With the fourth quarter underway, instructor and sales trainer Sean Gardner of the Joe Verde Group says now is the time for dealers and salespeople to close 2025 strong while laying the groundwork for an even better 2026.
“Make 2025 incredible, and set up best year ever for 2026”
On the latest episode of CBT Now, Gardner shares “Joe’s Four Secrets” to becoming a high-achieving salesperson: skills, work habits, attitude, and customer choice. Gardner says that mastering even one or two of these areas can help dealers increase volume and income.
“If you’ve got average skills, you’re going to get average results,” Gardner said. “And if you want these elite-type results, if you want to do 20 plus, make the big bucks, you’ve got to have elite skills.”
Building the skills
According to Gardner, he highlights the first “secret” reflects building sales techniques, such as closing on “minor points,” which naturally leads to major buying decisions. Instead of pushing a customer to say “yes or no” on the spot, he advises easing the process by confirming smaller details like license plate transfers or accessories.
Next, work habits were his second priority. Gardner encourages salespeople to focus on getting the job done, making every hour count, with the aim of selling at least one vehicle daily. He cautions against wasting time just watching the lot and emphasizes that deliberate effort is key to achieving consistent success.
Third, Gardner underscores the importance of maintaining a strong attitude. He says that salespeople must believe in themselves, their dealership, and their product, adding that pre-qualifying often reflects a lack of confidence. “Why would I pre-qualify if I thought I could take any customer I talk to and turn them into a delivery?” he said.
The fourth secret, “choice of customers,” refers to marketing and advertising. Gardner said salespeople should generate repeat and referral business by targeting customers who already know them. He pointed to CRM databases as underutilized resources, noting that even a small customer base represents thousands of potential future sales.
Preparing for the future
Nevertheless, Gardner encourages the use of social media and consistent, creative outreach to stay visible. He reminds salespeople that they are “the CEO of their own company within the dealership,” with the benefit of operating without overhead costs.
“These four secrets are more important than ever before,” he said. “Pick one or two and start working on them now, and you’ll not only finish 2025 strong, but you’ll set up a great 2026.”
