What's your approach??

[Jimmy Hitt]

So I'm dedicating 1-2 days a week for the next month to sales. I don't want to scrape by thru the winter. I'm miles ahead of where I was last winter....but also didn't have my rig at that point, just a porty. I'm also trying to step outside the norm of what I usually target & work on (commercially).

My question is what's your approach to cold sales? We should all be worrying about winter & gaining new commercial accounts so we can all feast like we do in the spring. I know some won't want to say what they target (paranoid carpet cleaner disease) or other tactics.

I'm not the best at cold sales (hate it actually but its a necessity) but figured if we all tossed some ideas around that we could help each other. I'm doing my best to get out of the reclusive shell we fall in at times because most of us work alone & get stuck in our comfort zone.

So c'mon fellas, let's see if we can help each other out.

Thanks in advance for any ideas thrown out there.... I know I could use any tips I can get!

 

[shane deubell]

When you say cold sales are you talking phone or door to door?

 

[Jimmy Hitt]

Door to door is what I'm doing today....and HATE it. Which is better? I'd feel more comfortable doing phone, but I think it would be less productive. Easier for them to blow me off I would think....but opinions like yours is what I was wanting.

 

[1ST CHOICE CLEANING]

I would rather go door to door then cold calling, the thing with going door to door for commercial is you have to be prepared and be able to accept feeling rejected and having people blow you off to get you out of there.

 

[shane deubell]

I've always used the phone to qualify people and set up estimates. After i have an appointment then i dont mind sticking around the area door to door a little bit.

My experience has been smaller businesses are easier door to door. But larger businesses usually will throw you out without an appointment.

Kinda like excercise, getting in a routine is the hardest part. By the 2nd month its autopilot, hard in the beginning to gather momentum.

 

[Jimmy Hitt]

Yea definitely having trouble gaining momentum. I'm cool with the rejection part....hell I'm married. I just get a little reclusive and not sure when the best time of day is for certain industrys.

I had real good luck on a big tile estimate Monday but that was more right place right time situation and I was cleaning next door. Thought the momentum would carry over but it hasn't.

 

[Hoss4x4]

Be their solution. They don't give a rats @ss about you, just what you can do for them. I am in sales both for our business and my day job. Spend one day calling and one on the road. It helps to break it up. If they are a bigger company, just simply ask who is in charge of their maintenance so you can make an appointment. If the sign says no soliciting I just walk in and ask for a name so I may set up an appointment. Most of the time it works. I have asked people in parking lots and such for a contact name. Most of the time I can get it. If it is a small business then you can tell them you specialize in local small businesses. They are more likely to go with the smaller guy than a franchise. Most use the franchises because of the name not quality. Stop by once a month if it is a target account. Let them see you are persistent. It shows them you really want to work for them. Yes, prepare for rejection. It is a numbers game. You have a better chance of getting a yes in a 100 calls then if you make ten.

 

[Jose Holguin]

Jimmy,

I've been doing this quite a bit lately and I've always hated it but lately I'm starting to crave it. I have a "client lead list" with all the properties I want to hit, I do some research online on who is in charge first, that way I'll have a name by the time I get there.

I always have an "excuse" of why I'm there, "we are cleaning the toy store in the same building, the restaurant on the same block, the retail store on the same strip mall etc etc...

I make sure I'm ready with my paperwork, you should have a copy of absolutely everything they might ask you for on the spot, insurance, pricing, business license, references, testimonials, pictures, certifications etc... They don't need to ask me for it, I still give everything to them but I only give it to the person in charge, none of the "I'll hand it to the manager when he is available".

If they bite, offer them a demo right there on the spot, be willing to start puling hoses and get an area done if they are available.

Professional marketing pieces and branding have helped me out a ton. I'm a 27 year old Mexican that looks like he is 20, I'm 5'8" and weigh a lacking 155 pounds, I'm not always taken seriously, I make them.

 

[crash1big]

Yea definitely having trouble gaining momentum. I'm cool with the rejection part....hell I'm married. I just get a little reclusive and not sure when the best time of day is for certain industrys.

I had real good luck on a big tile estimate Monday but that was more right place right time situation and I was cleaning next door. Thought the momentum would carry over but it hasn't.

Timing. I think it boils down to that. You keep hitting your routes until your successful. Sooner or later a given business will need your service and if you are there then or if they remember you; done deal.
I have a salesman who calls on us, and every time he comes in, he brings some goodies. Then he always asks if he can check in next month. I think asking to "check in" the next month gets them ready for the next visit. After awhile; your not a stranger and they actually feel more comfortable with you.

 

[Jimmy Hitt]

@Jose Holguin Yea we target very similar accounts I've noticed. And that's almost exactly how I do it with those accounts. Paperwork and all. I just haven't gotten into the real professional marketing material aside from the book I give them with the bid.

I tried to go outside the box of what I normally target today and it just wasn't good. But its also the first time I've done that so I have to work on my approach/pitch etc. It'll come, just need to refine & be persistent. About two hours ago I went back to the norm and went after what I normally do and it was like second nature to me. Not sure why I'm good at targeting this industry but not the other. Guess I'm just more comfortable, and I know a lot of folks in that industry. And my references in that industry are impeccable.

@crash1big I totally agree about timing. The place I landed Monday probably wouldn't have happened on any other day. I caught the manager doing something outside, introduced myself & asked if I could give her a bid for carpet & tile, she said that'd be great. As I was measuring she told me that the new operations manager happened to be there inspecting and she was just telling him she wanted to get the T&G cleaned. Gave them a bid for $1300 and he said he wants it every 2-3 months (my estimate had it broken down for one time clean & recurring as SFS suggests). I also did my normal T&G demo which is a spray bottle of Tilemaster, Shark Grout brush, & microfiber rag. Did a 2'x2' area and they were amazed. Thank you Tile master.....again!

On the flip side I emailed a large high rise hotel today. The reply was " we actually just had them cleaned last week and will be renovating soon so check with us next year and contact the assistant manager______". How bout that for crappy timing. Ha

 

[EverythingFlooring]

To sell commercial jobs consistently...It's all about finding the decision makers. Pick a market segment like...car dealers, or hotels, or churches...then hit the phones...call everyone you can in that segment ...find the guy that makes the decision on the floor care.,you're going to hit roadblocks at every turn but power thru...don't talk about pricing or your equipment, just get an appointment, then you can talk about that other stuff...just get the appointment, then get another, and the next....do a demo every-time..that sells jobs....more appointments in the more jobs out...simple right?

 

[shane deubell]

Yea definitely having trouble gaining momentum. I'm cool with the rejection part....hell I'm married. I just get a little reclusive and not sure when the best time of day is for certain industrys.

I had real good luck on a big tile estimate Monday but that was more right place right time situation and I was cleaning next door. Thought the momentum would carry over but it hasn't.

Ohh dude dont try and time the market, just go,go, go.
Except for common sense like a restaurant during lunch hour...

If you are comfortable with condos then yes definitely stick to them for now.
Just go and visit 20 of them tomorrow or call 50 and collect info on who is the decision maker.

The commercial sales process is longer, in some cases much longer. Most are not ready to buy right now but you are planting the seed for when they are ready.

I like diversity personally but also have been doing this forever. Today out of 50 calls we ended up with 2 qualified leads- 1 technology something and 1 construction company is going to put us on bid list.

 

[Six Figure Solo Cleaner]

Take a shorcut.

You're in the B2B market (commercical accounts). So surround yourself with business owners and decision makers.

Where are they?--- why by golly at Business Associations and Business networking meetings.

Relationship marketing will also buffer you against price resistance.

on another note...
If you "hate" selling, then you don't truly believe you have something of value to offer qualified prospects.

I love selling (*disclaimer* to qualified prospects), because I feel obligated to avail them to the superior products and services we offer.

 

[shane deubell]

One thing i have done my whole life jimmy is focus on large businesses 1-2 days a month. Take my shot if you will...
Then the rest of the month focus on blocking/tackling type of accounts.

The reason is larger jobs tend to take longer but i always want to plant that seed. Smaller jobs make quicker decisions and fill the books with immediate work.

 

[Omar]

What types of businesses do you guys target? What types dont you?

 

[crash1big]

I target businesses that require high appearance levels. Like doctors, banks, professional suites, etc. I don't target fast food, restaurants, or lawyers.

 

[Omar]

I target businesses that require high appearance levels. Like doctors, banks, professional suites, etc. I don't target fast food, restaurants, or lawyers.

Because of rejection or not your cup of tea?

 

[crash1big]

Because of rejection or not your cup of tea?

Because it seams like it is always about money with these guys. If an attorney decides not to pay; it is a real pain to collect. They know their craft well. Restaurant owners (in general) never stay on schedule. Just yesterday we had one of our restaurants call for an appointment and they are 3 months outside of our agreed time frame so we let them know it would be more. They griped about it but made the appointment anyway. They know how to play the game too.

 

[Nomad74]

So I'm dedicating 1-2 days a week for the next month to sales. I don't want to scrape by thru the winter. I'm miles ahead of where I was last winter....but also didn't have my rig at that point, just a porty. I'm also trying to step outside the norm of what I usually target & work on (commercially).

My question is what's your approach to cold sales? We should all be worrying about winter & gaining new commercial accounts so we can all feast like we do in the spring. I know some won't want to say what they target (paranoid carpet cleaner disease) or other tactics.

I'm not the best at cold sales (hate it actually but its a necessity) but figured if we all tossed some ideas around that we could help each other. I'm doing my best to get out of the reclusive shell we fall in at times because most of us work alone & get stuck in our comfort zone.

So c'mon fellas, let's see if we can help each other out.

Thanks in advance for any ideas thrown out there.... I know I could use any tips I can get!

I like to show up at a customers house, give them my best sales pitch. Then, right when I get them eating out of my hand, I cut myself and bleed all over their carpet and leave. Seems to be working for me

 

[Omar]

I like to show up at a customers house, give them my best sales pitch. Then, right when I get them eating out of my hand, I cut myself and bleed all over their carpet and leave. Seems to be working for me

Does that really work? I thought about doing that, instead after i leave a do the old burning bag of poo on the porch trick...