FREE SELLING TOOL

Practical Sales Training™ > How To Convert > Free Selling Tool

 

 

What is it?

A Free Selling Tool is a no-cost resource given to you by a vendor, supplier or partner that directly helps you sell more of their product. It could be physical, like a branded fridge, or digital, like a co-branded landing page. These tools remove friction from the sales process and make the vendor’s product easier to promote, display or explain.

The most famous example is the Coca-Cola fridge. It’s cold, branded, and free. You plug it in, stock it with Coke, and start selling. Coca-Cola benefits because you’re more likely to stock their drinks, and you benefit from higher sales with less hassle.

The Free Selling Tool works because it creates a win-win scenario. You get something that makes selling easier. The vendor gets increased distribution and product visibility.

How does it work?

A Free Selling Tool is built around three principles:

  1. Ease – It makes the act of selling smoother or faster

  2. Visual Presence – It gives the vendor’s product more visibility in your environment

  3. Default Bias – It increases the chance that you’ll promote or recommend the vendor’s product by making it the path of least resistance

These tools come in many forms:

  • Physical assets like fridges, point-of-sale displays, branded packaging, or sample kits

  • Digital assets like co-branded landing pages, calculators, or demo access

  • Sales support like ready-made proposals, pitch decks, or ROI calculators

By providing these tools, the vendor integrates themselves into your sales process and effectively “sells through you” without needing a direct sales team of their own.

How can you use it?

You can use the concept of the Free Selling Tool in three key ways:

1. Spot it

Look at the tools your vendors, suppliers or partners have already made available. Have you overlooked something that could make your sales easier?

Ask:

  • Do they offer demo kits, signage, calculators or templates?

  • Can you get access to branded assets or trial versions?

  • Is there a “Coke fridge” equivalent you’re not using?

2. Ask for it

If the tool doesn’t exist yet, ask for it. Vendors want to increase their distribution and may be willing to invest in helping you sell.

Say:

  • “Can you provide us with a free tool to help showcase this?”

  • “Do you have any demo content we could co-brand?”

  • “What are your other resellers using that’s working?”

3. Offer it

Flip the model. If you are the vendor, consider what Free Selling Tool you could provide your resellers, distributors or partners.

Ask:

  • What makes it easier for them to sell your product?

  • Could you give away a branded tool, free calculator, sample or script?

  • Could you be someone else’s Coke fridge?

 

Example

The iconic Coke fridge is the best known example of “free” things of value that are provided to help sell an offering.

 

 

 

See also