On Titles People Give You.
Last week, one of my favorite friends in the business who is also a Dealer Principal was talking about me and my work to one of his friends.
He said to me, "Laurie, I hope it's okay, to make it easy for this partner to understand you better, I referred to you as a Fractional GM/General Manager."
Well, I'm honored.
Because, when you break it all down, I treat the dealerships and their people with the care of a GM who is only focused on People, Performance and Growth. If only our hard-working GMs had more time to invest in the things I'm able to work on for them every day.
Every Dealer Principal wants the results I can offer, but your GMs are busy working 'in the business' while I can partner to work 'on the business'.
Thank you for making my day with this title, V. I just might add this to my profile!
Laurie Foster, Fractional GM. Chief People Officer, Strategist in Chief, Customer Advocate of the Highest Order, Profitability Pioneer! That should do it.
Enjoying all of your activity lately- keep the career oops and job-seekers coming! Better add Recruiter of and for the Automotive Rich and Famous as well.
Busy Wednesday- back to my calendar and calls!
-Laurie. Just Laure.
On Massive Growth
On Massive Growth.
Watch in real life what happens when my #BetterTogether connections light up and make something bigger, the sum is greater than the parts.
You can laugh at my hashtag. I see you, lol. It's okay.
#BetterTogether makes you chuckle, does it?
These businesses I'm connecting + their people are doing incredible things.
In the meantime, why are you settling for so much less than you should or could be contributing?
Why aren't you building up others?
Why aren't you creating something, anything, especially with the madness this year has brought on?
Why are you so uninspired and uninspiring?
Silly hashtag?
The Better Together OS is a stick of dynamite. Be ready.
You've spent millions going it alone.
We create explosive results.
Forget those old playbooks. I employ thoughtful, innovative, right-side up, people first business strategy.
And we are winning.
Silly girl with ideas of making people's lives better, making leaders stronger, lifting the perception of the #automotive business, creating greater partnerships where everyone wins.
Silly me.
Thinking I could create something because you didn't even think of it and don't think it's possible because it sounds so simple. It is simple, for me. Not you.
Go on back to the golf course. I'm busy, changing lives.
On Mystery Shops
On Mystery Shops.
What if I told you your store was just Mystery Shopped?
Be totally, completely candid: What was your first reaction?
Panic, fear, embarrassment?
Why?
How could you possibly accept anything but excellence in communication from your teams no matter how your customers choose to connect with you?
Look at the money you've spent! It's the end of 2020...you must not tolerate this.
How customer-friendly and business-forward do you think the call would be rated?
You know how upset or frustrated you get when trying to conduct personal business. But it's happening In. Your. House.
Why haven't you fixed it? I I know...it is embarrassing.
But it doesn't have to be. We just need to get to work and fix it once and for all.
2021 will give us Zero Breaks. We must excel in all communication platforms.
We'll help you build a mindset and clarity around Customer Communication that will propel your team's results to unseen heights.
Let's move from embarrassment to pride within weeks.
All you have to do is...call.
269.217.0414
laurie@fosterstrategiesgroup.com
https://lnkd.in/drWghYE
Foster Strategies. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Automotive's Leading Communication Strategists
#MysteryShop
#Automotive #Training #Consulting #Strategy #Sales #Service
On People Aren't Interruptions
On People Aren't Interruptions.
Take time...no, changing that to Make Time, for people. Keep your eye on the clock, I know you and I are both busy, but make time to truly listen when people reach out to you for help. It's a privilege and honor to be considered a trusted resource.
You will always learn from the conversation. Slow down. Dial in your mindset to 'What can I do to help' and 'Let them know I hear them' as you start each new conversation. And be sure to extend encouragement.
It's not that hard. Then quickly refocus on where you left off!
That's all for the moment...such a busy day. So grateful for the work projects and wonderful people you are all sending my way!
One more coffee...let's go.
I'm here to make a powerful, meaningful difference in the lives of people in Automotive.
Tell me, what about you?
#BetterTogether
#LeadershipMatters
#LeadingTheWay
#ElevatingAutomotivePerformance
#AutomotiveExcellence
On Cadillac Rooftops Closing
On Cadillac Rooftops Closing.
This only makes sense when you look at the amount of legacy Cadillac dealerships operating as a boutique adjunct to the franchises of the business creating the profit.
At some point, the cost of keeping the business open just to keep the luxury brand name doesn't make sense any longer.
Cadillac is making it less painful for some dealers who could/should have cut the Caddy cord years ago.
Now for the bigger questions. Since most of these Cadillac organizations were not owned by larger groups due to their size, how many dealers will funnel these dollars into automotive retail in their communities? And for how many will this be the beginning steps end of the road for not only this franchise, but the start of the end of the road for the organization?
Dealers, you would do well to start strengthening your organization instead of letting it whimper off.
You will gather more attention and gain higher prices if you keep the structure and integrity of your dealership and its people held high.
We can help.
Foster Strategies.
Automotive's Leading Consulting Agency
https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevegreenfield416/
About 150 (17%) of Cadillac's 880 U.S. dealers have decided to part ways with Cadillac, rather than invest in costly upgrades required to sell electric cars, indicating some retailers are skeptical about pivoting to battery-powered vehicles.
GM recently gave Cadillac dealers a choice: Accept a buyout offer to exit from the brand or spend roughly $200,000 on dealership upgrades—including charging stations and repair tools—to get their stores ready to sell electric vehicles.
The buyout offers ranged from around $300,000 to more than $1 million. About 17% of Cadillac’s 880 U.S. dealerships agreed to take the offer to end their franchise agreements for the luxury brand, these people said.
https://lnkd.in/dFm-i67
#automotiveindustry #automotive #automotivetechnology #autoindustry #autodealers #autoindustry #cardealerships #cardealers #autodealerships #autotech #autotechnology #automotivetech
On Your Leadership Efforts
On Your Leadership Efforts
A lot of people will tell you that you need to work on your leaders, few will show you how.
We start from the very root of why you want leaders (we don't take this for granted), how this is a profitable decision from many angles and why people would want to lead and we build from there.
Making momentary change is something almost anyone can do. Creating systemic and sustainable change takes the listening, the skill and insights of a professional.
Many thanks again to CBT Automotive Network and Jim Fitzpatrick for reaching out to discuss this important topic.
Today's featured interview: 3 areas car dealers need to focus on for a robust start to 2021 - ⭐Laurie Foster
" With more than 22 years of experience in the automotive industry, Laurie Foster has made it her mission to provide the industry and its people with effective strategies for making positive change and reaching greater success. Across the industry, Foster has made a name for herself assisting dealers, vendors, and OEMs."
--
Foster Strategies Group #Automotive #LaurieFoster #AutomotiveIndustry #AutoNews #CarSales #AutoSales #Leadership #CarDealer #CarDealership
#LeadershipMatters
#BetterTogether
#FosterStrategies
#ElevatingAutomotivePerformance
#Automotive
#Consulting
#Sales
#GeneralManagers
#DealerPrincipal
On Women of Fixed Operations
Foster Strategies Group
On Women of Fixed Operations.
A few months ago, I gauged interest in creating a community specifically for the women serving in myriad channels and sectors of our 'Fixed Ops' businesses.
There was much interest, so today, while it is fresh off the press, I am proud to announce yet another Foster Strategies initiatives for leadership in Automotive and beyond, #BetterTogether with Women of Fixed Operations ' WOFO'.
Please send your requests to join straight to this link. https://lnkd.in/dSyDYPx
Criterion most important beyond work scope?
A commitment to powerful connection, collaboration and action towards the health and careers of the people in our industry and the success of our organizations.
I look forward to where this ride will take all of us. Like always, I may not be 100% certain where the road will take us, but I'm glad to take the wheel and lead the way.
Join me and please share this with the women you admire serving in #Service, #FixedOps #Collision #Parts #BodyShop #RV #MotorSports #SupplyChain #Manufacturing #Marketing and a dozen more places I can't think of at the moment.
Thank you to Russ Mann, Sabrina Erskine Roger Conant and countless others for encouraging me to get this community's engine started.
Let's go 'WOFO'
#BetterTogether
On Innovation in Consumer Engagement
On Innovation in Consumer Engagement.
The window on our dependence and limitations of email in CRMs is closing. Quickly.
Begin now to overcome your own mindset that everything must go into or originate from the CRM. Emails are losing their grip and privacy concerns are now prohibiting their use.
So much is lost, including time and actual connection to those you would like to contact via typical email efforts.
Stay on top of what's next. Join me and watch what’s happening with Salesforce.
Always remember, just because we did it a certain way doesn't mean it's how we will do it in the future.
#AutomotiveLeadership
See what Eric Brown says below:
https://lnkd.in/dvjUX7A
A CRM buys an email killer, what does that say about the future of email and phone? CRM software companies need to prepare for a platform based communications future. Where communication is anonymous until access is granted. #crmsoftware #digitaladvertising #digitalagency #auto #automotive #automotivesales #automotivetechnology
#BetterTogether With Leading Automotive Women
On Leading Automotive Women.
💡Foster Strategies has now created a group specifically for conversations among women in leadership roles in automotive.
Who is invited to join?
🔶 Currently holds a leadership role. Ex. include, Managers, Directors, Owner, VP, et al.
🔶 All sectors of Automotive and Transportation including Auto Retail, Marketing, Supply Chain, Vendors, Saas, Finance and Banking, PE and VCs, Manufacturing, RV, Marine, Motorsports, etc.
Group criterion include:
🔶 Agree to our mission statement of existing to enable productive and proactive conversations to promote positive growth of individuals, organizations and the industry we proudly serve.
🔶 Understand 'Diversity and Inclusion mindsets tell us that everyone, female and male, all genders, all races and religions are needed for stronger businesses and a successful industry.
🔶 Advocate for and personally contribute to the growth and development of others.
🔶 Operate with sound business standards and principles.
🔶 Understand the importance of maintaining the privacy of individuals to promote confidence in sharing and transparency.
If you would like to be considered or would like to suggest someone you know, please click on the link below.
Thank you to all who encouraged me to launch this initiative.
Staying Ahead of the Customer Journey Curve
On Innovation in Consumer Engagement.
The window on our dependence and limitations of email in CRMs is closing. Quickly.
Begin now to overcome your own mindset that everything must go into or originate from the CRM. Emails are losing their grip and privacy concerns are now prohibiting their use.
So much is lost, including time and actual connection to those you would like to contact via typical email efforts.
Stay on top of what's next. Join me and watch what’s happening with Salesforce.
Always remember, just because we did it a certain way doesn't mean it's how we will do it in the future.
#AutomotiveLeadership
#ExcellenceInAutomotive
#BetterTogether
Here’s more from Eric Brown:
https://lnkd.in/dvjUX7A
A CRM buys an email killer, what does that say about the future of email and phone? CRM software companies need to prepare for a platform based communications future. Where communication is anonymous until access is granted. #crmsoftware #digitaladvertising #digitalagency #auto #automotive #automotivesales #automotivetechnology
Reflecting on #BetterTogether on My Birthday
On My Birthday.
I'm already overwhelmed with gratitude by the hundreds of your messages...and it's only 10 am. I have a full schedule today, but I'm trying to respond to each of you- because you and your wishes are valued. Thank you!
#BetterTogether isn't just a cute catch phrase for me. It's a personal and professional choice to fully live out all of those things we learned, but rarely see applied past a Hallmark card or meme.
If I had one wish, it would be for you to think about any single scenario in your world today with a #BetterTogether mindset.
⭐Who else is here to help?
⭐How can my team be more productive and powerful?
⭐What am I already buying that I need to understand more completely?
⭐Who needs me...and who do I need?
⭐Am I available to others?
⭐What else should I consider prior to entering another partnership?
⭐Who are my true alliances- and who am I contributing to?
My new year begins today.
I am 100% committed to our industry learning and living #BetterTogether as an OS.
The people I serve deserve to know this concept, this truth.
I thank you all for a simply amazing year and am grateful for your encouragement, your appreciation, and your commitment to a better, more rewarding path for all.
Thank you again and again.
Now where's the cake?!🎈
❤Laurie
Making Intentional Decisions for the New Year
On Decisions in December.
Throughout the entire month of December, I will be hosting an exciting journey. December is often a 'grind to the finish line' or where some coast to the dawn of the new year.
December Decisions will open our minds and eyes to opportunities that exist and how we can fully maximize each day remaining in 2020 and set ourselves up for a sustained success in 2021 and beyond.
Stay with me as I lay out December decisions I'm making and many for you to consider.
Hope and luck aren't strategies. Decisions and action and planning are.
Here's to a December full of powerful, meaningful Decisions.
Laurie D. Foster (The D is for----Decisions!)
Join me, won't you?
#DecemberDecisions
#BetterTogether
#MakingADifference
#LeadershipMatters
#ExecutiveCoaching
#FosterStrategies
#AutomotivePerfomance
#ElevatingAutomotivePartnerships
#ClientRetention
#EmployeeRecognition
#PeopleMatter
#SalesSuccess
How to Attract Your Ideal Audience
On Attracting, not Chasing.
Who is on your wish list of people you'd like to meet, and why? What if I told you there were better results available if you attracted their attention, rather than hunting them down?
Trust me, people know when you have them targeted.
Why be the hunter, be the hunted.
Set yourself up as a professional friend who can offer them opportunities to excel, through conversations that capture their interest and make them want to hear more, learn more.
It's as old as time, but you win more by giving than taking. There are universal laws that will support your efforts if you slow down, recalibrate and focus on not what you will get from a connection, but what you will give others.
My favorite consultant to the 'rich and famous', globally recognized author and leader David A. Fields calls this 'Right Side Up Thinking'.
Be 'attractive' and send the right signals to gain interested customers. It's less exhausting than chasing and it's so much more rewarding.
By the way, if there is still a connection you would like to make, let me know. If it makes sense, I'll do my best to introduce you.
Be inspiring, be helpful, be a leader.
Watch what happens next.
#FosterStrategies
#Sales
#BetterTogether
#WhatIsPossible
#ElevatingAutomotivePartnerships
#LeadershipMatters
On the High Cost of Training
On the High Cost of Training.
An important question for those bold enough to check, who also know where to find the answers. In every department, all rolled up, how much did your company spend on training last year? The actual dollars, plus the real cost of people away from their desks or productivity.
👉Manufacturer training paid or cost included
👉Field Trainers
👉Paid Trainers
👉Online Subscription Training
👉Leadership Training
👉Travel costs
👉Every personnel hour
What was your massive investment and what was your return?
Most organizations we support report these dollars end up as a sunk cost with little to no movement correlated to the bottom line.
The money and hours are gone.
We help companies leverage you people + training to make all your well-intended efforts pay off.
By supporting the entire automotive retail space, dealerships, vendors and suppliers, we can lift the industry, one person, one leader, one transaction at a time.
You can calculate the multiples.
Enormous.
Invest in a Strategy partner. It will make your bottom line noteworthy.
Let's put you on the map.
Foster Strategies.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Automotive's Premier Success Partner
#LeadershipMatters
#Training
#Consulting #StrategicPartner
#BusinessStrategy
#GrowthMindset
#EOS
#Performance
#ResultsMatter
#BetterTogether
Do you Need a Good Book Recommendation?
I love it when Ray Dalio recommends books I've recommended.
Mr. Dalio, I will consider this the highest order of compliment.
Yes, read or listen to #ThinkAgain by Adam Grant, available now.
https://lnkd.in/dUxZ8xG
On the Earl Standard
On My Own Car Shopping and The Earl Standard.
I had the pleasure of working with a true professional, Earl Sklar at Mercedes of Westmont on a few transactions in a row.
We were colleagues at AutoNation, and although he knew I know my way around the car business, he offered deliberate attention to ensure I understood every feature on this new vehicle.
Then I was back to the drawing board after moving to Charlotte. Sadly being treated the way most customers are. Sitting there, jostled around, no straight information.
I'm in the car business. I know exactly what you're doing.
Please. Stop.
I asked if we could just lay everything out and the trickery continued.
One of my favorite people in the business is friends with a local GM. Believe it or not this person refuses to take an appointment to meet a mutual friend and industry colleague.
Such arrogance.
No surprise his staff was the most difficult to work with.
Back to Earl...I miss you. The smiles.
I found a mutual connection at a local Hendricks store and Tyler Johnson offered great help. Thank you.
It's time to do it all again. I'm hoping it can be as easy and informative as it should be.
'The Earl Standard'. Excellence.
Maybe that should be a thing.
#CarShoppingJourney
#BetterTogether
#ExcellenceInAutomotive
#BetterTogether
Look Around; Opportunities are Everywhere to Support Local Vendors
Friends in Charlotte, please support this local business. Gigi's is a great bakery right in the heart of South Park. Whether you want some for yourself or want to treat a friend, this is the perfect time to support them before they have to close due to the pandemic.
Their cupcakes are divine.
Support local all you can right now. Treat yourself and treat this local business.
Every order means the world.
Gigi's Bakery of Charlotte
4732 Sharon Rd Suite M, Charlotte, NC 28210
(704) 643-7117
Finding the Right Motivation for Your Audience
Happiness is...Finding a fun way to get the little guy to finish his homemade personal pizza. He was getting tired and a little distracted so I decided to pop a birthday candle in his pizza, light it up, and sing Happy Birthday to Jordan's pizza party! No there are no birthdays on the horizon here. Just trying to fill his tummy prior to returning him to his rightful owners at bedtime.
I hope you are all enjoying your weekend as much as I enjoyed the day with my G- son. He's back home with his mommy and daddy so now it's some Bridgerton escapism for me.
Luck Isn't a Strategy
On a 'Luck' Conversation from Matt Higgins
Don't dismiss someone's success as being lucky nor rely on luck to be your success formula. Get out there and work hard, create value for those you work with, do everything you can to help and inspire others and then... watch what happens. Your friend wasn't lucky, they worked for it.
You'll find the more of these that you do, you stack the deck in your favor.
Things like market timing and economic circumstance may attribute, but rarely, if ever, luck.
Think about a corporate planning meeting, "Well, this year, we are going to just hope we get really lucky."
You'd never buy their stock. (Unless...GameStop, but that's another article!)
Create something special and offer services that no one else has...or do something they're already aware of even # better.
That's not luck, that's smart thinking and good business planning!
Get your Monday motivation on! Let's do great things this week. Hope and luck are not strategies, but focused work and helping others solve their problems is.
Foster Strategies⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#ExcellenceInAutomotive
#BetterTogether
#LeadershipMatters
#CareerServices
#FosterStrategiesSolutionsForAutomotive
#WorkHardForYourLuck
Those Cars Aren't Going to Sell Themselves
On 'Those Cars Aren't Going to Sell Themselves'. Dealer Friends: As you close out your January, what numbers stand out most that need correcting, asap?
We are hearing already that #BDC numbers aren't moving, yet spend has increased again and headcount remains high and costly.
'Business Development Center' is the name for this vertical at your store, yet most are still operating merely as a response team or Call Center, neither of which are 'Business Development'.
If you'd like to get your BDC at or over 15%, we can help. For many dealerships, this is a 50%+ increase.
For GMs and Dealers who aren't sure 'What Good Looks Like' in a BDC, we'll help and bring you the most important info to know on BDCs in 2021.
You can get started for as little as you pay for one BDC sales rep for a month, and we'll help you sell at least 25% more vehicles. If you want to sell more vehicles, and faster, that is.
If your #inventory is averaging over 35 days, this is another indicator your #BDC needs professional help.
Let's Develop some Business together. There is a better way. Those cars aren't going to sell themselves!
Foster Strategies.
#ExcellenceInAutomotive
#BDCSolutions
#SalesStrategy
#SellMoreCars
#BusinessDevelopment
#BetterTogether
#LeadershipMatters