Getting large accounts, Need some help

[john1]

Hey everyone! I hope all is well with you and your businesses.

I have been trying to reach out to companies who have semi trucks within the state and surrounding states i am in but am having no luck. You know, the frozen food trucks, produce companies, transport companies and all those.

What i have done is gathered contact information from a mailing list i bought and sent out some mass emails through a mail chimp (like constant contact) email campaign trying to market them get their truck signs (on doors and trailers) from my company since some have hundreds of trucks.

What would you guys suggest i do to target these types of customers because i really would like to get more repeat business clients who order in bulk but am having zero leads or interest.

Thank you very much!

 

[MikePro]

design something new for them that makes you stand-out.
most likely going to lose a lot of money in the process, with wasted design-time, but who knows... you might just impress someone.

 

[Mikeifg]

I do alot of work in that area and all I can say is unless you have a really good relationship with someone in the company it will be kinda hard . Alot of These companies use really big manufacturing shops the type who spend millions on material each yr. Their cost is way lower than ours. You should work on some smaller owner operator companies and that will get you started.

 

[visual800]

larger aint better! in some cases. sort of like the sign compnaies that get all those chevrons in the southeast. they arent making what you think. It is a facade that some dont realize until you see it first hand thru other larger companies.

We bid on 7 banks that were being taken over in a 3 city radius of our hometown and I priced it tight! Ill be damned if a freaking company 90 miles away bid lower and got it! how the hell I dont know but it aint all what you think

 

[Pat Whatley]

Email. Really? Sending me an email trying to market to me is the fastest way I know to establish a negative reputation with me. Sending me a junk fax is next on the list. After the first email gets flagged as spam I'd never see any follow ups anyway.

 

[Jillbeans]

Here too.
I don't want to pester or p!ss off any potential client with emails like that.
I'd rather deal with owner/operators or really small local trucking companies.
Showing them a design mock-up on your laptop at a cold call might work, but never send them actual designs.
But I hate pestering people with cold calls too.
Love....Jill

 

[WildWestDesigns]

Cold calling and "cold emailing" are something that would put me off to. In all honesty, it would be the cold calling more then the email though. I still might actually save the email or the letter, but I would be more put out with the phone call that I would be in too much of a hurry to get off to get any information to get back with you.

It's one thing to send promotions or whatever you are doing for marketing with an existing customer via email, but I just don't like it when people do the cold calling thing.

I would market it in non invasive ways, so it doesn't look like you are singling them out for your email. That way if they are interested they would contact you.

It's a very fine line marketing nowadays. You want people to know that you are out there and what you do, but you don't want to tick them off either.

Large accountants also aren't what they are cracked up to be. I do work the embroidery work for a sign shop that does a national companies signage. Let's just say payment has been slow to her, thankfully she pays her subs first and then bills the clients. This client although is slow about their account payable, so it's par for the course, but they eventually get everything squared away. Not all are like that, and some of the smaller owner/operator business are the same, but to me the larger ones are just a larger pain as well at times. I do have a couple of others that are dreams to work for though.

 

[MichaelAlmand]

Sales people that call and walk in piss me off all the time. Nothing more annoying than that. I do however look at direct mail that comes in, less intrusive don't have to deal with a sales guy. I think the main objective is to figure out whom to directly send the mail too. If they want they will open the mail, toss it or keep it at their own time. They don't have to always stop what they are doing to listen to mumble jumbo.

 

[m_s_p]

I just got some marketing material from a paper vendor last week. It came in an envelope with an intro letter and a sheet that explained some of their options. I glanced through the pieces and tossed it.

This morning I got a call from the sales rep that sent the letter. Because I saw the mailing last week I took the call and talked through options.

You may want to try a smaller focused mailing then make follow up phone calls. I would call first to confirm who the person that makes the decisions on fleet wrapping or whatever items you plan on selling first. Then do the mailing and follow up.

 

[iSign]

let's see the spam.. I mean the postcard

 

[Sticky Signs]

First off, I am not a salesmen. Period. But I do have some pretty big clients and all of them have come to me through referral. I consider myself to be very lucky to have these "big" clients because I really didn't do anything to get them - OR did I?
You see, my existing clients are happy to pass on my name because they know what I'm capable of and they enjoy working with me.

For example, I moved into my new shop in June. The landlord is an older Italian fellow that owns a very successful commercial construction company that he runs out of the shop next door. He's always popping in to see what I'm up to and he's always impressed with whatever it is I'm doing. Needless to say, we get along very well. Anyways, this morning he pops in with a friend of his that he wanted me to meet. His friend just so happens to be the Western Canadian Regional Manager (or something like that) for Mercedes Benz. Now I know what your thinking. BIG DEAL. That's right, I'm thinking the same thing too. Now in the 5 minutes I spent with him, I was able to chat him up but it seemed like he was in a hurry so he shook my hand and left. I kind of thought, well, that didn't go so good. To my surprise, he came back about 10 minutes later with a bunch of photos of the types of projects he'd like to accomplish and I think I sold on my abilities to take care of his needs. Now, this has not turned into anything yet, but I'm hoping that he will turn into the next "big" client. All thanks to a simple referral.
The point is, always put out the best work possible and always provide great customer service for each and every job. You never know who's watching or who might be mentioning your name.

 

[Baz]

The point is, always put out the best work possible and always provide great customer service for each and every job. You never know who's watching or who might be mentioning your name.

That's how my business has been groing steadily. I do minimal advertising. Yellow pages online (just droping the book this year), i wear company t-shirts and hoodies every work day. Truck is lettered. Best is word of mouth and i get allot of that. Some of my biggest accounts have been through referals from my other big accounts. People love to talk.

 

[SignManiac]

First off, I am not a salesmen. Period. But I do have some pretty big clients and all of them have come to me through referral. I consider myself to be very lucky to have these "big" clients because I really didn't do anything to get them - OR did I?
You see, my existing clients are happy to pass on my name because they know what I'm capable of and they enjoy working with me.

For example, I moved into my new shop in June. The landlord is an older Italian fellow that owns a very successful commercial construction company that he runs out of the shop next door. He's always popping in to see what I'm up to and he's always impressed with whatever it is I'm doing. Needless to say, we get along very well. Anyways, this morning he pops in with a friend of his that he wanted me to meet. His friend just so happens to be the Western Canadian Regional Manager (or something like that) for Mercedes Benz. Now I know what your thinking. BIG DEAL. That's right, I'm thinking the same thing too. Now in the 5 minutes I spent with him, I was able to chat him up but it seemed like he was in a hurry so he shook my hand and left. I kind of thought, well, that didn't go so good. To my surprise, he came back about 10 minutes later with a bunch of photos of the types of projects he'd like to accomplish and I think I sold on my abilities to take care of his needs. Now, this has not turned into anything yet, but I'm hoping that he will turn into the next "big" client. All thanks to a simple referral.
The point is, always put out the best work possible and always provide great customer service for each and every job. You never know who's watching or who might be mentioning your name.

Yep, pretty much same here!

 

[d-signtech]

Word of mouth is always your best friend. I would target a owner/operator or a smaller family run trucking company (3-5 trucks), talk to them on some new designs. If you get the approval go ahead, do your best work (as always). Truckers normally know each other, meet for coffee, talk. Some talking might lead to talking to larger and larger companies.
Just my 2 cents, I have been going on word of mouth for a couple years now, it has always been good to me. I try not to let someones word of my work turn bad.

 

[klemgraphics]

Word of mouth is always your best friend. I would target a owner/operator or a smaller family run trucking company (3-5 trucks), talk to them on some new designs. If you get the approval go ahead, do your best work (as always). Truckers normally know each other, meet for coffee, talk. Some talking might lead to talking to larger and larger companies.
Just my 2 cents, I have been going on word of mouth for a couple years now, it has always been good to me. I try not to let someones word of my work turn bad.

Very good advise! I started with just single truck owners, now I still do them but the bread & butter is with the trucking companies that have 50-100 trucks and you are always doing something for them. A good word about your work will travel fast but a bad word will ruin you in a heartbeat if your just starting in this market.

 

[Inhouse Printhouse]

You may want to tap some of your friends to see who they may know in an influencial position. If they can refer you, your website, etc to let these potential people who you are and what you can do. Once that takes place....let your reputation, skills, and salesmanship take over.