Advertising? Were to start

[tooldini]

I am new to the business. I have been to training classes and have done several repairs all turned out good. I wondered what is the best and fastest way to get business.I am not very outgoing as far as cold calling is concerned.I have several pull tab flyers out and people have taken numbers but no calls yet.this november i will have a small yellowpages add running mostly just for a professional look.I hear they don't do so well.Is cold calling a very effective way to get business?Do any of you pay people to do this? Any help would be appreciated

thanks
Jeff

[Repair1]

If your going to be succussful you have to make cold calls the more people you talk to the more business you will see in return. Don't get discouraged it takes time I have called on accounts for a couple of years before I've seen my first job. Don't get me wrong I don't waste to much time on people that won't respond at first I just stop in every couple of months or so just to let them know I'm still around after time all things change and you will get your chance. Give them a freebee to show them what you can do that always helps.. I have found that flyers are usually a waste I have some little cards printed up with FREE WINDSHIELD REPAIR printed on them I give them out like candy to everybody I talk to they seem to work pretty good email me I will send you a copy of what I have. Make sure you sign up with the networks makes getting insurance work done a lot easier theres not that much red tape just call them they will tell you what you need to get rolling..


Good Luck and Happy Repairing
Brian

[Coitster]

I agree with Brian about phone calling working. I personaly have ran 14 telemarketing rooms for glass companies over the years and calling works under a few circumstances.

#1 Make sure you call businesses and not residential. Lots of reasons for that I am not going to get into. However sufice it to say someone always answers the phone and you can ask the person who answers the phone is you can fax the fleet manager a flyer on your company, it also gives you a great reason to call back and ask for the person you where sending a fax to.

#2 Calling people at businesses isn't the same as calling someone at home during dinner time. When people are at work they expect to do business over the phone. Belive it or not I book a ton of jobs on rainy days calling businesses. I personaly book retail insurance jobs I havn't looked for fleet business since I lived in Washington. Remember people drive their personal vehicles to work too..... <--- Majority of my business on rainy days.

#3 Make sure you have a fax machine because I have yet to ever be turned down by someone who was even a little bit curious about my FREE WINDSHIELD REPAIR service. They are more then happy to have information sent to them. I personaly send them a 4 page sales letter that tells them all about me, with a flyer they can put in their break room. Special note make sure you ask first. Just don't fax them a flyer blindly. It's rude and people can get upset if you don't ask first. However by asking I am very rarely turned down even by people who don't have problems with their windshield... but I get a lot of call back business from people who have co-workers who need the service.

#4 Get yourself a good contact management software program. I personaly use ACT! 2000. Great for keep track of your contacts.

#5 Get a agreement set up with a local replacement company because if you are doing cold calling to businesses you are going to run into a ton of replacement business. Might as well make some money off of that. I personaly do it a little differently. For every replacement I give them they have to give me a repair. I don't like to get refferal fee's. I want to fix a chip and make more then a refferal fee would be.... plus here is a little tip, have a extra service to sell. I personaly do Paintless Dent Repair and I also sell these headlamp savers that work great. Headlampsaver.com.
Hope that helps.
David
Coitster

[tooldini]

Thanks for you advice. I have a small yellowpages add going in November.I hear they may not bring in much work but it will make me look more proffesional.I am taking it kinda slow cause I still have a full time job.

thanks
Jeff