by Terry MacCauley - Posted 1 day ago
In today’s market, converting interested shoppers into happy buyers takes skill, not luck. Dealers must shift from an “order-taker” mindset back to true sales professionalism.
Three years ago, a blunt message to auto dealers challenged the obsession with chasing “magic” leads – those easy laydown customers who practically sell themselves. Fast forward to 2025, and that message is more relevant than ever. The automotive sales landscape has shifted dramatically: inventory levels are up, competition is fierce, and shoppers are more discerning. In 2021-2022, many dealerships thrived in a seller’s market where vehicles practically flew off the lot. Now, reality has set in. Waiting around for unicorn customers is a losing game. It’s time to drop the lazy order-taker mentality and double down on the fundamentals of selling. The dealers who embrace this shift are the ones thriving, while those still chasing “magic beans” are falling behind.
The pandemic-fueled car shortage led to record profits and minimal effort sales. But as supply and demand normalize, we’re bidding farewell to that gravy train. New-vehicle sales have rebounded. Cox Automotive forecasts around 15.8 million new cars sold in 2024, the highest since 2019, yet profit per unit is coming back down to earth. The drop in front-end gross profit has been “the most drastic change from 2023” as new car availability increases and buyers balk at high prices (Source). Translation: discounting is back, and simply taking orders at MSRP (or above) is no longer viable. Dealers themselves are feeling the squeeze; many report that selling cars “feels harder now” than it has in years.
The post-pandemic reality check is clear: you cannot just sit back and let inventory shortages do the work. It is time to get back to selling, not just order-taking.
During the boom, many bad habits hid under the tide of easy sales. It was not uncommon for salespeople to move 10+ units a month by doing little more than paperwork and saying “next!”. Now that inventory is plentiful and buyers have options, those who coast will get left in the dust. The market has shifted firmly to a buyer’s market in 2025, and buyers will not hesitate to walk (or click) away if they are not engaged. This means every lead and every showroom visitor must be earned and worked for. The fundamental skills and hustle of selling have instantly become the differentiator. As one industry expert put it, dealers who are winning today are “getting into the details of their sales process and making adjustments." In short, success in 2025 requires skill, not just inventory.
“5-Car Fred and the Magic Laydowns” – the myth that some magical lead source will save the day – is a fairy tale that modern dealerships can no longer afford to believe.
At industry conferences and 20-group meetings, too many dealers have been obsessed with finding “good leads” as if a treasure trove of perfect customers existed. It’s as if they believed some magic bean would sprout a beanstalk of easy deals. Let’s state it plainly: there are no magic laydown customers that are going to waltz in and save your month. The notion that success comes from simply finding better leads is a cop-out. “5-Car Fred,” that salesperson who sells a handful of cars and blames everything on bad leads, has been around forever. That mentality will “always erode successful dealerships” like second-hand smoke. When did we become so entitled to “easy” deals?
If you catch yourself or your team grumbling, “These leads suck, none of them are buying,” it is time for some tough love. In the original blog, the author joked he wanted to scream “YOU’RE FIRED!” at reps who constantly complain about “bad leads.” Harsh? Maybe, but he wasn’t wrong. Blaming the leads is often an excuse for poor execution. The truth is that digital advertising today can deliver plenty of opportunities; what your team does with them counts. As the saying goes, the fundamentals of selling vehicles NEVER change. Whether a lead comes from a Facebook ad, a walk-in, or a referral, the same core skills apply: building rapport, asking the right questions, setting appointments, not overpromising, following up, addressing concerns, and overcoming objections. Closing a sale still requires a salesperson who can guide the customer to a decision.
The irony of our high-tech era is that it has spotlighted age-old sales weaknesses. Digital lead tracking and CRM reports have exposed how poorly many salespeople execute the basics. It’s not a pretty picture, to quote that original no-nonsense rant, seeing the complex data on follow-up and conversion is “disgusting, ISN’T IT?”. The legends of our industry – Joe Verde, Grant Cardone, Jim Ziegler, Dave Anderson, and others – have spent decades preaching fundamental sales skills for a reason. Now, the evidence is in front of us. We can no longer ignore lackluster performance or hide behind the illusion that “if only we had better leads, we’d sell more.” There’s no magic lead-gen widget that fixes a broken process. Great marketing might get customers to contact you, but only great salesmanship will close the deal.
It turns out that modern digital tools haven’t eliminated the need for good salesmanship; if anything, they expose its absence. We now have metrics on everything: response times, lead drop rates, appointment show rates, you name it. And the data tells a sobering story: the most significant leak in most dealerships’ sales funnel is human execution, not lack of opportunity. Consider this: nearly a quarter of dealership online leads (23.5%) don’t get a response within 24 hours, and another 13.3% never even make it into the CRM properly. Add that up, and dealers lose 37% of their leads due to poor follow-up and process gaps (Source). That is not a lead problem; that is a store problem. Digital leads are not the issue; how they’re handled is.
These lost opportunities are burning a hole in dealers’ pockets. The average cost of an automotive lead is about $283 in advertising spend. Imagine spending hundreds of dollars to get a customer to raise their hand, only to let that inquiry die on the vine. It’s like dumping your ad budget in the trash. In an age where marketing ROI is scrutinized, no dealership can afford a 37% attrition before the sales conversation begins. The proof is in the CRM logs and phone call recordings: many stores that cry “we need more leads!” haven’t fully worked the ones they already have. One automotive retail veteran quipped, “We never truly knew how bad our sales staff was at these skills until we saw the data”. Now that we know, there are no excuses.
Look at conversion benchmarks and you’ll see further evidence of this execution gap. Industry-wide, internet leads often only close around 10% on average (roughly in line with a recent study’s findings that about 8–10% of new-car internet leads result in a sale). For every 100 opportunities, maybe 10 deals happen and 90 do not. Is it because those 90 people weren’t serious? Doubtful. It’s because many of those 90 were never engaged effectively. The same Foureyes study of 700 dealerships found that for new vehicles, only 60% of internet leads were ever reached (contact rate), about 32% of those contacts set an appointment, around 56% of those appointments showed up, and only 42% of the shows were sold. Every step of that funnel is within our control as dealers! Improving any one of those metrics – say, contacting more leads or doing a better job getting them to show – will boost the overall closing rate. Top-performing dealers know this, so they focus on process, process, process at each stage. They don’t assume a lead is “dead” because the customer doesn’t buy in 24 hours. They work the pipeline methodically because they know a lead’s actual value might be realized after a few weeks of good follow-up. (Remember, 40% of sales leads close after the third attempt or later, and too many salespeople give up after one or two tries.)
Digital retailing has also exposed the difference between merely collecting leads and actually working them. Many dealerships rolled out slick online “buy now” tools in the past few years. But here’s the rub: if a customer fills out a bunch of info online and then shows up at your store only to start all over again with an oblivious salesperson, you have just squandered whatever goodwill your fancy digital tool earned. Dealers who treat their digital retail platform as a lead generator are missing the point. The goal is to use it to streamline the sale, not create a parallel universe that never connects to your showroom. 84% of dealers now have some digital retailing in place, but only 30% use those tools in-store to continue the deal process seamlessly. Those leveraging digital retail end-to-end are reaping rewards – they average five more units per salesperson compared to those not. That is a huge swing, directly attributable to better execution and customer experience. The message is clear: technology can amplify your sales efforts, but it can’t substitute for them. If your sales fundamentals are weak, all the apps and widgets in the world won’t save you. They will just make the weaknesses more obvious.
What is the real difference between an order taker and a sales professional? In a word: approach. Let’s use the classic example, the phone inquiry. An order taker treats an incoming sales call as an inconvenient or a Q&A session. They react to whatever the customer asks: “Yes, it is available… No, we won’t quote a price over the phone… Uh, weekend? Sure, come by whenever.” They answer questions until the shopper runs out of them, and then hang up, hoping the person magically appears at the dealership. We have all heard these calls. As Michael Renaud (GM at Alan Ram’s Proactive Training) put it, too often reps just wing it on the phone, “answer every question like an order taker” and get thrown off track as soon as price or an objection comes up. The customer is not being guided or sold; they are barely being helped. And you can guess how that usually ends: click, the call is over, lead lost.
Now, consider how a true sales professional handles the same call. First, they have a plan. They know the goal is not to dump information, but to build a relationship and earn the visitor’s business. They greet the caller with energy and genuine helpfulness. They ask questions to understand the customer’s needs and what prompted their call. They might say, “I’m glad you called – what have you found so far, and what questions can I answer for you?” Instead of dodging price questions or giving curt answers, they skillfully address the customer’s concerns and pivot toward the next step: “When can you come in to see it? I have [X] available now – I’d hate for you to miss out on this vehicle.” In short, they lead the conversation.
Crucially, the sales pro knows that the purpose of the call is to secure an appointment or at least a strong next step. “As a sales professional, your job is to guide that call and take it to the next level,” Renaud explains. This means answering the customer’s questions and confidently asking for the visit. Why? Because competent salespeople know that if they can get the customer in front of them, the odds of closing go way up. In today’s market, most shoppers decide which dealership to patronize before they ever set foot on a lot, often based on how they were treated online or over the phone. By the time they call or email, they’ve done hours of online research; now they’re gauging if they like and trust you enough to do business. If you blandly provide info and never give them a reason to choose you, don’t be surprised when they vanish. In fact, if the customer does not feel a connection or benefit, “if they don’t like you… CLIIIIICK”, they are gone, and fast.
The data backs this up. Over 90% of car buyers still want to visit the dealership to touch, feel, and drive before buying. People might shop online, but buy in person if they get them in. And once they’re there, magic happens: more than 80% of shoppers buy something different than the exact car they inquired about once they work with a great salesperson in store. We’ve all seen it: the customer comes in on a used sedan, leaves in a new crossover, or switches color/trim after seeing options in person. This switch rate north of 80% means that even if the lead was “about” one car, a true pro can find the right car and make a deal if given the chance. But none of that is possible if you can’t convince the shopper to show up. This is why order taking is so deadly: the order taker isn’t bridging that gap. They’re not painting a compelling picture or extending a genuine invitation. A sales professional, on the other hand, creates urgency and excitement, and locks in a time to meet whenever possible.
Let’s be clear: in 2025, being an order taker WILL NOT cut it. An order taker is passive – they wait for the customer to literally say, “I’ll take it.” They avoid difficult conversations (like discussing budget or credit), they answer unasked questions, and they never proactively follow up. A sales professional is active – they engage the customer, ask discovery questions, handle objections, and ask for the sale (or at least the appointment). The difference shows up not just in closing ratios, but in income. One veteran trainer famously contrasted the two: the order taker scrapes by, while a true sales pro can make a six-figure living. The past few years may have blurred those lines because even order takers could stumble into sales during the frenzy. Not anymore. Now the hungry, skilled, and proactive salespeople are outperforming the complacent ones by a mile. If there’s anyone on your team still acting like a showroom concierge instead of a deal-closer, it’s time for a wake-up call.
The good news is we’re not flying blind. Today’s dealers have a war chest of tools and data that, when used right, can supercharge those timeless fundamentals. Top-performing dealerships in 2024-2025 aren’t abandoning new technology, they are embracing it to reinforce the basics, not replace them. It starts with leadership setting the tone that every opportunity is gold and must be worked as such. Here are a few ways modern dealers are upping their game:
Relentless CRM Utilization: The CRM is your best friend or worst enemy. Elite dealers ensure their CRM is updated religiously – every lead, every call, every text logged. They track response times (shooting for immediate or at least under 15 minutes for new internet leads) and follow-up frequency. No lead should ever be left hanging. Managers at high-performing stores hold their teams accountable to tasks and callbacks; they know at a glance who’s been contacted and who hasn’t. This tight process pays off. Why? Because it closes that 37% lead loss gap we mentioned earlier. It is no surprise that stores that “use their data heavily see a positive impact on business results”. A well-used CRM turns chaos into a systematic sales machine. Modern CRMs also enable texting, emailing, and even video messaging all in one place – tools that, when used correctly, help build rapport and keep customers engaged. But it all comes down to actually using the system. The best dealers train and demand that their sales teams treat the CRM like a lifeline, not a chore.
Integrated Digital Retailing: Many leading dealers have folded their digital retail platform into everyday processes. For example, if a customer starts their purchase online (selecting a vehicle, valuing a trade, maybe getting a payment quote), top dealers pick up right where the customer left off when they come to the showroom. Salespeople pull up the customer’s online worksheet and use it as a starting point, instead of ignoring it. This requires integration – your online and in-store processes must talk to each other. Dealers who do this report smoother experiences and faster deals. As noted earlier, dealers who use digital retail tools throughout the sale (not just as a lead trap) average significantly higher unit sales per salesperson. It’s a direct result of removing friction for the customer. On the flip side, if you ignore the work a customer did online, they’ll feel frustrated and have to repeat themselves. (Ever had to re-fill out forms at a dealership that you just filled out online at home? Customers hate that.) The takeaway: Use technology to make buying easier. If your salespeople are trained to blend online info with in-person service seamlessly, you will close more deals. It’s not about having the fanciest widget, it is about how you use it. Even a simple tweak like having a tablet on the showroom floor to review the customer’s online quote can signal the buyer that you’re efficient and respect their time.
Training and Coaching Reinvented: After the bonanza of the last few years, many dealerships let training lapse – and it shows. Now the savviest dealers are reinvesting in their people. We’re seeing dealerships bring in modern sales trainers, sign up for online training platforms, and run frequent in-house workshops on the basics (phone skills, product presentations, finance objections, etc.). A recent NADA Academy survey found that the number one dealership strategy for 2023 was “improving the customer experience.” What better way to do that than ensuring every customer-facing employee is equipped to deliver a stellar experience? Some stores are implementing daily role-play sessions or “morning huddle” trainings where a quick objection-handling drill kicks off the day. Others are leveraging newer training tools – for instance, interactive video training modules or even AI-powered coaching that listens to calls and provides feedback. The methods can vary, but the common thread is continuous improvement. Even veterans need refreshers, especially if a lot of newer staff were hired during the hectic times without proper onboarding; now is the time to get them the skills they missed. Think of training as sharpening the axe: you can chop a tree with a dull blade, but it’s much faster and easier with a sharp one.
Leveraging Data and Accountability: Today’s dealer principals and managers have access to more data than ever (lead sources, closing ratios by salesperson, advertising ROI by channel, etc.). The top dealers are using these insights to coach their teams and allocate resources wisely. For example, if the store’s internet lead closing ratio is 8% but the top salesperson is closing 16%, what is that person doing differently? Maybe they are fanatical about follow-up or sending personal video messages to every lead. Managers can identify those best practices and standardize them across the team. Likewise, data might reveal certain underperforming lead sources (third-party sites, OEM leads, etc.), often indicating those leads aren’t being worked thoroughly. Instead of buying more leads, these dealers focus on squeezing more juice out of the lemon by improving how leads are handled. Modern CRM and phone systems can even track if salespeople make their required calls and emails. There’s no hiding anymore, and progressive dealerships make it known (in a positive way) that everyone is accountable to the process. This isn’t about Big Brother; it’s about ensuring success. A culture of accountability, backed by data, turns the dealership into a professional sales organization rather than a loose collection of personalities doing their own thing.
Customer-Centric Mindset: Top dealers have realized that customer experience is the new battleground. They use tools like online reviews, CSI surveys, and even mystery shops to keep a finger on the pulse of how customers feel about their sales process. Any rough edges, be it slow response or a lackluster greeting, on the lot are identified and addressed. It is no coincidence that the stores with the highest ratings and referrals are often the ones killing it in volume. They are not relying on one-and-done transactions; they are building relationships. This comes from emphasizing things like speed to lead, transparent communication, and empathetic selling. For instance, if a lead comes in after hours, some dealerships now have an AI-driven chatbot or live agent service to reply instantly, so the customer isn’t waiting till morning. Little things like that keep customers engaged. But ultimately, a chatbot can not build genuine rapport; that is where humans (your trained sales representatives) come in. The tech sets the stage, the salesperson seals the deal.
In all these areas, the theme is the same: the basics backed by tech, not replaced by tech. A dealership that marries modern tools with old-school sales grit is an unbeatable combo. The tools handle the efficiency and coverage, making sure no lead is missed, information is at the ready, and the customer’s journey is smooth. The people provide the persuasion, the trust-building, and the nuance that no algorithm can replicate. Dealers that get this balance right are not only selling more cars, they’re future-proofing their business against whatever changes come next. Whether it’s more e-commerce, shifts to EV sales, or something unforeseen, a dealership that excels at follow-up, customer service, and sales fundamentals will adapt and thrive.
At the end of the day, the core mindset for success in automotive sales hasn’t changed: Everyone is a prospective buyer until you give them a reason not to be. The author of the original “No Magic Laydown” blog put it perfectly: “My inner voice constantly reminded me that EVERYONE IS A PROSPECTIVE BUYER. It just takes a sales professional to convert them from shoppers.”. That means every lead that comes in – no matter how cold or hot it seems – gets treated with the same high level of attention and enthusiasm. It means every showroom is given an outstanding presentation and asked for the sale. It means every “be-back” prospect is followed up with until they’ve bought – either from you or someone else. This mentality, combined with the disciplined use of your tools and training, will immediately elevate your dealership’s performance.
If your store has been riding the wave and neglecting these fundamentals, now is the time to course-correct. The beauty about basics is that they can be improved almost overnight with the proper focus. No lengthy product change or huge capital investment is needed to start answering phones better, or to insist that your sales team logs every customer interaction. It’s a decision and a commitment. Starting today, choose to run your dealership like the high-performance sales organization it should be. Drill this into your team: no more waiting for easy deals, we create our own success.
To get the ball rolling, here’s a quick checklist of immediate action items for recommitting to sales excellence:
Respond Rapidly and Personally: Strive to answer every internet lead within 15–30 minutes (sooner if possible). The first responder often wins the customer’s attention. Even if it’s a quick call or a personalized email, make contact fast and make it count. No generic templates – use the customer’s name and reference their inquiry specifically. Speed + personalization = a great first impression.
Set Appointments Relentlessly: Train your team that the goal of most interactions (call, email, text) is to get the customer into the showroom or on a Zoom call, whichever moves the sale forward. Don’t just answer questions and say goodbye – always ask for the appointment. For example: “We have that vehicle here and it’s looking great – when can you swing by to see it in person? I have openings at 5:30 today or 9:00 tomorrow.” Lock down a time. If you genuinely can’t get an appointment commitment, ensure a clear next step is scheduled (a follow-up call, sending additional info, etc.). Measure your appointment set rate and coach to improve it.
Follow Up Like a Pro: Institute a rigorous follow-up schedule for all leads and unsold showroom visits. For instance, a 10-day process for new leads: Day 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 10 with calls, plus texts/emails in between. Most deals are made after a few contacts, so don’t give up after one try. Also, follow up after the sale for referrals and reviews, and the fundamentals of building your pipeline. Managers should spot-check that follow-ups are happening (your CRM can show you this). Make it part of your culture that persistent, professional follow-up is a non-negotiable. This alone will set you apart from competitors who often quit too soon.
Sharpen the Saw: Dedicate time each week to training. This could be a one-hour meeting to role-play objections (“I want to think about it,” “I’m just looking,” etc.) or to review phone call recordings for coaching opportunities. Encourage your team to share successes and challenges. Continual training isn’t old-fashioned; it keeps even seasoned pros at the top of their game. As the market and consumer expectations evolve, so should your team’s skills. Investing in training (internal, external, or both) yields immediate returns in better customer interactions. Remember, fundamentals are perishable – if you don’t practice, you forget.
Embrace Accountability and Transparency: Starting right now, make your key performance metrics visible to the team. Whether it’s a big board in the sales room or a daily email report, show things like leads received, appointments set, shows, and sales by person. What gets measured gets improved. When everyone knows where they stand, it creates healthy competition and peer accountability. Managers, sit down weekly with each salesperson to review their numbers: How many leads did you get, how many did you convert? Let’s talk about the ones that got away and how we can improve. This isn’t about punishment; it’s about development. Set specific goals (e.g., increase lead contact rate to 75% +, or set 50% of contacts to appointments) and celebrate when they’re achieved. A culture of accountability is a culture of success.
Above all, lead by example. If you are a dealer principal or manager, demonstrate the commitment you expect from your team. Jump on sales calls, work the CRM, attend the training sessions, and show that no one is above doing the basics, because that builds greatness. When the entire dealership aligns around this back-to-basics, no-nonsense approach, results can improve practically overnight.
The bottom line: The era of easy laydown sales is over, which is okay because the fundamentals of selling have always been what truly drive success. The dealerships that prosper in 2025 and beyond will be the ones that execute on those fundamentals day in and day out, enhanced by the right tools and a modern understanding of the customer. So cut out the excuses about leads or market conditions. As of today, recommit to being a sales professional at every level of your organization. The “magic” you have been looking for isn’t in some new lead source or gimmick – it’s been in front of you the whole time, in the basics you may have taken for granted. Polish those up, put in the work, and watch your performance climb. The next level of success is there for the taking, no magic beans required. Now go out and get it.
-by Terry MacCauley, Founder & CEO
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