Without a doubt, the best-selling tool is often the product itself. As noted previously, Bell Helicopter uses an effective video to describe various products. However, some customers do not buy without a demonstration ride. In the growing market for ergonomic office chairs, ranging in price from $700 to $1,500, furniture makers know the best way to close the sale is to provide an opportunity for the customer to sit in the chair. With growing awareness of the hazards of poor sitting posture and bad ergonomics, more people are searching for a comfortable work chair.33

Doug Adams was the first salesperson hired by a major manufacturer of high-quality optical equipment. Although he was not a technician or an engineer, he quickly realized that the equipment had product superiority that physicians would recognize if they saw it demonstrated. During the first year, he sold 28 machines, far surpassing the expectations of his employer.34

As noted in a previous chapter, plant tours provide an excellent source of product information. Engineered Machine Products (EMP) makes high-efficiency thermal management systems for cooling engines. Products are made at a state-of-the art manufacturing facility in Escanaba, Michigan. The company has learned that the key to closing many large, complex sales is a facility tour.35