Joe Girard
Joe Girard | |
|---|---|
| Born | Joseph Samuel Girardi 1 November 1928 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | 28 February 2019 (aged 90) Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Salesman, author, motivational speaker |
| Known for | Selling 13,001 vehicles; Guinness World Record for most cars sold in a year |
Joseph Samuel Girardi (November 1, 1928 – February 28, 2019), widely recognized as Joe Girard, was a prominent American salesman, author, and motivational speaker. Between 1963 and 1978, he achieved the remarkable feat of selling 13,001 vehicles at a Chevrolet dealership. His record for the most cars sold within a single year—1,425 units in 1973—was officially acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records.[lower-alpha 1] Following his sales career, Girard became a sought-after motivational speaker, delivering presentations to corporate clients such as General Motors, Hewlett-Packard, and Kmart. He lived in Grosse Pointe Shores, Michigan until his passing.
Early life
Born to Antonino Girardi, a man of Sicilian origin who endured significant poverty,[2] and Grace Stabile, a homemaker, Girard began working at an early age. Having left high school prematurely, he took on various jobs including shining shoes, delivering newspapers for the Detroit Free Press, washing dishes, running deliveries, assembling stoves, and contracting in home construction.
Career
At age 35, Girard approached a Detroit automotive dealership and persuaded a doubtful sales manager to hire him as a car salesman. He succeeded in selling a vehicle on his very first day. Within two months, his outstanding performance prompted complaints from fellow salesmen that resulted in his dismissal. Subsequently, he joined Merollis Chevrolet located in Eastpointe, Michigan, where he established successive sales records over a span of fifteen years. Transitioning into authorship and public speaking, Girard shared his sales expertise through books and live seminars. By the time he retired at age 49, he had sold an unprecedented total of 13,001 cars and continues to hold the Guinness World Record for the highest number of vehicles sold by an individual.[2]
In his book How to Sell Anything to Anybody, Girard explains that early in his sales career he chose to use only "Girard" professionally to avoid potential conflicts or losing clientele due to ethnic bias against Sicilian or Italian heritage.[3]
Girard made appearances on television programs such as What’s My Line? in 1974 and To Tell the Truth in 1973.
He passed away on February 28, 2019, due to complications following a fall.[4]
Published works
- How To Sell Anything To Anybody
- How To Sell Yourself
- How To Close Every Sale
- Mastering Your Way To The Top
- Joe Girard's 13 Essential Rules of Selling
Awards and honors
Among Girard's recognitions is The Golden Plate Award bestowed by the American Academy of Achievement. He also received a nomination for the Horatio Alger Award, recommended by the late Dr. Norman Vincent Peale alongside the late Lowell Thomas.
In 2001, Girard was formally inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.
Notes
References
- ↑ "Most cars sold by a salesman in a year". guinnessworldrecords.com. London, England: Guinness World Records. 2018. Archived from the original on May 10, 2018. Retrieved February 17, 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "The History of Joe Girard". joegirard.com. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
- ↑ Girard, Joe (2006). How to Sell Anything to Anybody. New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 169–170. ISBN 978-0-7432-7396-1.
- ↑ Jackie Charniga (March 12, 2019). "Joe Girard, world's top car salesman, dead at 90". Automotive News. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022.
See also
External links
- JoeGirard.com
- American Dreams profile Archived 2021-10-27 at the Wayback Machine