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Today I want to tell you the story of Joe Girard, an American of Sicilian origins, born in Detroit, Michigan, the automotive capital of the United States.
Joe was an American car salesman. He is recognized by the Guinness Book of Records as the greatest automobile salesman of all time, having sold 13,001 Chevrolet automobiles in Detroit from 1963 to 1978.
Born on November 11, 1928, Joe Girard began working at a very young age. He shined shoes and distributed “The Detroit Free Press.”
His life changed when he realized he wasn’t earning enough money to buy groceries for his young family.
At the age of 35, not knowing what to do, one day he took the bus and got off at a random stop, which was right in front of a car dealership… he went in and literally begged the manager to get him hired…
Within a few months he became the company’s top salesman. His results earned him the wrath of his colleagues, who managed to get him fired on the pretext that he was stealing their sales.
He then worked at another dealership, at Merollis Chevrolet, located in Eastpoint Michigan, and held his position until his retirement. He achieved sales records over a period of fifteen years.
Sold the most “one at a time” retail products of any salesperson in any other retail business, including sales of homes, boats, mobile homes, insurance, automobiles, etc….
It is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the best seller of all time!
Here are his numbers:
• He sold an average of 6 new cars per day during his career (no used cars, no fleet, no management positions, just public sales… he sold them one by one!).
• Highest number of new vehicles sold in 1 day: 18 cars.
• Highest number of new vehicles sold in 1 month: 174 cars.
• Maximum number of new vehicles sold in 1 year: 1,425 cars (more than the total sales of most dealers).
• Highest number of new vehicles sold in 15-year career: 13,001 cars.
*All these figures have been verified by Deloitte & Touche
In 2001, he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.
The Automotive Hall of Fame is a recognition reserved for personalities who have particularly distinguished themselves in the world of automobiles.
Honored by the American Academy of Achievements.
The academy honors leaders in the arts, business, public service and science. It recognizes six “keys” to success: passion, vision, preparation, courage, perseverance and integrity.
During his 15 years of record sales, every year Joe sent a copy of his tax return to the sales manager of the first dealership where he was fired with a note: “you fired the wrong person!”. His need for revenge stimulated him in an incredible way!
The 13 rules for success by JOE GIRARD
1. Have a positive attitude
2. Organize your life
3. When you work, WORK!
4. No smoking, no chewing gum, no use of perfume, no gossip, no bad jokes, no alcoholic breath and no earrings for men. Leave cell phones turned off during the sale. Arrive on time.
5. Know how to adapt to your customers.
6. Listen
7. Smile
8. Respond to people who contact you on the phone and via email
9. Of The Truth
10. Charge the right price
11. Stay ahead of your products and/or services, not behind
12. Always check if your customers liked the way you served them
13. Reward yourself!
Conservation and prospecting
Every month he sent a card to all his customers (on a holiday, for example: Thanksgiving, Halloween, etc.), and also on their birthdays… so 13 cards (Joe’s lucky number) a year. At the beginning he was responsible for writing messages and sending postcards but then the task became too demanding and, on the advice of his accountant, he delegated this task to 2 full-time employees. Toward the end of his career, approximately 13,000 postcards were sent each month.
Furthermore, as soon as he sold a vehicle, Joe conscientiously wrote down the names of his clients’ children, their hobbies, their birthdays… and insinuated these elements into conversations with them. He was attentive and interested in his customers.
Joe was now part of his customers’ family, every time they needed to buy a car, or recommend a seller… they thought of Joe, it was automatic… they also felt obliged to do it… after all that’s how family feels !
And finally what was supposed to happen, happened, everyone went to line up to buy a car from Joe… towards the end of his career, he had 2 trained assistants to serve his customers. Of course we had to make an appointment to meet Joe.
Like someone important (like a doctor for example; an expert). And indeed it was so, as Joe was the best salesman in the world. Buying him a car was almost a “privilege”.
Will you be part of the Guinness Book of Records? Will you be the next Joe Girard? Tell me in the comments what you do to inspire yourself in selling!
Originally posted 2023-11-27 04:24:51.
