Locating Blitz

[dperry]

Over the weekend, I had a goal to place 2 of my 5-way racks.  Each has 2 1", and 3 1" with all toys.  I recently got them assembled and ready to place, and this last saturday was my alloted day to do the deed.  I managed to place them both in brand new locations, not just locations where I upgraded from a single.  One place was a nice little mexican restaurant, and the other was a nice little chineese place.  I like restarants the best, so these are hopefully going to be good spots.

But the best part is I got a bonus location as well.  My wife wanted me to get the oil changed in the 4runnr, so I loaded up my first rack and on the way out, I took the truck to a newly-opened automotive place near my neighborhood.  It is a local, non-franchise location, and the owner of the place was the guy I talked to. I pitched a candy machine and he accepted.  Luckily they were close, so I went home, quickly made up a double and loaded in the truck and stuck it in the new location.

Lately I've been upgrading my best locations from singles to racks but this is the first time I've gotten a brand new location in several months.

[lurtsman]

Would you mind explaining your sales pitch for locating the rack. I am awful at rack locating--perhaps in part because I look too young.

[Poplady1]

What a great day for you.  Congrat's.  Thats exactly what you need to do to be successful.

Blue Moose

[dperry]

My sales pitch is simple. 

I walk in with a picture of the current configuration of rack that I'm trying to place.  The actual pictures I used are attached.

I go to the person behind the counter, show them the picture and say:

"Who can I talk to about renting some space for a TOY VENDING machine like these, in your restaurant?"

They usually say one of 3 things:

1) "The owner/manager is not here"

2) "No"

3) Some kind of question like "How much does it cost me", "Who does the servicing", etc.

I usually answer with one or all of the following:

A1) "I do all the servicing, you don't have to do anything"

A2) "I supply all the toys and filler, there is nothing that you need to do"

A3) "No, you don't pay me anything, I Pay YOU 25% of everything I pull out of the machines as rent for your space."

After that, it's either Yes or No.

[lurtsman]

I like how straight forward your pitch is. I might give that a shot toward the end of the week. I'm rather tired of having the racks in my garage.

[lurtsman]

Today I was going to change out a head in one of my locations. I was planning to remove sea mania and put in RP, since the toys were not doing well in their first week run. I hadn't been there in 6 weeks, and sea mania were now the #1 seller, so I replaced PMM instead (which had about 2$). On my way I saw a U-haul place and was thinking about this, so I went in and asked them on my way back. Sure I can put a triple in. I was so happy, I got home and was thinking about the Hotel I had my eye on. I went in there and they had a charity triple stolen the night before. Yikes, I had seen it and thought about asking for the location then. Well I listened and gave my condolences and she decided it would be okay if I put a toy machine in the little shop area right by the front desk, since it was less likely to be stolen there. I could put it in the other place if I wanted, but the criminals were not scared to go there. So I installed that right away, still cleaning up the triple for the U-haul place. 2 for 2 on locating today. Not bad for a day primarily devoted to cleaning machines.

[tooldini]

Awesome I hope someday I can do some on my own  LOL I have been eyeing up a sylivan learning center near me that already has a single head gum machine. I was thinking a single head with zoomania or something like that.

[lurtsman]

Awesome I hope someday I can do some on my own  LOL I have been eyeing up a sylivan learning center near me that already has a single head gum machine. I was thinking a single head with zoomania or something like that.

That sounds like a good idea. I was skeptical when you said learning center, but if they already have a machine your odds are fairly good. I've tried to place at areas where there are kids one time and the manager informed me it would not be a good idea since they had many kids who would want to get toys. It saddened me that this woman would be in charge of teaching young children...

[tooldini]

yeah that is weird.  I just figured maybe the parents would use that as an insentive to do a good job. Do good and I will get you a toy. I need to get me a couple single head machines to vend capsules soon.

[tgotch64]

A3) "No, you don't pay me anything, I Pay YOU 25% of everything I pull out of the machines as rent for your space."

After that, it's either Yes or No.

Just curious, do you always offer commission?  Do many allow you to place for free?  If you offer a commission right from the start, you lose.

[sherlock]

If one is not going the charity route, why would someone let you place a machine for free?  I always offer a commission.

Two examples of getting a machine put in for free:

1. A business you spend money at regularly

  Get to know the staff and leadership team. Let them know you have machines to offer.

  Ask, ask, and ask everytime you visit. It's not like it's a wasted trip since you go there regularly anyway.

  Sometimes you get in on the 1st try...others you have to work at.

  But, for regular customers, I have found some businesses will provide the space to help you.

  NO commision required.

  Smart owners know some money put in your machine comes back to them anyway since you're a

  regular customer.

2. Any business you are making a large purchase from.

  During the transaction there's usually small talk with every big purchase.

  Be sure you mention what you do for a living.

  Offer to place a machine BEFORE MAKING YOUR PURCHASE.

  Some sales people pitch your machine to the boss for you in the hopes of getting the sale from you.

  Again, no commision required.

I've had BOTH situations work for me.

CONGRATS ON YOUR GREAT DAY OF LOCATING DARRYL.

 

[The Mage]

Out of the 13 locations I currently have, 11 of them are not associated with commission, or charity.

Although they did have stickers on the back for some charity for the blind, but they also had a 15 year old expiration date on them.

Not sure how they were placed, but I am not going to rock the boat for some of them.  Others I plan on relocating.

[dperry]

Over the past week, I spent two entire days trying to locate 10 single gumball machines.  I spent all of last saturday and managed to locate 3 machines and I took today off of work so I could locate the remaing 7 machines.  I managed to locate 2 of the 7 machines today.  I tried locating in areas of town I've never been to before.  What I discovered is that this town is severely saturated with vending machines.  I'm starting to think that the best way to break into vending in this town is to buy an existing route from another vender.  I placed several business cards on several machines with a note on the back saying that if they ever wanted to sell their routes, to please give me a call.

The real topper was when I went to a new hotdog diner in my neighborhood.  It was a little hole in the wall location and I thought they would tell me that they had no room for a machine.  If they told me that, I would have agreed.  But no, he told me that he was buying his own machines.  I countered with the standard, "Why do you want to SPEND money on machines when I can PAY YOU?".  He said he could get 3 machines for $200.  I didn't argue with him but I felt like say something snide like "Well, I can go buy a pot for $20 and boil my own hot dogs, but where would that leave you?", or "I'm not  a professional restauranteer like yourself, I'm just a professional vender and I buy all my used machines from professional restauranteers like yourself who think they know how to do vending.  Can I come by here in 6 months and buy your machines off you when you find you are letting them sit empty because you can't seem to find the time to make it to sams club to buy the double bubble gum?"

[havending]

I have heard many business owners tell me that they are buying their own machines only to visit the location 6 months later to see that they still have not done so.  It has worked in my favor a few times because when i make my return visit i will re pitch the idea and some times but not all they will bite and let me place them.  I keep a log of evey location i try to place in and who i talked to and the reason they gave so when i revisit i am prepared better.

When a location tells me NO i always go back and repitch in 6 months or so.  You should never take the no as final.