Reman U
- Author: Andy Eineichner
- Subject Matter: Sales lessons
With seven movies in “The Fast and the Furious” franchise, I’m guessing you’ve seen at least one. I wouldn’t say they’re my favorite, but I do own them all. (Don’t judge.) It was one of first mainstream movie series that really went into the car culture with any sort of accuracy. Not that they’re completely accurate by any means, but they’re about real cars with real aftermarket companies shown.
And when I watch certain scenes, I can’t help but see hidden sales lessons.
I want to share three quotes in particular that make me think about how and why I sell:
“It’s not how you stand by your car; it’s how you race your car.”
In context, this is exclusively talking about racing cars. Out of context, I’d argue that this applies to sales. Standing by your car is like standing next to a list of sales you’ve made. Sure, it’s cool to have a mile-long list to show how many people you can sell something to. But after a while, you’ll likely run out of people willing to fork over their money. Racing your car is when you’re performing your job. When you put in the work to hone your craft and take challenges head on, you become one of the best. Your skills lead to admiration. Admiration earns respect. Respect opens the door to friendship. With that friendship, your list of possible customers can be endless.
“This isn’t a junkyard. It’s a garage.”
This quote makes me think about how to treat people that I meet, whether an old friend, new customer, or someone I know I’ll never see again. Maybe my imagination stretches things a little bit, but bear with me here. Your business isn’t a junkyard, filled with pieces of scrap that you just want to sell and then forget about. Your business is a garage. Being a car guy, this word has a deep meaning to me. A garage is like a holy sanctuary where everything is appreciated and valued for what it is. A seemingly small part can make or break a car – or a sale. A customer comes to a garage looking to buy something that they really need. A garage owner sells not just an item or a fix, but a key to a very important part of that customer’s life – whether a means to get to work and back or a nightly cruise with clear skies, music blasting, wind blowing, and nothing but an open road. Treat what you sell as more than a transaction.
“Do I even want to know where the Skyline is?”
This line refers to a Nissan Skyline – the R33 being one of my dream cars. Someday, I hope to continue to professionally grow and become a successful salesman with an R33 in my own garage. What pushes you might not be a car, but I’m sure you have something in your mind as a goal. Define your Skyline and figure out how you’ll earn it.
Andy Eineichner, “Dude Diligence” is a customer loyalty specialist at ETE Reman. Reman U is a free e-newsletter that delivers best practices, lessons learned and tricks of the trade to help you build a better transmission business.
