Thanks for the responses.
Everyone's business is a little different obviously. I primarily "sell" (offer) my installation services to other sign companies. So the challenge for me is making the initial contact and trying to determine if I can be of assistance / if they have a problem I can solve. The problem is, if I call on the phone, I may get someone that views this as rude and intrusive and taking up their valuable time. If I email, it might appear to someone else as if I'm too lazy to pick up the phone or to make the trip in person to see them. I don't see a great way to circumvent this issue, so just curious to hear others thoughts on the whole thing. I suspect there's no cure-all.
While I was selling installations to sign companies I had the same conundrum, at first. I found that when the initial contact was in person, I did about 1000% better and landed more accounts. The only times that a phone call got me any traction was when they were already in a bind and I, coincidentally, called right as their installer quit, or if I was already recommended and the phone call was to make contact and to setup a meeting.
I quickly found out that I had to make that face to face contact and treat things like it was a combination of a sales pitch and a job interview in order to close the deal. I would often walk in and inquire about the kind of business that they were, ask targeted and specific questions, and let them sell me on their business. Once they were talking about themselves, the sales were much easier. Often I'd make a sign or discuss how to install something on my initial visit, either because they asked to test me, or were simply curious of my method. Obviously they were small signs or simple methodology discussions, but that was how I showed them that I was real.I had a squeegee and knife in my pocket, by accident, the first time I did this. My apparent preparedness impressed the client and was mostly responsible for him using me, exclusively. I had very few ask for references or even sample completed projects.
In the end, I approached it like many of the good salesmen that I know do, I worked to establish a relationship. Since I wasn't interested in installing their next wrap for them, rather I was interested in installing all of their wraps, I wanted them to think of me first and often, when it came to installation. I always sent a follow-up email, or if they didn't give me an email, a follow-up letter in order to thank them for their time, show some completed projects, and all that. I didn't get all of the clients that I talked to, but the ones that I did, weren't a hassle and valued my skills, experience, and expertise.
Sometimes I would be talking to the owner from the start, other times I was talking to the receptionist, who often pulled the owner up front before even I asked. I even got a few sales by starting the conversation on what the wholesale price was on wrap vinyl or coroplast yard signs. Gas isn't cheap, but ultimately the number of times that I filled up my tank in order to drive to another new shop was paid for by the clients that I landed.
You're incredibly right when you say that everyone's business is different, but when you are going to be doing labor for someone else, especially when the shop is his baby, that he built from the ground up, they will treat contact with you like they are going to hire you and want to know that you are a good person, will show up on time, and do good work. Their priorities might be in that order, too.
The TL
R version is that I was selling myself, more than I was selling my skills and services. My clients needed to see who they were hiring before they would consider what I would do. Your mileage my vary.
