The idea behind this blog is to get you thinking, to raise questions and to give answers. While the below letter may be hypothetical I hope it gets you thinking the right way, please take a moment to read it and then leave a few answers in the comment section below. Don't worry, you won't offend anybody. Speak your mind.
Dear Dealer,Manager,Trainer,Consultant
I'm writing you this letter because I need your help.
I am 18-25 years old and want a career not just a job at "Burger Doodle" I have no experience but I will do as I'm told.I have goals and dreams. I want to be a success.
I am in need of a 2nd income in the family due to this economic situation.
I am 45-60+ I have been "downsized" out of my 20-30 year job and don't know what to do, I have a house payment, kids in school, and not nearly enough put away to retire yet.
I am a single parent, my "worse half" didn't do the right thing and my kids and myself need to make money.
I am a "minority" and all I want is a chance, a shot at the "American Dream."
I am unemployed and WANT to work!
I am underemployed and want something better for myself and my family.
I have tried many different "jobs" and none of them "clicked" for me. I will do whatever it takes.
I am one of the 30,000,000 people in our great country that are available to you.
Please tell me how you will attract me to get into an industry that everyone says is hurting, is commission only, that people say is 70 hours a week & takes away family life, and has little or no initial or ongoing training. Please tell me why I should come into your industry and get yelled at for doing something wrong that I was never taught how to do right?
Please tell me what you mean about getting back to the basics, when I don't know what those are.
Please tell me why I should come into your industry only to be "kicked to the curb" 3 weeks after you hire me.
I need your help and it seems as though you need me, how can we do this thing?
Respectfully Submitted
A Human Being Near You
How would you respond to this letter? Let us know below.
Wow Craig, what a fabulous, thought-provoking post…makes you stop and think about how much opportunity there really is in the car business. Thanks!
Thank you Jim, We/AutoMax and our Trainers hear this plea every week all over the country. Dealers have such a huge opportunity to hire real people that need and want to succeed, just need a realistic shot at it and some…love?
That is a great topic, and what a bunch of opportunity there truly is!
My response:
Dear Applicant,
If you are willing to do the things you say you will do, help others as you expect to receive help, never compromise your integrity and have an attitude of learning. Then bring your application. If you have the dreams and desires to follow through on your own success, if you expect your peers and those around you to cheer and be your champion when you celebrate a small piece of success. Then come aboard. If you have energy, tenacity, patience, persistence. We are looking for you! Be prepared for the opportunity of a lifetime, to make the type of life for yourself that you have seen in your mind and tried to grasp before. This is your next career!
Know this, you must have the character and personal fortitude to sacrifice your personal time to develop yourself and your teammates around you to practice, drill and rehearse until you achieve excellence. You must be prepared, that as often as your successes will be celebrated your setbacks and failures will also be celebrated by some. You must have true grit with an “eye of the tiger” attitude to compliment one another in your pursuit of your success and dreams. You must be willing to stay the course that you set for yourself when you applied here.
I look forward to seeing you Monday Morning.
Yours in success, (your future)
Manager, Trainer, Leader, Coach and Friend
p.s. Phone skills are a plus 🙂
LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you sir! again, Great fantastic topic!
Thanks Craig, great blog.
My response-
Dear Applicant,
It sounds to me like you need a fresh start. It appears that life has thrown you some curveballs and maybe knocked you down. Auto sales is an excellent place to clear the slate and start anew. If your parents, teachers, grandparents and/or guardians have done their job by instilling honesty, integrity and a do the right thing attitude you have the basic foundation of who I am looking for. With those essential traits as a beginning, I can teach/train you to sell. Auto sales as a career has given hundreds of thousands of people a new beginning in their professional life. Whether it is temporary or a life long career selling cars is an excellent choice to restart and renew.
Please don’t misunderstand me, it is not the easiest job. You will get more curveballs and you will get knocked down a time or two. But if you have the perseverance that I see in your letter and the “get-knocked-down-7-times, get-up-8” attitude, you will do well in this job. It can be a stressful, pressure filled job at times, but I have known it to be incredibly rewarding. The rewards; financial, emotional and esteem building to name a few, far outweigh the challenges. I jumped into this business myself, looking for a life-raft. I was a hobo jumping a freight car; not knowing where I was headed, looking for the next stop. I have known the emptiness of a box car and have now tasted the finest the dining car offers and have no desire to leave.
I look forward to meeting you Monday to see if we can make this a “fit” for you and for our company.
Regards,
Brad Alexander
** Okay, I got a little poetic there, but when I think back on how I got into this business I like to romanticize a bit.
Love it, you are in fact a poet and I know it!
Wow, enough said. Let’s train them!!
K
Wow, Let’s train them and get rid of the dead wood from the 80’s!!
Kevin
This is one of my favs from you Craig!!