SOMEONE THROW ME A LIFESAVER...

[Linsday]

I HAVE JUST COMPLETED MY FIRST FORAY INTO THE 'LIVE AND LEARN' WORLD OF SELF-LOCATING CANDY MACHINES.

I INHERITED, AFTER A FASHION, A ROUTE OF 30 MACHINES.  I READ WITH GREAT INTREST OPINIONS ON THIS WEBSITE ABOUT USING LOCATING SERVICES VERSUS DOING ONE'S OWN LEGWORK. I OPTED FOR THE LATTER.

I HAVE ROUGHLY HALF OF THE ORIGINAL 30 TO RE-PLACE SINCE THE OTHERS WERE REMOVED BY OWNERS' REQUEST, BUSINESSES THAT HAD CLOSED, AND OUTRIGHT THEFT OF MACHINES. (HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THEIR MACHINE STOLEN?)

THE REFUSALS THAT I RECEIVED INCLUDED...YOU HAVE TO GO THROUGH CORPORATE, THE MANAGER IS NOT IN TODAY, THE OWNER IS ON A CONFERENCE CALL, OLDER WOMEN DON'T EAT CANDY (SALON) ETC..

I KNEW THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE EASY, PARTICULARLY SINCE THE PREVIOUS OWNER WAS LACKLUSTER IN  MAINTAINING THE MACHINES. 

OTHER THAN THE OBVIOUS, WHICH WOULD BE DAMAGE CONTROL IN REASSURING BUSINESS OWNERS THAT I WOULD NOW SERVICE THE MACHINES IN A COMPETENT MANNER, DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ADVICE ON HOW TO MAINTAIN CONFIDENCE IN THE FACE OF FIRST-DAY DEFEAT?

THANK YOU , IN ADVANCE,

 

LINDA

 

[desert_gold_hound]

I would like to ask that you please use lowercase more often it was hard reading the poste. I am so sorry for your problems.

Welcome to the forum

[West Coast Vend LLC]

Linda,

Welcome to VENDIscuss.com. We are really glad you have joined us. Do you know what? Your day of locating yourself is exactly the same as mine was. There are always many more no's than yeses. Those are the same reasons I got here in California. Some are just excuses but, many are real reasons.

1. You must go though corporate. For chain accounts that is correct. Even the managers of these stores can not okay vending machines. Keep asking corporate managers because there is always one of them that will take your machine no matter what corporate says.

2. The manager is busy and can't talk now. Get his name and find out when he is available to talk to you. Get an appointment...

3. Older women don't eat candy. I don't know to many women that don't like chocolate. Talk to some older women and find out what kind of candy they like.

Don't give up yet. It's only your first day. It gets worse! But, finally you get a couple of yeses in a row and everything seems much better. You start to know what to say when you get the 'NO' answers. Read some more posts on this forum and ask a load of question before you go out again. You will be more confident with your sales pitch next time you head out to locate.

Please let me know if I can be of any help.

Again, welcome to the forums.

Gary

[Faith Vending]

Linda:

Don't give up!! This is a numbers game; the more you see the more successful you will be and after a few yeses you'll be off and running. Tell them right away you are not selling anything (do you have a charity?) there is no charge and no commitment. It never ceases to amaze me why anyone says no... you will get objections but move on and come back and speak with someone else. I have been in sales for 20 years and have never tried to "sell" something your contact cares so little about. What you are selling is yourself and you don't have very long to do it. This is something they need but don't know it. You should bring up your charity if you have one, your service and you will do it yourself; its free; it will make your employees and/or customers happier and better workers and can increase their business; you will come in and turn the coin mech...I'm kidding but you know what I mean. If they still say no just move on. There are too many other locations to be developed.

Be very friendly, get what you have to say out in under a minute, make sure you are speaking with a decision maker and try and create a need. As my first sales manger told me long ago it's all b.s., just make it your b.s.

Let me know if we can help.

All the best;

Jim

[Linsday]

Sorry. I dind't realize that the caps were on.

Linda

[Linsday]

Thanks for the welcome, Gary. I did have a feeling that any chains would require corporate apporval. I thought that franchised businesses might be a different story. A well- known  Donut chain in particular.

I did ask when the manager would be available on those blow-offs. I felt bad for one very young man whose manager made him deal with me. The poor guy kept wringing his hands and looking at the floor.  

The remark about older women and candy was riduculous to me as well. He should be pelted with M&M's. Just the plain, not peanuts. Too violent.  

Linda

[Linsday]

Hi, Jim.

Believe me. I am nowhere near giving up. I'm approaching this with as much levity as I can, hence the Lifesaver (candy) remark.

You must have been looking over my shoulder because that's just what I did. In chain stores, I asked for the manager. In what I thought were privately owned businesses, I asked for the manager or owner. I introduced myself, presented my sales pitch (even though I said I was not selling anything, it is a sales pitch), told them that no electricity would be needed, that I would service the machine personally, explained about the charity. I even pulled info off the web about the charity. I took a picture of  a machine with me. I did nearly everything short of dancing and juggling skittles.  Hmmmm. 

One last thing. I was looking at one of my machines through the glass of a closed beauty salon. It seems that they moved and failed to tell me. The machine stands alone, much like the cheese in that children's song.

Linda

PS. Does anyone know how expensive juiggling lessons might be?

 

[T BIRD]

Welcome aboard Lindsay.  I love your humor.  The advice you have received from Gary and Jim pretty much sums up the point of perseverance one day at a time.  It sounds like you will be fine and sooner than you think with the great attitude you have.

[desert_gold_hound]

PS. Does anyone know how expensive juiggling lessons might be?

 

Linsday you are funny. You don't need to take juggling lessons you might hit your head. LOL

All kidding aside (to the left side). No not realy but what you are needing is called Schmoozing. Its basicaly learning skills, tricks, behavors, and other items to get others to take interest in you. It is wonderfull skill to learn. There are many many ways to learn it. You don't even need a book on it just listen and whatch what other schmoozers do. Watch this vidio of this guy and his others and you will learn enough to do it. You don't need to be a clown to get this down though.

http://www.expertvillage.com/video/48351_magic-clown-schmooze.htm

[g_r_vending]

Linda, welcome to the fourm, I also wish I found this fourm before I tried to locate some of my machines, got very fustrated with so many no's. In my experance I am a much better closer than seller, this is why I started trying out locators. Some were really bad, some so-so, until I found midwest I was gonna stop paying for a good locator. They have done a wonderful job finding me alot of chain store accounts this last two weeks, JCPenny, and today a big Victories Secret break room, they are not cheap by any means, but they give me much more confidence with new locations by understanding how to talk with owners and managers, so much easier when they want you there, than going in cold. Through alot of the locations midwest got me, I was able to get more just by talking with the managers and employees, everyone seems to know a good place to put another machine, I allways hand out bunches of my business card, and have started getting people calling me. So I would sugest talking to midwest getting a few locations and then start networking with there managers and employees.

Good luck

Gary

[Faith Vending]

Linda: Sounds like you know the drill... I had a similiar experience today with a store manager today..got all my sctick out before he could get a breath.. he seemed interested bt had to check with "operations"..I will be back in there Monday. Maybe I should learn a little jig to end with and do a magic trick.

[Beer980]

For the damage control locations maybe try a guarantee of some type. Some days the no's just flow like water but you just have to shake it off.