The Times They Are A-Changin’

The Times They Are A-Changin’

Guest Blogger, Alan Sipe

Each month, Alan Sipe, a contributing editor for Professional Distributor magazine, writes a sales skill article targeted to the independent business people who own and operate the various branded tool trucks you see parked at automotive repair shops everywhere. 

A few weeks ago, my friend Rick sent me the following email which shocked the heck out of me.

Hi Alan,

I started using the new Microsoft Edge browser which has the ChatGPT AI built into it. It has a “compose” section where you put in what you are interested in and have it write a paragraph or two on the topic. So, I entered “teach people how to sell tools” and here is the output after about 10 seconds:

Do you want to learn how to sell tools like a pro? Do you want to boost your sales and earn more money? Do you want to impress your customers and make them loyal to your brand? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this is the guide for you!

Selling tools is not just about showing the features and benefits of your products. It’s also about understanding the needs and wants of your customers, building rapport and trust with them, and creating a memorable experience that makes them come back for more.

In this guide, you will learn how to:

  • Identify your target market and their pain points
  • Research and select the best tools for your niche
  • Craft a compelling sales pitch that highlights the value of your tools
  • Demonstrate your tools in action and overcome objections
  • Close the deal and follow up with your customers

By following these steps, you will be able to sell tools like a pro in no time. You will also enjoy your work more and have fun along the way. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your tools and start selling!

For those of you who read this column, this ChatGPT output sounds exactly like the point of all the columns I have written over the last 4-5 years. Let’s break down this guide step-by-step and really dive into how to make that sale because, at the end of the day, you can ask AI for as much help as you want, but if you’re not putting in the hard work with your customers, it won’t matter.  

Identify your target market and their pain points

Pay attention to your customers. Find out what the hard parts or time-consuming tasks of their job are and show them solutions.

For example: “I am told that reaching the fasteners way down deep in a BMW steering column is difficult. I think our 24” Torx screwdriver will help you get down in there quickly and easily.”

Research and select the best tools for your niche

This sounds like simple logic, but just because a tool is on promotion this month is no reason to show a bodywork dolly to an alignment specialist.

Craft a compelling sales pitch that highlights the value of your tools

Feature, advantage, benefit selling is the way a professional salesperson ensures success.

A sales presentation that includes only the features and the advantages is only half a professional presentation and in reality, not the important half. The personal benefit to this individual is why they buy and the key to closing the deal.

An example of only feature and advantage presenting: “The protective steel in these work shoes not only protects your toes but unlike many other protective shoes on the market the steel in these shoes comes way up and protects most of your arch.” 

An example of feature, advantage, and benefit presenting: “This means that when something very heavy falls on your foot these shoes protect your arch as well as your toes, so your chance of a serious foot injury disability is reduced significantly.”

The last bit is the benefit. This is what gets the prospect turned on about your shoes.

Demonstrate your tools in action and overcome objections

Give a complete demonstration showing the features, advantages, and benefits in logical order. A logical order helps you remember where you are in your demonstration when interruptions in your presentation occur. Also, if you present the most important features first you will run out of things to say pretty quickly.

Be prepared for all the likely objections which will probably come up. Build them into your presentation so you are in control.

For example: “There are grinders available with both slower and faster speeds than mine. Our world-famous engineering people researched these grinders and developed a product that will do your job and also give you excellent disk life which I’m sure is what you’re looking for, isn’t it?”

Close the deal and follow up with your customers

I recently was asked to give a “sales skills” seminar in Dallas for an automotive aftermarket distributor with a team of seasoned professional salespeople. Although this team doesn’t drive around in a mobile store like you, they are out there every day calling on customers. Here’s what I told them about my experience as a salesperson and closing the deal: 

I was fortunate that my first real sales job was selling office copiers back when most companies didn’t own a copier. (Yea, yea, I’m old!) Every morning, five days a week, before we hit the road to make our 20 cold calls, we would give a training product demonstration to the entire local sales team. These guys were brutal. The slightest product mistake or, god forbid, a missed closing opportunity brought howls and boos from the others. Believe me, you learn to ask for the order in that environment.

Closing the deal should be the easiest part of your selling day. If you give a great demonstration — feature, advantage, benefit — with lots of trial closing, asking for the actual order should be soft, smooth, and effective.

Now, circling back to the title of this article. It comes from the 1964 Bob Dylan hit, “The Times They Are A-Changing.”

You better believe that your selling world is changing. If my accountant friend can produce this good sales presentation in a few seconds just think of what one of your online or local competitors can whip up with a little technical Chat GPT training.

You need to make your calls, demo greatly, sell hard, close hard, thank your customers for their business every day, and then do it again tomorrow!

Now go sell something. 

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Not All Demonstrations are Created Equal

Not All Demonstrations are Created Equal

By: Alan Sipe, Guest Blogger

I’ve been so very lucky in my selling career to have been associated with some of the greatest tool companies. Klein Tools, Witte Tools, Stanley, KNIPEX, Ajax Tools, and BETA Tools. At all these terrific companies I had many executive duties but none of these duties were more important than my sales responsibilities. Selling and sales team development skills are why they hired me.

This is no different than being a mobile jobber. Yes, you have finance, inventory, truck maintenance, insurance, and probably a bunch more responsibilities that I am not aware of, but none of these are more important than getting out there every day selling your stuff.

Since you have all those non-fun duties to take care of, you had better make the most of the selling time you do have by giving great demonstrations and closing every day, all day.

A “selling benefits” attitude

Giving great demonstrations all day, every day is a frame of thought. Whether you’re presenting a single 4” Phillips screwdriver or a $15,000 tool storage system. A benefit-driven frame of mind will provide you with demonstrations that sell.

However, there is a world of difference between the demonstration of a screwdriver and the demonstration of a huge tool storage system. There are demonstrations, and there are demonstrations. Developing a “selling benefits” attitude will help you be successful with both.

A selling benefits frame of mind comes easily to some people and not so easily to others, but it is available to anyone who sets their mind on sales success.

Simply said, work on getting your mind set on following every feature/detail you present to a customer with why that feature is a benefit to them personally.

  • Feature: This is a 75,000 BTU furnace.
  • Advantage: This furnace is reliable and works well.
  • Benefit: It keeps you and your family warm and comfy on cold winter nights.

The feature is simply what it is—it is a Streamlight Switchblade Worklight. The advantage is what the feature does—it provides precise lighting or illuminates large areas. The benefit is what the features and advantages mean to the user you are speaking to—you will be able to see better to safely work harder, faster, and longer, or you’ll be able to find those small nuts and bolts you drop while you’re working.

Sure, the advantage is important. Having a well-lit work area is essential but all good quality lights will light your work area. This light, however, will allow you to work safer, longer, and harder which is a benefit to that individual customer.

  • Feature: The screwdriver blade has a forged-in wide end that is injection molded into the handle.
  • Advantage: The blade will never twist in the handle, pound through, or pull out.
  • Benefit: This screwdriver will be stronger and last you a lifetime.

If you go into every situation with a “benefit selling” frame of mind it will soon become second nature.

What’s in it for your customer?

As you hand out your company’s monthly brochure don’t just say, “Here is the brochure of all our current specials.” Say something like, “Here is our current brochure of specials which contains some of our most interesting and new products. Purchasing these this month will help you save money, which is always a good thing, isn’t it?”

It is almost never a good idea to tell a customer that buying this will help you win some contest or qualify for some increased benefit. They may like you, but their primary care is what’s in it for them.

It is unfortunately easy to slip into “advantage” selling and neglect “benefit” selling. As in the example below.

  • Feature: This is our cool, red dead blow hammer.
  • Advantage: When you hit something the beads inside will slam forward to force the impact on your target and absorb the impact so the hammer will never bounce off what you are hitting.

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 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.
  • 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!

Author Bio

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.

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National Apprenticeship Week

National Apprenticeship Week

By: Kylie Stanley, PR Technician

This week is “National Apprenticeship Week”! This nationwide celebration honors apprenticeships as they are vital in building success when it comes to a job in the trades. Being in an apprentice program provides structured training, mentorship and opportunities out in the field while you learn and get paid.

In the trades, young professionals will join apprenticeship programs or attend vocational schools. What’s the difference? Apprenticeships are hands-on work opportunities, while vocational schools are a classroom environment. Let’s discuss two reasons why apprenticeships are important and matter in the trades.

Hands-on Training

By joining an apprenticeship program in your specific trade, you can develop a specialized skill set for your career. Not only do you get to learn while on the job, but getting hands-on experience can allow you to learn best practices for your field.

Job Opportunities

An apprenticeship program can assist in a young professional’s career. Some mentorship programs may allow you to stay on the team permanently after your program is done. Also, they might be able to help you find a job from their connections and could recommend you for a position.

These are just two reasons why an apprenticeship is important, but there’s a lot of reasons why you might want to consider joining one. Apprenticeships play a key role in the trades, and they help to build the next workforce for success. Happy National Apprenticeship Week!

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Plumbing, Piping and PHCC Connect

Plumbing, Piping and PHCC Connect

By: Kylie Stanley, PR Technician

The plumbing and piping business is huge, and I was reminded of that as I attended PHCC Connect for the first time. PHCC Connect is an immersive expo event that brings industry leaders and professionals in plumbing, heating, cooling and ventilation together. This experience provided opportunities for attendees, educational sessions and showcased products from across the industry under one roof.

This year, PHCC Connect took place on our home turf of Cleveland, Ohio! This allowed us to showcase some hotspots to our clients and friends attending. Plus, PHCC Connect promoted Sonnhalter’s Cleveland Insider’s Guide on the app and handed out cards, which highlights restaurants and nightlife around town!

Throughout the show they continually had panel discussions taking place. Popular sessions included conversations on Chat GPT, economic trends, myths about the trades, safety and productivity through effective training practices and more!

I also loved that they had a plumbing and HVAC apprentice contest happening on the floor! The HVAC apprentice contestants had to demonstrate their knowledge with a written test, plus brazing, pressure testing, refrigerant recovery and diagnosing and repairing a package unit system. The plumbing apprentice contestants had to rough-in a bathroom – including the drain, waste and vent lines, a toilet, a sink and shower.

Pretty neat to watch tradesmen in the field demonstrate their knowledge!

One panel discussion that I attended that was full of people and full of valuable information was the “Women in Industry” luncheon. This event included an interactive panel discussion featuring women who work in the plumbing and HVAC industry. The panel shared their personal stories of being women in the industry, challenges they have faced and how the trades can be more inclusive and welcoming for young professionals.

This luncheon event really highlighted that we need to go to schools at a young age and expose to kids that there are options outside of college. Setting these standards young is vital for us to grow the trades. We also received the “The House That She Built” children’s book that educates young readers about the people and skills that go into building a home, telling the true story of a home built by all female tradespeople.

PHCC Connect was an awesome show to attend and we can’t wait to see what next year entails. The next plumbing/HVAC tradeshow we will be attending will be AHR Expo in Chicago!

To watch a behind-the-scenes look from PHCC Connect visit,

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Celebrate National Manufacturing Day

Celebrate National Manufacturing Day

by Kaylee Lauriel, PR Intern

Implemented by the Manufacturing Institute, National Manufacturing Day takes place on the first Friday of every October and this year it’s October 6th. Manufacturing Day is part of the Manufacturing Institute’s initiative to inspire the next generation, diversify the workforce and positively shift perceptions about the manufacturing industry.

In celebration, thousands of manufacturers across the U.S. host events to showcase the realities of modern manufacturing and address labor shortages in the industry that are open to students, parents and/or educators.

Manufacturing Day is a chance for manufacturers to emphasize their work and their workers and to inspire a future generation of skilled workers.

What will you be doing this Manufacturing Day?

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