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My father just retired after 43 years of successfully running his own business called Jon’s Auto Parts. My dad’s business was unique, specific and kind of old-fashioned. He was what is known in his industry as a “jobber.” Basically, he was an independent, self-employed middleman in the wholesale distribution of auto parts. His customers were the mechanics at service stations who fix people’s cars, do oil changes and handle car maintenance every day. My dad had a truck, and every day he would drive around to his customers and refill their stock rooms.
In honor of my dad’s retirement, here are some sales lessons from his career as a solopreneur auto parts jobber.
Be persistent.
My dad started his business just by showing up. He kept going to the same gas stations, mechanics and auto service centers introducing himself and offering to help with their auto parts supply needs. He made a habit of showing up on a regular basis, and he just kept showing up. He kept stopping by. And he said, “If I just keep stopping by, eventually they’re gonna buy from me!” And it worked. He made a practice of consistently showing up.
In the same way, no matter what business you’re in, you have to be persistent. Keep doing the steady, unglamorous work of seeking out new business leads and calling customers, following up and being available. If your customers keep seeing you as a visible presence in their lives, they will keep buying…
