Joe Girard, born 1928 and died in 2019. Girard is known as the greatest car salesman of all time and one of the greatest salesman of all time. In Girard’s time as a car salesman he sold 13,001 cars. Girard was so successful at his job that he picked and hired his own team of salespeople; however, people would literally line up to meet Girard and buy a car from him.
“Salesmen are made, not born. If I did it, you can do it.” Girard believed in old-fashioned salesmanship. Girard says the secret to being the best salesman is to be likable and diligent. Girard was personable, staying in touch with his customers several months after they purchased the car, commissioning a designer to make cards to send. Girard wanted the people who opened the letter to know it wasn’t just junk mail, but that it was personal and had unique meaning. He would send New Year’s cards in January, and Halloween cards in November. Each card’s message was very simple but meant a lot, “I like you!”
Because of these cards, Girard was rewarded with extremely large numbers of repeat customers. He became such a popular salesman that you had to set an appointment with him just to go buy a car from him. Girard was so successful in his career because he genuinely cared about his customers. Girard wasn’t selling different cars than the other dealerships, but he was single handedly selling more cars himself, than other whole dealerships.
Sure, Girard’s ideas might seem way too old fashioned for modern culture, but remember the last time you received a letter in the mail, did it make you feel special? Girard knew how to create a true relationship with the customer and KEEP the relationship. This is my takeaway from his selling career, sales isn’t just a one time friendship and negotiation. Building lasting, genuine relationships with customers is how to become successful in sales.
BoweryJE22
Definitely an interesting guy who had a great knowledge of selling and the buying process. What interests me is the quote that you included by Girard that says, “Salesman are made, not born. If I did it, you can do it.” This is often a highly debated quote that provides solid arguments for both sides. Are salespeople born with the innate ability to sell? Or can they study the art of selling, understand what the customer wants to here and be made into great sellers? I personally believe that an individual can be born with salesman qualities, such as an outgoing personality and trustworthy attitude. However, these qualities do not instantly qualify someone to be a salesman. Some of the best sellers I know were extremely introverted people with a great ear for listening to a customer’s needs. This built trust with the customer and allowed them to open up to the salesman. With that being said, you must practice the art of sales and develop these qualities to really be able to thrive in the world of sales.
Another thing that is important to salesperson is their reputation. I am not very familiar with Girard, but I am more convinced that he intentionally build a good character out of himself. This character is approachable, friendly, and genuine. He is someone you can trust on deals. This is a very smart play.