AMD Snacks Posted July 14, 2016 Share Posted July 14, 2016 I'm sort of wondering how the full timers scout locations. I waste quite a bit of time when I finally do get a chance to locate at prime time hours. Waste it simply driving around, seeing if places look busy enough for a machine, walking in just to find they have no room for a machine/their own machine/ some other machine. I figure if you're doing it full time you're probably driving all over the place, probably 100's of miles away from your house, so I know you can sit there and write down ahead of time all the best looking places to pitch (well at least i wouldn't think you could). So how do you go about selecting places? (BTW this is my method so far: 1. Google some place I've had my eye on 2. google "restuarants, barbershop, grocery" near that area 3. Head to my original place of interest 4. note any other places close 5. try them all 6. move on to next place of interest) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMD Snacks Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 ...or non full timers lol. My question is still at the top of my list because i'm new to this whole state. So I don't know where the "busy" areas are yet. Is that the idea, just drive around and comb every street until someone says yes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillbilly Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 ...or non full timers lol. My question is still at the top of my list because i'm new to this whole state. So I don't know where the "busy" areas are yet. Is that the idea, just drive around and comb every street until someone says yes? If you have a ton of machines and dont mind spending the time culling the slow locations that you will get then that is a good way. You need to learn to work smarter though. Take a drive and watch where people go. What kind of stores. What does the store fronts look like. A couple of things I look at are how is the parking? People usually prefer a parking lot versus street parking. Your town may be different. I also look for outside soda machines. In my area that indicates foot traffic. There are other ways, you just have to learn what works for you. Do adults shop there or adults with kids? Or just kids? Any other machines there? What kind? How much is the vend price? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevinator Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Every time I try for something big I hear the word corporate come out of their mouths, but I did land a T-Mobile store. Does anyone know how they will do? The Mom and Pop Shops I do OK, I give them my spiel, if they say Yes, I go out to the truck and get them a machine. If they say No, I leave them my card and tell them if they change their minds to give me a jingle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMD Snacks Posted July 18, 2016 Author Share Posted July 18, 2016 If you have a ton of machines and dont mind spending the time culling the slow locations that you will get then that is a good way. You need to learn to work smarter though. Take a drive and watch where people go. What kind of stores. What does the store fronts look like. A couple of things I look at are how is the parking? People usually prefer a parking lot versus street parking. Your town may be different. I also look for outside soda machines. In my area that indicates foot traffic. There are other ways, you just have to learn what works for you. Do adults shop there or adults with kids? Or just kids? Any other machines there? What kind? How much is the vend price? Thanks, yeah my plan is working smarter. I'm not so much even looking for a "right or wrong" answer here either. I'm just trying to think outside my usual box. I read on here someone say that windshield time is better than trying to just get a yes. I too have stopped pitching to every single place with a door...mainly because I ended up with some really slow locations that way. Do you try and only hit places you know have worked? i.e. only barbershops, restaurants, and tire places? Or do you just try and find any and every place with foot traffic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaneTrain Posted July 18, 2016 Share Posted July 18, 2016 Wherever there are customers there's potential! City garages, sanitation plants, tattoo shops, hotels etc! You can do it, just get out there and as one of my marketing teachers in college once said "press the flesh". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AMD Snacks Posted July 19, 2016 Author Share Posted July 19, 2016 Wherever there are customers there's potential! City garages, sanitation plants, tattoo shops, hotels etc! You can do it, just get out there and as one of my marketing teachers in college once said "press the flesh". Thanks, just curious, about how much time do you spend driving when locating? I'm spending about 70% time driving and 30% pitching. Feels wasteful though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaneTrain Posted July 20, 2016 Share Posted July 20, 2016 When you go driving in certain areas, start making mental notes of potential locations and write them on a list. You may not go to everywhere on your list and you might want to stop at a location you happen to see but it helps plan your day. You can also do research on potential locations before you go if you desire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mayhem4masses Posted July 21, 2016 Share Posted July 21, 2016 Foot traffic does not always equal sales. I have a few locations that never have customers, yet the machines are always loaded with quarters, and I have locations that are always busy, but hardly any quarters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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