Hello gang, welcome to spring.  Jim Ziegler and I started out writing in the first issue of Dealer magazine and I’m proud to say that I’ve been with you every issue since.  But, there comes a time in everybody’s life when they need a little help from their friends.

In working with dealers throughout the U.S. and around the world, I pick up things I think will help you improve your pre owned department and I write to you about these in my monthly articles. I recently told you about Auto-Bio, improving first time closes and Mudd Advertising’s used car advertising program that I like. I also told you about how using a fabric softener sheet to wipe off the headliner of every trade in will give it the new car smell, and hundreds of other things over the years.

What I need you to do is send me, by e-mail, some ideas and some things that you do, (little things) that make a difference in appearance or salability of your inventory. This is especially important with spring being upon us.  An example could be things that help your salespeople feel more comfortable in selling the products that you are offering to the public.

There are so many little things that we all did and have forgotten about, but some of us still do them.  I personally remember a lot of things that I used to do, and when I hear them again I realize what a big deal it was then. However at the time, that great idea became old to me and I stopped doing it. But, it didn’t stop that old idea of mine to be something new to someone else and they made it work for them.

Now, I’m out trying to find something better. You’ve always heard the saying “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” yet the item still belonged to both.

Help me out here gang, e-mail me at: tdeese@dealer-communications.com your ideas and thoughts on reconditioning, presentation, sales techniques or whatever you think your peers would like to hear that will help them.  I will give you credit for the ideas and they will start appearing in my next article.

I’m looking forward to hearing from you. Let’s make spring the best ever.