The one-two punch of the 1995 911 followed by the 1997 Boxster put Porsche back in the driver’s seat after nearly going out of business in the early 1990’s. In fact, during the early years of Boxster sales, the full-list sale of a Boxster would bring down the average gross profit of Porsches due to the popularity of the 911. Complacency was running wild; overconfidence was commonplace, and clients were lucky to get a vehicle on a timely basis. Some waited up to two years while others gave up and dropped off waiting lists.
Grant Larson (an American who designed Porsches) conceived a modern version of the 550 Spyder. The new Boxster took ‘Best in Show’ at the Detroit Auto Show in 1993. Buff magazines sent speculating buyers into Porsche stores by the dozens. The Boxster had become quite the trendy buy. Porsche salespeople didn’t have a care in the world. The creation of too much unearned confidence (that overwhelming feeling you get just before you screw up) ran wild through Porsche dealerships. Salespeople quickly developed a laissez-faire attitude and downright egotism (that anesthetic that soothes the pain of stupidity).
Training was frowned upon as a waste of time, and salespeople didn’t want to be off the floor, fearing the potential loss of sales. What could a salesperson possibly gain in training that would end in better results? Times were good indeed. The economy was downright booming. The rich got richer, and the middle class had considerably more discretionary income; some of which turned into sports cars. The Dot Com era surely did usher in new clients anxious to reward themselves.
Everyone was a genius and an expert. Dealers were invincible, managers were bullet-proof, and salespeople didn’t even need to sell because order taking was working out just fine. PCNA was no exception, they seemingly had all the answers. It appeared that no one could do anything wrong. Ah yes, times were good.
A fall from grace was inevitable, because let’s face it, nothing lasts forever. And yes, the economy eventually cooled, the undersupply turned to oversupply leading to that dreaded but expected condition, discounting. Some salespeople simply looked for the next ‘easy-to-sell’ product; others changed profession. The fun and ease had gone out of selling Porsches. It became ‘work’ again, and long-lost selling skills were nowhere to be found.
The truth, though, is that no one had the foresight to turn trendy buyers into enthusiasts. Luckily some clients, in their love of the excellence of Porsche, discovered enthusiasm on their own; but truth be told, not nearly enough to sustain sales at a viable level. Shame on us.
Vince Lombardi once said, “Don’t beat them when they’re losing. They feel bad enough. Beat them when they’re winning.” Human nature and many studies prove that we’re more willing to accept criticism and direction when we are feeling good about our accomplishments. Losing, on the other hand, creates doubt and animosity. Wisdom, then, is ‘Kick them when they’re up’. Inspire our salespeople by training them how to succeed, even in a down market.
This kind of thinking reminds me of the story of a young father who lost his job around Thanksgiving. His kids would be without Christmas if he didn’t do something and quickly. Looking through the paper, he saw a help wanted ad for cutting down Christmas trees. Never having done anything like that, but desperate, he jumped in the car and headed north.
Upon arrival the foreman inquired about the young man’s qualifications. He had none but did show eagerness and determination. The foreman felt the young man’s sense of urgency and hired him. An explanation of responsibilities and the pay plan revealed a bonus for cutting down more than the quota. Determination alone should put him in bonus money. The first day the young man worked furiously. He finished one tree short of his goal. He chalked it up to inexperience and worked even harder the next day. Curiously, he finished the day two trees short. He was tired and sore but attacked the third day with a vengeance. Skipping lunch, he pushed himself as hard as he could.
Nearing the end of the third day, he realized that he was even further behind. Dejected he walked into the foreman’s office and announced that he had failed. The foreman looked at him and smiled. He then inquired of the young man, “Did you ever stop to sharpen your axe?” ………Superb sales training is the same as sharpening your axe. It may seem to cut into productive time, but if done properly, it will result in far better productivity. We must always approach training with the goal of coming away with two or three concrete ideas that will strike a chord with our clients, leading them to the inescapable conclusion… “I should buy this Porsche”. That chord can be something quite simple and if we train our salespeople to focus on listening for our potential customers to elicit information that instills confidence in their purchasing decision, we create an atmosphere where we make a sale, and they feel good about it—the ideal situation. The best time to do this is before your axe starts to get dull!
Creative trainers recall the term “EnterTrainment” exemplified in the History & Heritage Exam (H&HE) being more fun and informational than an actual test. The multiple-choice quiz consisted of questions where 80% had obviously wrong choices and one answer that was clear. The other 20% of the quiz separated the wheat from the chaff. Training this way assured that everyone would pass while enjoying themselves and learning about the history and heritage of Porsche. Such an approach flies in the face of the infamous, boring and frustrating ‘trick question’ exam which required looking up answers that would be forgotten by the end of the day.
This is what I do. 38 years with Porsche in many capacities; beginning with Salesman, Sales Manager, Sales Trainer for PCNA, Owner Experience Manager, Contract Writer of the Best Business Practices Program and book, creator of the 125 question History & Heritage Exam to becoming General Manager. I also have an extensive history of Porsche Road trips and other marketing ideas. This background has given me a clear path to training people well. Training is most important prior to difficult times. I know a Porsche offers so much more than transportation and when our salespeople are imbued with the ability to communicate this properly, potential clients respond not only enthusiastically but also happily empty their bank accounts!
These are some thoughts for you to ponder. I can be reached by clicking here.
Sincerely,
Jack McCall