Can you imagine if your best month was 167?

How about if you sold 1,582 units in one year?

At the end of 2017, we were all shocked by his numbers and in awe of Ali’s humble heart. He began every interview with thanks for all the people who shared in his victory, always insisting that he was no better than anybody else in the industry, and that his success was achievable by all.

When he began 2018, he did so with intentionality and a clear vision of what he wanted next… Quality of Life. His numbers have changed since then, and the amazing Mr. Frank Lopes was kind enough to share his screen with us to reveal that Ali had once again, broken a record.

In this week’s video, we’ll talk about Ali’s numbers. That’s not the only shiny object I’d like for you to walk away with though. You see, you don’t have to decide if you want to be successful, or if you want to be happy. You can have both. You can have everything you deserve. I invite you to watch this week’s video, and enjoy!

So, in December 2018, Ali Reda broke the record for Most Cars Sold in a Month with the glass shattering number of 202! 

Maybe the book should be called ‘How to Sell 200 Cars a Month.’ 

How does he do it?!?!

Want to look a little deeper?

This week, we’re sharing Ali Reda’s story with you. He began humbly, and has continued to operate that way. The following account of Ali’s life, written by the wonderful and talented Julie Eason, tells us all about how much Ali is FOR people, and how it shows in all he does. He didn’t start 2018 with a number in mind. The focus was all on quality of life, being with his family, and helping more people. 

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“People will drive 40 minutes and pass 100 dealerships to come to me because I provide the best buying experience they’ve ever had.”

Before I started in the car business, I was working at an industrial company. It was a small family-owned business, and I was there for 10 years. I was making $40-$45,000 a year and that was pretty much the max I was ever going to get. So I thought I would try something different and new. A friend of mine was working at a dealership, and at the time he was making maybe $60-$70,000. I thought, "Wow, I should try that!" The potential earnings really lured me in. I figured if my friend could make that much, so could I.

So I did. I talked to the dealer and got started with no prior auto sales experience. In fact, I didn’t have much sales experience at all. I had to watch and learn and create my own style of selling. It helped that I’d always been a bit of a car guy anyway. When I started, I had no idea what to expect. But within the first week, I was hooked! I really loved the job.

I was fortunate to work with a really good salesman named Jerry Turfe. At the time, he was selling 40-50 cars a month. I watched him and learned as much as I could about sales in general. I was fortunate to learn early that what works best is being patient and listening to people. That first month I sold 19 cars without even knowing what I was doing. 

“Really listen to people. Don’t try to tell them what you think they need. Just ask questions and let them tell you what they actually need. They WILL tell you every time.” 

I remember one woman who came in after going through a divorce. She was stuck with a big, clunky, old Silverado diesel pick-up truck. It was a little older, but she owed money on it and that's all she had to drive. This was a big problem for her because she had a couple of kids she had to drive to school. She didn’t have much money, and her credit was bad. She just came in hoping we could help her. You could tell she was raising young kids, and she really needed a break. 

She was kind of down, not really sure if we could do anything for her. We bent over backwards to get her out of that truck. We called in a favor at the bank to get her into a car that suited her needs. To this day she still comes in and thanks me. She remembered that experience, and she's purchased three cars from me since then. When you meet a stranger, you really don't know how bad their situation might be. One act of kindness can change somebody’s life forever. I know I only sell cars, but my attitude can change someone's life. We were able to help that woman out. Knowing that is what keeps me going. It's so rewarding. 

At some point, selling stops being about money. We all work for money. But when you love what you do, the money just comes as a bonus. It's not the thing that drives you the most. Being successful, helping people out, being in that position to make a difference in somebody's life is self-rewarding. I've always had that mentality. The money just followed naturally.

I've had management opportunities, but I turned them all down. Those jobs didn’t have enough hands-on interaction with the actual customers. I still want to do the sales portion of it. I want to be in charge of myself, and of my clients. When the dealership I started at closed down, I moved over to where I am now. They had been trying to hire me for probably five years, so I had some negotiating power. As part of my sign-on deal, I told them I wanted to be in control of everything that happens to my customers. I didn't want to pass them on to somebody else, and have that person ruin the relationship or do anything that would jeopardize what I do with my customers. I want to be in total control of that. 

So, I’m basically a one-stop shop. I do everything from A to Z. If you come in to buy a car, I take your credit information, I call the bank, I do everything. It doesn't get referred to anybody. I'm in total control of my clients. Of every part of their experience. It’s a bit unusual, but I set it up that way on purpose. You can’t have just anyone in charge of the deal. To do this successfully, you really have to know finance. You'd have to understand how to read credit. You would have to understand how to structure different types of deals and you know all the bank regulations. I recommend that sales people learn as much as they can about the structure of a deal, so that eventually they might be able to take more control over their own. 

Last year I finished with 1,582 units. It varies, but most months are between 100-160 units. The highest month I've ever had is 167. I only work Monday through Friday, and I don’t take any Ups. Those kinds of numbers wouldn’t be possible if I didn’t have ownership over my deals. I control the entire customer experience from start to finish which means I get more referrals than most sales people. Repeats and referrals are the core of my business.

The experience is everything—especially after the sale. This is where I really do go above and beyond what most sales people are willing to do. Everybody has my cell phone number. It’s printed on my business card and on the keychain I give them. I encourage people to call me for anything they need, including service. If a person has a flat tire, if they run out of gas, if anything happens to the car, I tell them to call me first. I know it seems extreme, but it’s all part of customer service to me. 

Other sales people hear about this and they say, “What if they call you at three in the morning?”

Well, guess what? If someone is calling their car salesman at three in the morning, they probably really need help. And I will be there for them. And they will remember that! It’s not a tactic, really, it’s just good service. People rarely call me late at night, but they do call. I get people calling with flat tires fairly regularly. Rather than having them call a customer service number and waiting for hours for a tow truck, I have an arrangement with a towing service and they will pick up my customers right away. So, if a customer calls me, I tell them, “Hey, no problem. Tell me where you are and I’ll have a truck to you shortly.” 

My customers call me when they’re stuck or need an oil change, and I set up the appointment. It literally takes me two minutes to handle the situation, and I’ve just created a customer for life! I’m always going to be on their minds when something goes on with their cars. And they tell all their friends what happened. Who do you think those friends are going to buy their next car from? Everyone wants to be treated that well.

Is it hard to keep up with it? Yeah. A little bit—but it's okay, you know? I have a lot of numbers stored in my phone along with other information like what kind of car they have. When they call me, it will show up and say Julie, Malibu. Then I know you're driving a Malibu. I don't remember so much because of so many customers, but those little notes will really help me.

Now that I’ve been here a number of years and established myself, people will drive 40 minutes and pass 100 dealerships to come to me. I provide a fun atmosphere. You come in, we already know each other, we have a good time with it. It's not just business, business, business. There's a personal touch. That personal touch seals the deal a lot of the time. People appreciate it when you are genuine, when you are honestly looking out for their best interest. It’s easier to be that way when you don’t need the sale. Sometimes I’ll even tell people, “Hey, just wait a month or two. The incentive programs aren’t great right now. We’ll get you a better deal if we wait.” And they’ll wait. They appreciate that I’m looking out for them. 

People feed off my attitude. I’m easy-going and they feel that. People tell me, “This is the best buying experience I've ever had.” I get that a lot. If you can get that out of somebody, they are guaranteed to bring their friends, their kids, and their family members. Guaranteed. 

Ali Reda - Sales, Les Stanford Chevrolet Cadillac, Dearborn, Michigan

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This business is a goldmine, and time management is a vital part of our success. Ali says, “Measure your day in minutes, not hours.” He worked four days a week in 2018, and still he managed to break a record. 

Ali is constantly changing and growing with his customers’ needs, and the needs of his process. There have been shifts, of course, since this record-breaking month of 202. Can you imagine the growth since then!?! Interested in learning more about the ins and outs of Ali’s daily grind? No problem. Click here to see our in-depth view: A Day in the LIfe of Ali Reda.

Leave a comment below and tell us, “Are you focused on your quality of life?”