Back in the Saddle

I'm finally back in the saddle. It feels so great to be back at the lot @Quality Chrysler of Greenwood. My first day back was March 17th, and I still moved 8 1/2 cars for the month. I would really like to thank all of my wonderful clients that waited patiently for me to return from Afghanistan to do business with me.

Being back in saddle doesn't just mean I'm back at the dealership though. I've had a lot to relearn in a short period of time about being a husband and father. The Army still has some hold on me though because I'm sure to wear PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) when doing dangerous tasks like changing diapers. I tell ya what, Preston is so big now. He has his own VERY STRONG personality (just like his Dad). Dawn has her hands full now putting up with two big babies instead of one, but I think she loves it.

It's nice to be back in the ever growing town of Greenwood, SC. Every single time I leave this place for more than a day it seems like a new business opens. I guess that's a good thing around here. Well, I can hear the young one saying "Da-Da". Gotta run!

You Did It

This rant is dedicated to Specialist D.

    Everything that happens in your life is YOUR FAULT. You did it! I am sick and tired of people refusing to take responsibility for their lives. Everyday I seem to hear people actually blaming things that they do to themselves on other people. Even worse, I have had to listen to someone blame a PLACE for things that he physically did to himself. I will admit that I find myself playing to blame game from time to time, but now that I understand I do this, I can correct most of the time.

    The key word here is RESPONSIBILITY. I fully believe that if people would start taking responsibility for everything that happens to them in life, they will become happier, more successful individuals.

    When I say take responsibility for everything, I mean EVERYTHING. It is so easy to blame even the smallest of things on others. For instance, if you are late to work because traffic is bad, most likely you will blame the traffic. Why not blame yourself for not leaving early enough to give yourself time for bad traffic? Grant Cardone gave an amazing example of taking responsibility in his book The 10X Rule. He said that when the power goes out at your house, instead of blaming the electric company, blame yourself for not owning a generator. Now that's taking responsibility.

    Wouldn't it be a great world if every time someone did something stupid they owned up to it? Instead we have a bunch of wussies and cowards that would rather blame others than to take responsibility.

 

    How to you correct this behavior? First, you correct yourself by taking responsibility for everything you do. Good or bad (yes I said good too). Next, grow a pair and call others out when you see them not owning up to their own mistakes. We need to get over being nice and politically correct. Take action and let others know when they screw up. It's not mean to tell someone their doing something stupid. In fact, I believe it's NICE to be honest with people and tell them when they are being idiots, it's the only way they will know.

   
 I'm actually getting a little heated up just writing this blog. I hope I got most of my point across. And hopefully, at least one person that reads this can take something good from it.

 

Just Love It!

 

    Recently, I was asked by a fellow National Guardsman to help him with his 2 mile run time in order to pass the Army Physical Fitness Test. As we were going for a short run together, I could see bitter anguish in his face. I could tell that he was in pain, so I gave him the best advice I had. JUST LOVE IT!

    When I was 11 years old my parents owned a 1993 Dodge Grand Caravan. It was not in the best shape and would constantly rattle and squeak while we were driving down the old beat up Cokesbury, SC roads. The noise was so bad that it would drive me and my parents crazy. Often we would go out of our way just to find smooth roads so the rattling would not be as bad. Eventually, it became evident that there was no stopping the noise unless we purchased a new van. Because of our financial situation at the time this was not an option for us, so we had to learn to deal with it.

    One day, while riding to school in Ol' Squeaky, I had an epiphany. What if I LOVED the noise? I began to constantly tell myself that the unbearable noise wasn't unbearable. I told myself that it was music to my ears (probably why I can enjoy heavy metal). After only a few days the rattling and squeaking stopped being as bothersome, and after a week it did not bother me at all.

    I guess, because I was so young at the time, I forgot about my new technique. A few years ago I rediscovered it while struggling to meet my physical goals. I could not do pull-ups at all. I, in fact, hated pull-ups. Then, after failing to do more than 2 at a time, I remembered the van. I told myself, JUST LOVE IT! I can now successfully do 25 pull-ups in one set, and it's one of my favorite exercises.

    I try to apply this method to everything I do in life. When I stick with it I have amazing results. I try to apply it whenever it can better my life and my family's.

    How can you use this? If you are that salesman that just hates making prospect calls, "JUST LOVE IT". If you are the mom that absolutely loathes doing laundry, "JUST LOVE IT". I can guarantee that if there is something you hate to do and you want to change that to better your life, just tell yourself over and over that you "JUST LOVE IT" and eventually you will.

    If after reading this you apply this to some of things you hate and it works for you, tell me about it. Post a comment or contact me on my Facebook page.

My First Sale

  WARNING! THIS POST IS NOT FUNNY....JUST FACTUAL...

  Ok, I know I said this wouldn't be a sales blog, but when selling is my life, what more do I really have to talk about?

   I had only been working for Quality Chrysler of Greenwood for a few days when the lot became packed. I was told to do only my online training and not to talk to customers because I wasn't ready yet. Well, with the sudden influx of people, I had no choice but to go outside and try not to make a fool of myself.

  I was nervous and had no clue what to say. All I could muster was "Hi, I'm Shane. Would you like me to get the keys to this truck for you?" Luckily, the customer said yes. I opened up the doors to the last new 2011 Dodge Dakota for over 200 miles. I asked the customer if he would like to drive and he declined, so I got in the driver's seat and asked him to get in the other side. We left and went for a short drive in which I was absolutely silent. I finally pulled over and asked the customer if he was sure he still didn't want to drive. His expression was completely different. He eagerly accepted my offer and we swapped seats.

   We arrived back at the dealership and sat in the truck. It was an awkward silence, so I tried to break the tension. "Do you like this truck?" I said. The customer nodded with a smile. "If the price is right, will you buy it today?"

   "ABSOLUTELY!"

  We went inside and I sat the customer in an office.  I quickly retrieved Russell, a veteran salesman, from what he was doing and asked him what to do next. He smiled and walked me into the office. Together we got the customer's info and gave him a price proposal. After a few price cuts we agreed on a price and the customer was on his way to the F&I office to finish his paperwork.

  While the paperwork was being completed by the business manager, I took the truck to be washed. This is when I realized that this was too good to be true. So far everything had gone perfect, but now the truck wouldn't start. This was a BRAND NEW TRUCK! How could this be happening? The customer asked for his check back and left without a new truck.

   Normally something like this would discourage me, but something inside me felt so alive. I've never been the competitive type, but at that moment I wanted to win. It was a drive I have never felt.  I was on the service department like a hawk trying to figure out what the problem was with the truck so I could get it fixed and sell it. Once it was fixed, I proceeded to call the customer for 3 solid hours until he got fed up with hitting ignore on his phone.

   "The truck is fixed. It was just a sensor. I have it ready for you with the same deal as the other day if you are still interested. I know you love this truck."

   "I'm on my way."
  
   Later that day my tie was cut, and I have never looked back.

This was supposed to be a Sales Blog

This was supposed to be a sales blog. All the latest and greatest books on growing your business and becoming a six figure salesman says that I should have a Facebook Page(check), a LinkedIn Account(check), a Twitter Account(check), and Sales Blog (nuh uh). I have actually had this blog open for a few months now, but I just couldn’t figure out what to make my first post about.

 The first post is supposed to be the hook that keeps everyone coming back for more, right? Well after doing some soul searching and watching a lot of episodes of Scrubs, I have found that the reason I love sales and want to write about it is because it is a huge part of my life, so why not just write about my actual life instead. I mean, it will be a lot easier than writing about a field that I’ve been professionally doing for only about a year now. Besides, I’m from a small town. I would be kidding myself if I thought that by writing a sales blog I would gain international fame and become the best known salesman in the world. The people that will end up reading this will be close family and friends, and possibly the occasional stalker. Therefore, this blog will not be about how to close a deal in 20 seconds, or how to win the sale while blindfolded. This blog will not be titled “The Greenwood Salesman”, or “If You Want to be a Millionaire through Selling, Read this Blog.”

I have (after several gruesome changes) titled this blog “The Quality Life.” Now the title may suggest that I will give you tips on how to make your children love you more, but I will not. In fact, I’m not qualified to give anyone any advice unless they ask if a Chevy truck or a Ram truck is better (Ram definitely). I have given this wonderful new blog of mine the title “The Quality Life” for 2 reasons.

1.       My goal for my wife, son, and myself is to have a quality life. I strive for it every day, and even though I’m mostly to blame for why we are miserable some of the time I still will do anything I can to ensure that I provide what my parents never did.

2.       I work for Quality Automotive Group. I had to put Quality in the title because of reason #1 and because I owe the rest of my career in sales to Quality. Even if I move on to other companies, I will always consider myself a part of the “Quality Family.” They have helped me realize that selling not only can help me gain a better life financially, but it can also help make me a better person as long as I stay honest and genuine.

       Well there you have it. Above is my first blog. I would love to say that I have many more to come, but I am a young adult, and I love to start things without ever finishing them. This particular blog for example just kind of stops, doesn’t it? I mean, after the two reasons for my title, I should have had at least another paragraph before writing this conclusion, but I got sidetracked by a cool bug in my room. End.