Back to basics with running your tool truck

Officially, Major League Baseball's 2024 spring training started on February 13. So, when does the Major League Mobile Jobber training camp begin? Today!

Every year at spring training the first thing the players work on is physical fitness, catching, fielding, throwing, and batting. They do this to get the rust off and ensure they are doing the baseball basics correctly. It doesn’t matter whether the player is at the 2023 MLB base annual salary of $720,000 or at the level of the Dodger's Shohei Ohani at $70,000,000 per year.

For a Major League Mobile Jobber the spring training basics are:

Cleanliness

• Is your mobile store clean, organized, well-stocked, and attractive? You won’t shop at a grocery store that’s dirty, messy, and has lots of out-of-stock items. Your customers won’t either. 
  
  • I just re-read the October 2023 Professional Distributor Show Me Your Truck article about Cornwell Dealer Tracy Bourdon where he mentions he “keeps all his tools neatly organized with wrenches together, sockets together, etc…" The article then says, “In fact, Bourdon’s organization and cleanliness is one of the things complimented the most about his truck.”

Dependability 

• Are you dependable? If you say you’re going to do something, do you write it down, so you remember and do it? If you can’t do it as promised, do you call the customer and let them know? Do you show up on time on a regular schedule?

Planning

• Do you really plan each sales call? Before you walk in the door be prepared for each customer interaction.
  
  • Try this — review a previous presentation where the customers did not buy what you were selling.
    
    • “Last time I was here we talked about a new impact wrench, and you said you really liked the XYZ product I showed you. Since then, I’ve sold several more and the technicians seem to really like (insert some important feature and benefit). I have one on the truck. Would you like me to get it for you?”
  • Know the cool, new tool that will be of benefit to their job. And be darn sure you really know all the features and benefits of the products you will be showing on each call. 

Accountability 

• Don’t blame an outside influence for your lack of sales.
  
  • “My prices are too high.” Your prices were high last year, the year before, and your prices will be high tomorrow. Remember you're selling service and knowledge.
  • “My company is driving me nuts.” They probably did before and will again in the future. Tough!
  • “My wife, kids, parents, partner, in-laws, district manager, etc. are on my back.” Again…tough! Everyone has real-life issues. Use your selling time to forget about them and concentrate on your customers.

Self-evaluation

• Be your own critic, sales trainer, and coach.
  
  • Directly after each sales call do a thorough review of the event. This is especially true for your major, big-dollar sales presentations. Exactly what went well during each customer interaction. Did you open well? Did you capture their interest? How did the presentation or demonstration go? Did you explain how the products benefited them? Did you trial close? Did you ask for the order?  
  • What during each of the calls could have gone better? Were you prepared to smoothly answer the customers' product questions/objections? Were you able to get the customer involved in the discussion with trial closing and asking questions? Was your demonstration first-rate? 
  • After reviewing what went well and what didn’t go so well decide precisely what you will do differently next time to hopefully produce a better outcome.

Ask for help

• Ask for help. Yea, yea I know. You’re too cool or macho for that and afraid to look weak or helpless by asking for help. Don’t be a knucklehead! You will look a lot worse when you miss your next truck payment.
  
  • A request for help from your DM or company trainer can’t hurt since that is what they are there for. I’m sure you know some of your brand's superstars. Call a few of them and ask for help. Overall people love to be able to help a friend or associate in need.
  • Here’s an idea you probably never thought of — invest a day or two and do a ride-along with a successful mobile jobber in your area. It could be fun, relaxing, and you may learn a trick or two. Just a day or two off your truck may be all the spark you need.

Research 

• Go to the Professional Distributor website VehicleServicePros.com. Access their archives and read some of the previous Go Sell Something articles.
• Go on Amazon and type “The One Minute Salesperson.” It’s one of the best sales skills books available.

A final thought. The MLB hit average in 2023 was 2.5 hits for each 10 times at bat. The league leader was only one hit more per 10 times at bat at 3.5 hits. Only one hit more. The basics of sales, like baseball, are pretty simple. It’s the execution every day and every play that separates the base salary players from the superstars.

Set yourself up to be a Major League Mobile Jobber leader in 2024.

1. Know your products.
2. Take care of your customers.
3. Take care of your employees. That is, you and your partner, your spouse, your helper.
4. Keep your truck looking sharp and up to date.
5. Ask for the order.

Now, go sell something.