The TRUTH about sales

11 years ago

You get good appointments by qualifying them. You ask them stuff like, "...and if I can show you how to_______, are you in a position to________?"

How to... get to page one of Google, increase your sales by 15% per month... you get the idea. In a position to... take action on your proposal.

Another thing you want to make clear is that they are in fact, the decision maker. If they're not, then ask for that person to get on the line. If that individual isn't available then ask when they will be. You qualify everything you do as you go.

This is fairly simple. You already know about all the snags you've been hitting so when you set an appointment you really need to qualify that party step by step.

You might also put something together like a special report loaded with good material and put it on a CD or DVD. Get professional CD artwork and a jewel case. Create a page on your Website and offer it for $47 or more. Send them a link to that page so they can see the thing. Make a big deal about that item and tell them it's theirs for free after they hear your presentation. Another thing I'd suggest is that you call and confirm before going. Good luck.

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Voasi

11 years ago

I must admit, restaurant owners are a tough bunch to get in front of you. They're always running around with their heads cut-off. Unless you are going to show them how you're going to increase revenue, they typically don't want to hear anything about it.

Having said that, with restaurant owners, you need to focus on getting "covers" or more butts in chairs. That's all the care about, so you better focus your appointment on exactly that. Give them a reason to sit down with you and meet. If you're really the expert they're spending a precious 30min of their time, make it WORTH IT.

I've had my team sell mobile apps to restaurant owners. We had them sitting in front of their computer and watch our screen as we went through all the benefits. Sometimes it was on the first call, sometimes it was an appointment at a later time, but always on a computer. We told them that they app will be able to boost retention of current customers, while having a "viral" effect to generate new business.

My current sales team focuses on getting people on a screenshare for a presentation. We typically focus on competitors and how we can do a better job. The pitch is focused more on how "XYZ Company" is doing better and how we can back-engineer what they're doing.

So they get to see a nice little presentation on what exactly their competitors are doing online, all the while we're building rapport, showcasing past successes, show case studies, giving examples of what we can do and how we can beat their competitors. By the end of the presentation (typically 45min), they're sold on capabilities and price is then justified.

If you can work on getting inbound leads too, that makes it much easier to be in the "power seat" when doing your calls.

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ronr 11 years ago

Good job on the appt settings but restaurants are tough. Most owners don't seem to take you as serious as some other businesses. Maybe you need to look at other niches. You may not get as many appointments but they would probably be good appointments.

When I used to do more offline I used to target dentists and would make an appointment with them to be in front of their computer and had them go to joinme.com so they could see my screen and I could give them a presentation. It worked well and they respected my time and were always there.

Ron
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mjbmedia

11 years ago

When the person on the phone agrees to the appointment, what do you then do/say, what actions do you then take immediately to cement that in their head/diary/schedule?

Sounds to me like youre getting the first agreement then pretty much saying goodbye, I don't know of course and Im not suggesting anything by it, you may want to carry on talking with them for maybe 5 minutes after agreeing the appointment, give them some teasers to whet their appetite so they want to meet you, give them something they can do right away so that when you visit you can ask them 'how did that go so far' .

But there is a reason so many restaurants fail, their owners are not really business owners nor marketeers, just chefs.

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AndrewCavanagh

11 years ago

Think about how you're being viewed...what you look like
to your prospects.

Ideally you want to be seen as an in demand consultant
or marketing expert.

That's one of the problems with cold calls...it really works
against building that persona in your prospect's mind.

If you add a step in your sales process that gets them to
call or email you first that is likely to completely change
the way your prospects are seeing you.

Since you're approaching restaurant owners you could create
a direct mail piece (or sequence), an email (or email sequence)
or a combination of both.

Then you could hire someone to follow up on these by phone
if they don't call you first.

If you're going to go to the trouble of physically meeting a
prospect you want to know that they will respect your time
and expertise and realize that you're giving them something
of genuine value.

It's far better to mail or email 100 restaurant owners and
get 2 serious appointments than to run around like a chicken
with your head chopped off talking to a dozen different
business owners who don't think you're worth the time of day.

Make business owners commit if they want to talk to you.

A good marketing consultant is worth at least $250 to $500
an hour.

They should know that's what they're getting before you agree
to meet with them.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

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PanteraIM

11 years ago

You need stricter qualifying criteria.

Ask them to do something small for you, send them an agenda, get them to send thru some paperwork, an organisational chart, a marketing plan, ANYTHING that leads to an advancement towards the sale.

Why don't you try setting up telephone appointments?

Or maybe try to close them right there on the phone.

I don't do face to face appointments because they're a waste of time and lead to problems like the ones you have described above.

It doesn't matter what the context of your meeting is, the sales process is the same and most prospects i've found actually appreciate the convenience of using the telephone.

Face to face is a dying art for most products which I think is justified.

The best people to sell SEO to for example would be people already paying money in SEM and vice versa. Look for the people that see the value in what you have to sell ALREADY and go to them with a better offer. This acts a pre-qualifier to not get caught with laggard companies that won't budge for a million dollars.

Your pitch on the phone should convey your benefits without your features, as that is their surprise at the face to face meeting and is what gets them to see the value in your meeting.

Do you know the difference between a prospect and a suspect?

Do you know why we call it prospecting?

We go in with the expectation that a lot of the people we talk to are going to have no need or interest in what we have to sell, but that doesn't matter because you are far better off talking to one good prospect than 100 vaguely qualified suspects.

I think adding another step in your sales cycle is going to do a lot for your results.

As well as learning how to create the need on your appointment setting call.

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Claude Whitacre

11 years ago

I'm going to assume that you want to sell in person. Maybe your price point is high, maybe you are selling a complicated service, maybe you have to be there to provide your service. I don't know.

One thing I know you are doing is asking questions in a way that forces the prospect to defend their position. In other words, you are asking committing questions instead of discovery questions. So you are getting answers that are not true. Committing questions come later. Committing questions help close a sale. Discovery questions are what you ask if you want the truth. Discovery questions are what you ask to qualify.

And as much as this sounds like sucking up...Jason Kanigan has the perfect phone approach to get them to open up and tell you if they sure really a prospect, or if they agreed to an appointment o get you off the phone.

Getting one appointment an hour? I know what you are doing. You are offering a free brochure (or other enticement) for an appointment..and they are saying "Yes" on a whim. And then you are going...based on that.

These are exceedingly weak appointments. I did that for a few years selling high end vacuum cleaners in people's homes.

Anyone that would say "Yes"...I was there. And I wasted 90% of my time.

You want them to tell you, without prompting...that they are interested in what you have, understand the benefit you deliver, and have the money.

Kanigan's approach will give you that.

You can also just sell on the phone, as PanteraIM suggested. If you do not have a real reason to see them personally that makes more sense.

If you insist on seeing them in person...look down. You'll get some ideas there too.

But get Jason Kanigan's training. You're already doing the work..it may as well pay.

added later; I just saw the link on PanteraIM's post. Follow that link. There is some solid advice there.

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Joel 11 years ago

I strongly suggest you pick up and read the paperback book "High Probability Selling" by Jackques Werth, it's available on Amazon for about $16 or may be in your local book store.

You need to develop the ability to quickly eliminate the prospects who are not likely to buy from you and only focus on those with a high probability of buying from you. You'll learn to always end your initial conversations with, "Is this something you want?" and only proceed if they say 'yes'. Yes, you'll do more prospecting, but you'll focus on those who are more likely to buy from you.

Joel
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mrjosco

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre

But get Jason Kanigan's training. You're already doing the work..it may as well pay.

added later; I just saw the link on PanteraIM's post. Follow that link. There is some solid advice there.

Sadly I can't afford a $700 training, but I will look up his posts in WF to dig for gold that way.

Something has to change. I am not selling a high ticket item. My prices usually ranges between $297-$700. I am going to start closing over the phone, to save on gas and time - but the issue is still getting them to actually participate in the appointment.

Thanks for the valuable input. There are valuable, actionable insights provided here so far that I can take to heart:

1. "pre-qualify" their actual interest in an appointment by having them DO something to confirm their interest. Not sure what this might look like for me yet, but perhaps it will be me sending an invite to an online meeting and having them RSVP. I can tell them on the phone that I will send the invite, set an expectation for how long the meeting will last and tell them that to confirm the meeting they will need to follow the instructions in the email I send out. If they don't RSVP, I don't worry about it! (Maybe I call them again the day before scheduled appointment and/or hour before if they haven't RSVP'd - just to make sure they didn't forget - but that takes seconds)

2. Don't end conversation at agreement for an appointment. Solidify the appointment and set expectations for next encounter.

3. Quit offering a free enticement (I am offering a free mock up) to seal the appointment. People are too willing to settle for 'yes' when free is involved and they might not have the slightest bit of interest.

I know there is a lot more gold in your replies than listed above, but those were some key points I realized I can act on right away.

Keep 'em coming. I am tired of just scraping by even though I am working 80+ hours a week!

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Claude Whitacre

11 years ago

Originally Posted by mrjosco

Sadly I can't afford a $700 training, but I will look up his posts in WF to dig for gold that way.

Something has to change. I am not selling a high ticket item. My prices usually ranges between $297-$700. I am going to start closing over the phone, to save on gas and time - but the issue is still getting them to actually participate in the appointment.

At your price, I can't imagine driving to make an appointment. You can close these sales in one call over the phone.

Kanigan has a phone prospecting WSO for (I think) $77. PM him, I'm sure it's still available.

The alternative is to simply cold call in person. Just hit every small business.

I own a retail store. I get a call selling these services about once or twice a day. (usually a telemarketer that is pretty bad) But a guy just walking in?

Never.

Not sure why you are targeting restaurants.

And for $3 you can get my book on Amazon. I know promotions are looked down on. But it's really some solid advice. Look at my sig.

Thanks
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Aaron Doud

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre

At your price, I can't imagine driving to make an appointment. You can close these sales in one call over the phone.

Kanigan has a phone prospecting WSO for (I think) $77. PM him, I'm sure it's still available.

The alternative is to simply cold call in person. Just hit every small business.

I own a retail store. I get a call selling these services about once or twice a day. (usually a telemarketer that is pretty bad) But a guy just walking in?

Never.

Not sure why you are targeting restaurants.

And for $3 you can get my book on Amazon. I know promotions are looked down on. But it's really some solid advice. Look at my sig.

I agree with the cold walking. It makes you stand out since it does not happen.

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kenmichaels

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Aaron Doud

I agree with the cold walking. It makes you stand out since it does not happen.

Two years bro. That is the first thing you have said, that i disagree with.

I do not think cold walking makes a difference.

I actually think cold walking wastes time, energy, gas ...ect ...

Call them, pre qualify them ... then go from there.

just my opinion ...

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Claude Whitacre

11 years ago

Originally Posted by kenmichaels

Two years bro. That is the first thing you have said, that i disagree with.

I do not think cold walking makes a difference.

I actually think cold walking wastes time, energy, gas ...ect ...

Call them, pre qualify them ... then go from there.

just my opinion ...

OK, Aaron was trying to be nice to me (because I'm old and can't remember where I am) And you disagreed with something I actually said, and Aaron agreed with. Tsk Tsk.

I love you, Man..but not in a gay way...

OK, in a gay way...:rolleyes:

But, I believe that if you are selling something that any business would buy, it's to your advantage to walk from business to business.

Let me clarify. If the businesses are close together, like on a downtown street. I wouldn't drive between cold calls. I still think you have an edge in person, at least I think I do.

But the time savings of calling on the phone usually makes in person calls less efficient.

If you are just driving restaurant to restaurant, I would use the phone.

I still don't understand why restaurants are the niche. It's hard to see the owner, they are busy, and there are always interruptions. Give me a mattress store, bicycle shop, sign shop, florist, karate studio, printer, and small business with a decent average sale and the owner is there.

The only advantage of a restaurant that I can see is that promotions by text or e-mails would be easy to sell.

I was joking about the gay thing (in case you were making party plans)

Originally Posted by kenmichaels

..
Call them, pre qualify them ... then go from there.

just my opinion ...

I assume you mean just go from there...while staying on the phone. Am I right?

Claude "I must be thought of as right...no matter who has to die" Whitacre :rolleyes:

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mrjosco

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre

OK, Aaron was trying to be nice to me (because I'm old and can't remember where I am) And you disagreed with something I actually said, and Aaron agreed with. Tsk Tsk.

I love you, Man..but not in a gay way...

OK, in a gay way...:rolleyes:

But, I believe that if you are selling something that any business would buy, it's to your advantage to walk from business to business.

Let me clarify. If the businesses are close together, like on a downtown street. I wouldn't drive between cold calls. I still think you have an edge in person, at least I think I do.

But the time savings of calling on the phone usually makes in person calls less efficient.

If you are just driving restaurant to restaurant, I would use the phone.

I still don't understand why restaurants are the niche. It's hard to see the owner, they are busy, and there are always interruptions. Give me a mattress store, bicycle shop, sign shop, florist, karate studio, printer, and small business with a decent average sale and the owner is there.

The only advantage of a restaurant that I can see is that promotions by text or e-mails would be easy to sell.

I was joking about the gay thing (in case you were making party plans)

I am not married to restaurants, but I have chosen them for two reasons:

1. I use to be a restaurant GM, so I know the industry pretty well and

more importantly

2. All my clients have been bars or restaurants - and I wasn't just targeting them at first.

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Claude Whitacre

11 years ago

Originally Posted by mrjosco

I am not married to restaurants, but I have chosen them for two reasons:

1. I use to be a restaurant GM, so I know the industry pretty well and

more importantly

2. All my clients have been bars or restaurants - and I wasn't just targeting them at first.

Actually, those are pretty good reasons. But I would get referrals (much of my business now) because the referral will buy very easily. As long as they know you did business with their trusted friend. It's how I get many of my new niches started. Believe me, if you have any clients at all, they have bragged to their business friends (not local competitors), about what you did for them. Call them and find out who they talked to.

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AndrewCavanagh

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre

I still don't understand why restaurants are the niche. It's hard to see the owner, they are busy, and there are always interruptions. Give me a mattress store, bicycle shop, sign shop, florist, karate studio, printer, and small business with a decent average sale and the owner is there.

Or target a niche that gets NO calls and has huge
transactions.

Like custom engineering or anything in the custom manufacturing
sector (like boat building, custom cars etc).

Those guys are quite easy to get on the phone (they're not
getting calls) and they think in hundreds of thousands of dollars
so a solution that can get them one client a year is not hard
to charge $10,000 for.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

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Jason Kanigan

11 years ago

Originally Posted by AndrewCavanagh

Or target a niche that gets NO calls and has huge
transactions.

Like custom engineering or anything in the custom manufacturing
sector (like boat building, custom cars etc).

Those guys are quite easy to get on the phone (they're not
getting calls) and they think in hundreds of thousands of dollars
so a solution that can get them one client a year is not hard
to charge $10,000 for.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

Totally agree with this. I look for niches where the owner is likely to be in their office or plant (manufacturing plants, ship builders was a great one--and when they're building they are flush--engineers too) and stack the odds a bit more in my favor.

If they have ongoing manufacturing/output, instead of accordion or hiccup output, that's much better. I'm sure you've noticed that when you have a steady, dependable income stream, it makes all the difference in what buying decisions you can make.

@the OP: I am going to give you some of my training.

When you set an appointment, you have to do a lot more than say, "OK I'll see you then." You have to set up this agreement called an Up Front Contract.

You must get agreement with your prospect on:

* Who are you going to see? (hint: should anyone else be there?)

* For how long?

* What's the main reason they're inviting you in? (hint: this is the conversation starter)

* What will you discuss?

* Are there any points they want to add?

* How will you both know when you're done?

* What will be the possible outcomes of the meeting?

* What will you do in each of those cases? (hint: there are typically only two possible outcomes)

Get them to confirm these things. Then, when you arrive, go over them again with the prospect to remind them of the ground rules of your visit.

This stuff is left to chance almost all the time because most salespeople are amateurs and "wing it." They get amateur results, too. Without going through the UFC process, you risk 'mutual mystification' or 'collective confusion', where each side believes they know and understand what the other side is saying. But they don't.

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AndrewCavanagh

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre

I own a retail store. I get a call selling these services about once or twice a day. (usually a telemarketer that is pretty bad) But a guy just walking in?

Never.

I can tell you that a good percentage of people who go from
zero to making a good full time living selling various internet
marketing services to businesses are those who just go door
to door talking to business owners.

It does help if you have a game changer that makes it easier
to speak to them (for example your own business directory
where you offer to give them a free listing).

It also helps if you come across as a peer instead of as a
salesperson (in other words if you come across as a fellow
business owner it makes the process a lot easier).

But anyone who has the guts to just go door to door to
small businesses is going to get some paying clients.

It's not as difficult as you might think.

Many business owners are happy to see someone who can help
bring them in more sales and profits.

Kindest regards,
Andrew Cavanagh

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PROmotions LLC

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre

....These are exceedingly weak appointments. I did that for a few years selling high end vacuum cleaners in people's homes....

Let's see, Ohio....You were selling Kirby's!!

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hometutor 11 years ago

Originally Posted by PROmotions LLC

Let's see, Ohio....You were selling Kirby's!!

I've done that

sold cemetery plots
Water treatment and softening systems
Hearing aids (was my main source of full time income)

Some houses here in Hawaii are designed to make it impossible to go door to door

Rick
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Claude Whitacre

11 years ago

Originally Posted by PROmotions LLC

Let's see, Ohio....You were selling Kirby's!!

In the beginning. But the point is that weak appointments make for a very busy and lousy day. I always had better luck just knocking on doors and cold canvasing. Not for the weak of heart.

By phone, I set appointments from referrals....I also did direct mail and heavily qualified my prospects.

The recommendation for getting High Probability Selling is a good one. You can buy a used copy on Amazon for a few bucks. Here's a link.

http://www.amazon.com/High-Probability-Selling-Re-...

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PROmotions LLC

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre

In the beginning. But the point is that weak appointments make for a very busy and lousy day. I always had better luck just knocking on doors and cold canvasing. Not for the weak of heart.

By phone, I set appointments from referrals....I also did direct mail and heavily qualified my prospects.

The recommendation for getting High Probability Selling is a good one. You can buy a used copy on Amazon for a few bucks. Here's a link.
http://www.amazon.com/High-Probabili...bility+selling

If you can sell a Kirby, you can sell anything. I never did it but lots of my friends got into that, and some just couldn't take it. But a few made a decent amount, and they were the "sales savvy" guys that didn't mind making cold calls for vacuum cleaner sales.

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Claude Whitacre

11 years ago

Originally Posted by PROmotions LLC

If you can sell a Kirby, you can sell anything. I never did it but lots of my friends got into that, and some just couldn't take it. But a few made a decent amount, and they were the "sales savvy" guys that didn't mind making cold calls for vacuum cleaner sales.

I believe that in home selling of a high ticket item (over $1,000) may be the hardest type of selling there is. You have to create a sale where nothing existed before. And you have to do it in one call.

We went in the home knowing that they had vowed not to buy, and they had no interest in our product. I made six figures for nearly all of the 25 years I did it.

Selling a high ticket item or service cold one the phone in one call is as hard.

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PROmotions LLC

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre

I believe that in home selling of a high ticket item (over $1,000) may be the hardest type of selling there is. You have to create a sale where nothing existed before. And you have to do it in one call.

We went in the home knowing that they had vowed not to buy, and they had no interest in our product. I made six figures for nearly all of the 25 years I did it.

Selling a high ticket item or service cold one the phone in one call is as hard.

Right? They had carpet so they were fair game LOL

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Aaron Doud

11 years ago

Originally Posted by mrjosco

A lot of 'experts' teach a method of phone or in person appointments with gotomeeting or powerpoint. HA! I can't imagine having an appointment so solid that the DM is sitting behind his computer on the phone, focusing on ME. OR in person for that matter.

If you don't believe the decision maker or influencer is sitting in front of the computer and wants to learn more you have a lot to learn about learning styles and selling.

I am a visual learner. I also am a bit ADHD. If you don't get me viewing your info ASAP I will simply be surfing the net while being polite to you. And it doesn't have to even being a GOTO meeting you can ask if I am in front of a computer and if so walk me through getting to some sites to visualize your service.

You will notice above I say decision maker or influencer. This depends on the size of the company but often the person you need to sell is not the final decision maker. We call these people the influencers. And they are the ones who will sell the decision maker on it. I believe in any medium (30 plus employees) sized business and above you should be talking to the influencer always. And if the business is small make sure they don't have an influencers.

For example a small family owned restaurant the person you want to talk to would be the tech/web member of the family. This might be their 13 year old daughter. But the key is knowing that the non-tech owners will never buy tech unless said influencers sells them on it.

No offence to those who teach talking to the DM always. I just know a lot of DMs simply don't buy these services. They are worried about budgets and not ROI. They are old school. You need to find the influencers because they are the ones who get them to buy.

Sure you can sell the DM but they...

Don't know you
Don't know tech
Don't have the budget
Don't like sales people

But with the influencers they...

Know and trust them
Listen to them on tech
Are used to buying things for them (very true for family member influencers)

Influencers also don't get talked to and pitched as much. This means they are less likely to hate cold callers. It also means you can stoke their ego a bit. Both of which helps them like you. If they like you and your service is good they will want to buy it.

Once they want to buy it they just need to sell the DM on it.

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MaxwellB

11 years ago

Originally Posted by mrjosco

Well, I should say - MY truth.

The fact is, I am having issues. Major and consistent issues. Perhaps, however, there is a flaw in my approach.

First, setting appointments isn't that hard. I can set an appointment per hour (maybe more) with cold calling. Heck, I can hire a decent cold caller at $8 an hour and THEY could set an appointment per hour.

However, setting GOOD appointments. That is something I have no idea.

Usually I get there and they don't want an appointment. They just want me to drop off a flyer (if they even remember talking to me).

Half the time, the person who 'agreed' to the appointment isn't even a decision maker! (They say they are on the phone, but it is a different story in person)

My average appointment time is 1 minute long.

Of course, on the rare occasion I do get a hold of an interested DM who actually WANTS to learn more - it is a pretty easy close for me. But getting THIS kind of appointment seems more like dumb luck than anything different I am doing.

A lot of 'experts' teach a method of phone or in person appointments with gotomeeting or powerpoint. HA! I can't imagine having an appointment so solid that the DM is sitting behind his computer on the phone, focusing on ME. OR in person for that matter.

I drove 40 minutes to one appointment that the husband (who said he was the owner, was interested and scheduled a time with me) nearly forgot about the appointment (scheduled a day earlier) and immediately told me that his wife was in charge and, even if he was in charge, they had no money to spend.

So, to the experts who have been there, done that :

How do you get GOOD appointments? Like, appointments with DM's? How do you pre-qualify them well enough to know you aren't wasting time? I live in a TINY town and I usually schedule multiple appointments for one day because I have to drive 1 hour each way.

Some additional info:

I am targeting restaurants. I am asking for person in charge of website. I leading with benefits (more butts in seats, essentially).

I don't want to give up as I have only been doing this for a short time and already have some clients - but my system is clearly broken...

See what the experts didn't tell you because it's not in their best interest, is that gotomeeting and online type sales presentations like that only work with business services companies.

If you want to sell SEO or web development to accountants, financial advisors, manufacturing companies, medical billing firms, etc etc then yeah go to meeting is something they have done before no problem.

But yeah anyone reading this forget go to meeting for your local restaurants and local sized businesses it's just not going to happen.

Best way to sell these people is a face to face appointment.

Thanks

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Aaron Doud

11 years ago

Ken,

The only reason I push people specifically in this niche (internet marketing services for small businesses) is that it gives them an advantage. For the most part their competitors will not be doing it.

But the people who do cold walk small businesses are TV, Radio, and Newspaper reps. These are people and companies that the average business owner knows, trusts, and respects.

So they can continue to compete with everyone else offering websites and SEO over the phone or email or they can choose to stand out. And when they walk in not only do they stand out but they are associated with older, larger, and more respected media firms.

Thanks
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Claude Whitacre

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Aaron Doud

Ken,

The only reason I push people specifically in this niche (internet marketing services for small businesses) is that it gives them an advantage. For the most part their competitors will not be doing it.

But the people who do cold walk small businesses are TV, Radio, and Newspaper reps. These are people and companies that the average business owner knows, trusts, and respects.
.

Not a bad piece of reasoning there. And small business owners are used to buying advertising from reps. I don't know why we all just don't take the local advertising magazines...and prospect every business that places an ad.

I still wouldn't do the cold walking if the businesses were 20 minutes apart.
But a few minutes? Sure. And I know I'm better in person.

Or maybe it's that I'm more used to going in person.

Thanks
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Aaron Doud

11 years ago

Originally Posted by Claude Whitacre

Not a bad piece of reasoning there. And small business owners are used to buying advertising from reps. I don't know why we all just don't take the local advertising magazines...and prospect every business that places an ad.

I still wouldn't do the cold walking if the businesses were 20 minutes apart.
But a few minutes? Sure. And I know I'm better in person.

Or maybe it's that I'm more used to going in person.

I am sure part of it is the fact both of us are familiar with in person sales. But I have no problem selling on the phone and I have sold RVs 100% via email before to international customers.

As you said the small business owners are used to buying advertising from reps. Reps who come in person and represent relatively large companies. So when an internet marketing rep shows up in person they view them the same way.

When the average internet marketing rep calls on the phone they associate them with people who cold call. Cold calls are viewed by the general public as scams or for "cheap" services. Now a good cold caller can get past that. They talk different and act different and the prospect can hear and even feel that.

The problem comes with those who are new at selling. Their lack of confidence at times makes them comes off as scammers. They don't get into a true selling situation because they can never build that trust. Trust that happens automatically when you cold walk.

When you are a from a local business and in person the prospect gives you a certain degree of trust from the start. Now if a bunch of people were to start cold walking this would change. But currently because so few do it is viewed in a positive light vs. cold calling. Also since the companies they associate with in person sales are respected that respect transfers to others who do it.

Of course as you pointed out if the businesses are too far apart is isn't worth it. In that case I would use direct mail. It is used by fewer businesses and is once again associated with larger and respected companies. Follow that up with a phone call to gage interest and close on the phone or set the appointment. The great thing about being local is even when you are on the phone just the offer of meeting in person can transfer that trust to you. You don't always need to meet, just the fact you can makes you real to them.

Larger and more established companies will need to more regional, national, and international. But for the guys starting out I never understand why they avoid local as it will be the easiest to close.

What niche should you target? The one within 20 to 50 miles of your home. Beyond that target what you know like the OP and restaurants.

Local & in person is such an easy competitive advantage that every single person reading this can have.

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bsummers

11 years ago

You should ask the more qualifying questions. I think that is why these appointments are half baked is because it has not been qualified well. Before meeting them, make sure that they are really interested. Set a criteria of what you think is a good prospect. List down questions that you can help you figure out if the prospect is really interested or not.

Thanks

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stanigator

11 years ago

Just curious...why are you going after the restaurants? Have you tried sending direct mail to the head office or even the owner's residential address?

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kantor

11 years ago

Great post OP. Thanks.

Thanks
1 reply

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PROmotions LLC 11 years ago

Originally Posted by kantor

Great post OP. Thanks.

YIKES!, you're going to have to try a little harder then that kantor.
- Thanks
- 1 reply
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- Jason Kanigan 11 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by PROmotions LLC
  
  YIKES!, you're going to have to try a little harder then that kantor.
  
  How is it that he has a signature with only 2 posts?
  
  Thanks
  
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PROmotions LLC

11 years ago

My brain just moved around a little bit inside my skull trying to figure that one out.

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Aaron Doud

11 years ago

Join Date: June 2009

My guess would be grandfathered in.

Thanks

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Aposterioris

11 years ago

Originally Posted by mrjosco

Well, I should say - MY truth.

The fact is, I am having issues. Major and consistent issues. Perhaps, however, there is a flaw in my approach.

First, setting appointments isn't that hard. I can set an appointment per hour (maybe more) with cold calling. Heck, I can hire a decent cold caller at $8 an hour and THEY could set an appointment per hour.

However, setting GOOD appointments. That is something I have no idea.

Usually I get there and they don't want an appointment. They just want me to drop off a flyer (if they even remember talking to me).

Half the time, the person who 'agreed' to the appointment isn't even a decision maker! (They say they are on the phone, but it is a different story in person)

My average appointment time is 1 minute long.

Of course, on the rare occasion I do get a hold of an interested DM who actually WANTS to learn more - it is a pretty easy close for me. But getting THIS kind of appointment seems more like dumb luck than anything different I am doing.

A lot of 'experts' teach a method of phone or in person appointments with gotomeeting or powerpoint. HA! I can't imagine having an appointment so solid that the DM is sitting behind his computer on the phone, focusing on ME. OR in person for that matter.

I drove 40 minutes to one appointment that the husband (who said he was the owner, was interested and scheduled a time with me) nearly forgot about the appointment (scheduled a day earlier) and immediately told me that his wife was in charge and, even if he was in charge, they had no money to spend.

So, to the experts who have been there, done that :

How do you get GOOD appointments? Like, appointments with DM's? How do you pre-qualify them well enough to know you aren't wasting time? I live in a TINY town and I usually schedule multiple appointments for one day because I have to drive 1 hour each way.

Some additional info:

I am targeting restaurants. I am asking for person in charge of website. I leading with benefits (more butts in seats, essentially).

I don't want to give up as I have only been doing this for a short time and already have some clients - but my system is clearly broken...

Don't ask about their site assume they already have one, how many people want to admitt that they are ignorant about about technology or that they don't have one. Talk about you can increase their foot traffic or how you can increase their sales, do they send emails to their custumers about their daily speacials? Do they use discounts on slow days to increase traffic.

Thanks

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