2 0 — S AN DY (O r« .) POST Thur*., D«c. 18. 1975
Women sell cars
There's a new m odel in the show room
The nomenclature is a nuisance. but
women are makings name selling cars
Donna Olson of Gios Ford in Sandy
hasn’t really committed herself to a title.
“ I let the customers call me what they
want," the mother of two chuck led
On the job in time to take a frosty tour of
the lot. Donna crawled into each car and
truck in the line and started the motor.
‘This is just one of my jobs," the seller
of Fords for four months said
People are admittedly puzzled at first.
“ Sometimes they’ll ask Are you a
sidesman?’ They don’t know what to call
m e," Donna said. "There were one or two
men who couldn't talk to me, but most
think it's great to have a woman getting
into this field "
Before Duane. 9. and Denise. 6, started
school. Donna was temporarily retired
Form erly she had worked as a teller for
Security Bank of Oregon in Troutdale
She’d also had a stint as waitress at
Multnomah Falls
" I'm not the kind of woman who likes to
sit around home or go visiting all day so I
decided to go back to work," she said.
"We'd bought a car here 10 years ago and
had good luck with it so that's what made
meapply for work here ”
Clothe, tor Son • Fun
WAiiAtt SKOP
Good tidings of comfort and joy
or« going your woy . . . from us. W e
hop« that heavenly peace be yours
too . . , throughout the season.
N a tiv e
Print Fabrics
and P atterns
Donna started with a basic knowledge
and confidence in her product.
" I could n t sell something I didn't
believe in," she said.
"There’s no simple sales pitch.
“ There’s no such thing as just a
Mustang." Donna smiled. "There are lots
of options and things to know about luxury
decorations, gas mileage, safety features.
You have to know your product and
demonstrate it. And you have to know your
competition, too ”
Donna, who sells trucks, too, brings the
homemaker’s gift of comparison shopping
to her job.
"When you buy a pair of shoes you try
them on." she said “ I t ’s the same with a
(
car—you have to find one that fits your
needs The customer usually knows what
he wants—you just point out the features to
him."
Europe. Japan, The Orient She lived in
Jupun and can speak the language, which
is really fun to do with customers of
Japanese descent, she said Ivippilv
She has lots to talk about with
customers skin and scuba diving.Inking,
foreign countries, skiing
She said she s the “ typical gregarious
Gemini."
" I love people and I just like talking to
them," site said
When she joined the sales force at
Heaael's she pondered what to put on her
business card, but fellow salesman M arv
Ogle helped with her identity crisis.
“ I'm a sales representative," she
smiled
It is possible to have too much fun on the
job. Pamela admitted.
“Sometimes I'm having such a good
time with the people I forget the main
purpose is to sell care," she smiled. " I ’ll
have towork on that."
Although some think women care most
about how the car looks and men about
how it runs. Donna thinks when it gets
down to buying »heir concerns come
together.
"They’re both concerned about the
price—they want what they can afford and
want it to be trouble-free," she believes.
She doesn't believe in a know-it-all
approach.
"The think I like best about this job is
learning from the customers. " she smiled.
"M y husband thinks it’sgreat I have this
job—and I ’m learning a lot he didn’t know
about cars, she said. “ I'm a person that
loves my family, but I also want a job I
really enjoy ”
r.
DO N N A OI.SON of (¿lot. Ford in Sandy ha* a whole line of ear» and truck» to
start up before she starts selling The E ag le Creek mother of two has been in
the auto sales business for four months. She was one of five women at a
recent Ford sales meeting.
o oo
About one in 500 Americans
Wo.tMio people — has an
inherited tendency Io very high
blood cholesterol, according to
The N atio n al Foundation
March of Dimes MOI) gran-
tee« are trying to find a cure for
Ibis abnormality, which can
contribute to heart attacks and
stroke:;.
" I don’t like the name saleslady—it
sounds too much like a department store
bargain basement," said Pamela Hopkire.
who started selling cars for Hessel Motors
in October
She is the Gresham dealership's first
woman in the salesroom.
"They wanted to hire a woman for
some time and even advertised for a
’salesperson’ but got no replies." Pamela
said.
It ’s hard for some people to figure out
what she’s doing there.
“Some people who call think I ’m the
receptionist,” she said "Others ask why
I ’m doing this. But all in all, everybody’s
been really nice and most are glad to see a
woman selling care.”
Learning the lingo of Chrysler and j
Plymouth—and the new V o la re to o k
some doing for Pamela, who taught fifth
grade in Hawaii before returning home to I
the Portland area.
“ I haven’t learned all the talk yet, but
this is a good place to work and the other •
salesmen have been really helpful." she i
said. "They tell me they can train me
about care, but liking people is something
that was already part of my personality.”
1
I
I
Yuletide is the season to be jolly
and it’s a fine time to wish you and yours
the happiest. W arm “thanks,” too.
I
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I
I
She said her years as a schoolteacher
came out when it was time to decorate for
Christmas. All the care and trucks are
wrapped in big red bows, tinsel hangs in
the windows.
|
Another job experience has also helped
" I worked my way through school as a
long distance, mobile marine operator. |
I
I
I ’m very relaxed on the phone when I ’m
making my calls.”
The vivacious brunette, who is single,
aims her conversation at the wife.
“ On the telephone I never ask for the
husband unless the wife suggests It,” she
said When people come in, I talk to the
wife, too There seems to be a bond bet
ween women so they trust me and I figure
the wives have a lot to do with what gets
bought, too. Besides there are widows and
single women buying care and they like
having another woman to talk to.”
P am e la has tra v e le d exten sively
Keepsake
Keepsake engagem ent dia
monds have perfect color, cut
and clarity Choose from our
beautiful holiday selection
P A M E L A H O P K IN S has been selling care and trucks for
Hessel Motors since October. The fa rm e r schoolteacher
says talkin g with people is the favorite aspect of her Job.
Tri-County group to meet
The
Tri-C ounty
Local
Government Commission will
m w l at 7:30 p m Thursday,
Dec. 18. at the CRAG offices,
527 SW Hall St.. Portland
The group is composed of
business, government, labor
and citizen members who are
studying local government Io
see how it might be made more
efficient.
Kules of procedure, work
plans, budget, staffing and
office space are among items to
be considered by the group
Thursday
CROKETT JEWELRY
Keepsake Diamond Canter
Few«»*—a w e»««« «»« w a rn <*«■»«■»« ma we was»«—aw e we asai
t's another
Christmas
season, ringing
out with old
fashioned
joy. Hope you
and yours
have the merriest
Yuletime of
ia le t
all. To our
warm wishes,
iliin t upon yo u , an
From
b rm tf y o u p e a c e .
add our sincere
y fj •
• Thank You.”
Leona 8. Exley and her staff:
Flora M . Tuggle, Yoshio Mishima, Roger Weidler
Forest Lawn Memorial Park
and Mausoleum
P .O . Box 166, G resh am , O re ., 9 7 0 3 0
665-1
We appreciate and thank you
for your patronage.
Happy Holidays from all of us
at the . . .
r?Wt yluZSstfy
17 NW FIRST 666-6211
Turn South off Powell at West Gresham Grade School and drive 2 blocks South
Walters Rd and turn left.
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