Sales Tip: Keep a technician's mindset

Understanding a tool’s uses and how it can fulfill a technician’s needs is crucial when promoting products. Mac Tools distributor Stephen Fultz's background as an automotive technician gives him an edge when it comes to selling tools to his customers. He’s seen both sides of the industry in his career, and now as a distributor, his eyes are open to the intricacies of how it operates.  

“I bought off of tool trucks for almost two decades and saw how it works on that side, and now I [see] how it operates from the tool side instead of the [technician] side,” says Fultz. “There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes that you don’t ever realize.” 

A technician mindset has helped Fultz interact with his customers, giving them reassurance that he knows what he’s talking about, but more than that it helps him decide what to stock on his truck. For the most part, Fultz can anticipate what tools or equipment his customers will need based on what kind of repairs they perform. Still, as with anything, there’s always more to learn and countless opportunities to expand his knowledge.  

“If I’m talking to a customer and they start talking about a tool that I’ve either never heard of or forgotten about, I will, at that point, decide if it’s something I should have on my truck.” 

By listening to his customers’ needs, Fultz is able to evolve his business alongside them, branching out where he needs to so that when questions arise, he’ll be able to answer them.