Whether you're role in your dealership is that of a Client Care Representative, BDC Rep, Salesperson, etc the first and most important sale you have to make is to yourself.

1. Do you believe you are the best at your craft?
2. Do you believe your dealership is the best place to work?
3. Do you have the mindset of a winner?
4. Do you make things happen or do you wait for something to happen?
5. Are you an Ambassador for your Brand and your dealership?
6. Do you invest in your own personal development?

The list of questions is endless.  

Do you fully understand and appreciate the "Mindset of your Customer"?   Well, let's explore that for a moment, shall we?  What set of beliefs do they have that determines their outlook on our profession?  What are some of the negative stereotypes that exist about our profession?  Do the words, thieves, crooks, bottom feeders, charlatans, scumbags etc sound familiar?  When customers have a negative experience they mentally commit to do everything they can to prevent that "pain" from happening again, hence, high percentage of customers going to the internet first before deciding which dealership to visit.  

The left side of the brain is said to be the logical part of the brain where the right side is said to be the emotional part.  Why is this important to know?  You see if you understand the Why then the How becomes super easy.  Have you ever taken a phone up where a customer said I only want a Brand New Black on Black automatic with Navigation and after spending some time with a salesperson bought something different?  How about the customer who swore they would not pay more than $ 250 and went home paying over $300 ?  It happens every single day in every single car dealership in the world.

Over the phone we have an agenda right? What is that agenda?  You're right on the money if you said - to set an appointment!  Ok great, how do you go from - Thank you for calling ABC Motors, this is Mark to setting an appointment?   Let's cut back to the Brain diagram for a moment.  When a customer calls in to your showroom, what part of the brain is he using? Left or Right?  When the customer asks ? How much is...? Do you have the vehicle I saw, stock # 1234 available?...What do you have in a 2 yr or 3r old...? Are these emotional questions or logical questions?  If you said logical you are right on the money baby!  If this is true then what approach do you need to take to guide the customer to an appointment? Logical or Emotional?  Logical of course!  

If your mindset is right then you will look at every phone up as an opportunity to serve that customer.  Granted, not every phone up converts to an appointment, however, controlling your greeting, engaging the customer, capturing customer contact information (full name, phone numbers & email), transmitting your business card verbally, asking for the appointment  (100% of the time) are all aspects of your agenda that are 100% in your control.   

With the right mindset and preparation you can dramatically increase phone lead conversions to appointments that show and sell.   

Will the next 5 years be a warning or example to others?

Do you love serving your customers?

Do you seek first to understand before being understood ? (Stephen Covey)

Do you give yourself a checkup from the neck up?

Are you engaging and connecting with your customers with high quality - high return questions?

In conclusion, I have had many great influences in my life, Tom Stuker, Tony Robbins, Coach Ruben Guzman, Les Brown,  Dr Wayne Dyer and many many more.  I am humbled and so grateful for the opportunity to serve my family, clients and colleagues in this awesome space I get to play in and have fun in every day.  I am always a student and as such never arrive because I am always learning.  I love what I do and so I do not consider what I do work.   Is my life perfect? No way! As Les Brown says, a setback is nothing more than a setup for a comeback.   But I recognize that I am responsible for everything in my life.  I take ownership of my reactions to stress,  my self talk, my personal development and how I treat others.

Tomorrow is the next page of the rest of the Masterpiece called your life and you get to rewrite it every single day just by changing your mindset, having an attitude of gratitude and serving others.

Namaste!