Finding Customers

[CITIZEN F16]

I like small planes. Everything feels right. The sensations, the noise. Big planes are hard to wrap my mind around. I like sitting near the wings so I can watch the wings bend and twist around. Watching the wings flop around like they're made of rubber in bad weather is fascinating. Not real comforting though.

I guess I was wrong to think the slow speed in the open sky would be boring, I guess not!

 

[DouglasJRizzo]

My shop started the same way. Here's what I did.
A) website - a MUST. I got mine done for about $1500 and it looks like a million dollar shop!
B) Business cards. The longest lived form of advertising. I've gotten work from cards I left 10 years ago.
C) In person - THIS is where it really works. EVERY month, I take 1-2 days for "shoe leather" day. I would dress neatly - not fancy, but neatly. Dockers. Polo shirt with company name on it. Hair combed. Teeth brushed. Shaved. After shave. Breath mints. Bottles of water. Bag lunch. Business cards. I would drive to every industrial park and warehouse within 2 hours radius of my place. If I couldn't make it in time, I'd write down locations in my notebook, (always in the car with extra pens), and visit the next time. Knock on doors. You're there to HELP. You're selling YOU. Your knowledge. Your capability. I ALWAYS came back with work. ALWAYS.

 

[Jashley73]

My shop started the same way. Here's what I did.
A) website - a MUST. I got mine done for about $1500 and it looks like a million dollar shop!
B) Business cards. The longest lived form of advertising. I've gotten work from cards I left 10 years ago.
C) In person - THIS is where it really works. EVERY month, I take 1-2 days for "shoe leather" day. I would dress neatly - not fancy, but neatly. Dockers. Polo shirt with company name on it. Hair combed. Teeth brushed. Shaved. After shave. Breath mints. Bottles of water. Bag lunch. Business cards. I would drive to every industrial park and warehouse within 2 hours radius of my place. If I couldn't make it in time, I'd write down locations in my notebook, (always in the car with extra pens), and visit the next time. Knock on doors. You're there to HELP. You're selling YOU. Your knowledge. Your capability. I ALWAYS came back with work. ALWAYS.

And take the company letterhead paper with you, and leave handwritten notes. Let's them know that 1- you're a real person, 2- not just some lazy sales turd that leaves a linecard & gets lots. Leave an ink-pen & business card as well, as a minimum.

 

[dkmc]

Careful. We've gotten the sample pens in the mail from the promotion companies that DON'T WORK.
There's nothing worse than handing them a pen, and maybe it writes once or twice (you'd test it before handing it over) then quits. Then they chuck it in the garbage and grumble about your cheap junky pen a bit. I hand them a business card, and a note pad. I have 4 x 5-1/2" 50 sheet note pads printed with company logo & contact info. I say "here's these, and when you loose the business card, there's 50 more of 'em". Good for a chuckle, and they won't quit working shortly. In fact they work for years. Proof of that is the time I sent same to a prospect.. 15 years later the person called looking to get cnc lathe work done. She said "I had this notepad on my desk you must have sent one time". They became a good customer that paid COD and it was an 8 year run, till the retirement auction.

And take the company letterhead paper with you, and leave handwritten notes. Let's them know that 1- you're a real person, 2- not just some lazy sales turd that leaves a linecard & gets lots. Leave an ink-pen & business card as well, as a minimum.

 

[michiganbuck]

I have thought of an under-handed but legal method that likely would work like a charm..but I am an honest guy so will not share it with anybody.

 

[dkmc]

Oh, you can share it. We won't tell anybody.

I heard a story once, that Calgon (the 'take me away' bath soap people) got into the machining coolant market. Story was, it was the worst coolant ever made. But they employed very attractive, very well equipped, very persuasive sales women. And coolant was sold! By the 55 gallon drum.

I have thought of an under-handed but legal method that likely would work like a charm..but I am an honest guy so will not share it with anybody.

 

[john.k]

The boss hippy son signed up for some expensive fluid system costing megabucks with a young saleswoman..and disappeared for two days......time wasted ,when the boss saw the PO ,he cancelled it all,and refused to pay....young Dave was the kinda guy who never went past female hitchhikers,even tho he had a wife and 4 kids.

 

[DouglasJRizzo]

And take the company letterhead paper with you, and leave handwritten notes. Let's them know that 1- you're a real person, 2- not just some lazy sales turd that leaves a linecard & gets lots. Leave an ink-pen & business card as well, as a minimum.

Absolutely. VERY long lived forms of advertising.