Join us for an exciting journey as the Lewis Brothers unravel the essence of creating an engaging and dynamic sales environment through the Ultimate Challenge! We dive deep into how high levels of excitement within a dealership translate into superior customer experiences, where every interaction feels authentic. This episode aggregates compelling insights that demonstrate how excited employees can engage customers in a way that naturally leads to sales while fostering a sense of community around your brand. 

We explore various marketing approaches adopted to promote the Ultimate Challenge, sharing the nuances of making customers feel valued through strategic discounts and fun-filled events. The chaotic atmosphere creates a carnival vibe that resonates during the month-long campaign, but it also anchors deeper business concepts that other entrepreneurs can apply to their teams. 

In tackling sales challenges, we provide actionable tips for management, focusing on how to maintain momentum throughout the month while ensuring that staff remain energized and ready to tackle their daily goals and customer interactions. This compelling conversation serves as a call to create cultures that not only delight and engage customers but also bring forth a sense of belonging for employees. Don't skip the chance to gather insights that could propel your business to new heights! 

As always, we invite you to share your thoughts and experiences after listening. If you love our content, please subscribe, leave a review, and join us for future episodes as we keep the conversation going on how to drive your business forward with uplifting strategies!

More About this Episode

The Power of Culture, Excitement, and Ultimate Challenge in Business Success

In the world of business, whether you're selling cars, running a retail store, or providing a service, the success of your company ultimately comes down to two things: people and processes. You’re either doing physical work or mental work, and for businesses that rely on the mental engagement of their employees, keeping internal motivation high is the key to delivering exceptional customer experiences.

This philosophy is at the core of what makes the Ultimate Challenge—our signature sales event—so successful. It’s not just about big discounts or eye-catching marketing; it’s about creating an environment that excites both employees and customers alike. When you cultivate energy inside your business, it naturally spills over to the customer experience, resulting in higher sales, better engagement, and long-term brand loyalty.

In this article, we’re breaking down:

  • Why culture and internal buy-in matter before external marketing.
  • The mechanics behind the Ultimate Challenge and how we execute it.
  • Actionable insights for business owners looking to scale their sales strategies.

Building Internal Buy-In: Employees Come First

One of the biggest mistakes business owners make is focusing too much on the customer before ensuring their team is fully engaged. If your employees don’t believe in what you’re doing, your customers never will.

At Lewis Automotive, before any customer sees an ad, hears a commercial, or walks onto the lot, our internal team is already dialed in. Here’s how:

  1. Clear Communication & Goal-Setting – Before launching a major event like Ultimate Challenge, we hold multiple internal meetings to ensure every employee knows the objectives, incentives, and benefits for them and the customer.
  2. Energy & Excitement – Culture isn’t built overnight. It’s developed through consistent engagement. Whether it’s small perks like a jeans day or big moments like live music, food trucks, and giveaways, these things make employees feel like they’re part of something bigger.
  3. Empowering the Team – A leader’s job isn’t just to tell employees what to do but to give them the tools, training, and motivation to excel. We break our goals down into manageable daily targets, so no one feels overwhelmed.
  4. Making Work Fun – The reason the Ultimate Challenge stands out is because it doesn’t feel like just another sale. Employees are engaged because the event is exciting, and that energy directly translates into the customer experience.

Takeaway: Before investing in customer marketing, invest in your employees' mindset and motivation. The customer experience will always reflect the internal culture of your company.

Ultimate Challenge: The Strategy Behind the Success

The Ultimate Challenge isn't just another sales event—it’s a full-scale operation that transforms how we do business for an entire month. Here’s a breakdown of what makes it work:

  1. A Month-Long Marathon, Not a Sprint

Unlike traditional short-term promotions, we spread the event over an entire month. This allows:

  • More time to generate excitement and demand.
  • Customers to shop without pressure while still enjoying massive savings.
  • Employees to stay engaged and avoid burnout by managing sales over time.

360° Marketing Strategy

One of the most common questions we get is: What outside firm do you use to plan all this? The answer? Everything is done in-house.

Our marketing strategy covers every angle, ensuring consistent messaging across multiple platforms:

  • Billboards
  • Radio & Streaming Audio
  • TV & Online Video Ads
  • Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.)
  • Website Promotions & Banner Ads
  • On-Site Signage & Branding

A key principle of marketing is frequency and consistency. The same message is repeated across different platforms so that when customers are ready to buy, we are top of mind.

Creating an In-Person Experience

Once customers arrive, it’s more than just a sales lot—it’s an experience.

  • Live DJ & Music
  • Food Trucks
  • Games & Family Activities (pottery-making, axe throwing, racing simulators)
  • Giveaways (trips, cash prizes, and more)
  • Themed Fridays (Cancun Friday—employees in Hawaiian shirts, tropical drinks, and island vibes)

Data-Driven Selling

Success doesn’t happen by accident. We track everything:

  • How many calls, texts, and emails it takes to generate a sale.
  • What marketing channels bring in the most leads.
  • Daily progress reports to ensure we stay on track.

Breaking our big goal (selling 555+ vehicles) into daily, per-person goals keeps everyone focused on short-term wins that add up to long-term success.

Lessons for Business Owners: How to Apply This to Any Industry

You might be thinking, That’s great, but I don’t run a car dealership—how does this apply to me? Here are some key takeaways any business can implement:

Scale Your Promotions

  • Not every company can host a month-long event, but you can scale excitement in your own way.
  • A roofing company can offer “Spring Roof Tune-Up Month.”
  • A gym can do a March Madness Challenge with rewards for attendance.
  • A service business can run weekly flash deals or customer appreciation events.
  1. Create an Exciting Atmosphere
  • Employee morale directly impacts customer experience.
  • Find ways to make work more engaging—small things like music, dress-up days, or team challenges go a long way.
  • If employees are having fun, customers will feel it too.

Break Down Big Goals into Small, Achievable Steps

  • If you focus only on the big picture, it can feel overwhelming.
  • Instead of saying we need 50 new clients this month, say we need 2 new clients per day.
  • Manage daily activities—calls, follow-ups, meetings—to reach the big goal effortlessly.

Drive Engagement Through Personal Connection

  • Employees and customers alike respond best to personal, authentic engagement.
  • People don’t want to be “sold to”—they want to feel understood and valued.
  • Whether you sell products or services, focus on relationship-building rather than transactions.

Final Thoughts: The Formula for Success

The Ultimate Challenge has been running for nearly two decades, not because of luck, but because of a winning formula:

  1. Engage and energize employees FIRST.
  2. Align marketing and branding across every channel.
  3. Make the customer experience feel exciting and valuable.
  4. Break big goals into small, daily targets.
  5. Create momentum through personal engagement and enthusiasm.

Success in business isn’t about luck—it’s about intentional actions, consistency, and culture. Whether you run a car dealership, a small shop, or a service-based business, these principles work in every industry.

So, if you’re looking to take your business to the next level, the question is:

Are you ready to create your own Ultimate Challenge?