Pro Tips: How to sell to the technician that has everything?

There's one on every route, a seasoned tech who seems committed to only the tools in his or her box. They're impossible to crack, stubborn, and might even tell you they've already got everything they need. It's your job to prove them wrong. We asked distributors how they get these technicians to buy from them, here's what they had to say.

2. Listen

"Listen to him. If you pay attention to your customer. If you'll listen to that man and see what he's doing, he'll lead you to what he's wanting and what he needs. You take a guy that's been doing it 30 years, you're not going to sell him a set of screwdrivers every year. You're going to sell him flashlights. You may sell him new scan equipment, some battery-powered stuff that he didn't have starting out, but with the quality hardline products, you're not selling him a set of sockets every month. So if you listen to, he's gonna tell you."

-Danny Stratton, Mac Tools

3. Educate them on new technologies

"At this point in time, the guy that has everything is usually old. So, it's usually something technology-wise. I try to stay away from like screwdrivers, wrenches, and pliers because that's what everyone starts with. The category that you're going to get that guy in is more or less going to be electrical or diagnostic tools. Technology changes so often on these cars."

-Alex Indeck, Cornwell Quality Tools

4. Keep it fun

"Oh, it's easy. You've just got to walk in and show them what's new, what's hot, and you also have to make your truck fun. You have to run giveaways. I've given away pretty much anything you can think of. That usually keeps them interested in expanding if they like something they got during a giveaway." 

-Dustin Cannoy, Independent

5. Focus on what’s new and improved

"A lot of them already have what they need, but that’s when the new stuff comes into play. They’re always looking for new and improved ways of doing things. If something allows a technician to turn a 30-minute job into a 15-minute job, and they do that job often, then it’s obviously a good investment on their part to be able to complete jobs faster. So, if you can provide them with a new and quicker way, they’re going to buy."

-James Stinson, Independent