PRO TALK Partners with Proactive Training:

6 Leadership Styles, And When You Should Use Them:

"The best leaders don’t create followers; they create more leaders."



Taking a team from ordinary to extraordinary means understanding and embracing the difference between management and leadership. According to writer and consultant Peter Drucker, "Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things."CLICK HERE to read full article...

Sales Tip Video: Peanut Butter & Jelly

2012 Indianapolis 500!

Jeff was lucky enough to go to the Indy 500 over the weekend. Here is a view from the stands:

Here's Jeff at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway with NCM Associates Moderator Jeff Bethel:

Happy Memorial Day!

Today we remember all of those that have served our Country with extreme bravery.

No More Slow Commuting: This Superbus Goes 155 MPH

Sure, some cities have bus rapid transit (BRT) corridors where buses can reach up to 30 MPH, but in general, buses move pretty slowly. Never has the lowly bus looked so sexy as with this Dutch "Superbus" that can hit 155 MPH. CLICK HERE to read full article from FastCoExist.com

Friday Motivational Quote:

Bobby Unser, 3 time Indianapolis 500 Winner. Indy 500 is this weekend! Good luck drivers!

Repeat Back What Customers Are Telling You:

When dealing with customers and supplying great customer service, always show that you are listening by recapping what you’ve heard. This lets the customer know that you understand their wants/needs and allows you to have a clear picture of the customer’s expectations. This way, you can make sure you have the knowledge to not only make the customer happy, but to ensure you deliver with quality. Increase you customer retention and service scores.

8 Rules For Creating a Passionate Work Culture:

Expert Perspective

8 Rules For Creating A Passionate Work Culture

BY Paul Alofs | 05-21-2012 | 6:05 AM

This article is written by a member of our expert contributor community.

Several years ago I was in the Thomson Building in Toronto. I went down the hall to the small kitchen to get myself a cup of coffee. Ken Thomson was there, making himself some instant soup. At the time, he was the ninth-richest man in the world, worth approximately $19.6 billion. Enough, certainly, to afford a nice lunch. I looked at the soup he was stirring. “It suits me just fine,” he said, smiling.
Thomson understood value. Neighbors reported seeing him leave his local grocery store with jumbo packages of tissues that were on sale. He bought off-the-rack suits and had his old shoes resoled. Yet he had no difficulty paying almost $76 million for a painting (for Peter Paul Rubens’s Massacre of the Innocents, in 2002). He sought value, whether it was in business, art, or groceries.
In 1976, Thomson inherited a $500-million business empire that was built on newspapers, publishing, travel agencies, and oil. By the time he died, in 2006, his empire had grown to $25 billion.
He left both a financial legacy and an art legacy, but his most lasting legacy might be the culture he created.

Click Here to read full article

My Mailbox Didn't Get the Memo

Top 10 Sales Mistakes

Avoid These Common Blunders

Sales can be a tough game even in the best of times. And with the recent economic downturn, it has been tougher than ever to get your foot in the door with sales prospects.
Every salesperson, regardless of his or her industry, product, or skill level, makes mistakes from time to time. To keep from missing out on profits, avoid these basic sales blunders -- and follow our tips for selling more and creating happier, more satisfied customers. CLICK HERE for whole article

Source: http://www.allbusiness.com/top-10-sales-mistakes/16568063-1.html#ixzz1vWcqcxuW

Steve Jobs' Dream of an iCar:

Steve Jobs' Dream Of iCar Revealed (VIDEO) http://huff.to/L4TSw9 via @HuffPostTech

Friday's Motivational Quote:

Great List! 10 Sales Tips from the NY Times:

From: nytimes.com

July 25, 2011, 2:00 pm

My Top 10 Sales Tips

By TOM SZAKY

My biggest sales lesson came from a good friend who is now our head of Canadian business development (a fancy term for sales), Robin Tator. Robin taught me that sales is not about what you are selling, but about making friends and about getting someone to see the world the way you do. If you do that, everything else will take care of itself.
Sales can be a melancholy job. On one hand, many people (especially nonsales people) feel that it’s sleazy and lowbrow. On the other hand, it can be the most important function of a business. Until there’s a sale, there is no business. Personally, I’ve gone from thinking the former to believing the latter and honing my skills over a decade to where today I am effectively the chief sales officer of TerraCycle. I don’t know exactly when this transition happened, but it took me a few years to embrace the power of sales the way I do today.

CLICK HERE to read the full article.

How Do You Stay Organized When Talking to Customers?

It’s important to remember your interactions with customers, but it can be hard to keep all the information organized. Keep track of all the touch points you have with your customers by using a spreadsheet or online CRM tool. This will help outline the invested time, next steps, and due dates associated with each customer. Documenting and reviewing this information with the customer shows that you’re committed to understanding them and their business.

Weigh in: What tools do you use to keep organized?

CLICK HERE For Original Post On MANTA

Are You Leaving Income on the Table?

How to Get Your Content Shared More on Pinterest:

You signed up for Pinterest, the popular online bulletin board, thinking it’ll be the next great social networking platform for your business. You’ve already pinned a few pictures that relate to your company. But now what?
CLICK HERE to read the full Article from Entrepreneur Magazine.

Friday's Motivational Quote:

Will YOUR Dealership Sell These Someday?

Nevada drivers could soon be sharing the road with vehicles that don't need them.

Department of Motor Vehicles officials said Monday they've issued Google the nation's first license to test self-driving cars on public streets, after conducting demonstrations on the Las Vegas Strip and in Carson City that show the car is as safe - or perhaps safer - than a human....Click Here to read more.

"Self-driving cars set for test drive in Nevada"

By MICHELLE RINDELS
Associated Press

Can Siri Find Your Business?

With so many people using Apple's popular voice-operated assistant, Siri, it's important to make sure your business is turning up in the searches "she" conducts. One of the sites Siri references most often for local searches is Yelp, says Search Engine Land editor Danny Sullivan. Make sure your listing there has all the information a customer will need to do business with you. Also see if your customers are giving you positive ratings, Sullivan recommends. "That goes into the ranking algorithm for Yelp, which in turn flows back into Siri," he says. From http://www.entrepreneur.com/video/223487

Would Patton Be Happy With You?

Sales Tip Video:

Top 10 Motivational Songs for Entrepreneurs:

FROM: http://www.collegefallout.com/top-10-motivational-songs-for-entrepreneurs/
BY: Vivek Krishnan

Here is the list of top 10 songs that inspire, energize and even provide courage for entrepreneurs soul during the invitable ups and downs. Music is a powerful thing and good music can provide nourishment to your entrepreneurial soul. It helps in motivating the entrepreneur within you. I have seen that the songs listed below have always helped me out of any blues or platonic phase I may be going through.

This is the list of top 10 young entrepreneur anthems you should definitely listen to:

Black Eyed Peas – Let’s Get It Started

Black Eyed Peas (Songs for entrepreneurs)

Conveys: Starting up.
The Black Eyed Peas are definitely doing their bit for the world’s party goers, but they’re also throwing in nuggets of wisdom for the dynamic entrepreneurs. Words of wisdom within this song are – “To lose this inhibition/Follow your intuition/Free your inner soul/And break away from traition“. The soulful voice of Fergie and the energetic beats, gets the entrepreneur within you moving.
Buy it on Amazon.

John Mayer – Bigger Than My Body

John Mayer (Songs for Entrepreneurs)

Coveys: Push Your Limit.
Believe it or not, John Mayer, seems to know a thing or two about entrepreneurs. Mayer wrote, “Bigger Than My Body”. This song is basically a great push towards understanding the fact that entrepreneurs should always try to push their boundaries and overcome limiting factors that surround them. Lyrics such as – “Someday I’ll Soar/Someday I’ll Be So Damn Much More/ ‘Cause I’m Bigger Than My Body Gives Me Credit For” But perhaps, one of the best parts of song that imply about leaving a legacy is – “I‘ll gladly go down in flames/ If a flame is what it takes to remember my name“. This song is defintely an entrepreneurs number.
Buy it on Amazon.

Bon Jovi – It’s My Life

Bon Jovi

Conveys: Do Your Own Thing
There is no need for an introduction to this timeless song by Bon Jovi. Perhaps one of the most motivating songs for entrepreneurs. Apart from the engaging beats, th lyrics of this song take the cake away- “This is for the ones who stood their ground/For Tommy and Gina who never backed down/Tomorrow’s getting harder, make no mistake/Luck ain’t even lucky, gotta make your own breaks/It’s my life/And it’s now or never/I ain’t gonna live forever/I just wanna live while I’m alive”. This is a song that will motivate you to always do your own thing in your way no matter what other people say.
Buy it on Amazon.

Travie McCoy – Billionaire

Travie McCoy- Billionaire

Conveys: Money as a Motivation.
This is one of the freshest songs for entrepreneurs. It is a fact that most of us jump into entrepreneurship for the money. And this song “Billionaire” by Travie McCoy just seems to capture that so well. Here are a few lines from this awesome song – “I wanna be a billionaire so fricking bad/Buy all of the things I never had/Uh, I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine/Smiling next to Oprah and the Queen“. Money and fame is one of the primary reason people become entrepreneurs.
Buy it on Amazon.

Fort Minor – Remember The Name

Fort Minor

Conveys: Working to leave a Legacy.
This song performed by Fort Minor was not just for the hip-hop community. There was a lot in it for entrepreneurs as well. Here, just take a look at the lyrics – “This is ten percent luck, twenty percent skill/Fifteen percent concentrated power of will/Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain/And a hundred percent reason to remember the name!“. Fort Minor does a fantastic job of pouring inspiration to the person listening to this song and get him to work towards leaving a legacy.
Buy it on Amazon.

Survivor – Eye Of The Tiger

Conveys: Will To Survive
A song that every entrepreneur MUST listen to! This song is all about survival. And the courage to fight against all odds with only the will to survive. Here are some parts of the song-”Went the distance, now I’m back on my feet /Just a man and his will to survive /So many times, it happens too fast /You change your passion for glory /Don’t lose your grip on the dreams of the past /You must fight just to keep them alive.” In the dog-eat-dog attitude of the business world, the only way you stand a chance is with a strong will to survive and beat the odds. “Eye of the Tiger” is a great song for motivating your survival instinct.
Buy it on Amazon.

Natasha Beddingfield – Unwritten

Natasha Beddingfield

Conveys: Uncertainity
Uncertainity is perhaps the biggest fears most startup enterpreneurs harbor within themselves. Another real deal that the song tells entrepreneurs is to let go of your mind-blocks. Here is what the song conveys -”No one else can feel it for you/Only you can let it in/No one else, no one else/Can speak the words on your lips/Drench yourself in words unspoken”. Another great part of this song is where it talks why chances are never over- “Live your life with arms wide open/Today is where your book begins/The rest is still unwritten“.
Buy it on Amazon.

Switchfoot – This Is Your Life

Switchfoot (Songs for Entrepreneurs)

Conveys: Are you who you want to be?
Switchfoot is a great band! But I was surprised how many of their songs were suited for entrepreneurs. But the most motivating song was-”This is You Life”. In this song, there is a blunt question asked- this is your life, are you who you want to be? Entrepreneurship allows you to be what you want to be without worrying about pleasing a boss or counting your holiday pay-cuts. Switchfoot pushes you in the right direction with this song- “Yesterday is a /wrinkle on your forehead/Yesterday is a promise that you’ve broken/Don’tclose your eyes, don’t close your eyes/This is your life and today is all you’ve got now/Yeah, and today is all you’ll ever have“. The best part of the song is- “This is your life, are you who you want to be!“.
Buy it on Amazon.

Daft Punk – Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

Daft Punk (entrepreneur songs)

Conveys: Work Harder.
The lyrics of this awesome song – “Work it harder, make it better/Do it faster, makes us stronger/More than ever hour after/Our work is never over“. This songs puts you in a mental state of pushing youself harder, better, faster, stronger – the exact requirement out of any entrepreneur.
Buy it on Amazon.

Green Day – Boulevard of Broken Dreams

Green Day (Songs For Entrepreneurs)

Conveys: Journey of an Entrepreneur

A great song that aptly describes the solo journey of an entrepreneur. The long and tiring path may get lonely but the entrepreneur is ready to go through to it for the sake of his ambitions. Here is the look into the lyrics- “I walk a lonely road/The only one that I have ever known/Don’t know where it goes/But it’s home to me and I walk alone”. A truly moving song for an entrepreneur.
Buy it on Amazon.
Please feel free to suggest other songs that you find motivating in the comments and maybe I’ll put a second version of this list together soon enough.

Check Out What Our Clients Are Saying!

“Dear Jeff,
Good Morning. I wanted to take a moment to let you know the effects of signing up with your service “Pro Talk.” we were looking to have an increase in several areas in our service departments in both Salisbury, NC and Florence, SC. It was a pleasant surprise, because we were told that what we saw in just a few weeks would take several months to accomplish. Pro Talk was a well worth investment. The increase we have seen in our service departments was far beyond our expectations. What we found is that within 90 days, quicker than anticipated, there was an average increase in our ELR of $15.00. We had an increase of average hours per R.O. of .5. There was an increase of $80.00 per repair order. We also saw an increase in our monthly CSI scores. The Pro Talk process took us from doing zero walk-a-rounds to 85-90%. I wanted to let you know that this was well worth the investment to see the increases that we have seen, in a short amount of time.
The trainer that was sent to us was Todd Wooten. He did an excellent job with our staff. He was extremely knowledgeable on the workings of a service department. He worked with our staff on a one-on-one basis. He helped them to become stronger in their work habits, communication and their sales ability. He also aided in over coming any objections that customers may have. I sat through one of Todd’s training sessions, which helped clear up a lot of questions that I had about the Pro Talk process. As previously mentioned, our over all goals were met in a much quicker time frame than anticipated and our staff has become more thorough in their responsibilities which aided the process as well.
One more thing that I would like to tell you is please feel free to use me as a reference to promote the Pro Talk process as well as your trainer Todd Wooten. If one follows the step-by-step process that was set forth by our trainer Todd Wooten, then I can confidently say that, without a doubt the process truly works. Thank you for your services, assistance of the Pro Talk team!
If you have any questions or need to discuss any of this further, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your services!”
Sincerely,
John Cloninger
Cloninger Ford Toyota Scion
Service Director of Fixed Operations
______________________________________________________________________________
“Just wanted to say thank you for your training class. I have been to many classes in my 20 years as a Service Advisor. I have taken technical, manager, and Service Advisor classes from Ford, Goodyear, Chrysler, Autonation, and ATCON. Your class was the most real life training out of them all. I received information that I will actually use and it was presented as not just what, but what you should do to get increased sales. THANK YOU, and I look forward to meeting with you again.”

Greg L.
Lexus of Orlando

______________________________________________________________________________

“Best Service Advisor Sales Training I’ve seen in my 30 years in the business. All of our stores increased over an hour of C.P.R.O. averages in just a short period of time!”

Bruce B.
Earnhardt’s Automotive Group

______________________________________________________________________________

“Dear Mr J. Cowan,
I attended one of your presentations at NADA, Las Vegas just over two weeks ago. I am based in the Republic of South Africa.
I am an Executive for After Sales (Fixed Operations) for our 33 dealerships of different franchises. I just found it proper just to drop you a note to say, THANK YOU for your passion! I found your presentation refreshing and very basic. It goes to show that money is made at a very basic level with an acceptable level of knowledge. Execution or implementation is important…. Much of what you said is not unknown in some ways but the way you packaged your presentation was certainly very compelling. The standing ovation you got was certainly deserved. Hopefully you return at next years’ convention in Orlando with more content and vigour!
Sir, you know your subject! Well done.”
Kind regards,
Mosalla S.
Barloworld Motor Retail
Executive: After Sales
______________________________________________________________________________
“Jeff,
I wanted to thank you for the seminar yesterday.  I have been to many service training seminars over the last 19 years in this business and I must say yours was the very best.  My Service Advisor and I walked away quite frankly blown away.  We can’t wait to apply the lessons learned yesterday.”
Ben R.
Leavens Volkswagen Londaon, Ontario
Service Manager

Friday's Motivational Quote:

LOVE YOUR PEOPLE!

This is a declaration of care for our people – those we lead and those we serve. It was written by the bestselling author of  212° the extra degree® and Smile & Move®, Sam Parker (Connect with Sam here). This video was featured on Givemore.com. CLICK HERE to view

Sell Everyday Like It's the Last Day of the Month: