AutoKnerd Dispatch – Saturday, July 26th 2025

🚀 Saturday Booster: You Know it’s time.. now go CRUSH IT!!

Get ready for a blast with Trust, Dumb Deliveries, and The Matrix Car in this awesome booster!

“Every Guest is a Test. Pass it with Kindness.”

Saturday mornings hit different at the dealership. You’re caffeinated, the lot is ready, and there’s that electric hope that today could be a monster day. But behind every walk-in, internet lead, or be-back lurks something bigger:

A test.

Not just of your product knowledge or price flexibility - but of your patience, clarity, and humanity.

That older couple who “just want to look”? Test.

That high-energy Gen Z shopper who talks faster than they listen? Test.

That 11:30 appointment who ghosts without a call? Oh yeah - big test.

And here’s the kicker: you pass every one of those tests with kindness, not pressure.

So today, before the first Up walks in—remember: you’re not just a salesperson.

You’re a translator of uncertainty.

A tour guide through complexity.

A lifeline when the modern car feels more like a spaceship.

Now go ace your test!

▶️ Watch or Listen:
Watch on YouTube or tune in wherever you get your podcasts.
→ [YouTube] | [Spotify] | [Apple Podcasts] | [Podbean]

🎙️EP49 – Smarter Cars, Dumber Delivery

Cars are evolving faster than our delivery process—and it’s starting to show. In this episode, we unpack the irony of ADAS-equipped, voice-controlled, over-the-air-updating vehicles being handed off with the same rushed walkarounds dealerships have been using since 2003.

We explore:

• Why poor delivery creates long-term trust issues

• How consultants can build confidence through clarity

• Real-world fails (and fixes) from the sales floor

• What smarter, calmer delivery actually looks like

🎧 Listen to EP49 here

🧠 Next Up: EP50 – You’re Not Just a Closer, You’re a Translator

Coming Thursday: As vehicles become more complex, your role as a consultant shifts. You’re not just there to close the deal—you’re there to decode it. Next week, we’ll break down how to translate tech into trust, features into feelings, and confusion into confidence.

This one’s a love letter to the salespeople who make modern vehicles feel simple again.

🏁 Cool Things from Automotive History

The 1961 Lincoln Continental Suicide Doors

In the early ‘60s, Lincoln was on life support. Cadillac was the king, and Ford’s luxury division needed a miracle. Enter: the 1961 Lincoln Continental—arguably the coolest executive car ever made.

It came standard with rear-hinged “suicide doors,” a slab-sided body that looked like it was carved from marble, and a 430 V8 that moved like melted butter. It was elegant. Presidential. It saved the brand.

Fun fact: It was also the last American car you could buy with suicide doors… until Lincoln brought them back in extremely limited form in 2019.

Moral of the story? Details make a comeback when they’re done right. Just like good sales habits.

🔁 Catch the Replay or Join the Movement

If you missed last week’s Dispatch, head to AutoKnerd.com and get caught up. Or better yet—subscribe to the podcast on your favorite platform, and make sure your whole sales team does too.

When we feel nervous, we talk too much.

When we feel pressure, we fill the silence.

But real pros know that precision beats volume.

Next time a customer asks about a confusing feature, don’t word-vomit the whole training manual. Pause. Smile. Then say the one sentence that makes them feel smarter.

🚫 “It uses radar and camera systems to monitor lane position and… blah blah…”

✅ “It nudges you back if you drift without signaling. It’s like a gentle co-pilot.”

Make it simple. Make it sticky. Make it sound like you actually care.