 Solution Selling and Commercial Accounts How do you know who is the best customer for a Commercial Account? Well the Amsoil sales team would answer "The undeserved segments".
The big lubricant companies never call on businesses with 35 or less vehicles. Why not become a resource for these fleets? Do you know there are significant costs with waste oil which we reduce?
Sell the benefits. Find solutions outside of the lubricant end. Start having business level discussions with the owner. Engage yourself with learning about your customer
Benefits vs. Features. - Features do not persuade. If you had 15 minutes for a meeting they don't care about your product knowledge. Resist the temptation to overwhelm with product knowledge. They just want to know what you and your product will do for them. AMSOIL history and viscosity sheer features will loose the account.
If I was to sell a shop on our compressor oils (PCI) I would rattle off:
- 50% reduction in lube costs
- 10% reduction in electricity cost
- 25% reduction in maintenance costs
- 10% capital expense reduction
- 25% increased product output
- 15% increased profit
Understand your customer. What motivates them to buy? Don't confuse wants with needs.
Anyone have a 15 sec elevator speech? You know, the one where you can confidently impress with the full scope of your product in just 15 seconds? We'll have some examples in the next issue.
In a sales presentation tell them what you are going to tell them. Don't be afraid to repeat yourself. You can say the same thing three different ways. Work on a Bray Book - a list of customers & direct testimonials. Seek recommendation letters. These are valuable for locking account after account.
This is key - Listen and watch body language. If you want to become a great conversationalist learn to ask the difficult and great questions. Find out what their #1 maintenance issue is.
Can you deal with a hostile prospect? 1. Align yourself with the questioner. 2. Respond to their concern. 3. Transition back to the presentation. How do you align (diffuses hostility)? Probing - questions - acknowledging frustration.
on #2 you need to respond with benefits and provide a solution. Then #3 go back where you started - erase the memory and use positive statements..
Do your homework!!
Don't give too many choices.
Give what you feel is the best product choice and one or two alternatives. Good, better, best is a good approach.
What might you present on a fleet?
- Improve fuel economy
- less downtime
- less inventory
- less waste oil
- longer lasting equipment
Complement your contact - you want them to remember you and they will remember you based on your LAST COMMENT!!
Commercial accounts are severe duty.
Out on the road look for newer - clean - frequently washed heavy-duty work trucks. These will be the best prospects not wasting your time.
Practicing powerful presentations will give you that professional edge you may not even realize you have. | 
Don't forget, if you are T1 Certified you get literature at 1/2 price when you fill out and fax in a COOP Trade show form. I just did the Corvair Convention which cost me about $90 for two tables for a week and I made some sales, many new prospects and demonstrated the bypass kits to several dozen customers. I bought about $300 in literature for only $150 and also go the new compact display show banner for 1/2 price. The literature I will use for other show.
We all want to be the main Amsoil Dealer in town. One way to do that is to build relationships with your customers. The one tool which will help solidify this is the 
AMSOIL Print Center Now Offers Labels
Bypass Filters
Having a bypass kit is one thing but having a car which would 100% of the time attract attention in the parking lot or gas station is a big plus in this business. Consider a low cost but not often seen car to grab attention? Why not a AMC, Corvair, Nash, Micro car (early mini, Triumph, etc)? There are a number of low cost cars you can demonstrate AMSOIL products to impress. My AMC Eagle was not bought for that purpose but almost everywhere I go I get stopped and I keep 50 or so business cards handy now. Even at the Corvair convention they were interested in the Eagle. Several said at the booth, "Oh, that's your car! I used to have one". Which was an easy invitation to walk out back to show under the hood.
I'm finishing up my 57 Studebaker Hawk now which will really do the trick but as I've been in with Corvairs forever, I often find good $2000 cars I am tempted for a good Amsoil test car then sell it to make another fan of Amsoil.
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