Finding Local Business Owners information

Keep in mind the manager/gatekeeper's primary job is to screen out pesky time-wasting salespeople, because the offers seldom are a match for the company's needs.

Take the time to get to know the company. Use the gatekeeper to explore points of entry for your service. You also need a strong online presence - they will check you out.

Quite often, the owner is not really the decision maker, expect perhaps for final approval after receiving strong recommendations from delegated management authority levels.

Hello cyperpc

One way of bypassing gatekeepers and going direct to the business owner is via Linkedin. You need a very professional profile and you need to make approach's in a non salesey way. Plenty of courses out there showing how to use Linkedin, or use Google to search on the subject.

Cheers
Lindy

Do not assume gatekeepers are your enemy or an obstacle to be overcome. Gatekeepers can actually be an ally and resource as well as significant influence with the decision maker.

Generally, a gatekeeper is an executive assistant who is highly trained to deflect calls and visitors that are unimportant. Put simply, they keep the wrong person away from the boss while allowing the right person to see their boss.

If they get it wrong, which decision has the greater consequence? In order to reach the owner or decision-maker, you'll need to demonstrate to the gatekeeper that it will benefit their boss to speak with you.

Personally, I do a lot of B2B cold-calling and drop-ins, but only to business owners, executives, and decision-makers for which I can readily connect with some kind of commonality. It usually begins through information provided by the gatekeeper.

This does take patience, persistence, and lots of followup. Most salespeople never call back after the first brush-off. But if your product/service is a fit for a prospective business owner, then you may increase your odds of getting through to the decision-maker by engaging the gatekeeper as your advocate rather than an obstacle.

Do you know the owner's first name? You can buy lists of business owners online and I don't think they're too expensive. (I haven't done it yet but it's been recommended) But that's a way to get the owners name and number.

I saw a YouTube video where the guy was using this line: "yeah i wanted to see if John was available for lunch today, could you put me through to him?"

He said he actually does ask, since it would basically be a sale meeting for him, but the owner usually declines anyway. He's still able to pitch his offer though since he got him on the phone. It's honestly something I probably wouldn't do, but I thought I would share.

How big are these establishments you are visiting? you are saying you are talking to the worker.. when I would question if you actually are not talking to the owner. BUT you simply have not said anything that would peak their interest.

Walking in and saying Hi, I sell ad space for company X and we get this much business would you be interested... is right up there with trying to sell cat food to dog owners. The honest truth is, even knowing their name, it wont help you.. because you simply are going to say Hi, I sell ad space for company X and we get this much business is <insert name> here to discuss this further.

ok so the initial pitch does not peak their interest. you then hand them a piece of paper with all of the program details. Explain this process for me.... Are you handing them a folded piece of paper? are you pulling it out of a portfolio of some type? what is the quality of paper the sheet is printed on?

ALL of these things matter... you want to be pulling this out of a nice presentation folder, or leather bound notebook type thing. You want the piece of paper you hand over to NOT be folded. You want the piece of paper you hand over to have some amount of body ( NOT copier paper ) I specifically suggest HP presentation paper. You preferably want to hand over a business card as well

First and for most you did not drop off some "Important financial information" I think its great you are using the form for a 2nd point of contact. I would suggest a softer approach...

Hi this is <insert name> I was in your store Tuesday ( or last Thursday - be specific with the day ) and would like to touch base with the person in charge of marketing. I left a sheet about the <insert property name> ad space program. whats unique about the program is that by default we reach people that are not from the area... and are only X amount of distance from your store. Our occupancy percentage on average for the week is X% and we have X amount of rooms. If you would like further information how we can get your business in front of these people let me know < insert contact information > ( To include your phone number )

So now lets step back to your initial contact. And we can use the e-mail as a guide to better peak the interest of the manager or owner.

Hi my name is <insert name> I work with company X and we are located X distance away. We have a captive audience of primarily out of area visitors on a daily basis we average a X% occupancy percentage through out the week and have X amount of rooms. Would you be interested in getting your business in front of these people?

NOTICE I did not ask to speak to anyone... I laid the pitch... if the person that you just laid that on is not qualified to make that decision.. what will they do? - they will tell you to hold on a minute and get them. OR they will say "Im sorry X is not in right now" ( giving you the name ) and YOUR response should be.. "do you expect X in today?" If they respond "no" you then ask when would be the best time to stop back by and speak to X?.

So at this point you are speaking to who you need to, or know when and who to speak to. The last step in this is important. asking the person you are speaking with... "Can you do me a favor? I have this sheet that explains our program, can you give this to X for me?" and then add "I'm sorry for my poor manners, what is your name? Nice to meet you <gatekeepers name> I'm <insert your name> it was a pleasure talking with you, and thanks in advance for getting that to X. See you <insert day or time X will be in>"

This way you have built a rapport with the "Gatekeeper" they are now doing you a favor... and when you go in a second time you can then say "Oh hi, <insert gate keepers name> is X in? and it changes the entire dynamic of the expereince.

IF after the second visit you still have not made contact, i would then refer back to the e-mail appraoch.

Hope that Helps!

You can also try Manta. Search the business on there and many times it will have the owner's name. If you're visiting the business's website, you can use something like FindThatLead or Hunter.io to find an email address, they both give you free credits to get started.

In addition to the good advice you have already rec'd, let's look at your process, and I'll have more questions than answers.

First, you are selling ad space to local businesses. What media? Newspapers, coupon books, fliers, postcards, co-op mailings, monthly town booklets, outdoor, indoor.

You walk into a business. Does this mean you COLD CALL? What sort of a business? Have you pre-qualified it?

We use alignable.com to get information about the ownership, type and other data, as well as google information on their maps, and yelp and manta. The more you know about the business, the better your pitch to them will be.

It appears you may be selling ads for placement in a hotel/motel or restaurant where visitors frequent, and you are selling NUMBER OF EYEBALLS per time frame, month, year, or whatever.

Yes, I think you are going about it all wrong. For all your time and effort and a lot of running around, you are not seeing the people you need to see, the decision maker with the budget which can afford your advertising services.

Do you offer exclusivity? Only one restaurant, or dry cleaners or pizza shop on your advertising vehicle? What is the benefit to the owner?

I would test a small DIRECT MAIL piece, possibly lumpy and personalized to the owner/manager, with an exclusive time sensitive offer. Have that on the envelope so the gate keeper is held responsible when you make the follow up phone call.

For all the time you are spending, a few dollars of printing, postage and targeted mailing could get you much better results.

As someone who has sold advertising space for over 50 years, I think you ARE making life much harder than it needs to be.

GordonJ

The biz owners' name, email and cell phone are here...

https://lists.nextmark.com/market?pa...card&id=441637

You can select for the type of biz as well as annual revenue.

Best,
Ewen