Internet Sales 20 Group VIII

Last month we focused on Covey’s first habit of the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: “Be Proactive” This month we are going to tackle the second habit: “Start with the End Result in Mind.” I walk into dealerships all over the United States and ask Internet sales managers, coordinators and directors how much money they want to make. For the most part, people in this business wind up here by accident or by circumstance. But we are all here to make a living. And that is what I love about this business. You really can make as much as you can earn.

Again and again, I see dealers who tell me their stories of how they started out selling cars, and now own multiple dealerships. Personally, I was a BDC director for more than five years; now I am the CEO of a national company. I love the car business, but how do we get there? How do we go from ordinary to extraordinary?

When I ask people how much they want to make, sometimes they say “as much as possible — duh!” I pin them down to a number (and the numbers vary), and then ask how are they going to do it. Almost all of them say the same thing: “I need to sell cars.” But, I then ask them how are they going to sell those units, that’s when they look confused. Some will say, “Work hard and sell more cars.” But the vast majority of people I ask have no real plan; they don’t break it down any further than “I need to work real hard and sell more cars.”

It’s not their fault — most salespeople have never been shown how to project, forecast or create a sales funnel or a pipeline. Most have never been given the proper tools to do so. Start with the end result in mind. This is such a powerful habit to adopt into your core — into your essence as an automotive sales professional — no matter what your role is in the dealership.

I have created a successful and easy system for our clients. I call it my “Three-Minute Book.” To get started, get a one- or two-inch binder, along with three dividers and solid three-hole paper.

First Section

The first section is fun to create. It’s called “Things I Want to Acquire.” In this section, find photos of what you are looking for and add it here. You are putting things that you want to get in life — tangible things.

It is not merely enough to simply write the words “I want a new house”; you want to find a picture of a beautiful new house that you would love to someday own. Many people have pictures of piles of money, vacation hot spots, etc…. The idea is that it seems that a lot of people want success and nice things, but they never visualize it. They really can’t ever see themselves owning it; they simply say it out loud, but it is empty. It is imperative that, if you want to achieve something, you know what it is and actually visualize yourself achieving it.

Second Section

In this section of your new “Three-Minute Book,” create your roadmap of how you are going to get everything you have identified ed in the first section. Here is an example:

Ask yourself how much money you want to make this month. Let’s say you are an Internet Coordinator (professional appointment setter), and you want to make $3,000 for the month. Here is what your road map would look like:

You need to ask yourself how much money you want to make this month. Lets say you are an Internet Coordinator (Professional appointment setter) and you want to make $3,000 for the month here is what your road map would look like:

Goal for August = $3,000
Salary = $1,600 ($400 per week X 4 weeks)

I need to earn $1,400 in commissions to reach your goal. (Commission structure = $1 for every appointment made, $15 for every appointment that shows and $25 for every appointment that gets sold / delivered.

Let’s use the 50/50/50 rule, meaning that 50 percent of the appointments you make show up, 50 percent of the shows will get sold etc…

100 appointments made X $1 = $100
50 appointments that show X $15 = $750
25 appointments that get sold / delivered X $25 = $625
Total = $1,475

CONGRATS YOU JUST EXCEEDED your goal! But we are ONLY half way done. You now have the what you need, but not the how. Here is the rest…

100 appointments per month / 4 weeks = 25 appointments per week.

25 appointments per week / 5 working days = 5 appointments per day.

5 appointments per day / 6.5 (working) hours per day = That is an appointment every 1.3 hours!

You should be making or taking no less that 120 calls per day. If you can do that you can and will achieve these goals!

Third Section

In the FINAL section of your “Three Minute Book” is your scorecard. Everyday, you need to measure both today’s stats and the month-to-date stats.

• How many opportunities?
• What kind of opportunities: Internet e-mails or Internet phone ups?
• How many attempts to contact these prospects?
• How many connections?
• How many appointments?
• How many appointments showed?
• How many appointments sold?

You have just completed your “Three-Minute Book.” Why do we call it your “Three-Minute Book”? Because this book will change your professional life with just three minutes a day of your time.

Before you go running around to start your day, take out your “Three-Minute Book” and spend one minute on the fi rst section, on the things that you want in life. Spend that minute believing that you can and will acquire all the things you desire. Then turn to your second section, your roadmap. Look at exactly what you need to do this month, this week, this day, this hour. When you’re done, turn to your third section — your scorecard — and look at your stats. Are you exactly on course or do you need a realignment?

Imagine that everyday you spend just three minutes before you start work to get “calibrated” and focused. You are going to look at and see what you want in life, you are going to see and internalize what you have to do to get there and then, you are going to keep score.

I truly wish you all the very best. And remember: “Begin With the End in Mind.”

SVB