Welcome back to our exciting new video series, the “Real”-ationship Series! In our last episode, I began to share a pivotal moment in my journey as a car salesman. It’s a story that changed the way I viewed sales forever and ultimately shaped my approach to building genuine connections with customers.
I was ready to quit. I had hit a wall in my career and couldn’t take it anymore. My general sales manager suggested I take a leave of absence instead of quitting outright. I took his advice and went back to my roots in Lake Charles, Louisiana. I visited my dad’s drugstore, the very place I started working at when I was just six years old.
Walking into that drugstore, I saw my dad and my Uncle Jerry in a way I hadn’t before. I invite you to watch this week’s video to hear a little more about it.
My dad and Uncle Jerry taught me a lot of things, but I didn’t think they would be the people who showed me how to sell cars. I was three and a half years in, and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. They weren’t selling to anyone. There was no aggressive marketing or high-pressure tactics.
Customers would come in, my dad would offer them a cup of coffee, and they’d sit in the back of the store, chatting about everything under the sun. Sometimes, the customer would leave without buying a thing, and that was perfectly okay with my dad. Uncle Jerry didn’t push for a sale either. There was no scripted response, no trying to close the deal. It was all about genuine connection and honest conversation.
As I observed this, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I’d been in the car business for three and a half years, and not once did anyone come visit me just to chat, to share a cup of coffee, or split a hamburger while talking about the latest football game. I had made sure of it because I believed that the only way to get customers was to wait for them to come to you and then hit them with a sales pitch.
My dad, on the other hand, was nice to everybody, loved everybody, and was honest with everybody. People might not always like what he had to say, but they respected his honesty.
Back at the dealership, I had been taught all the right words to close a deal. They drilled into us that when a customer says X, you respond with Y. But no one was really listening to the customers, they were just responding to sell a car. It wasn’t about helping the customer or solving their problem. It was about making the sale.
With this newfound perspective, I went back to Houston with a new resolve. I told myself I’d give it one more month. If I didn’t sell more than 20 cars, I’d quit for good. But this time, I approached my job differently. I focused on building genuine relationships, just like my dad did at his drugstore. I listened to my customers, not to respond but to understand. I aimed to help them, not just sell to them.
That month, everything changed. By focusing on connecting with my customers and understanding their needs, I exceeded my goal. I sold more than 20 cars, and for the first time, I felt good about the way I did it.
The lesson here is simple but profound. Genuine connection and honest conversation can transform your approach to sales. It’s not about the pitch or the close, it’s about the relationship. When you truly listen and care about your customers, you’ll find success in a way that feels right and fulfilling.
Try it today! Really listen, and help them find what they’re looking for. Then let us know how it made you feel in the comments below.