Selling Cars To Selling Character

When Joe Girard goes to a football or baseball game, he doesn’t just go to support his team.

“When I go to a football game or a baseball game...I have a satchel of 10,000 business cards,” he said, throwing his cards all over a Harvard Business School stage and shouting “Home run!” or “Touchdown!” to underscore his advice: “Market yourself!”

Girard, billed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the “World’s Greatest Salesman,” spoke at HBS yesterday on how to achieve success in business.

“You’re constantly selling yourself,” Girard instructed the attendees, some of whom had to find seating in the aisles of the packed auditorium.

For those who missed the message, the auditorium seats were adorned with the speaker’s business cards, which elicited some confused stares and an occasional rolled eye from attendees as they picked up and examined the list of records printed on the back of each one.

“I think it works for him,” said HBS student Guelmana Rochelin of the cards. “However, as a businessperson, I think it’s over top. I couldn’t see an investment banker just throwing out business cards after a meeting.”

Girard achieved fame selling vehicles at a record pace: 13,001 cars and trucks in his 15 years as a salesman before retiring at the age of 49. His stratospheric sales figures attracted the attention of the Guinness Book of World Records, which had Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu—then called Deloitte and Touche—audit his records to verify their legitimacy before including him in the book.

“I’m proud of one thing,” Girard told the audience, while holding up a copy of the Guinness Book of World Records. “I got in this book, and I didn’t have to eat 10,000 bananas to get in this thing.”

He also praised the United States as “the best place in the world,” afterward kissing the flag next to him on the podium.

Since retiring from selling cars, Girard has spent his time giving motivational speeches and writing four books on how to succeed in the world of business.

“I read it sometimes and I can’t believe it,” he said of one of his books, obeying his instruction to self-promote. “I say, ‘This guy’s fantastic!’” Girard waived his normal $25,000 speaking fee for yesterday’s event, which was sponsored by the Harvard Business School Public Speaking Club as part of their Outstanding Speaker Series.

“It’s always helpful to be told you’re not doing as well as you could be,” said HBS student Charles S. de Segundo of Girard’s message, later noting that “he was very good as a public speaker.” Girard evidently agreed, commending the club on its decision to extend an invitation: “That was a good choice.”