Is your store a clean, neat, well laid-out selling environment, or a pile of tools riding around in the back of your truck?

Shoppers come on your truck with many thoughts in mind. The following are probably the most common shopper mindsets, followed by my thoughts on each. 

1. I have no idea what I want, but I like looking at new tools. 

Having a well-merchandised store will be the key to success with this technician. They want to buy something; you just need to capture their interest. These are the plus sales. 

2. I know pretty much what I want, but I want a choice. 

The objective here is to provide the correct value for this customer. If the prospect does body work and does a lot of wiring, they need a great heavy duty wire stripper. If this person is a general technician and crimps a wire about once a week, a good mid-range tool will satisfy them. If all you are showing is a high-priced tool, you may be forcing your customer to go to Home Depot or Amazon. These are the sales that make a big difference in your revenue. These shoppers have a price in mind, and you either get the sale or you get nothing. 

3. I know exactly what I want; I’ll buy it and get back to work. 

If this customer can’t find what they want, they will either buy from the competition or have you find it if you’re not busy. If you are busy and can’t help this customer, it is a lost sale and it gives the competition a good shot at your customer. If you have to spend your time looking for a simple socket, you’re probably missing the opportunity to service some other customer. 

4. It’s hot in the shop and your mobile store is air-conditioned. While I’m cooling off, maybe I’ll buy something. 

See point number one above.