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1ManSCorp
12-30-2011, 03:04 PM
How can I find common ground with a potential client when going door to door? What is a good start off line?

henryz
12-30-2011, 03:56 PM
I usually introduce myself, I want to make sure they are comfortable and I ask if they use any of the services I provide, If they seem interested I continue and if they don't, I'll tell them to have a nice day...:)

1ManSCorp
12-31-2011, 08:43 AM
Thanks henryz. I was Googling last night and came across some articles on "how to reach the decision maker". It's about cold calling (I know this off topic). Do you use the same principle in the post above as to cold calling? If not...How do (you) go about reaching the decision maker by phone.

MyITGuy
01-01-2012, 02:27 PM
How can I find common ground with a potential client when going door to door? What is a good start off line?

What type of business/sales are you doing?

One method I've heard and seen in action is to have a person go door to door just introducing your company, leaving a business card or sales packet and to get a business card for them. If the sales person is able to determine if there is interest in your business line then their card goes into one envelope (I.E. #1), while others go into a separate envelope (I.E. #2)

A seasoned sales person would then follow up ASAP with the cards in envelope #1 via phone, followed by an in person visit.

Cards in envelope #2 would be placed into any mailing programs you have to build recognition...which may generate a lead for you at a later time or you can repeat this process at a later time with this client.

1ManSCorp
01-01-2012, 10:47 PM
To MyItGuy: I would like to hear about what has been done not something you heard of or a way of. Not to be pushy but i want to hear real situations. What people say to a prospect whether its by phone or in person. At a house or business.
I dont want to spend alot of money on mailings.

MyITGuy
01-02-2012, 05:21 PM
To MyItGuy: I would like to hear about what has been done not something you heard of or a way of. Not to be pushy but i want to hear real situations. What people say to a prospect whether its by phone or in person. At a house or business.
I dont want to spend alot of money on mailings.

I would highly recommend improving your listening/comprehension skills....as I mentioned in my previous post, that was something I have seen in action, in real situations. Listening to what your clients want/need (In addition to others who are willing to help) will help you out greatly in the long run...


One method I've heard and seen in action


Additionally, I highly doubt your going to get a script walk through with your clients on the phone or in person, especially when you aren't providing any information on what your company does or what your selling. This is something that you need to develop based on your specific product, your target clientele (businesses, consumers, number of employees, yearly revenue, industry) and etc...

1ManSCorp
01-03-2012, 10:14 AM
This is what I needed to hear MyItGuy. Thanks.

henryz
01-03-2012, 11:47 AM
You might want to look up " the perfect elevator pitch" also.

billbenson
01-03-2012, 08:09 PM
I would highly recommend improving your listening/comprehension skills....as I mentioned in my previous post, that was something I have seen in action, in real situations. Listening to what your clients want/need (In addition to others who are willing to help) will help you out greatly in the long run...


Additionally, I highly doubt your going to get a script walk through with your clients on the phone or in person, especially when you aren't providing any information on what your company does or what your selling. This is something that you need to develop based on your specific product, your target clientele (businesses, consumers, number of employees, yearly revenue, industry) and etc...

1ManSCorp - what MyITGuy suggested is accurate, but it is also generic and pretty much from any sales 101 book you will find (don't take that as a dig MYITGuy). It really sounds like you should read up on basic sales strategies. For example, as MyITGuy mentioned, asking your customer questions it the first thing you need to do. Think about it. You go to a used car lot, does the salesman try to sell you the 50K sports car before he asks you your budget, finances, do you have a family you need to lug around, etc. He wants to know what you need and want before he even tries to sell you anything.

Different types of sales are very different. You don't sell farm equipment in the same way as residential housing windows. But that is step 2. First you need to get the basics down.

I don't believe you said what you were trying to sell. If you tell us what it is, we can give you better advice.

MyITGuy
01-03-2012, 10:41 PM
1ManSCorp - what MyITGuy suggested is accurate, but it is also generic and pretty much from any sales 101 book you will find (don't take that as a dig MYITGuy).

No worries, it's good to get the basics down and since I haven't seen the details/specifics on what's being marketed its the only thing that came to mind (And is something that does still work for me)

1ManSCorp
01-05-2012, 10:08 PM
I am selling Mr. Squiigii. High Rise Restoration & Cleaning (http://squiigii.com). I do a lot of Facebook Marketing. 75% of my business comes from there. I have a 5% ratio from Google-corporate stuff. I am not particularly selling just window cleaning.

MyITGuy
01-06-2012, 12:50 PM
I am selling Mr. Squiigii. High Rise Restoration & Cleaning (http://squiigii.com). I do a lot of Facebook Marketing. 75% of my business comes from there. I have a 5% ratio from Google-corporate stuff. I am not particularly selling just window cleaning.

Out of curiosity, what would be your goal out of door to door sales? I just skimmed your website and it appears that your targeting property owners of commercial locations, which are rarely on-site at the location you would be visiting/selling to. Maybe we just have a different understanding of what "Door to Door" sales means for us both.

This may not help with finding common ground, but may help you with an in-person sales pitch...but I do recall buying a product from someone who was going door to door because while he was giving his pitch he was actually demonstrating the product on whatever he could find...he was cleaning the rims on my truck, spots in my driveway, he even went so far as to drink a shot of the cleaning solution to "prove" that it was environmental friendly.

This sounds like something that may be adapted to your service...I don't know if anything would legally prohibit you from cleaning a single pane or section of a window or pressure washing a section of a sidewalk/parking area...but if one pane of glass in a visible area looked cleaner than the rest on my office/storefront I would be inclined to pay for the rest of them to be cleaned as well (If my lease didn't already include this service)...at the very least it might generate some chatter which could make its way back to the person in charge.

If this is something you wish to pursue, then I would advise having an employee of yours perform the demo cleaning in the event you are approached during this time. This leaves you with the time and present-ability (I.E. Not Grungy/sweating doing the work) to discuss the opportunity with the person in charge, and in the event you obtain an instant sale the employee can finish the work while you visit a few other locations in the immediate area, referencing/showing off the work being performed.

rshughes
01-06-2012, 03:49 PM
Out of curiosity, what would be your goal out of door to door sales? I just skimmed your website and it appears that your targeting property owners of commercial locations, which are rarely on-site at the location you would be visiting/selling to.
Just to add my 2 cents, generally high-rise buildings have a professional property manager or PM company on-site who chooses the window cleaning service. They might not be too impressed with the "require no contracts to be signed" statement on your website. In my opinion, they'd probably want to use a professional service provider who has full liability insurance, provides a written description of work to be performed, cost estimates, etc. (in other words, a conventional service contract). "No contracts" might appeal to the happy-hope-I'm-lucky homeowner though.


This may not help with finding common ground, but may help you with an in-person sales pitch...but I do recall buying a product from someone who was going door to door because while he was giving his pitch he was actually demonstrating the product on whatever he could find...he was cleaning the rims on my truck, spots in my driveway, he even went so far as to drink a shot of the cleaning solution to "prove" that it was environmental friendly.
I like this idea, but take care that you don't act like those overly aggressive windshield cleaning guys in New York who accost drivers stopped at the red light, squeegee and spray bottle in hand...:)

In any case, good luck with your sales efforts!

1ManSCorp
01-06-2012, 11:58 PM
Thanks for the idea of showing off the intangible product. I had this idea and was willing to try it for residential homes to get my name out. Not a bad idea for commercial buildings too. I have 0 employees. I dont do store fronts cause they only want to pay $20 a month.
There is always a person in charge of operations for every building. I had a call today from one. The VP of Operations from a local community college who would like to have their 3 story building bidded on. I figured they already want me to do it. The VP had looked at all my YT videos, linkedin, website, and Facebook. Gotta love In-Bound-Marketing! But most companies do have a maintenance contractor and they could be located in another state. Which I have done several large buildings with them too. I guess word travels farther than a card.
Insurance really does not matter. It's all in honesty and building trust.

MyITGuy
01-07-2012, 11:01 AM
Insurance really does not matter. It's all in honesty and building trust.

:shock:

If corporations/companies require me to carry a million in insurance to set foot in their door as a contractor, I would imagine a building owner would require you to carry some form of insurance if your going to hang over the edge of their high rise building...otherwise if something were to happen then they may be liable for any damage, injury and/or deaths which is something that would obviously impact their decision making process.

jamesray50
01-07-2012, 05:22 PM
Personally, door to door salesmen bug me. I live in a rental house and usually am not in a position to purchase what they are selling, i.e. siding cleaning, new roof, tree trimming. But, then I saw the opportunity to tell them that yes, I could see where the house could possibly use their service, that I would be glad to pass their business card along to my property manager, and oh, by the way, do you have a "Good" bookkeeper? I pass along my business card to them. I haven't received any calls yet, but that doesn't mean that even though they don't need my service that they won't pass my card along to someone else.

Blessed
01-11-2012, 08:37 AM
Insurance really does not matter. It's all in honesty and building trust.

I have to completely disagree with this statement, especially if you are looking to land large corporate accounts. My husband is the Facilities Manager for a large company here in the KC Metro Area - anybody who is an independent contractor that works in that company has to meet several requirements - including insurance. He's worked in this type of position in smaller companies for the past several years and has many contacts for different types of things. People he has always used in the past have to go through the application process in order to qualify to be a vendor with this company. And what is being asked isn't unreasonable - it's just a no exceptions policy - must have insurance, must have good references, must have...

As a homeowner I wouldn't allow you to wash the windows in my house if you didn't have insurance. It's just a common-sense thing.

1ManSCorp
01-12-2012, 08:15 PM
Yeah I found that out. I am looking in to Insurance. If I get the 3 story building the VP of Ops said he would be willing to wait for me to get Ins before I started the building. Is that cool or what? So I hope I get it. I should know soon. He has to get with the architect to find out some blah blah blah yackity shmackity but he seems interested.

Big Rued
01-13-2012, 08:19 PM
If its going to a business, LinkedIn is the new cold call. That is a great way to try to find somebody that you have in common. Cold calling is getting harder and harder now that social media is here. If you are going door to door residential you are going to up for a fight, but that doesn't mean you can't win. The question you have to answer is how can I create value for my customers. No one wants to hear about "you" when they could be spending time with their family or doing something they want to do. You are going to have to figure a way that you pitch is revolved around "them" and how they benefit from working with you. You might want to even start off with a quick door hanger letting them know something about your company and letting them know you will be back in their area on a certain day. They may not answer the door, but you did let them know you value their time.

Hope this help and good luck!

jamesray50
01-14-2012, 12:38 AM
I don't like door hangers. We get them all the time from chinese restaurants. I consider door hanger junk mail. Just my opinion.