Cold calling or leaflets??

[Graeme Harrold]

c) All of the above

Just get your name out there………….

[Nigel Hindley]

quote Stuart Green:

what is a good method of getting business for a printer?? do fellow printers just cold call, leaflets, or is it
mainly word of mouth??

– Id say just leaflets, – visiting folk says you are desperate and ain’t busy – a good busy signmaker wouldn’t have time – having said that you have just started so some might think its entrepreneurial.

You have said though in another thread that you are inexperienced? – this will be obvious if someone asks your advice – again though we all have start somewhere!

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Neither.
Letter your own vehicle, get a website.
If possible, hang your shingle out front.
I only cold call as the ultimate last resort.
I know I hate it when sales people do it to me.
Love…Jill

[Jason Xuereb]

Step 1. Write a Business Plan.

This will outline what your business does and who your best customers are.

Once you know who your best customers are:

Step 2. Research them

Once you research them you will know what they need, why they need it and when they need it.

You can then construct your communications at the right time and in the right place.

Example: Office worker with a headache who catches public transport.

Best place public transport advertising opportunities.

At the moment your being to broad with printing. It’s like my above example if you are to broad it would of been someone who is sick.

Printing what exactly?
For who?
Why are you going to be better then everyone else?
Why are your customers going to think you are better?
Is the market big enough?
Can you make a profit servicing these customers?

[Cheryl Smith]

This is something ive said on a previous thread about generating your own business:

If you mean cold calling as in flogging signs on the phone from your butt in an office, picking out numbers from the yellow pages without trying to find out anything about the business you are calling…i could see the possibility of a frosty response.

I see calling to be a process of including things such as journey plans of people to visit, by phoning in advance to find out the names of who Id need to see and the best time to find them in the office – showroom etc. and being prepared as in having a portfolio of my work and a knowledge of how signage is being used in their business currently….(by looking around!) and a suggestion of how you could offer something new.

I spent years building up my business from cold calling. It is only the first walk through the door which is cold. From there you should be fortunate enough to meet the faces of the names on your list …even if it is to find out that ‘now is not a good time’ that I would call back again in a week as you were on this day ‘in the area’. and if you were lucky..to be able to pinpoint an appointment. But you WOULD HAVE TO go back in a week. People will begin to recognise you.

Cold calling is scary, but it also builds confidence and a sense that you are DOING something to build your business…even if you are not instantly getting orders…you will be getting recognised and remembered and your signwritten van is getting about and people will be expecting to see you if you are regular.

People will find out who YOU are, as well as you them. I found some abbrasive people end up being really nice (and not only that but large order placers!) as that is their job to weed out the wheat from the chaf….anyone can pick up a phone…not everyone will poke in their noses in the door to ask if there is anything you could do for them week in week out.

As far as i am concerned, you are offering a service, and it is the best why on earth would they not want to discover it and add it to their arsenal of selling tools for their business?

If I had the misfortune to meet someone completely rude……..their loss. Why offer valuable effort and time better placed with other businesses who see that you really care about them and their growth.

If you are having a quiet spell…get planning and get out there. Personally I admire fellow sales people who make the effort to get it right and who sincerely would like my business… to them it must be worth having.

Good luck
Cheryl

[John Harding]

Nigel I Disagree

quote :

– Id say just leaflets, – visiting folk says you are desperate and ain’t busy – a good busy signmaker wouldn’t have time – having said that you have just started so some might think its entrepreneurial.

You have said though in another thread that you are inexperienced? – this will be obvious if someone asks your advice – again though we all have start somewhere!

Leaflets are one aspect a very good one but everyone has to start somewhere and IMHO priority must be biz cards, web site, van, leaflets.

Everyone is inexperienced when they start but invariably they will know more than the customer so this shouldn’t be a deterrent. However even now I get the odd question I do not know the answer to and no one minds if you say I dont know that answer but i will find out and come back to you, often it results in work as it breeds confidence in the client that you have made a special effort for them.

With regard to generating work its not hard, find a high street and card every shop empty or trading if you speak to someone ask if they are the manager and if not would they pass it on. This way you know if you are talking to a decision maker or not.

Yes this is cold calling but this is not selling, you are only handing out contact information, invariably one or two will ask questions, some may contact you later either way you are no longer cold to them as there has been that point of contact.

John

[Nigel Hindley]

hi John,

– Its horses for courses right enough, but the title was cold calling or leaflets? – given the choice of 2 – I’d go for leaflets but no harm in mixing the 2!

We have actually found dropping leaflets personally does work,for sure probably better than business cards – but your right – nothing wrong with going round introducing your self and leaving any kind of promotional material in a soft sell approach I’m sure this would work well.

Id say though too very much depends on the type and size of the area you operate in.

Nigel