Well, maybe not, but I will if you’re not at the NADA Convention in just a few days. So, if you’re not going I’m wondering why? Why would you not go? Short on staff? I guess that’s a maybe. You went last year? Ugh, I guess that might be a maybe also. Can’t afford the expense? Another maybe goes up on the board. Those excuses and most others are not great reasons for not going.

Some of you live in a little box and wonder why things never change for you. Most of you are coming off a pretty good year. Maybe you think you have it figured out or maybe you know things are starting to slip a bit.

There’s no better time than right now to open your mind and shoot some WD 40 into your brain to loosen things up a bit. It’s winter, it’s cold and if you’re not careful your brain will freeze up and not thaw until sometime in August.

If your mindset is “the Convention is always the same” then you are dead wrong. The only reason the Convention is the same is because you’re the same. If you’ve gone to the Convention in the past to rub shoulders with the factory guys and attend the parties then I guess it would be the same for you. You get out of something what you put into it.

If you go to the Convention and are determined to take real ideas back to your dealership and make things happen the odds will be in your favor of making things happen.

It’s hard for your vision to change when you sit there and stare at those same walls and same people day after day. It’s a cancer that eats away at your soul. That’s why you need to go. You need inspiration. You need to see the possibilities. You need to go and learn something.

If you show up and find me I’ll even give you a little book titled “The Little Used Car Book, Volume 5.” My little book is not a cure-all for your used car business but it’s guaranteed to give you some ideas and wisdom to help your bottom line.

By helping your bottom line, it will more than pay for your little trip. I’ll be hanging out some at the vAuto booth (booth #2318) so look me up. I’d hate to miss you this year. That’s all I’m gonna say. Tommy Gibbs

I’ve always loved selling budget cars. I’m thinking we all define budget cars differently, but let’s just say they are the cheaper cars that in the past you let “Bubba and the gang” have.

If you’re going to sell budget cars then you may want to think differently about how you recondition them and how you charge for that reconditioning. The key word is to make them safe but not perfect.

Most customers understand they are not buying a new car. Furthermore, charging full retail from your service department will eventually cause your used car manager to “throw the baby out with the bath water.” If you are using packs you may want to at least lower the packs on these units.

The one thing you should not skimp on is the recon or clean up. Spend whatever you have to spend on it to make it pretty. If you ultimately have to sell the unit in the wholesale market you will more than get the clean up money back.

These units need to be on a very short shelf life of 20 to 30 days and gone. Just because you don’t have a lot of money tied up in them, it’s not a justification to keep them hanging around. If you let them sit around too long, “lot rot” will kick in. Common sense should tell you, if it’s an inexpensive car and it doesn’t sell immediately then it’s time to move on.

Budget Center cars need to have their own location on your lot. It needs to be clearly marked off as to what it is. “The Budget Center,” or whatever clever name you can come up with. Over the years mine was called the “Chicken Coop.” There’s a long story on that which I won’t go into today. You might call yours the “Budget Corral.” Just come up with something. At the very least mark the area off with safety cones.

In most dealerships sales people are always complaining that they need cheaper cars to sell. One of the most effective things you can do on your “lot walk” each week is when you get to the budget center explain to the sales staff that if these units aren’t sold by next Wednesday, then you are going to wholesale them. Creating a sense of urgency in their mind is a good thing.

Depending on the size of your store it could easily mean another 5 to 20 sales a month. Gaining more customers is always a good thing when you do the math. Being in the “Budget Center” business makes good business sense. That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs

I’m thinking most of my readers are familiar with the “Rule of 78s.” If not, it’s a term used in lending that refers to a method of yearly interest calculation.

I have a new rule of 78s that will help you improve your average gross profit. I call it the “Gimme $78 more” rule.

Most of the sales managers I work with today are very competent and many of them got the job because they were good closers. Therefore I believe most of them can get another $78 from every customer just by asking.

Unless you’ve already gotten the customer to pay the Internet price then for sure you can go back in and convince the customer to pay $78 more. Sure you can. I know you can.

And, if you have already gotten the customer to agree to the Internet price and if there happens to be a trade involved, surely you are strong enough to hold back $78?

So your goal this month is very simple. Get $78 more on each deal. Then next month do the same thing. In two months you’ve improved average gross profit by $156. Then do the same thing over the next two months…and now we’re at $312 improvement in average front gross.

Far too often we get hung up on kicking the average gross up by $300 or $400 at one time. We give up at some point because the elephant is too big to eat in a month’s time. Take a small bite each month and you will soon be there.

Don’t gimme a bunch of excuses as to why you can’t do it. Just gimme the rule of $78. That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs

It’s January and we’re off and running. Actually, some of you are running, some of you are walking. The runners have been training hard for the last few months. The walkers have been talking about training hard.

The runners were getting into shape back in November and December by laying down “the plan” for 2014. The walkers were thinking they needed to get in shape and get a plan for 2013.

Runners are never happy. I’ve never seen a runner smile. Walkers are well, walkers. They often smile because they are dreaming of the things they would like to do. Whatever they are dreaming stays in their dreams.

The runners have a firm plan going into 2014. The walkers have a “kind-a-sort-a” plan going into 2014. Walkers talk about a plan, runners actually execute the plan.

Walkers are afraid if they make a plan they might have to change it. Runners know there are mud puddles and they just have to jump over a few to get where they want to go.

Runners like challenging their leadership skills by changing the plan. Walkers are afraid of change and would rather go with the flow than rock the ship.

Runners love Dave Anderson’s book “If You Don’t Make Waves You Will Drown.” Walkers would rather read “Winnie the Pooh” and dream about Pooh Bear.

When I do a workshop I recommend, suggest, and urge those in attendance to write out an action plan for the next 90 days using the top 3 or 4 processes from the workshop. At the end of 90 days re-write the action plan adding 3 or 4 more processes to it.

Any time you’re planning, there should be 30 day, 90 day, 180 day and 365 day action plans. The weather and the terrain are going to change and you need to be ready for change.

Walking along whistling a happy tune will make you feel good for that one little moment in time. Running hard with a flexible plan will exhilarate your soul and brain and will allow your team to leap tall buildings with a single bound for a long time to come.

Runners take money to the bank. Walkers go to the bank to borrow money so they don’t go out of business…yet.
Becoming a runner means harder training, greater commitment and disciplines that most people don’t have and will never have.

That’s why there is so much room at the top. Some will, most won’t. What about you? That’s all I’m gonna say, Tommy Gibbs