may2023 - 37

Illustration: erhui1979 | GettyImages
when you have something you must
show them in the literature. And once
you've shown that feature, take the literature
back from them until the end
of your presentation.
It is a sales skills fact that as soon
as you hand the prospect some literature,
they go deaf, start looking at the
literature, and quit listening to you.
Be prepared for the normal questions
and objections. Build them into
your presentation so you answer them
before the customer has a chance to ask
them. This way you control the question
and can shape the answer to your
product's benefit.
* Feature: Our storage unit side is
made of XX-gauge steel.
So, in this example, you might
make the sale with just the feature
and the advantage, but the benefit
will assuredly close the deal as the
benefit shows your customers what's
in it for them.
* Benefit: In addition to not damaging
anything around what you are
hitting, this dead blow hammer
will not bounce off your target and
injure you.
DEMONSTRATIONS VS.
DEMONSTRATIONS
Now, back to the difference between
demonstrations and demonstrations.
With the quick demo of a simple
product, like our dead blow hammer,
there are probably three or four features/benefits
to hit on that will close
the deal. If your customer needs to
replace their hammer, then your dead
blow hammer will almost sell itself.
Just be sure to follow those three to
four features with the benefit those
features have for that individual.
However, the demonstration of the
massive tool storage system needs to be
thought through in advance-planned,
staged, and professionally executed.
Set the stage by inviting the prospect
onto your truck where you can
close the door to create a quiet environment
allowing both you and the
prospect to focus 100 percent on this
potential sale. If you have a cup of coffee
or a soda available be sure to offer it to
your prospect. The objective is to get the
individual relaxed and focused on you.
Present your tool storage system in
logical order. Maybe start at the bottom
(wheels) and work up. Wheels, slides,
drawer sizes, the material, etc. Do not
begin with your best and most important
features. You want the prospect
to get comfortable with your feature,
advantage, benefit, and trial close pattern.
You want them to get in the habit
of agreeing with your trial closes that
these benefits are good for them. Your
objective is to get the prospect in the
habit of saying yes. If you hit them with
the best and most important benefits
first, you will run out of things to talk
about pretty quickly.
Never ever hand the prospect a
piece of literature or a catalog until the
end of your presentation or at least only
* Advantage: We've been manufacturing
high-end storage systems for
50 years and our engineers design
our products to have the perfect
strength and weight steel to fit a
professional's needs.
* Benefit: I imagine you agree that is
the best way to manufacture a great
system, don't you?
The above is a lot better than having
the prospect say, " The other system I'm
looking at uses XXX-gauge steel, why
don't you?
In the end, the more you can
impress your prospect that this product
is going to benefit them personally
the easier it will be to close the sale.
Now, go sell something!
ALAN W. SIPE has spent
the last 42 years in the
basic hand tool industry
including positions as
president of KNIPEX Tools
North America, senior vice president
of sales and marketing at Klein Tools,
manager of special markets at Stanley
Tools, and sales manager at toolbox
manufacturer Waterloo Industries.
Currently, Sipe is the owner of Toolbox
Sales and Consulting, a company
specializing in sales strategy, structure,
development, and training.
alansipe@gmail.com
Professional Distributor I May 2023 I VehicleServicePros.com 37
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