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Ted Ings’ Playbook

Practical articles for dealership teams on the service drive, the sales floor and in the F&I office.

Sales

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Sales

How Napoleon Hill Changed My Life

Bear with me for a few moments and let me show you some simple steps to achieving your dreams and closing the deal of a lifetime. For the past 30 years or so, my life has been dedicated to helping…

Ted Ings6 min read

Sales

The 8 Competencies of Relationship Selling

If you spent merely fifteen extra minutes each day gaining one new sales idea or sharpening a sales skill, within a few years you would become an industry leader. Did you know that? It’s the premise…

CPI2 min read

Sales

The Ultimate Guide to a Dealership "Power Meeting"

Are Your Sales Meetings a Snooze? Just like the power nap, a "power meeting" can have the same positive effects on your sales consultants. Knowing that the traditional Saturday morning meeting can be…

Ted Ings4 min read

Sales

Selling Accessories Isn’t Just for Parts Departments

“You’re selling enough accessories,” said no OEM ever. There’s always a push to increase accessory sales from district parts managers. It’s a booming industry on the aftermarket side, and OEMs want to…

CPI2 min read

Sales

What Dealers Can Do in a Diminishing Passenger Car Market

General Motors announced Monday that it planned to idle five car factories in North America and cut roughly 14,000 jobs in a bid to trim costs. Spurred by low gasoline prices, Americans are snapping…

CPI2 min read

Sales

Cars Don’t Have to Come from Vending Machines

You do not need to pull cars out of a vending machine to offer a world-class experience that is in alignment with today’s buyer. There are several other solutions within reach on the dealer level that…

CPI6 min read

Sales

7 Secrets of a GREAT Sales Meeting

In the retail automotive business, successful sales managers determine a specific reason for every sales meeting based on a need or expressed desire While informational meetings explain the latest…

Ted Ings3 min read

Sales

Are Salespeople Actually Actors? Should They Use a Script?

Actors are just highly compensated salespeople. If they’re good, they sell you on a character and you buy it! All actors use words that someone else wrote. Like the pro’s, you need to practice enough…

CPI2 min read

Sales

The Power of First Impressions

Making a good first impression has a significant impact on sales success. And I’m not talking about exterior beauty. Frankly, it goes much deeper than that. You could be the most intelligent…

CPI1 min read

Sales

Time to Present Your "Evidence Manual"

Part II - Making your "Evidence Manual" come alive! Imagine this ... you get back from your demonstration drive. Your customer is excited about getting their new vehicle. Your manager sends you back…

CPI4 min read

Sales

What’s More Important: Dealership Sales Targets or CSI?

Look all over the Internet, Quora, Google, and online car market forums, and you’ll find a common question everywhere. “How much does a car salesperson earn per deal?” Answers vary from a set salary…

CPI2 min read

Sales

How to Deal with a Lowball Offer

Imagine this: a new customer walks into the dealership, shopping for a new vehicle. You’ve done the needs assessment, the product demonstration, and there haven’t been any issues so far. It’s lining…

CPI2 min read

Sales

What If I Train Them and They Leave?

“What if you don’t train them, and they stay?” Today’s customers are more informed and have more options available to them than at any other time in history. And the products and services you offer…

CPI1 min read

Sales

Automotive Dealership Training: 21 Days to Success

Your guide to never forgetting to contact a client Do You Keep a "To Do" List? Sure this sounds so simple and elementary that you’re probably shaking your head and saying “Duh!”. But if you’re honest…

CPI1 min read

Sales

Can No-Haggle Used Car Pricing Work?

Picture walking into a dealership, searching for a pre-owned car. You’ve determined which make and model you want already, and the dealership has it. You just want to go for a test drive, get a fair…

CPI2 min read

Sales

Price-Based Sales Aren’t as Important as You Think

People are paying more for cars than they ever have. Edmunds, a leading car information and shopping platform released data that spells out year-over-year increases in the average car sale price. From…

CPI2 min read

Sales

Big Thinking Precedes Great Achievement

Do you dream about what the future will bring for you? Do you set your mind on things you hope to achieve? Do you dream about success? If not, you could be setting yourself up for a life of…

CPI1 min read

Sales

Chasing the Top Sales Record? I Don’t Think So

Recently, the story dropped of a salesman at Les Stanford Chevrolet Cadillac named Ali Reda. Ali has reportedly bested the long-standing sales record of vehicles sold in a year. The dealership claims…

CPI2 min read

Sales

What to Do About Declining Used Car Profits

Used vehicle sales make up roughly a third of every franchised dealership’s sales every year. But according to National Automobile Dealers Association data, despite a slight rise in average used car…

CPI2 min read

Sales

Doing More Than You're Paid To Do

Giving more than you’re paid for earns huge dividends. If you look around you, it will be apparent that there are two types of people in the world. There are those who say, “When this company decides…

CPI2 min read

Sales

Listening to Your Team is Critical to Success

Successful leaders rely on the talents, abilities and input of their team members. Bosses rely on themselves. Is there a difference, and does it really matter? When was the last time you had a big…

CPI1 min read

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