Sales

[cleanerimage]

I havnt started headlight restoration yet but have been considering it. Since i have been thinking about it i have asked all my wsr customers if i did do it would they be interested, i havent found very many that would be... the wealthy people have new cars and the headlights are just fine, the older vehicles that need it are too poor and dont care that much... has anyone else found it a difficult sale?

[Kgobin]

In my opinion, there more vehicles with discolored headlights than damaged windshields, but based on observations most sales people do not ask quality sales questions. "It has been said that you can tell the quality of sales questions by the quality of the responses you get" Jim Meisenheimer. Therefore, you should thoroughly educate your customer base on the services that you offer. We have found that customers are more open to listening to technicians that offer and can provide a service rather than the ones that don’t. Also, you can provide them with a before and after lenses so your customers can see the benefits of the service being offered.

[GlassStarz]

Push safety I tend to look at the light and say something like "WOW I bet you have lost 30% of your night visibility you really should do something about it"

[candyman]

For the past two weekends I have put flyers on vehicles at shopping malls. In the flyer I list the fact that most polycarbonate lens can be restored and stress the safety issue. I also inform them why the ultraviolet protectant coating is important. I am trying to give them just enough information so they will call me. I put the flyers only on vehicles that really need work. I put out about 225. I have not recieved one single phone call for HL as of today from those flyers. I did get two phone calls for W/S repair. I live in a very poor county, but some of those vehicles were cads, SUV's and upscale pickups. Educating the public is what I will be striving for. I may not get many at first, but If I keep at it I will, and my name will be out there for the general public to see. By putting the flyers on the vehicles that need repair each time I go to the mall, a potential customer may recieve several flyers before they respond. Word of mouth from satisfied customers is generating new customers at the moment. I dont expect to build my base overnight. It will take time and doing right things all the time, using a combination of lead generating techniques. I figure its like fishing. If you use a good pole, fresh bait, and pick a location suitable for fish, its just a matter of time. I just put flyers in a few restaruants. I keep track of how many each has and will record how many is taken on each of my return visits. I also offer finder fees for friends and family members on the same flyer.

[Frank EU]

Hi candyman, I really like the fact that you are trying things that others already have tried and tested. Sometimes the old ideas and views do need new insights and experiences. And new insights and experience can only blossom, when stubborn guys ignore old messages. So, well done so far. I wouldn't have tried and tested the old flyer idea myself, we did it a number of times, in different ways and at different locations, but the most recent attempt already dates back a few years ago. However; it is a well known fact that the response to the leaflet method is very low, in fact very low is an understatement because most times it is zero. It also depends on how you do it, and the location matters as well. Also: the wording and lay-out of your leaflet do matter a lot.

However, you should save yourself money, time and energy, because the best method for this service would be, in my opinion and experience, to go direct. No leaflets, now waiting for the phone to ring, that is all frustrating and not very motivating. You should have a ''before-after'' headlamp unit available to show the customer, this should really be an easy sale! I have been involved in this since the dark ages of headlamp repair and the service is very easy to promote.
Good luck.

[candyman]

THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION. i HAVE A SMALL POSTER WITH PHOTOS OF BEFORE AND AFTER OF THE VEHICLES i HAVE RESTORED. i CARRY IN MY SHIRT POCKET SEVERAL PHOTOS TO SHOW TO POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS THE RESULTS. iTS NOT DIFFCULT TO IDENTIFY THE DOMANANT BUYING MOTIVE FOR SOME OF THE CUSTOMERS, ITS HOW DO i GET THEM TO BUY NOW. THEY AGREE THEY NEED MY SERVICE FOR IMPROVED APPEARENCE AND SAFETY BY BETTER NIGHT VISION. THATS WHEN THEY BACK PEDAL OR WOULD LIKE FOR ME TO DO IT FOR FREE OR $20. i WONT GIVE THE PRODUCT AWAY OR MY TIME. THE PRICE i CHARGE IS LESS THAN THE DEALER AND ABOUT THE SAME COST AS WALMARTS SAND & POLISH ONLY. MY PRICE IS FAIR AND I TRAVEL TO THEM TO PERFORM THE SERVICE. i WILL PICKUP A CAR HL LENS THIS WEEK AT A SALVAGE YARD AND TAPE IT OFF. i WILL SHOW BEFORE / AFTER w/uv / POLISH ONLY: THAT WAY IAM COVERED. i AM PLANNING TO WORK A LOCAL FLEA MARKET SOON TO SEE HOW MUCH WORK I CAN GENERATE. THE SPACE COST IS ONLY $30 FOR A WEEKEND FRI,SAT, SUN. 10AM -5PM FOR WINTER. THE OWNER STATES HE WILL GET ME A SERVICE DROP FOR MY METABO IF IT WORKS OUT FOR ME.

[Frank EU]

Flea markets were discussed before on this forum, not all that long ago, I believe it was Chad who started that topic. You we're goint to offer the wsr service at flea markets right, how did that go Chad? Any luck?

As for the headlamp repair on flea markets, flea markets normally attract a lot of people, many vehicles will need this service, if you are strong on personal one-on-one sales, you should give it a try, why not.

[Frank EU]

Candyman: I looked up that Flea Market topic, here's the link: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=4289&hilit=flea+market

[candyman]

I have a friend that has a large booth inside the Flea market. He has my flyers and a small poster with before and after photos on it. My friend sells new items such as jewelry, paintings, frames, and a host of gift items. That hasn't generated anything yet. He tells me people traffic will pickup after September. Its only been a few weeks. I plan to pick up a HL this week and Iam going to put it on display beside my cards and the flyer that explains the benefits of HL restoration. Iam not pushing W/S repair as much because I don't feel as comfortable as I think I should be with it. I have a flight to Oregon for the Oct 16th class at Delta Kits. I get off work on the morning of the 15th, fly 12 hours on three flights, arrive Eugene midnight of 15th and return on the 16th on the 8:23pm flight arriving back on the east coast 10:30am 17th of Oct. That will be one whirlwind trip. I sat in the flea market parking lot one Saturday and a few hours on a sunday trying to generate leads. I found several vehicles that needed repairs but I could not close the deal for WS repair. It seemed as though money was the issue and they didn't want to spend money on something that seemed ok to them. Most of the people were young mexican couples or families and most spoke very little English. I noticed the children were having to explain to the parent what I was doing. I teach part-time in the local school system, and its common around here for the children to talk for the parents. Several of the wives spoke english better than I do. They explained my message to the Husband or owner of the vehicle. I did manage to show my HL photos and they understood that. My problem was I didn't have any power source that day or prepaid the owner to do work on the property. I should have gotten phone numbers, but they all had cells and I was not as organized as I thought I should be. My intentions were to collect phone #'s and addresses and setup appointments to do the work at their home during the following week. I will keep you posted on the results when I do it. I work nights full time, and I have from 8am Friday to midnight Sunday off. This allows me time to do the flea market. I was trying to get away from having to sit somewhere for hours. I normally sleep in the mornings during the week and do jobs in the afternoon. I have gone stright from work to do a few repairs. I retired from the military in 1992 and I seem to work more than I had intended. My wife owns a Bookkeeping and Tax Service, and that keeps both of us busy from Jan 15th thru Apr 15th. The remainder of the year Iam not needed. WSR and HL Restoration is something I enjoy doing and Iam a people person. I've done a few jobs for some of the elderly for free, and a few single working moms just to get the experience. I wish I had found this training when I retired. I have investment the least amount with a better return thus far than some of my previous ventures. I have no regrets with my investment with Delta Kits or its products. They are a friendly bunch, and dont mind talking to you about issues or concerns you may have. Even the female staff seems to know as much as the guys about repairs. They seem like family or a close neighbor when you talk to them. For a southern boy thats important. Have a good day.

[Frank EU]

He tells me people traffic will pickup after September. Its only been a few weeks.

I plan to pick up a HL this week and Iam going to put it on display beside my cards and the flyer that explains the benefits of HL restoration. Iam not pushing W/S repair as much because I don't feel as comfortable as I think I should be with it. I have a flight to Oregon for the Oct 16th class at Delta Kits. I get off work on the morning of the 15th, fly 12 hours on three flights, arrive Eugene midnight of 15th and return on the 16th on the 8:23pm flight arriving back on the east coast 10:30am 17th of Oct. That will be one whirlwind trip.

It seemed as though money was the issue and they didn't want to spend money on something that seemed ok to them.
Most of the people were young mexican couples or families aI should have gotten phone numbers, but they all had cells and I was not as organized as I thought I should be. My intentions were to collect phone #'s and addresses and setup appointments to do the work at their home during the following week. I will keep you posted on the results when I do it.

You did the right things candyman. Firstly you talked to the people who have the experience when it comes to flea markets and hooking up with somebody there is a good idea.

It really pleases me to see that you invest in a training for WSR, it is a wonderfull business, at low cost like you mentioned yourself, yet there are many people in our trade who don't even bother with a training, again: well done, you will feel so much better and confident when you return home after your training.

Money is often an issue, especially with people who just started their new life in your country. The Mexican people will appreciate it when you talk a few Spanish words, at least you give them the idea that you take some effort to communicate with them. I know very well that this is a controversial subject, with Spanish likely becoming the second official language in your wonderful country, but hey, go with the flow, this is business, not politics.

Keep up.