Sales Tip: Use your experience

June 25, 2024
A personal experience can go a lot farther than memorized specs when it comes to making a sale.

As a technician turned independent distributor, Richard Downing is able to put himself in his customers’ shoes.

“I was never a salesman,” Downing says, “but I can relate to people on what they are working on.”

He often uses a story from when he was still working as a tech to help sell his SOLAR battery tester. Downing had received a call from a man whose vehicle wouldn’t start. The vehicle’s battery was only four or five months old, and even after trying to jumpstart it, it still did nothing. At first, Downing was going to take a look at the wiring, but then decided against that and used his SOLAR battery tester instead. After testing the battery, he found it had a shorted cell, and once he replaced the vehicle’s battery it worked just fine. This experience sold Downing on the SOLAR brand, and now he uses it to help convince his customers of the same thing.

About the Author

Emily Markham | Editor | PTEN and Professional Distributor

Emily Markham is the editor of  Professional Tool & Equipment News (PTEN) and Professional Distributor magazines. She has been writing about the automotive aftermarket since 2019, after graduating from UW-La Crosse with a bachelor's degree in English. During her first three years with Endeavor Business Media's Vehicle Repair Group, Markham also wrote for Fleet Maintenance magazine. 

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