Looking for new business- what has worked for you?

[andy]

No we're talking!

Thanks for the good stuff. Some valuable feedback that I (and hopefully others) will benefit from.

Don't get me wrong, we're not begging for business. We're doing good- just moved into a new 3200 s.f. building and have doubled our sales over last year. But good is not great. In this economy we are looking for every edge, every strategy, every advantage we can get to build the business.

This is why I check in with Signs101.com now and then. Tips and tricks and advice can really help.

-Bud

My advice is to be realistic and look at the bigger picture.....

The economies of the US & Europe fell off a cliff in 2007-8.. the UK economy shrank by something like 9%.

If you look at the UK right now you'll see quarterly growth of 0.2%... 0.8% annual. Basic maths says that at current growth rates it will take more than a decade for the economy to recover to 2007-8 levels.

Right now the most pressing problem is a political one.... US debt and the ceiling there of. If your politicians make a hash out of it you can expect Lehman style panic in the financial markets... only a LOT worse. As we know from Lehmans... when the bankers panic the funding taps for the real economy get shut down... fast.

But it gets worse... if international lenders are worried about the US ability to repay they'll demand higher risk premiums.... higher interest rates to you and me. These higher interest rates will work through to your mortgage, your loans... everything without a fixed interest rate will suddenly become more expensive. Higher interest rates are usually used as a financial brake.... when the economy is overheating demand exceeds supply which leads to inflation. To counteract inflation you need to dampen demand bring it back in balance with supply...you do this using higher interest rates. Right now there is no growth to speak of so higher interest rates will only lead to one thing... another downward movement in the economy.

My policy since 2007-8 has been to match my expectations and outlook to what I feel is realistically possible given the economic $hit storm we're in. If you've managed to double sales in the past year you're doing great... a lot of people would love to be in your position.

I'm very keen to grow my business and develop BUT I don't beat myself up over missing unrealistic targets or wish for results which the economy is really not capable of delivering. If you want to triple sales or quadruple turnover it's vital that the economy is sailing under a fair wind.... if it's not you have to cut your cloth accordingly and pragmatically re examinewhat is realistically achievable and whats' marketing make believe and fantasy projection.

It's very easy to vanish up your own @rse worrying about why you haven't met unrealistic targets and vastly over optimistic sales projections. In a recession holding ground is more of an achievement than gaining ground in the boom years IMO.

 

[Rising]

My advice is to be realistic and look at the bigger picture.....

The economies of the US & Europe fell off a cliff in 2007-8.. the UK economy shrank by something like 9%.

If you look at the UK right now you'll see quarterly growth of 0.2%... 0.8% annual. Basic maths says that at current growth rates it will take more than a decade for the economy to recover to 2007-8 levels.

Right now the most pressing problem is a political one.... US debt and the ceiling there of. If your politicians make a hash out of it you can expect Lehman style panic in the financial markets... only a LOT worse. As we know from Lehmans... when the bankers panic the funding taps for the real economy get shut down... fast.

But it gets worse... if international lenders are worried about the US ability to repay they'll demand higher risk premiums.... higher interest rates to you and me. These higher interest rates will work through to your mortgage, your loans... everything without a fixed interest rate will suddenly become more expensive. Higher interest rates are usually used as a financial brake.... when the economy is overheating demand exceeds supply which leads to inflation. To counteract inflation you need to dampen demand bring it back in balance with supply...you do this using higher interest rates. Right now there is no growth to speak of so higher interest rates will only lead to one thing... another downward movement in the economy.

My policy since 2007-8 has been to match my expectations and outlook to what I feel is realistically possible given the economic $hit storm we're in. If you've managed to double sales in the past year you're doing great... a lot of people would love to be in your position.

I'm very keen to grow my business and develop BUT I don't beat myself up over missing unrealistic targets or wish for results which the economy is really not capable of delivering. If you want to triple sales or quadruple turnover it's vital that the economy is sailing under a fair wind.... if it's not you have to cut your cloth accordingly and pragmatically re examinewhat is realistically achievable and whats' marketing make believe and fantasy projection.

It's very easy to vanish up your own @rse worrying about why you haven't met unrealistic targets and vastly over optimistic sales projections. In a recession holding ground is more of an achievement than gaining ground in the boom years IMO.

 

[visual800]

my absolute best thing is to check the planning commission and see who breaking ground, i cold call like hell. if I see a bulldozer sitting on a lot ill wait and stalk it! I also check real estate companies website sometimes they show who they have leased or sold to in a commercial area. Ive been doing this for the past 8 years and it turns out some big ass jobs!

The chamber in this city can suck it! they are run by nothing but old skool cronies all have have kneepads

 

[Kevin-shopVOX]

I think the most important thing to remember about growing sales is that it takes action. Just because you have a sign on your door doesn't mean the business will come. You have to be active in what you do and diverse with your actions. Remember decisions are easy to make its the actions behind them that make a difference.

If you don't have a sales rep..hire one. If you aren't the one going door to door, making 40-60 telemarketing calls a day, striving for 5+ appointments a day then someone else has to. Surround yourself with people that will do the things you won't or don't have time for. Hold your salesperson accountable. If you wan't them to produce your have to manage and hold them accountable. Move on to the next one BUT ALWAYS HAVE ONE. The right one will come along. Use tools like SignVOX or other software programs to allow them to quote on site or for you to manage and account for their activities.

Secondly ask for referrals. Its easiest to sell to someone who has already purchased from you than to someone who hasn't. Ask "who do you know that can use my services". Get a name & number. What's the worst that can happen? They say they don't know anyone. But at least you tried.

Lastly optimize your site and drive traffic to it. Lose the bling and fill it with relevant, localized content and do it often.

Just my .02

 

[OC Signs]

I'm looking myself for new ideas. I am currently in the process of making a 2' x 5' 10mm coroplast arrow. I am going to become the only sign spinner in town on the busiest highway.

 

[signswi]

I think the most important thing to remember about growing sales is that it takes action. Just because you have a sign on your door doesn't mean the business will come. You have to be active in what you do and diverse with your actions. Remember decisions are easy to make its the actions behind them that make a difference.

If you don't have a sales rep..hire one. If you aren't the one going door to door, making 40-60 telemarketing calls a day, striving for 5+ appointments a day then someone else has to. Surround yourself with people that will do the things you won't or don't have time for. Hold your salesperson accountable. If you wan't them to produce your have to manage and hold them accountable. Move on to the next one BUT ALWAYS HAVE ONE. The right one will come along. Use tools like SignVOX or other software programs to allow them to quote on site or for you to manage and account for their activities.

Secondly ask for referrals. Its easiest to sell to someone who has already purchased from you than to someone who hasn't. Ask "who do you know that can use my services". Get a name & number. What's the worst that can happen? They say they don't know anyone. But at least you tried.

Lastly optimize your site and drive traffic to it. Lose the bling and fill it with relevant, localized content and do it often.

Just my .02

Good advice, many sign shop owners get lost in the day to day and really need to find a way to step back, see the big picture, and pursue opportunities. For some that means bringing on a sales staff, for others it just means trusting staff and letting some things go so you can do what no one else can.

 

[GraphixUnlimited]

This might sound dumb.. but the best way we have found to drum up new biz is to call old biz.

We make sure to stay in contact with our current list of clients and make sure they have everything they need and also educate them on other things we do. I dont know how many times ive heard someone ask if I make banners or biz cards even though I did their flyers and signs... it is our job as professionals though to convey all that there fun stuff to em.

Sum it all up... if i havent heard from a client in awhile.. call em.. usually they need something but were just to busy to make the call themselves.

cheers eh

 

[signswi]

If you have an established, well run email newsletter you're effectively warm calling all your old clients every time you send one out.

 

[Dan Berg]

Giving away free stuff never worked well enough to spark an interest for me. For us it's all about word of mouth and return customers. 90% of our workflow comes through our website. We get about 3-5k visits a month. 20-30% of that turns into jobs.

Wow,3-5k hits a month. I need to see your website.
I am not in the sign business,printmaking and mounting studio .
I get 300 hits a month and a sale from the web maybe every other month.

 

[FireSprint.com]

You got me beat by 10 business cards and a website.

1) Quality products
2) prompt service
3) convey to the customer that you have their best interest at heart.
4) offer services your competition dosen't
5) always have a smile on your face........except when the customers old sign, (that you didn't make) falls on a parked car. You can chuckle to yourself after you leave. :Big Laugh

works for me.

I think this is the way to go. The 4 P's of the marketing mix starts with "Product" (or service in this case)

--

On another note there was something I always wanted to try until we switched to trade only. When driving down the road or going about your day to day travels, snap a picture on your phone of a sign that you see needing replaced. Google the company and email them the photo you took giving them a bid on replacing the sign. You could also print the photo on the front of a cardstock or styrene postcard and mail it to them. It's a lot of work, but I would imagine it could pay off if you shot for doing two or three a week.

Can you imagine the 'open rate' on a postcard that had a picture of their van or storefront on it!

-Gene

 

[Speedsterbeast]

As others have posted, cold calls work (face to face only) works well.
My background was in outside sales, so that's where I'm comfortable. Also have the contacts throughout 12 years of sales who have really supported my business venture.

Being likeable is about the best thing you can do, but you can't fake it.
Pricing, quality work, customer service etc. It's all important. But be likeable. Genuinely likeable and make cold calls being this way. The luck of timing always has a lot to do with success in sales calls too.

When you're making these calls, think about a lost loved one, or a friend battling cancer, or how fortunate you are in life to live in a place that allows you to be doing this. It will help you relax and feel at ease. When you beleive that the sales call you are making really isn't important in the grand scheme of things you will feel peaceful and success will come easily.

It may sound a liitle "corny" (pun intended from another popular thread of late) but the more layed back and "in the moment" I have become, the more successful I have become.

 

[visual800]

maybe back 5 years ago phone was ringing off hook, phone don;t ring no more. I check out who is building? who just got licenses and building permits. Some real estate websites annonce who they just sold land or and office building to. We go after that.
We also check the dodge report and see who coming in.

I try and go after the big jobs...yep i said I try! yard sale signs and banners are not my thing. I'm not to good for them mind you but they are more aggravating than profitable

I do not attend "kiss a$$" networking fuctions where everyone is dropping to their knees to please. I dont do that crowd. The chamber here is absolutely worthless and they dont suppost anyone thats not "someone" in the community. Hell our city gives most of its signs to a damn compnay 90 miles away! Hows that for an attitude when they send the local guys their license fee renewals?

 

[Kevin-shopVOX]

As others have posted, cold calls work (face to face only) works well.
My background was in outside sales, so that's where I'm comfortable. Also have the contacts throughout 12 years of sales who have really supported my business venture.

Being likeable is about the best thing you can do, but you can't fake it.
Pricing, quality work, customer service etc. It's all important. But be likeable. Genuinely likeable and make cold calls being this way. The luck of timing always has a lot to do with success in sales calls too.

When you're making these calls, think about a lost loved one, or a friend battling cancer, or how fortunate you are in life to live in a place that allows you to be doing this. It will help you relax and feel at ease. When you beleive that the sales call you are making really isn't important in the grand scheme of things you will feel peaceful and success will come easily.

It may sound a liitle "corny" (pun intended from another popular thread of late) but the more layed back and "in the moment" I have become, the more successful I have become.

Well said.