It's easy to fall into the habit of constantly doing the same things. X tool came in? It goes on the left. Y tool is here? Second shelf on the right. And though it may make restocking easier, it also makes it easier for your customers to become "blind" to your products. If your customer steps onto your truck and immediately goes to that third drawer down on the left, are they taking in any of your new products? Or noticing older products they never even knew you had? It's unlikely, so below are five tips to help you keep your tool truck fresh and help you make more sales.
1. Use your space strategically
Mac Tools dealer Dave Fulkman packs his truck full of tools – all organized and with a purpose, because that’s how this tool dealer likes it.
“I like to keep things very organized,” he says. “I don’t like clutter. As much as I try to pack it all in, I don’t like things unorganized.”
To help keep him organized, Fulkman utilizes pull-out drawers.
Read more about Fulkman's space utilizing strategies here.
2. Rotate your products
Like many mobile tool distributors, Cornwell Quality Tools dealer Jonathan Borth likes to organize his truck by product type – electrical products together, sockets together, lights together – but he likes to switch things up by way of placement every now and then.
“I rotate my inventory to different shelves throughout the year to keep customers looking around for product,” the tool dealer says. “This very often results in a sale of an item that has been sitting for a while. Just by moving it.”
Read more about how Borth gets his truck to sell for him here.
3. Product arrangement is key
Independent mobile tool distributor James Stinson will keep faster-moving items at the back of the truck, so customers have to travel throughout the whole trailer. He even has his counter space organized in a way to help promote sales by displaying impulse buys.
Read more about how Stinson organizes his tools to make the sale here.
4. Switch up your inventory
Cornwell Quality Tools distributor Ron Davitt tries to open up as many products as possible. Although this can be difficult with the large amount of inventory he carries, so he’ll bookcase some products.
“In the industry, we do what's called bookcasing, where the products sit almost like books on a shelf,” Davitt explains. “But from week to week I will alter what I display versus what gets bookshelved so that the truck looks fresh, and it keeps the guys coming out every week.”
Read more about how Davitt handles his large inventory here.
5. Keep your truck clean
Cleanliness is of the utmost importance to Mac Tools distributor Leroy Hess. He has two rugs that Cintas, a business services company, changes out once a week for him and his niece, Chelsea Hess, cleans his truck on weekends for some extra cash. He also is very adamant on proper attire on his tool truck.
Read more about how Hess keeps his truck and himself looking sharp here.
