The Wake-Up Call
The buyer walks in. Your rep hits him with, "What brings you in today?"
Buyer says, “I’m looking for a Sedan"
Rep immediately goes into predator mode and starts giving his pep talk and explaining why the buyer should take one of the new vehicles that just arrived that morning without asking more details about why the buyer needs a vehicle.
This move pushes your old inventory further down the calendar.
When I was on the floor, I had a customer who came in looking for a big, expensive SUV and ended up leaving in a sedan. Did I lose commission money? No, because that buyer gave me two more referrals that I ended up closing down the line.
Stop ignoring old inventory in the lot. Start moving more metal.
One wrong pitch. One lost deal. One more "let me think about it" that never comes back.
🔥 The Hard Numbers
🔥 Data via: Cox Automotive Newsroom
“The retail used-vehicle sales pace increased 2% year over year in September but declined 6.3% from August. Total retail used sales volume is estimated at 1.35 million, consistent with recent September volumes. The sales pace normally steps down from August to September, and this year’s decline was milder than in most recent years.”
In simple words:
Used-vehicle sales picked up slightly compared to last year, with September's sales rising 2% year over year. But compared to August, sales dropped 6.3%, with an estimated 1.35 million used vehicles sold nationwide.
That month-to-month dip isn't surprising. Used-vehicle sales typically slow down from August to September, and this year's decline was milder than in most recent years.
Here's what matters for your store:
The market is still moving in the right direction compared to last year, but that doesn't mean every dealership will feel it. When sales slow down, aging inventory, pricing, and follow-up become even more important. If your used units are sitting too long or your team isn't consistently working its leads, you're giving up opportunities in a market that's still showing growth.
🔥 The takeaway: Used demand is holding up better than usual, but inventory is creeping up. Don’t sit back and relax, get your sales team agressively working used leads today to clear inventory before the year-end.
The Manager Action Plan
The Rule: Walking the showroom, reminding floor reps about pre-owned Inventory; Every 60 or 90 minutes, every rep in the showroom should be reminded by the GM/GSM to close a deal with the old inventory sitting in the lot.
The Huddle: "GSMs, I want to see you walking the floor, reminding your team about our pre-owned inventory. If our old inventory doesn’t move today, let me know why and what strategy you are putting in place to clear parking spaces and close deals.
The Rep Script: [ After the buyer says, “I am looking for a Sedan” ] Great for how many people? Do you have any pets that will be riding with you?
It’s only me and my daughter: Awesome, you have a few options. Let’s go take a look.
It’s my wife our three children and rocko our dog: Awesome, you have a few options, but I strongly suggest a bigger, more comfortable vehicle like the… [ SUV Model ]
Note: Remind your reps about the old metal collecting dust in the parking lot.
The Leadership Play!
John C. Maxwell's Law of Priorities teaches that being busy doesn't mean you're making progress. Leaders must identify what matters most and focus their time, energy, and resources on it.
Here's how to apply the 3 R's — Requirement, Return, and Reward — to your dealership this week.
What is required of me?
Your team can't sell inventory they aren't showing, and they can't recommend the right vehicle if they're too busy pushing new vehicles that just arrived. As a leader, it's your job to make sure your reps are asking the right questions, presenting the right vehicles, and giving aging pre-owned inventory a fair shot at moving.
What gives the greatest return?
Is it sitting behind your desk reviewing yesterday's numbers, or walking the floor to see how your team is actually selling? Get involved. Listen to the conversations, check which vehicles your reps are presenting, and make sure they're reaching out to customers in your CRM who could be a fit for your older inventory.
What brings the greatest reward?
Getting an aging unit sold today is great. Building a team that knows how to identify the right vehicle, work its leads, and follow up consistently is even better. You're not just moving metal. You're developing a sales process that can keep producing results without you having to remind everyone what to do.
Your sales floor doesn't need another morning speech about moving pre-owned inventory. It needs clear priorities, consistent coaching, and measurable accountability.
The test: Are your managers actively inspecting how the team works aging inventory, or are they assuming it's getting done because they mentioned it in the morning huddle?
If your team keeps overlooking older units, those vehicles keep aging, opportunities get missed, and your dealership risks giving up gross that could have been protected with better execution.
Today’s Floor Challenge
Every rep should be reaching into the dealership’s CRM and sending 15 to 25 outreach messages offering a deal with the Pre-Owned inventory to qualified buyers.
The Goal: Close a deal before 12: 00 pm.
At 12:00 PM, pull the report or look at your whiteboard. See who closed a deal. See who didn't and why.
This is not a new process. This is a test to see if your current process actually works.
Give it one week and the gaps will be obvious. The dealers winning right now run this play every day with follow-up sequences that keep working even after the rep moves on to the next prospect.
In the next section, I'll share with you how to turn this one-week challenge into a system so you can stop 3 hidden gross profit leaks inside your dealership!
That’s A Wrap!
But before you go, this is how I can help you….
Most Dealerships lose 15-20% of gross in the first 24 hours after a lead goes cold. They also leak gross in 3 different places. To help you stop these 3 leaks, I put together a 5-day email course called “The 5-Minute CRM Wake-Up.”
Here's everything that's inside:
Day 1: The Real Cost of a Dormant Lead - Why a dormant lead hurts your store’s gross.
Day 2: The 24-Hour Walkaway Rule - And why your reps treat a lead like a one-day event.
Day 3: The Leadership Play - How leadership always sets the standard.
Day 4: The Maxwell DISC Angle - Why treating every lead like the same person hurts your sales team and destroys your gross.
Day 5: The 5-Minute Audit - 3 Places where dealerships leak gross (And how to fix it)
