Boomer’s Blog

Historians may beg to differ on this point, but I’ve found solid evidence that outsourcing can be traced directly back to the Guinness Book of World Records’ vote for the World’s Greatest Salesman: Joe Girard. (I relate these facts with utmost respect for Mr. Ferriss.)

Joe sold 13,001 cars between 1963 and 1978 at a Detroit Chevy dealership. At that time Chevy ruled the automotive industry, and if you’ve ever seen a 1963 Chevy Corvette Stingray, you might think they did a pretty good job of selling themselves. To help put the time frame and scope of Joe’s astounding sales record in perspective, I’ve found an awesome 1963 TV ad for Chevy’s amazing winking automobile:

Embrace Change and Follow Through

Joe’s venture into auto sales, ironically enough, began after a failed real estate venture left him broke and with a family to feed. Joe had no experience in auto sales, but convinced the dealership’s owner to give him a shot — and a tiny space to work while he learned the ropes. He got fired from this gig for being too “aggressive” and didn’t give up. He moved on to the next position he would hold for the rest of his automotive sales career.

Joe still holds the all-time record for car and truck sales in one year: 1,420 vehicles! In one day alone, he once sold 18 vehicles.  According to the Automotive Hall of Fame, at a time when only 5 percent of dealerships in the U.S. sold 1,000 cars per year. Girard was averaging that amount each year by himself!

How Did He Do It?!
As his success grew, Joe began outsourcing his busywork by hiring staff (on his own dime) to handle the busywork, like filling out forms and getting clients qualified for their purchases. He was willing to spend a relative pittance of his own money so he would be free to focus on closing the deals.  Joe’s keen attention to the details that make a difference doesn’t stop there.

Joe also sent practically every person he ever met 13 cards per year: He sent one monthly and another at Christmas because he knew that the competition would most likely to be stewing over their eggnog than following up on leads. (Does this remind you of that stack of yellow real estate postcards you’ve been meaning to get in the mail?)

Real Estate Investors: It’s 11 O’clock, Do You Know Where Your Leads Are?
To learn how to apply these principals to your real estate investing business and make the most of your business by improving your real estate marketing, check out my new article: “10 Reasons Why Your Real Estate Marketing Should Go Postal.”

Since a lot of real estate investors I talk to have a shared gap in salesmanship skills, I wanted to include a little something extra here to get my members on the right track to improving their real estate marketing and sales skills on-the-fly.

Now in his 80s, Joe still lives in Michigan and though he has long since retired from auto sales, his rules of success continue to inspire us all.  I’m re-printing them from Joe’s Web site below in hopes that my fellow real estate investors will get as much out of them as I have:
Joe Girard’s 13 Rules of Success

1. HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE: Hang around with positive people, stay away from crybabies and complainers, because they will pull you down to their level.  If something isn’t going right in your life, keep it to yourself, no one wants to hear your problems, make people believe you are having a wonderful time.
2. ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE: Keep an appointment book so that you don’t have to use the words that sicken me: “I FORGOT.”  At the end of each day, meditate upon what you did or did not do, so you can become stronger for tomorrow.  Plan your work for the next day.  If you know where you are going you will get there.  If you don’t, you are LOST!
3. WORK WHEN YOU WORK: Don’t take long lunch hours, and only eat with people who can help your cause, not with other salespeople.  Do not sneak out of work early, if you do you are a LOSER.
4. OBSERVE GIRARD’S NO-NOs: No smoking or chewing tobacco, no gum, no colognes, no profanity, no dirty jokes, no alcohol breath, and men should not wear earrings at work.  Turn off cell phones - they’re irritating.  The biggest killer of them all is NOT BEING ON TIME.
5. DRESS THE PART: what kind of people are you dealing with.  If you are selling to blue collar workers, don’t wear $500 suits and expensive shoes, jewelry or watches (it’s a big distraction).  Wear it on your own time, not when you’re working - clothes can turn people off.
6. ALWAYS LISTEN:  People can tell if you’re not listening.  The longer you listen, the more obligated people will feel towards you.  The more you listen, the more likely a customer is going to do business with you.  Listening shows that you care.  “The mouth should only be used for eating - keep your mouth shut!”  Silence is Golden.
7. SMILE FREELY:  A smile increases your face value.  If people would smile more, your customers would feel better and want to do business with you, plus it’s great for your health!
8. RETURN ALL PHONE CALLS & EMAILS: Not returning calls or emails are a way to lose customers and friends.  Return your calls and emails as soon as possible.  If you don’t, that’s a good way to burn a bridge!
9. TELL THE TRUTH: If you get caught in a lie even once, you will always be a liar.  Even if you tell the truth for the rest of your life, you won’t be trusted or believed, consider yourself DEAD.
10. DON’T OVERCHARGE: If you do, and the customer compares your deal with somebody else, you have lost him.  Take a little and leave a little; Joe only worked on a small profit, but he was heavy on volume, averaging six retail automobile sales a day.  Word of mouth got around that YOU CAN’T BEAT JOE GIRARD’S PRICE.
11. STAND IN FRONT OF YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICES (not behind them):  The most important thing to do for your customer is SERVICE them, and they will do business with you over and over again. This is what made JOE #1 IN THE WORLD.
12. LOCK UP EVERY SALE: After you have closed the sale, ask your customers why they bought from you - if they tell you why, they are reinforcing their trust in you.  Therefore no more buyers’ remorse, MEANING NO MORE CANCELLATIONS.
13. REWARD YOURSELF: Treat yourself well for all the smart work you have done; YOU DESERVE IT!

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