Re: How to get business

In message <OlEGj.16708$5K1.9651@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Jon Slaughter <Jon_Slaughter@xxxxxxxxxxx> writes

"mpm" <mpmillard@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:6b2de374-6e00-4127-8a1b-c3e33cbe954c@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Mar 26, 7:37?pm, "Jon Slaughter" <Jon_Slaugh...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Suppose I have a product that will probably help out a company. What is
the
best method to approach that company to discuss the product and find out
information. Are there formal methods or can one really just call them up
and request a metting?

Finding the name of someone in the organisation at the right level to make a decision on it or at least make a recommendation to someone who can.
Company website, financial reports, in-house magazine, patents anything like that may get you a possible first contact name.

It would help if we knew a little bit more about the size of the
Company, and how competitive they must be in the market. Are they
niche, or competing in a very mature industry, for example?


Its pretty mature but the company is still a bit behind in technology and
this is where we come in. They have maybe 300-500 stores and AFAIK the other
company is only putting there product in the newer stores.

So a retail sales operation then rather than a manufacturer ?
But from what you have said here implies the other company already has an established business relationship with them and is shipping kit.

it will be hard cause they already have a contract. The only benefit our
product has is cost(I believe, I really have no idea what the other product
is costing them but I imagine we can do it cheaper).

Are you *sure* that you can really do it cheaper *and* install, support the product over a potentially wide geographical area.

* - or a WebEx meeting, Trade Show, or similar if it's completely
impractical to meet face-to-face. But if all else fails, you can
certainly sell remotely.

I'm sure if we get past the first call we can set up a face to face metting
and get more info.

Have an Introduction, optional Positioning Statement and VALUE
statement ready before you call. Speak to their needs, not your
solution's unique features, etc... That will all wash out anyway if
you are successful. In other words, people could care less how great
your widget is - they want to know how it can help them. It's a
pretty important difference. Don't get bogged down in details unless
they ask.

There need is simple: To save money. I think we can easily fulfill that
need because the device is very simple and from my experience with my father
that services them in other areas they easily will end up paying 10-50x the
cost of the product.

You do realise that Usenet is a public access archived medium and easily searchable with Google. It isn't a good idea to give away any pricing info or disclose family connections. I hope your are not using your own name.

A BBC investigative reporter came unstuck recently whilst wired for sound and vision and working in a boilerhouse dodgy broker selling operation. His new boss Googled his name and he had to leave very very quickly.

Even then, you might better save your gunpowder for the face-to-
face. That's my two-cents.
(I was formerly VP-Ops for a $800M Public Company, if that helps.)

Thanks. We are trying to get everything situated and get contacts by next
week because we want to move fast. My gap in knowledge about business is
tremendous(allthough I'm trying to learn about it) and my business partner
is a bit unsure how we can pull it off. (In fact we don't loose much if we
fail but can learn a lot so it's no loss)

Main thing I'm trying to accomplish at this point is to get our foot in the
door. I think once we can present the product then we have a shot.

You need to think about it from their perspective to figure out in advance what they need to know about your solution to sell it (and without giving away so many details as to hand your solution to them on a plate).

The latter is a tricky one. It is all too easy in the early stages through inexperience to end up giving away free consultancy by accident.

Good luck!
--
Martin Brown

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

.

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