event company and what I experienced during that run in most dealerships the mangers had horrible work ethics and had no sales system in place. So the old expression " The fish stinks from the head down" is where you need to look. So you can hire from anywhere it is what your management team does with them once they get there. Again what I experienced around the USA and Puerto Rico was a lot of untrained salespeople thrown out on the showroom floor/lot and some "Manager" barking instructions from behind the desk. What happened to putting a new hire in training? Teach them on 10 steps to the sale, role playing in sales meeting daily. Learning product knowledge, walk around contests. You just don't see it any more. So get back to the basics make sure you have a quality management staff and put the responsibility on them. So don't blame your sales staff for being week blame your staff from the GM to the Floor managers. Everyone is becoming to reliant on the WWW. Get back to basics morning meetings with training sessions everyday. Work on 10 steps, get the F&I manager working on proper TO to the F&I office etc etc. I have nothing against training companies as matter of fact I worked for one for 2 years(great experience) however these outside companies do not work at your dealership everyday, your management team does. There is no quick fix, it is a culture you create in your dealership. If you have that culture established now these training companies can come in sharpen their tools, but the basics have to come from within the dealership. There that's my 2 cents worth.
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