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Dealership Reset: It’s Halftime, You Got Game?

There's not too many times during the year that we call a time out. Well, there's usually one. Here's the dealership reset:

Accountability: How are you against your goals?

It's not just units, gross and ROs. It's about cost, effectiveness and no-bullshit reviews. Someone's feet not being held to the fire? Now's the time or else don't expect anything different come December.

Assessment: Who is helping you, who is not?

In meeting after meeting, the question should be the same for dealers to suppliers: "what have you done in the past 30 days to improve my business?". If they can't answer and back it up, you're wasting money.

Education: It's not just for sales meetings anymore

It's incredible when the entire sales staff can chirp back specs on the car they just received product training on that morning from a sales manager or the factory rep. It's another thing when a salesperson helps everyone learn something about their CRM they didn't know or shares a closing technique that got them to 25 units for 3 months running. When you stop learning, you start dying. When you refuse to learn, you need to pack your bags.

Impression: None, fleeting, building, lasting or wow?

Impressions have nothing to do with CPMs or 4-color versus black and white, although every newspaper sales rep that calls on your store will have a fit defending themselves. Impressions are all about what people think and feel about you and your business. And while it has a little something to do with the "silver bullet" that nearly everyone is talking about lately (yes, all of the experts are talking…all few of them), impressions are a lot more under your control once you realize that management actually influences nearly everything that happens at your dealership.

Half way through the year is more than enough time to evaluate a new program, see the leads you were supposed to get, increase your SEO results (if not dominate in many markets), build substantial results from email marketing, and a whole  laundry list of other improvements. If you are not getting the results, cut bait. If you are, see how you can get more.

Everyone needs to do the reset. In a meeting with a dealer last week, it was dismaying to see things that weren't acceptable even five years ago still prevalent today. Apologies for using some cliches but they're so appropriate:

  • You must inspect in order to expect
  • Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM)
  • Leaders are readers
  • The hardest thing to change is the 6 inches between your ears
  • It's not how hard you work, it's what you do with your time
  • Dreams come a size too big, they allow us to grow
  • Track, target, trim and train
  • An idiot with a plan is better than a genius without one

The tragedy in life is not missing your goals, it's not starting with any. And that's even more the case when you don't check yourself before you wreck yourself. It's time to do your reset. You'll thank us later…

Best Practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results

The First Half Is Done…Are You On Track Or Betting On The Second?

It is always a reality check (especially in sales) to review the mid-year numbers against goals. Even the most sophisticated of salespeople take the opportunity to evaluate, adjust, reassess, communicate and plan. Many others blame, accuse, defend, deflect and compromise, but rarely do what it takes: listen and learn. It's also the time of the year when middle-management does the infamous 'dance' (you know what I mean if you are in middle-management or deal with them).

Consistency is the key, learning is the foundation, staying up to date and applying methods are the tools, guidance is the framework (read: not management), teamwork is the conduit, commitment is the path and success is the goal. For those that truly stayed on the road to their goals, using everything just mentioned, the first half was likely less of a mystery than for everyone else. Maybe you even are ahead of the game!

Success never comes overnight, rarely is seen in the company of also-rans, doesn't hide from the real work and tends to stay around a great circle of influence (read: not the water cooler). If the first half of 2009 wasn't good for you, it's time to see the opportunities that exist for change, improvement, growth and dedication. All of us fail, which is a huge part of success. But if you continue to fail perpetually, it is time for more than self-talk and a spa day!

The second half of your year is in your control, up to you and completely dependent on what you believe will happen…plus a whole lot of action on your part! One of the benefits I continue to enjoy is the input from some of the best minds that anyone would want around them. People that all believe the second half is their half and are willing to do what it takes to make that happen.

Having missed my 'numbers' in the past, having been on 'losing' teams, having decided not to give it that little 'extra' effort and knowing from personal experience both how far and how close I've been to having that great half, it would be in your best interest to do whatever it takes to be part of the group of people that finish 2009 with a smile on their face.

So are you on track? Are you on the right track? If you just had to look down, find someone that will help you to win. If you're headed to your goals and dreams with nothing stopping you, that applause you hear is for you…rip up the second half!

Best practices: Professional Insight, Powerful Results