On the latest episode of Straight to the Point, host Frank J. Lopes speaks with Chris Martinez, Platform Director of Jackie Cooper Imports in Tulsa, OK. Martinez is also a bestselling author of the book The Drive to 30: The Ultimate Guide to Selling More Cars Than Ever. Martinez joins Lopes to discuss what factors play a role in dealerships building auto sales and profits.
Since coming on at Jackie Cooper Imports, Martinez has helped triple auto sales. The company also saw a sales growth of 66% last year. Lopes gets straight to the point by asking Martinez if any dealership can double, triple, or quadruple auto sales and profits. Martinez answers with an emphatic “absolutely”. He is confident that he could help any dealership in the country achieve that level of success based on his eighteen years of experience.
Martinez says that financial complacency stalls many dealerships from achieving their potential. Dealers across the country make good enough money that they become complacent. The ones who underperform are unable to stay in the business very long. They often have to sell their business.
Lopes then asks Martinez about his secret for developing great managers. He says that “showing goes a lot further than talking”, meaning that managers need real-life experiences more than they need to be told how to do their job. Martinez uses the analogy of a caddie assisting a professional golfer. While caddies don’t take swings for the golfers, they do provide insight, knowledge, and instruction to help the golfer make the best shot. In the same way, dealers should assist managers in their approach while they’re performing their duties.
Martinez concludes the episode by discussing what inspires his learning. One of the primary methods of building his knowledge comes from reading as many books as he can. Martinez also learns from the market by staying on top of the latest news and trends. This allows him to forecast where the industry is headed, allowing him to serve dealers better.
