westlakevending Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Okay vendors ive always used a locator but now that i lost my job im counting on vending to help me through this struggle. I have 80 double heads to locate and i see alot of possible good location but i was wondering what other vendors used such as business cards or post cards that help the sales pitch. What do you other vendors use? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsar66 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Hello, Check out Vistaprint.com. I ordered 250 profesional looking business cards and 3 T-Shirts, and it cost me less then $30 shipping included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-man422 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Westlake, I'm sorry to hear that about your job. The key is to look and act professional. I always carry in a binder with me with pictures of the machines, a thank you letter from my charity and a good smile and firm hand shake. Make it happen WL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jax Snacks Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 Your locating pitch and materials depend on whether you are doing charity or commission vending. I am assuming you are doing charity. SO you really need to pitch the charity and hand out some charity brochures/letters with your phone number. It also helps to wear a hat or t-shirt from the charity. I would not hand out a business card if you are doing charity locating. Best of luck. Jax Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer980 Posted January 3, 2009 Share Posted January 3, 2009 A new year and a new challenge. Get a sample locating letter from the library section here and tweak it to your situation. If you want a peek at mine I will send you a copy. I carry a binder with all my route info and handout's in my vehicle at all times. Also keep a machine set up in the trunk if possible. You never know when you will stumble into a good location to try. I print up my own business cards and can steer you to the free program that I use if you like. I also use it to print my machine info stickers. Good fortune will shine on your new opportunity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlakevending Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 whats the free business card program? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer980 Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Design Pro 5 from Avery.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nepavend Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Only used business/post cards AFTER you make the sale, the chance of getting a call back from a "maybe, leave your name/number" is almost 0. Always go back another time at different hours until you get the owner. Also have a nice pocket sized glossy photo (laminated if you can get it) of the machine you want to put in. This will help with Spanish, Chinese, and other non-English accounts. Be direct, be polite, tell them why you are there, overcome the objections if you can, place, and whether you win or lose, just think "next account"! You are now highly motivated with the loss of your job... make it work to your advantage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quarter Master Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Just a note on flyers and business cards. Alot of these business owners talk to other business owners and I have gotten a couple of locations just from recommendations of other business's, even one I didn't get to place. Never hurts to get your name and business spread around out there. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nepavend Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Another thing is to consider the area you are targeting, don't make it 100 miles wide across all of Mass with 80 heads, try to keep them as centralized as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markvend Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Westlake, I'm sorry about your job too. Wanted to encourage you that you can do it and that you'll get even better the more you do it. My wife went out this week for the first time to go door to door cold calling and placed 20 heads in just part of 3 days (only about a day's work maybe). She wants to get a new house and said she would place machines to cover the payment. Guess we'll be moving soon. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
that1dude Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Definitely keep us posted on how you do, and best of luck no matter what method you go with! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer980 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 markvend That is a good locator you got there. Hope you have better luck selling your house when the time comes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philo Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Westlake: I hate to be the contrarian of the group, but looking professional and having business cards is the wrong approach. You're raising money for a charity. When I'm asked for a business card doing bulk placements I remind people that I'm trying to raise funds for a charity, not my business. I wouldn't waste money on cards when I could be contributing more to the charity (which I do). When I locate full sized snakc/pop or commission racks, I break out the professional material, but when I'm locating for bulk using a charity as a partner, I'm anything but a pro, just a humble volunteer fund raiser. Regards, Philo PS- I have never used a locator, I currently have 70 locations for bulk, a few that need to be re-located , but none sitting idle in my warehouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antoniocinisi Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 well without a job you certaintly will have more time to locate machines on your own.hopefully you will get them all placed soon,and u wont even miss your old job. think of all the locator fees u will save too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlakevending Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 what do you guys think is the best approach: 1. Carrying a machine into the business just the single head by itself and putting each of the candy labels plus the charity logo on the machine so its a display of all products and the charity info. 2. Carrying business cards and charity brochures into the business. Only problem is the charity american assoc. for lost childern charges .85 per brochure plus cost of cards 3. Taking a picture of the machine into the business with me 4. Calling telemarketing approach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antoniocinisi Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I would do it in person with a machine in the car and a picture with you to show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T BIRD Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Leave the machine in the car. Cant you make copies of the brochure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlakevending Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 i never thought of that. They are trifold brochures im sure i could make black and white copies. I just dislike the charity because they charge for everything i feel the brochures should be free. Thats why im researching a different charity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-man422 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Westlake, someone on the forum a while back was not having any luck carrying machines into the business. He/she said that they looked at him funny and figured he was a salesman. Try taking in a picture of two of the machine. I carry a thank you letter that my local charity sent me also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlakevending Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 im working up some post cards on prints made easy with the charity logo and picture of machines on the front of the cards and on the back it gives details about the charity and the vending outreach program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T BIRD Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 westlakevending wrote: i never thought of that. They are trifold brochures im sure i could make black and white copies. I just dislike the charity because they charge for everything i feel the brochures should be free. Thats why im researching a different charity I have a feeling most of them charge something for their literature. NCCS, which I use, charges for their literature. I just make black and white copies of everything. ( except their machine stickers ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlakevending Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 i made up some fancy post cards with the charity theme and i think it explains enough about the charity and provides a picture of the machine as well. Just thinking bout ideas for right now then ill make my attack move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer980 Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Maybe laminate a few so they will last longer. A pack of self laminating sheets is not that much. I find they hold up much better and give you a slicker look. Info on one side and pictures on the other should do. You can have the smaller post card versions to leave for the person in charge if they are not available. I would keep the machine in the car also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westlakevending Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 hey thats a good idea. Im going to print off one tonight and see how it looks. Ive got a really good design and ill post it on here when the project is complete. I think im going to take your advise and just print one off on my pc and try it out locating before i spend the money to have the smaller ones made. Thanks for the great idea. any more/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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