Speech given at The Avenue, Milwaukee, WI
I would like to start out by recognizing a few people tonight for their accomplishments and their new rolls. I’m happy to call them personal friends.
- Mitchell Darrow - New GM of Russ Darrow Toyota of West Bend!
- Stephen Perkins - New GM at Russ Darrow Kia Wauwatosa!
Let’s all give them a round of applause for their accomplishments and wish them all the success in the future.
Our GM change has not been easy, it felt the same to me as when the Packers coach left Green Bay. We are all rising to the challenge!
How many of you took the Packers Loss hard against the 49ers?
The Green Bay Packers loss was hard on alot of us, what it reminded me is that, success is an extremely fragile situation. It can be right there in front of you… no matter how hard you work, it can all be gone in a second…. THEN IT’s GONE, No guarantees
Everyone here tonight has successfully battled their own challenges to arrive at president’s club tonight. I can honestly say I personally understand what it takes to get here and we all applaud each of you for your hard work and tonights celebration of your personal accomplishments.
So beyond all the standard product knowledge and standard practices you have mastered to be so successful, I wanted to talk about something personally that works for me with my customers.
I lost a good friend a few weeks back and he lived his whole life practicing this….
SELFLESSNESS
Personally attempting to practice it has taken me to a higher level of customer interaction.
The Definition;
Selflessness is a wonderful quality that can enrich our lives and the lives of others. It means putting aside our own interests and desires for the sake of the greater good. The importance of selflessness is that it can help us connect with people, empathize with their struggles, and contribute to positive change.
I took a bit of a step back over the last few months to look and try to provide the difference, the secret sauce to success in this business. I have always said it’s service to the customer and their needs that helps in this business. Coming from a place of helping, counseling and caring will take your sales game to the next level.
So how many of us here tonight have had to deal with a customer who you disliked right away for one reason or another?
I recently had a customer that I just could not figure out, while closing the deal she started having a panic attack. I was upset, walked away and was venting to the GM that this deal was not that serious. I needed to help her make the final decision. After she calmed down, she started to explain why she was having problems making the decision. She recently had a death in her family which left her all alone and afraid to make this type of decision. I LITERALLY realized at that moment I had forgotten to practice selflessness.
The reality is that people are going through real life challenges and sometimes their personal stories are tragic.
Try Practicing more Selflessness… you will form stronger bonds with your customers and ultimately become more successful while focusing on them and less on yourself.
I share this insight with you all tonight to challenge you to find YOUR extra something that works to take you to that next level. Take your time, get to know people, and ultimately serve them to the best of your abilities.
So I’m leaving you with a final thought.
Selflessness provides a purpose, and a life without purpose is a life without meaning.