I just hired a driver who previously drove for a competitor…this driver has been delivering to large business accounts for the past few years. Anyone have any advice on how to go about introducing myself and my product to these companies? Should I take this driver along with me to “break the ice”…or would that be tacky? Thoughts,advice???
Knowing who makes the orders is the most important part of large business orders. I would reccomend going up to the secretary at the company of your choice and talking to them. I have found these are generally the people getting orders together. Introduce youself and offer them (the secretary) a free luch for for getting an order of $75 or more. Works for you (big sale) and works for them (free lunch).
I know I love when people cold call me on friday around 11:00 am right before my rush… :roll:
That being said,find out a name or two…send them a postcard (not at the same time, of course) that they are this week’s lunch special winner…they bring in the card for a free individual pizza …you know who they are and it gives you a open door to sell yourself, your product and your business and you don’t aggrevate them by coming in while they are WORKING!
You could also call and offer a free lunch tomorrow. Drop off a letter and a “deal” with your card. Call them after lunch and see how the food was…oh and sell yourself and your company!
Kris
I would offer a free lunch to the company not the secretary. If they are ordering 10 pies at a time, I would offer them 10 free pies one time. That will get you your shot.
Here’s the thing though: If you don’t get the secretary’s “little order” to her on time and get everything right over-and-over again, you’ll never get the big orders from that company. I can’t remember ever having someone place a large order with my company without having had someone in the group already familiar and comfortable with our product and service.
The pharmacy reps that come in here and place huge orders do so because one of the nurses at the doctor’s office is already a regular. When a professor orders a bunch of food for a meeting or seminar, it’s because we’ve been getting his personal lunch to him done right for years. When a factory wants to feed its staff they call us because the secretary had been getting salads & breadsticks delivered to her without complaint or problems on a regular basis. Etc, etc…
Earn the “little” money and the “big” money will come.
I agree with Brad.
Having them win a lunch special gets them talking that they won something. We draw 5 names a week and 4 out of 5 are returned. We are building a personal relationship with these people. Cold calling is the most annoying thing I face as an owner. Rarely will I speak to them and more often than not when they walk out the door I throw the info away.
I don’t think it is necessary to make 10 pizzas and give them a free lunch. You just need one worker to try your food and over time it will be a domino effect.
Here is an example this week of how this worked for us:
We bought our place, our loan officer was sent a lunch special (last year) came in. Started bringing in the pres. and vp. They are regulars. The realtor association was having a seminar. The bank was sponsoring the lunch, the vp asked if we could cater it…we catered it (200 realtors from our area) they loved it while we were there the Realtor association president said they wanted to sponsor the lunch tomorrow could we cater it. We said of course. Stayed up 24 hours getting food ready. But what also dawned on me is I have been working on finding a way to give realtors certificates for new home owners in our area. Hmmmm how could I use this to my advantage? The next day while catering at least 50 people came and said how awesome everything was. I gave them a card and said we have a new home buyer program. Costs you nothing. Explained it. Got my foot in the door and said I will send you some info on it. They were more excited than I was.
Then a gal said we have a meeting once a month for our office, we have it catered can we use you? Do you cater at night? Yes, I will send you the info.
It took a year to build a relationship but one thing leads to another and another…
Be subltle and take care of the individuals…that is how you get the group.
Kris