Here is a list of 24 items offering advice, guidance and tips on how sales people and dealerships can succeed, grow revenues, and create a great work environment.

Our industry benefits from some great trainers, consultants, and access to blogs, conferences, workshops and boot camps.  And while good information is shared at these events and websites, many of our peers can’t pay the high price to attend these sessions, so I am sharing the main points that are talked about at all of these venues here for free.

After you read this list I suggest you print it out and post it on your wall or in your cubicle to review regularly when enjoying your morning or afternoon beverage.   

1. Treat customers with respect.

2. Guide customers through the sales process and solve their transportation and financial issues.

3. Provide social proof you can deliver a great customer experience.

4. Never ask a customer to post a review for you while in the dealership. If they liked you to that point, standing over their shoulder while they type the review will blow it for you.

5. Stop being sexist and treat women fairly in the sales and service departments.

6. Sales people need to be online and build their personal brand in respectful fashion. This doesn’t mean posting your inventory on Facebook.

7. People like watching videos. Use them to inform and educate prospects and customers.

8. Everyone is on mobile devices to be sure to be present in this new mobile environment.

9. Use SMS-Text messaging but be sure to have a software solution that keeps you compliant as the penalties for non-compliance are huge.

10. Keep your website updated.  Empty staff pages, boilerplate About Us pages show visitors you do not care about them.  It’s your site; make it the best you can.

11. Do not require a complete dossier before someone can submit a contact form on your website.

    • All they need is name, email and/or phone number.

12. Managers need to publicly recognize employees that do a good job. It keeps them engaged and boosts morale.

13. Avoid the candy machine in the dealership as much as you can. Not good for your waistline or your teeth.

14. Managers: Never ask an employee to do something you would not do yourself.

15. Never use slang, derogatory terms, or curse in the dealership as it shows you are either ignorant, rude, stupid or all of these. Act like the professional you hope people believe you are.

16. Drink lots of water. Hydration is good and you can use a few bathroom breaks too.

17. Use technology to enhance relationships not to take the place of them.

18. Use and depend on your CRM system. It is the foundation for professional success.

19. Use, do not abuse social media channels like Facebook and Twitter.  Be a good neighbor online.

20. Try not to spill ketchup on your shirt when you eat at the local burger joint, and if you do have a spill, keep a spare shirt in your car or truck.

21. Tell people your dealership guarantees NOT to meet or beat any price.  They will look at you in awe and then you can explain that at your dealership there is more to making a customer happy than the price. Then tell YOUR story!

22. Don’t look for gimmicks to bring in those extra ten deals a month. 

23. Don’t promise anything you can’t deliver!

24. Work Hard, Be Nice to People.

The rest is all common sense stuff that you already know.  As Zig Ziegler says, “Help your customers get what they want, and you’ll get what you want.”   We all want happy customers and more sales.