dogcow Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Right here I am going to reveal the biggest secret to locating. I wont even charge you for it.. the secret to getting vending locations is.... YOU HAVE TO PICK UP THE PHONE. Its that simple. Get a phone book and start dialing. Some places will say no, and some places will say yes. Make appointments, if the decision maker ( DM) isnt there, schedule follow ups. Make an excel with your follow ups.Even if you are the most timid person, you will eventually start closing locations. It is all about practice. What do you say? Well its your business don't you know why people should have a vending machine? If not why are you in this business. Just make a list of benefits and answers to objections. After each call or meeting where you get a "no", sit for a minute with your note book and think about what you could have said, to make the DM say yes. Write it down and use it next time. Eventually you will find your sales style and you will figure out what works and what doesn't. Remember "no" does not ever mean "no" it just means "not today" always follow up on every no until you get the account. If you do this you will eventually get the account. At some point you have to decide if its worth your time , but I have followed up accounts for a year and eventually I got them. Just try them back every few months until they say yes. It does not matter if you are shy, if you have never sold anythnig before (i never did) if you are not a good salesman or communicator. Just start dialing you will eventually figure it out, and find your "style" there are a lot of good books on telesales and b2b sales in general, read them, take what tips apply to vending, and throw out the rest. I can say from personal experience I am not a good sales person or even a very good communicator in general but I dedicated myself to learn to locate machines and now I do it every day. the key to locating success is you need to make at least 5 calls per day and you will start closing locations I gaurantee it. If you make 5 calls every day rain or shine you WILL get locations. This is how pro locators do it, they are not magic they are just experienced and they make a lot of calls. Good luck and keep smiling and dialing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caserri Posted April 29, 2013 Share Posted April 29, 2013 Remember "no" does not ever mean "no" it just means "not today" Great little nugget right there. Thanks for this "get your golpher in gear" post dogcow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toad Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I'm afraid to talk to people.. They might say no Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deee_z Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 Right on target, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Posted April 30, 2013 Share Posted April 30, 2013 I've only ever located in person. Should I start right off the bat with my 5-star locations or should I only call 3 and 4 star locations until I feel like I've gotten "warmed up"? I'd hate to stumble and bumble through the mom-n-pop restaurants only to find my groove with the small mechanic shops. Great post dogcow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Action Vending Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I've only ever located in person. Should I start right off the bat with my 5-star locations or should I only call 3 and 4 star locations until I feel like I've gotten "warmed up"? I'd hate to stumble and bumble through the mom-n-pop restaurants only to find my groove with the small mechanic shops. Great post dogcow. I like to get the locating blood flowing in the morning by doing an exhibition sale ( a place you know you wont get and dont really car about) Dont start off with the best potential account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogcow Posted May 1, 2013 Author Share Posted May 1, 2013 I've only ever located in person. Should I start right off the bat with my 5-star locations or should I only call 3 and 4 star locations until I feel like I've gotten "warmed up"? I'd hate to stumble and bumble through the mom-n-pop restaurants only to find my groove with the small mechanic shops. Great post dogcow. same thing applies for in person or phone locating. i do in person locating but sometimes i try to set appointments over the phone. at some point you gotta start somewhere. the first acct i ever pitched (in person) i closed, but like i said in the first post it took over a YEAR of follow ups to get it. I didn't close it on the first try, but i kept following up and eventually when circumstances changed they remembered about me and THEY called ME. I started by pitching accounts I wanted to get but I also pitched accounts I did not really care about either simply for practice. It really doesnt matter as long as you are dialing and knocking on doors every day. People hide behind locators then they complain about this and that, if everyone spent as much time pitching accounts as they do on here complaining about locators you would be securing your own accounts every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridavending Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 same thing applies for in person or phone locating. i do in person locating but sometimes i try to set appointments over the phone. at some point you gotta start somewhere. the first acct i ever pitched (in person) i closed, but like i said in the first post it took over a YEAR of follow ups to get it. I didn't close it on the first try, but i kept following up and eventually when circumstances changed they remembered about me and THEY called ME. I started by pitching accounts I wanted to get but I also pitched accounts I did not really care about either simply for practice. It really doesnt matter as long as you are dialing and knocking on doors every day. People hide behind locators then they complain about this and that, if everyone spent as much time pitching accounts as they do on here complaining about locators you would be securing your own accounts every day. I locate honor boxes in person.. (two separate kinds: mint, and lollipop).. landed 24 today.. Personally, I get excited when I'm servicing and I see a new business opened and I get to go try and locate it.. breaks up the monotony of servicing.. Obviously I get your point about the "battle of the locators" threads.. You're not making it sound like locating is easy, but I can see how someone might look at this kind of talk from us and go "Whatever, guys. Some people just can't locate well." All I can offer is that it actually BECOMES easier. It really does. The first day of locating I ever did, I went and bought some vodka when I was finished.. the no's, especially the rude no's, were definitely weighing on my mind.. I dreaded the next time I had to locate.. But now? When I get back to my car I laugh about the rude people.. I enjoy hearing a "no" for a reason I've never heard before.. and the yesses still give me a rush.. as I sometimes say to myself after a yes: Like giving candy to a baby! Over time, two things will happen: 1) your conversion percentage will improve 2) the amount that the no's bother you will diminish All you have to do is PUT IN the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeaTurtle Vending Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 The most important piece of info is to locate yourself! The no's become a "I will try you another day" in my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poplady1 Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I agree locating is hard work, really hard work. But if you don't do it, you don't grow. Just remember that you are offering a free service including the machine or machines. They key word is FREE. Just ask them to try it for 30 days and if they don't like it you will remove it. That rarely happens so use that as a little nudge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GagesVending Posted May 1, 2013 Share Posted May 1, 2013 I don't see anything wrong with starting out with 3-4 star locations. You have so much learning those first few months. You need to know what you're doing before you take on a 5 star account. Those 3-4 star locations will help get you established and gain some experience and confidence to become more comfortable when attempting to take on those 5 star locations. At that point, you would know how to fix equipment (if you get a service call) from the 5 star account and show them that you are a professional and very capable of taking good care of them for years to come. We can't look at those 3-4 star locations as we're "too good" for them. If it weren't for them, many of us would not have grown as fast as we have. They have done us a great favor and we need to appreciate them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mission vending Posted May 2, 2013 Share Posted May 2, 2013 Right here I am going to reveal the biggest secret to locating. I wont even charge you for it.. the secret to getting vending locations is.... YOU HAVE TO PICK UP THE PHONE. Its that simple. Get a phone book and start dialing. Some places will say no, and some places will say yes. Make appointments, if the decision maker ( DM) isnt there, schedule follow ups. Make an excel with your follow ups.Even if you are the most timid person, you will eventually start closing locations. It is all about practice. What do you say? Well its your business don't you know why people should have a vending machine? If not why are you in this business. Just make a list of benefits and answers to objections. After each call or meeting where you get a "no", sit for a minute with your note book and think about what you could have said, to make the DM say yes. Write it down and use it next time. Eventually you will find your sales style and you will figure out what works and what doesn't. Remember "no" does not ever mean "no" it just means "not today" always follow up on every no until you get the account. If you do this you will eventually get the account. At some point you have to decide if its worth your time , but I have followed up accounts for a year and eventually I got them. Just try them back every few months until they say yes. It does not matter if you are shy, if you have never sold anythnig before (i never did) if you are not a good salesman or communicator. Just start dialing you will eventually figure it out, and find your "style" there are a lot of good books on telesales and b2b sales in general, read them, take what tips apply to vending, and throw out the rest. I can say from personal experience I am not a good sales person or even a very good communicator in general but I dedicated myself to learn to locate machines and now I do it every day. the key to locating success is you need to make at least 5 calls per day and you will start closing locations I gaurantee it. If you make 5 calls every day rain or shine you WILL get locations. This is how pro locators do it, they are not magic they are just experienced and they make a lot of calls. Good luck and keep smiling and dialing! Dc You just pissed off the locators that are getting rich off of vendors by giving way their secret, better be careful starting the car.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertInPhilly Posted May 29, 2013 Share Posted May 29, 2013 Here are a few tips I have from a previous job that dealt with cold calling. 1) some sign up, some don't, so what, move on 2) if you make/avg $X "$100 for easy numbers" per location and you get 1 yes for every 4 no's, just tell yourself that each call you make is $20. So when you get a No you just made $20 because you know you close 1 acct for every 5 calls you make. No phone calls/walking in = no $$$ 3) if you were never told no when you were trying to pick up your wife the 1st you you saw her you wouldn't be married or missed out on many great memories 4) if you're not growing your business your business is dying! 5) Do you want the caddy or the steak knives? http://youtu.be/8kZg_ALxEz0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VendingExperts Posted June 2, 2013 Share Posted June 2, 2013 Thanks for the pep talk on placing machines and closing deals! I need to do that! Follow up with everyone that has said no before! "Put the coffee down! Coffee is only for closer!" Love it! I use to be in sales and can't count how many times I've seen this movie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafaelv Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 whats the best way if your low on cash to buy machines and you have couple locations that do want a machine thier.and is it a good idea to get a storage and store some machines thier so your ready when u close a account? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GagesVending Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 whats the best way if your low on cash to buy machines and you have couple locations that do want a machine thier.and is it a good idea to get a storage and store some machines thier so your ready when u close a account? You should have at least a couple of machines on hand at all times. When they start taking up space at your house, it will get you motivated to get out there and place them. When you get approval, you should be there asap to close the deal. It's very easy for them to change their mind. They may start talking to someone about it, who possibly talks them out of it. Once you place the machine, it makes it more uncomfortable for them to change their mind about hosting the machine. If you have tons of machines you got at a great price, I suppose you could get a locker, but it's an added expense so I wouldn't recommend considering getting one unless you do a buy-out of hundreds of machines at one time. It's too "easy" to let them sit there, out of sight, collecting dust; when you'll have more motivation to place them when you're tripping over them at home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafaelv Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 yea that makes since, but i dont have room at my house. i dont have no relatives that can help at this time.i want to buy some to have when i get a location but having them somewhere for the time is an issue. should i just get a storage. im might just have two machines one soda and a snack machine. im not going to buy alot. i dont have that cash flow yet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GagesVending Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 yea that makes since, but i dont have room at my house. i dont have no relatives that can help at this time.i want to buy some to have when i get a location but having them somewhere for the time is an issue. should i just get a storage. im might just have two machines one soda and a snack machine. im not going to buy alot. i dont have that cash flow yet You could start with bulk. I started my business with $100. You'll learn how to locate, they cost a lot less and don't take up much space. You may even get a location with you bulk machine that you may be able to upgrade later (when you have the money) to full line machines. If you show your clients you will do a good job, they may ask you to take over more machines there and kick out competitors. I've been asked numerous times, just take pride in it and make a good relationship with the clients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafaelv Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 What do you mean bulk vending? I have a couple machines.in.location.already it just seems long to get momey to.buy more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GagesVending Posted June 12, 2013 Share Posted June 12, 2013 What do you mean bulk vending? I have a couple machines.in.location.already it just seems long to get momey to.buy more. Bulk vending is gumballs, loose candy, small toys, tattoos, stickers, etc. They aren't instant money-makers it takes a combination of quantity and quality locations to make good money at it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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