MidStateVending Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Does anyone have any ideas or success stories on how to solicit new locations? I hate sales but I am coming to the realization that if I want quality accounts, I can either pay through the roof for existing locations, or break out of my shell and try to get them myself. So far I have obtained all my accounts by purchasing existing ones but most are poor performers and I would like to relocate the machines into better locations. I want to market oil change and tire shops, because my one Firestone account does really well with the customers and employees. I have business cards and a free website I created (www.MidStateVending.com). What else can I do to generate leads? Some ideas that were suggested: - make flyers and hand them out to the locations personally - call the locations telling them I will email more info - email campaign - postal mail campaign - pay to get website listed on Google Any suggestions or success stories would be greatly appreciated. Especially specifics of who to communicate to an organization, what to say, how to follow up, etc. Not interested in paying a location service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulkjake Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 What kind of machines are you looking to place? Hire and train your own locator off Craigslist. If your not good at something...or don't like to do it, then you should consider outsourcing it. Just because you outsource it doesn't mean it will cost you a ton of money. I run ads all the time in this section for locators: Craigslist> Jobs > sales / biz dev I get so many responses...you would think I am giving out free money and chocolate milk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
will.vend Posted December 2, 2012 Share Posted December 2, 2012 Quantity calls make quality calls! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted December 7, 2012 Share Posted December 7, 2012 like the website, looks like you have a ton of locations, how did you start off and locate those? how many in route currently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidStateVending Posted December 7, 2012 Author Share Posted December 7, 2012 I started with 2 active machines but now have 14 snack and drink machines (nothing to quit my job over yet). I got the bulk of them after asking the vending guy who does our machines here at work if he had any to sell. He is old and had 86 accounts so that helped me get them at a good price. On topic, I started printing up flyers at the suggestion of a sales guy here at work. I agree that outsourcing the sales may not be a bad idea. The sales guy offered that if he finds me a good location, he wants 1 month gross, and half of the 2nd month. He suggested printing up flyers and also some sample product to hand out to the manager and employees. I thought those were good ideas. I will write back and let you know how it goes. I am still in the market for more suggestions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reel Posted December 8, 2012 Share Posted December 8, 2012 The best marketing ever is to actually get out there, cold canvassing knocking on doors, i know many on here dont do that and look to pay someone else to do the tough work for them and then whinge when they get a poor location. Theres an old saying if you carnt learn to locate yourself get out of vending, tough but i think its true. Theres no money in constantly looking to someone else to grow your business for you, do it yourself!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumball guy Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 The best marketing ever is to actually get out there, cold canvassing knocking on doors, i know many on here dont do that and look to pay someone else to do the tough work for them and then whinge when they get a poor location. Theres an old saying if you carnt learn to locate yourself get out of vending, tough but i think its true. Theres no money in constantly looking to someone else to grow your business for you, do it yourself!. I have to respectfully disagree with your last two sentences. I have used locators with great success over the years. It affords me the time to service all of my existing accounts and have a life. I really like talking to people and provide great service (in my humble opinion) so if I can hire a third party to break the ice and get me in the door I can really run with it. I think the key to success is once you get in the door develop a great relationship through excellent service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reel Posted December 9, 2012 Share Posted December 9, 2012 Nothing wrong with disagreeing Gumball Guy, in essence what i was saying is to be really successfull in vending you need to learn to locate machines yourself. Nothing wrong with paying locators if you have the spare cash, but if your doing it because you dont want to or feel your incapable of breaking the ice as you call it, then i beleive you will not be a success at vending in the long term. Starting out in this business by paying locators i beleive is a bad idea and your doomed to fail as you will be working to pay the locators and making no money for yourself, however if your paying locators because you have a large business and cannot cover all the ground yourself and you have the cashflow to cover the additional cost than thats a totally different reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Midstate were did u get a free website and domain .com? I've been looking and all charge monthly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MidStateVending Posted December 27, 2012 Author Share Posted December 27, 2012 The website is free, but the URL is about $10 per year through Google "Sites" (and they go through GoDaddy). I don't think you will find a free URL without getting tons of advertizing posted all over your webpage. There is an average learning curve for designing the website, but it does not require leaning programming code, which is nice. I got started by going to Googling "Sites" or https://sites.google.com. I also use Google "Places" so that anyone searching for Vending south of Nashville will find me. This is also a wonderful free service from Google. You can setup your service area, then Google mails you a post card to make sure it is really you. Use the code on the post card to sign in, then you are on the "map" in about 2 weeks. I also used these methods to design a side project: www.TennesseeForFree.com For months, I looked at many options for creating a professional website and Google is the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Nice thanx buddy now have u had any hits on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GagesVending Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 I don't bother paying for a website. I have a Google page that I don't pay for and a Facebook page. Here's my Facebook page if you'd like some ideas. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gages-Vending/225538720820675 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKK Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 A google page doesn't have .com unless u pay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GagesVending Posted December 29, 2012 Share Posted December 29, 2012 Right, but when someone Google's your business name, they will find it just as easily. I'm just saying I'd rather spend my money on new equipment rather than pay for a website. If you're using it for locating purposes and are telling them that there are pictures of the machines on your website, then yes, I would agree that paying for a website is the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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