The Horsepower Hustle: A Few Days of Torque and Tactics

Last week, my wife and I dove into that familiar mix of excitement and exhaustion: shopping for a new car. Three contenders—two ICE (Internal Combustion Engine, not the agency), and one hybrid that talked a good game about the future but fell short on range for our mileage needs.

As we logged test drives and peppered sales reps with questions, it became clear: the cars came with spec sheets but the sales reps came with their own plot twists.

Sales Reps We Met Along the Way

Each one felt less like a job title and more like a character sketch:

1. The Freshman – New to the game, fresh out of a previous career in high school, and big on enthusiasm but short on answers. When I asked if he could quote the same model in a different color from another lot, he replied, “We can’t price something not on our lot.” That was the end of that.
   
2. The Veteran – Could probably close a deal in Morse code. Knew the inventory cold, asked smart questions, and had a calm, confident read on the moment. You knew he’d been around.
   
3. The Desperate – He needed the sale more than we needed anti-lock brakes. The pork pie hat was an early tell. His “manager-approved” price matched what we found online. When we walked, he ratcheted up the intensity too quickly and killed his own deal. We left.
   
4. The Smooth Operator – A seasoned pro now in sales management. Knew how to play the long game. But even the smooth operator almost lost the sale by letting his freshman allow us to leave the lot without checking in with us. He recovered—called us back from home with an apology and a price just $500 off our offer. But we weren’t done yet.

Then Came the Finance Manager

Deal agreed, price set, checkbook in hand. We were ready. But the process wasn’t. We waited while another customer’s deal fell apart—they couldn’t get insurance. And we, cash in hand, had to wait for the finance manager. Not to finance anything, mind you. Just to accept our money and hand us a pen. Adherence to process over function…Speed closes deals and bureaucracy kills deals. Knowing when to press the override button on your process? That’s leadership.

If your sales process can’t distinguish between a customer who’s ready and one who’s unraveling, you’ve designed for chaos, not conversion.

Now I’m at Sea-Air-Space: The Same Movie, Bigger Budget

This week, I’m walking the floor at Sea-Air-Space—the largest maritime show in the world—and the parallels are striking. High-end booths. Polished demos. Serious investment on display.

And yet… the reps? Not always the A-team. Yes, all are cheerful but the same categories of 1-4 above are clearly identifiable to the discerning passerby. Many are on a continuum they’ve observed of those who went before them. Too many are not yet the Smooth Operators they could be.

Booth Duty Reality Check:

• Reuniting with friends? Great. But friendship alone doesn’t close contracts.
• Product demos? Critical—if you have something worth showing. But when the pitch sounds like a cold read full of acronyms, buzzwords, or unrelated war stories, it’s a missed opportunity.
• And let’s be honest: your booth isn’t just the booth. It’s the whole network representing your company—C-suite, strategy leads, business developers, consultants. Do they know your story? Your focus? Your value?

The voiceover matters. Imagination is triggered by energy, clarity, and confidence. Yes, trade shows can be reunions of friendship but don’t let that be the reason to attend. Am I talking to you? Are you sure?

Four Questions to Ask Before You Let Anyone Represent You:

1. Do they know the product and the value?
   
2. Can they keep their cool when thrown a curveball?  
   
3. Are they the best first impression of your brand (i.e., did you hire the best or best available)?
   
4. Can they improvise without unraveling?  

Think carefully about your edge strategy, those out in the wild promoting your business and brand. Have you deemed them qualified, or did you delegate that qualifier role?

We did buy a car.

Which one? It will remain a family secret until the grandkids see that we chose fun over luxury this time (the picture above is not a hint). Probably the 18th car in our 40 years of marriage. Each car purchase brings memories, though most should be forgettable experiences.

This one took about 10 hours, all in.

How long do your business closings take? And more importantly, are they memorable—for the right reasons?