Need Help Getting Business
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Need Help Getting Business
Good morning everyone. I wish that I wasn't here typing but business has been SLOW on the good days and nonexistent on the bad ones. I've tried coitstering, selling to dealers, detail shops, inspection stations, and even organizing a community cleanup day down at the river with some other local businesses to try and get the word out about my company. I didn't plan on opening up this early, but work ran out at the previous day job so I was forced to open early. I've been working at nights when I can cooking but the bills just aren't getting paid and I'm getting hungry and running out of gasoline. Can anyone point me to another cost-effective form of advertising? I'm willing to spend what I can if I know it's going to help but can't afford to throw away any money right now. Would anyone be willing to take me under the wing so to speak to teach me? I don't need to become wealthy beyond imagination but I'd like to be able to at least support myself as good as the person in the McDonald's drive thru. Total customers this MONTH was five, that's depressing.
Aaron
Aaron
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Re: Need Help Getting Business
You need to invest in learning to sell 5 a day cold calling is a slow day. Sales ability is all important and quite honestly the lack of salesmanship is the reason for most who fail at this.
- Roo
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Re: Need Help Getting Business
How long have you been at it? What kind of training have you had? Do you have a practice glass?
Businesses take time to build you just can't expect it to happen overnight. Having confidence in your ability is more than half the battle, if you don't think you can do the job the customer can tell in your tone of voice. If you are using Delta and have not gone to formal training I suggest you book a trip ASAP.
I can tell you right now, I have tried print ads in a local coupon book with very little success. You have to consistantly do it to expect results and it is hard to shell out money when you aren't seeing results. I ran it for 2 issues 45 days apart and it didn't pay for the cost of the ads. I have also paid to be at the top advertised spot on Google with zero results. I also tried YEXT for awhile(pay per lead) and I spent more time on the phone clearing up charges for people asking for replacements than I did repairing windshields. YEXT is a joke no matter how great a picture they paint it is pretty much a scam.
So in short the only thing that works is being consistant. The thing about this business is that everyday starts off the same at $0. So no matter how bad today was tomorrow is a new day with a new opportunity.
Hang in there and don't get frustrated just remember if it was easy everyone would be doing WSR.
Sorry I don't have the magic answers you are looking for....I am still looking for those myself.
Businesses take time to build you just can't expect it to happen overnight. Having confidence in your ability is more than half the battle, if you don't think you can do the job the customer can tell in your tone of voice. If you are using Delta and have not gone to formal training I suggest you book a trip ASAP.
I can tell you right now, I have tried print ads in a local coupon book with very little success. You have to consistantly do it to expect results and it is hard to shell out money when you aren't seeing results. I ran it for 2 issues 45 days apart and it didn't pay for the cost of the ads. I have also paid to be at the top advertised spot on Google with zero results. I also tried YEXT for awhile(pay per lead) and I spent more time on the phone clearing up charges for people asking for replacements than I did repairing windshields. YEXT is a joke no matter how great a picture they paint it is pretty much a scam.
So in short the only thing that works is being consistant. The thing about this business is that everyday starts off the same at $0. So no matter how bad today was tomorrow is a new day with a new opportunity.
Hang in there and don't get frustrated just remember if it was easy everyone would be doing WSR.
Sorry I don't have the magic answers you are looking for....I am still looking for those myself.
Re: Need Help Getting Business
I do not have WSR experience but I do have Sales/Managemnent/Marketing experience.
These are some of my practices:
*Practice your sells pitch on camera with friends and family. Your sales pitch should be natural and str8 to the point with a friendly demeanor.
*Practice closing a mock sale on camera. Closing is the most important. Extremely important!
*Research your potential customers business before you approach them.
*Do not interrupt a Manager to sell them a service when you see they are overwhelmed. Do not leave a business card either (they will throw it away). Instead, ask an employee of the establishment about their "down time". Come back and explain to the Manager that you were there previously and seen how they were hammered and decided to contact him or her at a later time. MANAGERS REALLY APPRECIATE SALES PEOPLE WHOM CAN RELATE TO THEIR JOB PRESSURES.
*Ensure that your pricing is competetive within your area. If you are asking a higher rate than competitors, be sure to explain why your service is better. *Do not under cut the market rate. Undercutiing market rates can leave Managers feeling as though you are a "fly by night operation". Use caution when pricing.
*When entering businesses wear casual business attire. No gym shoes. Be well groomed! Tattoos must be covered. That means If its 98 degrees outside and you have tatts on your arms, wear long sleeve shirts.
*Have a clean vehicle when entering potential customers properties.
*If you are asked questions about something within you coompany, and do not know the answer, simply reply, "let me research it and I'll get a answer for you". You then have opened up the door for more communication at a later date.
*Leave words like President and C.E.O. off of your business cards. Managers do not expect Presidents and CEO"s of companies to come to their facilities to elicit business for WSR. In essence, you will open yourself up for conversation that will not be beneficial to your cause. A name (your name) is just fine on a business card.
I wish you great success! Hang in there!
These are some of my practices:
*Practice your sells pitch on camera with friends and family. Your sales pitch should be natural and str8 to the point with a friendly demeanor.
*Practice closing a mock sale on camera. Closing is the most important. Extremely important!
*Research your potential customers business before you approach them.
*Do not interrupt a Manager to sell them a service when you see they are overwhelmed. Do not leave a business card either (they will throw it away). Instead, ask an employee of the establishment about their "down time". Come back and explain to the Manager that you were there previously and seen how they were hammered and decided to contact him or her at a later time. MANAGERS REALLY APPRECIATE SALES PEOPLE WHOM CAN RELATE TO THEIR JOB PRESSURES.
*Ensure that your pricing is competetive within your area. If you are asking a higher rate than competitors, be sure to explain why your service is better. *Do not under cut the market rate. Undercutiing market rates can leave Managers feeling as though you are a "fly by night operation". Use caution when pricing.
*When entering businesses wear casual business attire. No gym shoes. Be well groomed! Tattoos must be covered. That means If its 98 degrees outside and you have tatts on your arms, wear long sleeve shirts.
*Have a clean vehicle when entering potential customers properties.
*If you are asked questions about something within you coompany, and do not know the answer, simply reply, "let me research it and I'll get a answer for you". You then have opened up the door for more communication at a later date.
*Leave words like President and C.E.O. off of your business cards. Managers do not expect Presidents and CEO"s of companies to come to their facilities to elicit business for WSR. In essence, you will open yourself up for conversation that will not be beneficial to your cause. A name (your name) is just fine on a business card.
I wish you great success! Hang in there!
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Re: Need Help Getting Business
Thanks guys. I think I need to work on the sales end of things. I've been an installer and repair technician with a couple companies for about 6 years but I've always been able to just grab a stack of tickets and hit the road. Now I'm learning the office/professional side of the business. I seem to get positive reactions as I make sure that everything is done professionally, i.e. logos, company shirts, letterhead for all official business, etc. I guess I just need to be patient, work on the sales pitch, and keep at it until the word spreads about the business. I'll keep at the accounts so they know I'm here. There's some guys cleaning up at a gas station but they take a very high pressure approach and I've heard some of the gas station customers complain and say they need to find somewhere else. So I'm trying to decide whether to go that route or take the easy going approach. I feel the latter would be better long term and earn the community's respect more. But when they've got six repairs going at once, it's tempting to try when I'm sitting here doing nothing. I'll keep working the night job as necessary and hope for the best. I know this kind of thing never happens overnight.
Aaron
Aaron
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Re: Need Help Getting Business
you have to fine tune your pitch to be natural to you for cold calls some of the easiest folks are other salepeople walk the parking area at a real estate office make a list of cars and walk in. Casualy ask wo owns one of the cars on the list the pitch is simple Im early for a customer repair in the area and rather than sit in the truck reading the paper for the 3rd time today I thought i would look for some extra work I noticed you have a chip that looks like you are one pothole away from a broken windshield if you have me fix it while im here I will give you a killer price. Be positive and friendly if you find the owner of the car and get to pitch them and charge a reasonable price ($35)? telling them its normaly $65 but since you are already here. This will get you about a 50% kill ratio if you do it right. I hit %50 everyday its not hard do 5 or 6 and go home. When you sell the person you are talking to ask em who the other cars belong to they will sell it for you in most cases you sart work on one and the others will cme to you. Its human nature to feel good about the choice you made and they will go to thier co workers and press them to do the same its seriosly funny how it works. if you do it right you will kill %70 or better of the ones in the lot. I did one stop on thursday did $350 at $35 per and was there a little over 2 hours went surfing the rest of the day. There really is no excuse for not finding buisness except yourself
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Re: Need Help Getting Business
If you are walking into a buisness for fleet work (car dealerships,trucks etc) Be prepared have already walked the lot and made a list ALWAYS! ask for the work NOW! the pitch is easy I noticed several out there now that are a hot day or a pothole away from you needing a new windshield Will give you a great deal today to get my foot in the door and earn your buisness quote him a awesome flat rate to do them all if you do this right you will get the work.
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Re: Need Help Getting Business
If carlots are a interest to you start with the the smaller used lots most ignore them they are pretty cheap they are working with a smaller margin and lower numbers but there is less compition for thier buisness walk the lot and give them a flat rate I find the lot with 20 ish units will spend a hundred pretty easy and if you keep them happy can stop in for you hundred bucks a couple times a month get 15 or twenty of them and you can see where it goes.
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Re: Need Help Getting Business
I have gotten completely out of doing fleet rate, car lot business. My insurance referal business through SGC, Lynx, Harmon, Alliance, etc. is up nearly 40% and my regular non insurance full price business is steady. I quit giving reduced price fleet rates to chincy car dealers. As a result my average per job has grown from about $45 to nearly $60. Overall income is up almost 20%. I do no cold calling.
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Re: Need Help Getting Business
Glass Starz,
Thank you for your posts. Your direction (and criticism) is much appreciated. I am working on my sales pitch and will be sure to be prepared 110 percent for my visits from now on. I am going to start fresh this week and make it count.
Thanks again for everyone's help. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Aaron
Thank you for your posts. Your direction (and criticism) is much appreciated. I am working on my sales pitch and will be sure to be prepared 110 percent for my visits from now on. I am going to start fresh this week and make it count.
Thanks again for everyone's help. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Aaron
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