ORANGE COUNTY – In today's market with the cost of gas and inventory shortages, car buyers are increasingly more cautious on the lot.

Automotive sales training expert and author Joe Verde will address the reality of selling to today's new buyer when he holds a special workshop at the National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers (NAMAD) Annual Membership Conference on July 21-23 in Las Vegas, Nev.

Verde's workshop, "The New Basics™ Of Selling – New Rules For Selling To Today's Buyer," will be held on Friday, July 22, at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay.

"Using 'Old School' sales methods is out the door. Today's customers have changed how they buy, and that means we have to change how we sell," said Verde, President, Joe Verde Sales & Management Training, Inc. "Customers have evolved over the last several years into more savvy consumers, armed with more information, demanding a new level of professionalism and skills from our salespeople and management staff."

The goal of Verde's workshop is to arm NAMAD dealers with the knowledge and skills required to help managers and salespeople face today's more sophisticated buyer.

"Until the recession hit, you really didn't have to develop your skills or build your business to make money. As a salesperson, you could go to work, wait for an 'up', and earn $42,000 per year in spite of your skills, but those days are over," Verde said.

Among the topics Verde will address in his workshop are:

• How customers have changed in the last three years

• The new priorities of today's buyers

• The New Basics™ of selling

• The eight important steps to more sales and higher gross profit

This workshop is not Joe Verde's first association with NAMAD dealers. He has spoken at their annual conference before; is a regular contributor to the group's Treads newsletter; and is an ongoing partner and enrollee in the Association's online Minority Dealer Vendor Directory. Joe Verde Sales & Management Training, Inc., is listed under the following categories: Training/Education, CRM, CSI, F&I and Advertising. The directory is located on NAMAD's Website.