Buy In or Get Out

Buy-in is the glue that holds together your energy, enthusiasm and commitment to succeed. It is just as important as attitude and carries you through the learning curve of being a rookie or a pro. Experience and natural talent are not necessary to buy in, but it will help you gain both.

Almost 20 years ago, I was selling Toyotas and showed up one day to find we had a new General Manager named Lou. As you would expect, the first thing that Lou did was pull everyone into the conference room for a meeting. He let us know that he was not there to reinvent the wheel but did expect every team member to be a subject matter expert. He expected everyone to be bought into the company and brand, and treat every coworker and customer with professionalism and enthusiasm. The next thing he did was to go around the room and have each person say the words, “I am a Toyota specialist. I can speak professionally about any car in my line up. I know the features, advantages and benefits of a Toyota versus its competition. I know why my Toyota is the best choice for our customers.” Speaking this aloud and in front of every member of that team empowered us to be proactive and make it happen. It was my first experience with truly being bought into a company, team and management. By the way, this empowerment - along with training, tracking and accountability - was the catalyst that pushed that dealership to month-over-month increases in volume and gross.

Now, I am in the CRM and BDC business and almost every dealer I talk to says the same thing - They know they need it. They know it works, but the problem is getting their people to buy-in and use it. I believe that buy-in, like accountability, begins at the top and rolls downhill from there. I have seen too many managers who don’t know, or care to know, how to use their CRM, but expect their salespeople to use it like pros. If you do not buy into your CRM, processes and activities then how can you expect your team to do so?

Are you bought in?

• How would your co-workers or employees answer if asked about your buy-in to CRM?
• What would your spouse say if someone asked her or him?
• What would someone say whose only interaction with you is on social media?
• Do you complain and spew negativity publically?
• Do you show up late for work or meetings?
• Do you expect your employees to do anything that you can’t or will not do yourself?
• Are you a leader and role model amongst your peers?
• Do your employees come to you for advice? More importantly, do they take it?
• Are you a subject matter expert on every aspect of your CRM?
• Do you manage activities to hold your employees and yourself accountable to use the CRM at its full capacity?
• Are you always striving to learn more?

Buy-in is a conscious decision. Every hour, every minute and every second of the day you have the power to decide whether you have it in or not. Let your buy-in be contagious. Peter Drucker said, “Culture eats strategy for lunch.” Are you creating a culture of buy-in?