A fact that has always intrigued me is that many of the most successful salespeople I’ve worked with don’t know which end of a screwdriver to use or could care less about how to build or fix anything using the hand tools they sell.
So, let’s dig in and talk a bit about how to succeed as a mobile jobber if you’ve never been a tech and if you too have no idea how to install a water pump or exactly where the water pump is.
You’re not the Lone Ranger! There are a good number of mobile jobbers who came from a corporate or another non-technical industry position, wanted to get into their own business, looked into the available franchises, and chose the automobile aftermarket as an opportunity for them to succeed. And with the 2024 Aftermarket Profile saying 84 percent of the shops and technicians buy from a mobile, this industry is a good bet for success.
Surprisingly, you can use this lack of knowledge to your advantage. Actually, now that I think of it, any jobber experienced or not may find some of these ideas helpful.
First and foremost, do not adhere to the old adage, “Fake it until you make it.”
It will take about a New York second for an experienced technician to see through your baloney and either call you on it or just not ever buy from you. If you don’t know, don’t pretend you do.
By and large, people want to help, so man up and ask for it.
If you are really new on the truck, simply start a conversation with the technicians at your stops and explain that you are not a technician, you’re learning the business, and you would really appreciate their help in getting started.
Simple questions like:
- “Could you tell me what tools you recently bought from my predecessor?” I know that if the previous jobber on your route kept good records you may already have the information but ask anyway. The objective here is getting them to talk to you about themselves and their tools.
- “Could you show me some recent tools you purchased from any of the mobile jobbers who call on you?” This too will relax the customer and allow them to brag somewhat about all the stuff they own. Just like a golfer with new clubs or a hunter with a new rifle people love to tell others how smart or cool they are. Additionally, this will give you a good idea of how locked into the competition this prospect is.
- A really good conversation starter is, “We recently came out with this new XYZ tool (have something new in your hand), could you explain how you might use this?” You will probably already know the answer, but it gets a conversation going.
- “Could you tell me what you look for in your mobile jobbers?”
- “Do you prefer to talk on the truck or here in the shop?”
Anything to get the tech thinking and talking to you is the best first step. And in reality, they most likely really don’t care if you know one end of a vehicle from another.
