The Manitoba Motor Dealers Association (MMDA) awarded Selkirk GM’s Josh Isfjord the top GMC salesperson in Manitoba. This comes after Isfjord has already received top salesperson for Chevrolet and for Buick in previous years.
Isfjord, 29, has worked at Selkirk GM for eight years and has been the dealership’s top salesperson for the past seven years. He counters the stereotype people sometimes have of salespeople — that they put the sales ahead of the customer’s experience — by doing the exact opposite. Isfjord said being a people person and creating genuine friendships has been key to his success.
“Building that relationship first and selling the car second is kind of the way I attack it, like making a friend, finding common ground, figuring what they do, figuring what their kids do, what they do in their spare time,” he said. “Find common ground, and then selling the vehicle is easy after that.”
His journey to top salesperson started out with a washcloth. In high school, he worked at Selkirk GM washing cars. He eventually inquired about transitioning to sales, but he was turned down because of his lack of sales experience.
To gain experience, he sold cable for a couple of years, going door to door to people’s homes.
“I ended up selling the owner cable,” Isfjord said. “He remembered who I was and told me I should apply for the sales job, and I did, and the rest is kind of history.”
Isfjord, who is originally from Petersfield but today lives in Selkirk, said selling cable confirmed he was still interested in a sales position at the dealership.
“I really enjoyed it, but I didn’t really want to drive to the city anymore, being from out here,” Isfjord said. “When the opportunity to get a sales job back in Selkirk arose, I was like, yeah, why not, take a chance and give it a try.”
It ended up being the right fit, confirmed by achieving top salesperson in just his second year at the dealership.
“The fact that [our customers] trust you to navigate that purchase with them … it makes you feel great. You’ve earned that trust to help them buy that 50, 60 or sometimes even $100,000 vehicle,” Isfjord said. “When they send friends and family, that’s when you really know you’ve done a good job, because not only do they trust you, but they trust you to send their loved ones and their friends your way. There’s no better thank you than a referral.”
Isfjord said it’s important to him to stay involved with the community, such as his work helping to organize the Nova House Christmas drive at Selkirk GM.
For those looking to buy a vehicle, you can expect to see Isfjord at the dealership, ready to help you out.
“I’ll be here until the end of time,” he said with a laugh.
