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DO OR DON'T

by RJGonzalez
12 replies
I am on a internal dilemma, i have a list of local business in my area to which i would like to promote my services.

Here is the DILEMMA :confused: I have the business owner name, address, phone and email.

Phone: I believe that calling them first is the right way to go.
DILEMMA: I am invading their personal space.

Email: less invading but impersonal.
DILEMMA: as a business they are probably bombarded with spam.

Direct Mail: you know what happens
DILEMMA: Must likely end up in the trash, is what i usually do.

Your opinion is welcome.

Thank you in advance.
#cold calling #direct marketing #email marketing
  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    If you dont invade their personal space your competitors will.
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    • Profile picture of the author boatree
      If you don't believe in any of the above I guess you are left with having to foot canvass and physically walk into their businesses?
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  • Profile picture of the author pmarketing
    Originally Posted by RJGonzalez View Post


    Phone: I believe that calling them first is the right way to go.
    DILEMMA: I am invading their personal space.

    Email: less invading but impersonal.
    DILEMMA: as a business they are probably bombarded with spam.


    Phone: I believe that calling them first is the only right way to go.
    DILEMMA:You are not invading their PERSONAL space - you are calling BUSINESS, not consumer.

    Email: more invading.
    DILEMMA: as a business they are for sure bombarded with spam.
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  • Profile picture of the author RJGonzalez
    pmarketing, you know your stuff.

    I just wanted to get a heads up. good leads are hard to come by and to use it without care will increase the possibilities of a premature death of your business.
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    • Profile picture of the author pmarketing
      Originally Posted by RJGonzalez View Post

      pmarketing, you know your stuff.

      I just wanted to get a heads up. good leads are hard to come by and to use it without care will increase the possibilities of a premature death of your business.
      Thanks, man, but I am still learning. Reading John's stuff - very useful. Also Iamnameless.


      The problem with emailing is - people are brainwashed with the "spam". I hate getting spam with all kind of penis enlargement pills (always wonder: how do they know????), viagra (makes me wonder even more....) and all kind of shit. But if somebody sends me some useful information-I do not consider it SPAM. If I am a plumber and someone sends me an invitation to join a plumber directory - why be offended? Unfortunately most people think other way and are screaming "SPAAAAAAM" if get unsolicited business email.
      So the only way is calling. That's why businesses have phones, right ?
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      • Profile picture of the author ThePromotionalGuy
        Senor Gonzales,

        You do not have 3 dilemmas.

        You have 3 testing grounds.

        Split your list of businesses into 3 groups.

        Group 1 you will call them
        Group 2 you will email them
        Group 3 you will direct mail them

        Once you have run through your lists the first time, then 14 days later each group will shift to the next task.

        Group 1 you will direct mail them
        Group 2 you will call them
        Group 3 you will email them

        After you have run through your lists the second time, then 14 days later each group will shift to the next task.

        Group 1 you will email them
        Group 2 you will direct mail them
        Group 3 you will call them

        By the end of the 3 cycles you will have reached each group 3 different ways over the course of 6-8 weeks.

        Through that time frame you will track every step you made and record how each business owner was contacted.

        At the end of 8 weeks you will have gained a greater insight into how and what a business owner, in your community, will respond to you and/or your offer.

        Good Luck and much Success
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  • Profile picture of the author steveka
    I gotta tell you this, you are over complicating things by thinking too much. This usually happens when you don't have the guts to do something. You start debating with yourself and try to justify the reasons of not taking action. In the end, you just don't do what you are supposed to do, in exchange of the big relief you get.

    Think it like trying to pick up a hot girl at a bar. She is the attention span and maybe even winking at you, but she is gorgeous so why she would be interested in you? There are so many good looking guys around her anyway, right? Plus, probably 10 other drunk guys approached her already and maybe even offended her. Besides, she is with her friends and you don't want to offend her, seems like she is having fun. Maybe you'll go and talk to her later on, you will need a refill anyway. At the end of the night, you see this hot girl walking out with a guy who is extremely normal in terms of looks, maybe even uglier than you dreamed of. It's the end of the night, she's gone and you are again empty handed going home all by yourself.

    This scenario is very typical for most of the guys who have a problem with taking action. Over analyzing things will lead to excuses and excuses will lead to not taking action. This is a very dangerous loop hole and you should stay out of it in the first place.

    You have some prospects and an offer which both parties will mutually benefit from. If they want it, good for them because you will bring them more customers. If not, it's their loss and there is plenty of fish in the sea. Move on to the next one. Don't over analyze and complicate things. Just do it...
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  • Profile picture of the author RJGonzalez
    just making conversation about something many people struggle and are afraid to ask, is not that i am over complicating things. Is just that many come to read, so i am starting something that many know and can supply input to the less fortunate. Just so every one know the right answer.

    All 3 are correct the but what about the order.

    Here is my thoughts:

    1- Call
    2- Email
    3- Direct Mail

    Why?

    Well, Call to introduce yourself, Email to thank and to follow up & Direct mail Follow up.

    Or we can look at it this way.

    Email first = Spam or unsolicited mail ether way they won't open it
    Direct mail more spam straight to the trash can.
    Call well you have bother so no interest on what you have to say if by mistake they answer.

    The best way to know what will people do is to look at yourself, what is it that you do.

    Here is what i do, if i don't know you i wont open you emails, direct mail is dead it goes straight to the trash can and phone i will answer talk to you and listen to what you have to say. If i am not interested the third time you call me with the same pitch will be your last and block will be setup.

    So here is who i do business with:

    They that call introduces themselves, tell me a bit about what they are offering. If interested i will ask for them to email me some more info. And a new friendship is started. Never get no direct mail from them so I think they feel the same way i do about Direct mail, is dead. Don't get me wrong is till useful for some business mainly supermarket, hair salon and so on.

    I have done Direct mail advertising and for the response(3% to 5% response and about 1.5% sales) i get is not worth the money or the efforts. What does work for me is the following

    1- Phone (no more then 3 times including the appointment call) after the sale well if you are like me his a new friend so friends call each other and since they already have bought from you the even come up with products you can create for them or supply existent products or service you might offer.
    2- Email (1st to thank them for speaking with you. 2nd to comply with what you offered on the phone call)
    3- Visit (make the sale and gain a friend, those days of THE CLIENT are gone now days "clients" want to be friends. )

    In that way I can average about 78% sales on my list. Also where you get your list is VERY important I produce mine, I use to buy long long time ago(maybe 10+ years ago). I have learn a bit since then and by compiling a well thought-out list will make your daily business doings very profitable.
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    Always willing to help, just for the asking...
    Live Sample (My Setup to maximize exposure)
    My site, My Facebook Timeline, My site on Facebook App & Like Reveal $150 Discount offer.

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    • Profile picture of the author David Miller
      People like to do business with people who are like them. You say you like people who call you and introduce themselves.

      There's your answer.

      Why you need to complicate this beyond imagination may be that you aren't sure what to say. That's usually what stops most people from picking up the phone. There are plenty of resources on these threads about how to get started on the phone.

      Since you have the business owners name, why not start with:

      Hi Joe, RJ Gonzales, I'm a marketing guy here in Homestead and I wanted to chat with you about taking advantage of Facebook the way a lot of your competition has.....

      You'll know pretty fast if he's a prospect!
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      The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
      -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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      • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
        You say you have a local list. How big is it?

        If it's a list of 100 local (within driving distance) names...I would just walk in.

        5,000 names? Phone first.

        Direct mail isn't dead. I make money with it every day. And I would kill if I knew I would sell 1% of the people I mailed to. It's more like one in 1,000...but it's still very profitable.

        But, some people don't like it, just like some people don't like cold calling, or walking in to a business cold.

        Me? I just show up cold. But if "Local" to you is anything within 100 miles...I'd call.
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  • Profile picture of the author gcozzens
    I would direct mail them a post card and then follow-up a few days later with an email or call referring to the post card to start the conversation.
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