In today’s automotive market, success on the sales floor isn’t just about experience; it’s about mindset. On the latest episode of CBT Now, we sit down with Sean Gardner, instructor and sales trainer at the Joe Verde Group, who breaks down three career-defining habits that every dealership professional needs to build lasting success in the retail automotive industry.
Drawing from a recent Joe Verde workshop, Gardner underlined that passion, creativity, and continuous learning aren’t just feel-good traits; they’re the building blocks for achieving both immediate and long-term success.
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Passion: The power to drive sales now
Gardner notes that passion begins with a “strong, positive emotion” for the product, the dealership, and most importantly, the customer. He urges sales professionals to stop delivering lazy walkarounds and instead bring energy and enthusiasm to each demo.
“If they’re not comfortable in our dealership, quite frankly, they’re just not gonna buy.”
Passionate professionals, he said, don’t give up on tough deals. Whether the customer is $10,000 apart or buried in negative equity, passionate sellers go the extra mile. “A passionate person is never, never going to give up on that customer,” Gardner said.
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Create: Turn ‘nothing’ into ‘something’
Further, Gardner called out a universal truth in retail: “We’re in the business of turning nothing into something.” He provided examples of how successful representatives can convert a service customer visit or an out-of-state digital lead into a sale by remaining proactive and persistent.
One scenario involved a lead six states away. Although the customer initially had no intention of buying, the rep’s enthusiasm and commitment persuaded him to make a family trip just to buy the truck.
Gardner also reminded salespeople that it’s their energy—not the price, not the car, and not the location—that makes the difference. “It’s not advertising. It’s me,” he said. “And if you’re a salesperson watching this, it’s you.”
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Be a Student: Growth is a daily practice
Experience alone doesn’t guarantee results, Gardner cautioned. “Some people have been selling cars for 10 years, but they’re still doing 8 to 12 cars a month,” he noted. The key difference? Staying coachable and learning something new every day.
From mastering digital leads to handling price objections, Gardner stresses that salespeople should continually adapt. He even cited a Mercedes rep still handwriting customer letters like it was the 1980s, proof that without learning, experience becomes outdated.
Gardner closed by challenging viewers to act now: show passion to a customer today, create an opportunity where one doesn’t exist, and learn at least one new way to improve.
