Starting a new marketing campaign

[knoppdude]

Hello everyone,
I wanted to get some feed back on a marketing campaign that I am going to start. I live in an area that is relatively dense with small commercial and industrial companies. My focus of work is service and repair, as well as add on electrical work. What I plan on doing, is to go door to door and introduce myself, and present a brochure of my company, and the type of services that I can offer, and how I can be of value to their operations. I am usually good at being able to talk with people, and getting them to open up, that being the facilities manager, or owner. The administrative "gate keepers" require a different approach. Things are slow and I have time, but I would like to know if anyone else has done this, and what the resultswere. Thanks.

 

[480sparky]

Cold-calling can get frustrating real fast, as it seems to produce zip for results, other than getting the door slammed in your face half the time. Keep in mind that most folks don't have an immediate need for an electrician, and the seeds you sow may take years to bear fruit.

But you never now........


BTW, call the city you're going to be in and secure a 'peddlers permit'.

 

[chris1971]

When I first started I went door to door. I was turned away a few times but, one stop resulted in a $3500.00 job. It can work, you just need to be persistant and have a game plan. Who will you target? Pick a geographical area with a high concentration of commercial and industrial. Maybe even send thank you cards to businesses that you stopped at?

 

[Sparky555]

Cold-calling can get frustrating real fast, as it seems to produce zip for results, other than getting the door slammed in your face half the time. Keep in mind that most folks don't have an immediate need for an electrician, and the seeds you sow may take years to bear fruit.

But you never now........


BTW, call the city you're going to be in and secure a 'peddlers permit'.

My BIL started a business years ago by cold calling. His business has been way down & I suggested he try it again. He's thick-skinned & doesn't mind the rejection.

Calls:150
Results: No new business, one person called the police.

It's a different market now. Good Luck.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Being that it's a different market and there are 100 guys out there looking for work, change up your tactics a little to get by the front counter.

Stop by the grocery store and buy a dozen of the cheap roses and take one in and present it to the lady behind the desk.

"Hi my names John, what's yours?"
"Here this is for you"
"By the way I'm with ABC Electric...."

You may not get the job, but I guaratee that they will remember you.

 

[K8MHZ]

Being that it's a different market and there are 100 guys out there looking for work, change up your tactics a little to get by the front counter.

Stop by the grocery store and buy a dozen of the cheap roses and take one in and present it to the lady behind the desk.

"Hi my names John, what's yours?"
"Here this is for you"
"By the way I'm with ABC Electric...."

You may not get the job, but I guaratee that they will remember you.

Sounds like a better way to get a date than to get a job!

 

[N844AA]

Sounds like a better way to get a date than to get a job!

The way things are going these days, I'd take either one...

 

[stars13bars2]

I hope he has already been by there and seen her before he tries this. She could be a butterface. just sayin

 

[cadpoint]

Cold-calling can get frustrating real fast,...
But you never now........

BTW, call the city you're going to be in and secure a 'peddlers permit'.

Can you say Hero!; or here ya go...

# 5. Handbills $120.00
If your going to stuff a flier on the door, don't leave anything in a mailbox the space is
the property of the US Mail! And they will come after you!

10. Peddler & Solicitor $60.00/qtr per employee.

http://www.ci.alameda.ca.us/services/business_license_fees.html

I was looking to answer in yet another way, I'll reserve that brain strong for another post!

I didn't read up on the the City of Oakland.

 

[cruzJD]

I would check local laws before trying it. Some places make you get a permit / name badge so you can go door to door cost way to much.

We get jobs off wrong numbers that call us. I have a policy that all local calls that come into the office must stay on the line for 1 minute before you can end the call.

I just want our employees to be nice and friendly over the phone and to let people know what type of work we do. My 2 desk girls get asked out a lot and there is one person that calls about once a week and asks ?what are you wearing?. Most weeks we get a few service calls and 8 estimates with 2 leading to good remodels. We have landed larger jobs from home contractors (not that there the best to work for) that were looking for down to earth companies to work with.

 

[bradleyelectric]

When I was new in business and was slow this approach landed me work and I have a recurring customer to this day from doing this. Among sales professionals, it is accepted that you need a script and the marketing campaign should be a 7 3 3. That meaning seven contacts using 3 methods over 3 months. You can do this either by drop in (drop in on the business) phone, email, fax, snail mail, rock through the window or any other form of contact you can think of. Every form of contact should be for a reason.

If you are to drop in to introduce yourself, have a script to use when talking to the receptionist. She is very important and will have all the information you will be looking for. You want to have in the front of your mind what you want to say and want to make sure you don't forget anything. You will want to say something different to the facilities manager and will want to be able to deliver it without looking like it is the first time you have done so. You can follow the drop in up with a phone call scripted maybe like "Hi, just wanted to call to see if you have any questions in regards to our services" You will want a separate script for getting past the receptionist. The phone call ties back to a reason to contact after the drop in.

Next contact may be a fax. Write out your marketing campaign. A single drop in is part of a campaign and should be more successful if it used as a part of a larger campaign.

Of course doing anything is much better then doing nothing and complaining that the phone is slow.