Selling is basically a numbers game, right? That is what they tell you in every corporate retreat and LinkedIn "thought leader" post. But if you actually look at the life of Joe Girard, the guy who holds the Guinness World Record as the best salesman in the world, you realize the numbers were just a byproduct of something way weirder and more personal.
Joe sold 13,001 cars.
That wasn't over a fifty-year career. He did it in fifteen years at a Chevrolet dealership in Eastpointe, Michigan. Most car salesmen are lucky to move ten or twelve cars a month. Joe was averaging six a day. On his best day? He moved 18 vehicles. He wasn't selling to fleets or big corporations either. These were individual, retail sales. One human being across a desk from another human being.
The Day Joe Girard Almost Starved
Honestly, the story doesn't start with a slick suit or a motivational speech. It starts with a guy who was a total "loser" by society's standards. By age 35, Joe had been a shoeshine boy, a newsboy, and a failed home builder. He was broke. Like, "no groceries in the fridge for the kids" broke.
In January 1963, he begged a local Chevy dealer for a job. The manager didn't even want him there. He gave Joe a desk in the back and told him not to touch the "up" list (the walk-in customers). So Joe grabbed a phone book.
He didn't have a lead list. He didn't have a CRM. He just had a phone and a desperate need to buy a bag of groceries. By the end of that first day, he had sold a car. He borrowed ten bucks from his manager to buy food for his family that night. That desperation turned into a system that eventually made him a legend.
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The Law of 250: Why One Mistake Costs You Everything
Joe had this theory called the Law of 250. It sounds kinda simple, but it’s actually pretty profound. He once went to a funeral and asked the funeral director how he knew how many mass cards to print. The director told him that, on average, about 250 people show up to a funeral.
Joe’s brain went into overdrive.
He figured every person has 250 people in their life who care enough to show up when they die. If you treat one customer like garbage, you aren't just losing one sale. You are potentially poisoning the well for 250 other people. Conversely, if you make one person feel like a king, you've got an "army" of 250 people who might hear about you.
He took this so seriously that he actually refused to hang out with other salesmen.
Most guys at the dealership would sit around the "lounge" drinking coffee and complaining about the economy or the manager. Joe hated that. He called them "complainers and crybabies." Instead, he ate lunch at his desk. If he wasn't selling, he was filing. If he wasn't filing, he was calling.
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I Like You
You've probably heard about Joe's famous greeting cards. It’s the stuff of marketing legend. Every single month, Joe sent a card to every person on his list. By the end of his career, he was sending out over 13,000 cards a month.
He didn't send "sales" cards. He didn't send "deals of the month."
The cards usually just said, "I Like You." That’s it. He wanted to be the only name they thought of when it was time for a new Chevy. He was so busy that he eventually had to hire his own staff—out of his own pocket—just to handle the mail and the prep work. He turned his desk into a "dealership within a dealership."
Why He Sued a Record-Breaker
Joe was protective of his legacy. In 2017, a salesman named Ali Reda claimed he broke Joe’s single-year record (1,425 cars) by selling 1,582. Joe didn't just congratulate him. He sued.
He didn't believe the numbers were "pure" retail sales. To Joe, the record wasn't just a number; it was a testament to a specific kind of one-on-one grit. While the Guinness World Records eventually recognized Reda, the controversy highlighted just how much Joe's identity was tied to being the absolute pinnacle of his craft.
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13 Rules for Being the Best Salesman in the World
Joe eventually wrote a book called How to Sell Anything to Anybody. It’s basically the bible for retail sales. He didn't focus on "closing techniques" as much as he focused on personal discipline.
- Work when you work. No long lunches. No "gabbing" with coworkers.
- Listen more than you talk. He believed the mouth should only be used for eating.
- Tell the truth. If you lie once, you're a liar for life.
- Don't overcharge. He worked on small profits but massive volume.
- Dress for the customer. If he was selling to a blue-collar guy, he didn't wear a $1,000 suit. He didn't want to look like he was better than his client.
One of his weirdest tips? He kept different brands of cigarettes in his desk. He didn't even smoke. He just wanted to be able to offer a customer their favorite brand to make them feel at home. It’s that level of obsessive detail that separates a "car guy" from the best salesman in the world.
The Truth About the "Hard Sell"
People think the best salesmen are high-pressure sharks. Joe was the opposite. He was a "service" guy. He would spend his own money to fix a customer's car if the service department was dragging their feet. He knew that if he took care of the service, the next sale was guaranteed.
He basically pioneered the "Customer Lifetime Value" concept before it was a buzzword.
He retired at 49. He was at the absolute top. He spent the rest of his life as a motivational speaker, telling people that they aren't selling products—they’re selling themselves. "I never sold a car in my life," he used to say. "I sold Joe Girard."
Actionable Takeaways from Joe Girard’s Career
If you want to apply the "Girard Method" to your own work—whether you're in sales, tech, or just trying to build a brand—start with these specific moves:
- Audit Your "250": Look at your last three negative interactions. Did you treat those people like they represent a network of 250? If not, fix the relationship before the "poison" spreads.
- The "I Like You" Principle: Find a way to stay in front of your clients without asking for anything. Whether it’s a monthly email or a physical card, the goal is "top of mind" awareness, not a hard pitch.
- Optimize Your Environment: Stop "gabbing." If your workplace is full of "complainers," isolate yourself. Joe’s success came from his refusal to participate in the "loser" culture of the breakroom.
- Service After the Sale: Spend 20% of your time ensuring previous clients are happy. It is five times cheaper to keep a customer than to find a new one.
Joe Girard died in 2019 at the age of 90. He left behind a record that stood for over four decades and a philosophy that proves selling isn't about being a shark—it's about being the person people actually want to see again.