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This is one of my favorite issues of the year! You can see the winners of our PTEN Innovation Awards. This list is a great way to know what hot new products you must be stocking on your truck. We get tons of product entries for the PTEN Innovation Awards, and our independent third-party panel of judges selects the best of the best for the winners.
Each product is judged on the following criteria:
- Time savings
- Simplifying a task
- Unique/new approach
- Improving a current tool
- Ease of use
I’m confident your customers would be thrilled to have any of these award-winning products in their tool box, and showing them this list is another sales tool for you as well.
This month’s cover story takes a look at expanding your market segment beyond automotive repair shops, especially into agriculture. I know many of you already serve farms in your area, but how many of you drive right past them on a daily basis and never stop? Perhaps they could be your next new customer?
Farms need lots of tools — and big ones at that — and they often spend big bucks with their mobile tool dealers, if they have one. The next time you drive by, consider stopping in and talking with the owner. You never know, perhaps they have been waiting for someone like you to pop by and make it so much easier to get the tools they need.
What are some of the non-automotive customers you call on? Does it bring in some consistent revenue? Shoot me an email and let me know!
Yet another great article in this month’s issue is Alan Sipe’s column on promotions and contests. We know for a fact that everyone loves free stuff. It’s human nature, and it’s an excellent selling tool, but Sipe brings a new perspective to this. He says that contests with only one winner can potentially hurt your business and advocates for fundraisers that support your local community instead. I absolutely love this idea. Not only does it do some real good in a world today where we all need a helping hand sometimes, but it also cements you as a prominent figure in your community.
Sipe gives a few examples, such as raising money for a local technician’s sick child or donating new computers to a local school. Whatever the cause, you can put some signs up on your truck, promote the fundraiser on your social media channels, and talk to your customers about it. Chances are they will be happy to support a good cause and support your business too while they’re at it.
