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Is it just me, or do you get these type of email enquiries?
Is it just me or does everyone seem to get emails that do not appear to be addressed directly to me, but more open to anyone reading the email. the details are often vague. ending in them asking for a quote?
I have no problem calling or responding asking for more details. And I have no problem advising them and helping them get what they need. But it appears that there is an escalating number of enquiries that are…
1- going out to a load of sign makers at once, maybe playing us against each other on price?
2- or maybe the local competition is doing pricing exercises?Maybe I am being paranoid and I am just not getting sales from enquiries that I am getting. I can live with that, but there appears to be a pattern forming in the “type” of email that leads to this.
I just hate wasting my time, most frustrating!
Thanks for listening to my rant! 🤓
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5 Replies
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I just tell them that they need to make an appointment, to come in and discuss requirements, it soon sorts out the messers.
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Yep get those too.
We operate in a way that filters out most wasters, much like Hugh.
Worst one we had was an email with artwork for different vans, (small, medium, large, HGV) asking for prices on each for their new business, but they wanted a price for a wrap and a price for the basic design.
You could smell it a mile off so didn’t even respond… there’s a local company with a price guide that look familiar.
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It’s happened to us in the past. Try this. Dream up a ridiculously huge number & quote it. Don’t let on that you’re onto them. If you suspect it’s a competitor sniffing out your prices, they will keel over & think their own prices are way too cheap. Guarantee they will start inflating their prices. They get greedy & won’t like to think they’re underpricing their work especially if you’re getting the big bucks, why can’t they? Best way to eliminate the enemy is to make him destroy himself. It bloody worked as well, got the go ahead on a job they were quoting on against us, they are no longer trading. Sneaky bleeders weren’t as clever as they thought
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Hi Karen,
It is not your imagination, we get that type of thing pretty often, but it is nothing new!
I even get some large reputable companies sending similar, now and again.It is down to people being lazy and naive thinking we will all just waste our time on them. that said, it’s probably because “we have all wasted our time” at some point and have learned from it now! 🙂
Depending on how the email reads and info gave, I will either not respond at all. Or quickly respond with some requests for more info, artwork or whatever, just to see the type of reply and effort they come back with. then take it from there!
Careful though, I have had a few good customers and orders come out of some very poor enquiries. It just takes a lazy employee being told to get a sign company to get signs made and we, on the other hand, get a few lines of text asking just that, and copied in along with another 20 odd companies being asked the same.
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This is common Karen. If they look a bit sussed, I tend to just not to get involved with them.
Maybe not what you wanted to hear, but I don’t have the time to chase these type of enquiries.
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