I'd like to speak with the owner

Owner, Manager, or etc does not matter.
What matters is talking to the right person.

If you and the right person can't connect due to a schedule conflict you will likely never close the deal.

So the biggest key in your situation is to spend your time finding and visiting the right businesses.

So let's brainstorm.

Which businesses are most likely to have the decision maker there after 6pm?

1. Bars
2. Restaurants Focused on Dinner
3. Small Retail Stores that Open at 10am or later

What is interesting about this list is if you step back and think when they are busy you will see how and when to approach them.

• 6pm to 8pm: Hit the small retail stores. You need to hit them earlier as the decision maker is likely getting off now. If they are not there find out what night that manager closes and put it on your list for that night.
• 6pm to 9pm: Hit the bars. They will have light traffic but should be ok. Avoid Friday night.
• 8pm till Close: Hit the restaurants. You need to hit them before or after the dinner rush. Some restaurants may allow an early hit but most will be in early rush by 6pm and most will be completely out of rush by 9pm.

As for weekends your key will be to avoid rushes. This will mean in most that you will be hitting them before noon. Sundays will be worthless for most places. If the decision maker is there the business is clearly busy. If he had time to talk he would not be there.


With your hours you have eliminated most "professionals". So your main objective should be to replace your income so you can move into this full time. Depending on your sales skills and current income this should be able to be done within 6 months. If you really want to do it you can do an early exit. Once you know you can sell and trust yourself you leave your current job to focus on the new venture. This can be done in a few weeks.

I also have no idea what you selling so there may be other businesses that fit that I have not mentioned.

Use the Little Unsure Technique to find out who the right person is. You'll then have to be persistent to reach them, unless they're available at that time.

If the DM isn't around (which they probably won't be), ask if they were in your shoes, what time they'd call back to have the best chance of reaching the decision maker. Calendar that call and do it. Call every other day until you connect. Then you're being persistent but not annoying.

Some stellar advice from Aaron and Jason, as always. You would do well to look up their other posts and bookmark them.

They both give solid information that you can apply immediately to increase your income.

Something that has always given me an advantage over other salespeople, is the willingness to meet with prospects whenever or wherever it was convenient for them.

I’ve written business late in the evening and right into the early morning hours. I’ve met with biz owners and written business on Easter, Christmas, New Years Day and every other holiday as well. Seven days a week.

Why?

Cause that’s when the prospects were available to see me.

Here’s what I learned.

There’s a certain element in every niche that does not “run with the pack”.

They run ahead of them.

They value their time.

They are "hustlers" in the finest sense of the word.

They start earlier than others and usually end the day later, as well.

They are generally doing well because they hustle, so they have money to spend.

They recognize the “hustle trait" in others and are preferential to it.

All I had to do was get their interest and build on it.

Everything else that was necessary to make the sale, was already leaning in my direction.

If you’ll learn to recognize the traits, you can make some “easier” sales. Competition is never a problem.

you can definitely pass trough the gatekeepers over the phone as Jason mentioned
but you have start with a good pitch always
doesnt matter if your talking with the decision maker or not

And that is why I'm glad I joined this forum, awesome advice - I'm going to implement this week!

Thanks!