“Where To Find People Who Must Buy From Your MarketingBusiness”

I’m in the process of writing (among 50 other things it seams) a program of “The 42 Most Profitable Retail Marketing Programs In The World”.

My first problem is that I keep adding programs. I’m up to 73 now. I guess I can change the title. This should be available in 3-4 months.

Anyway, one of the ideas centers around selling to people that you give money to.

Let’s say you sell vacuum cleaners.

Do you rent your store space? Where does your landlord buy their vacuum. It better be from you.

Who do you advertise with? They should all be loyal customers.

Do you frequent a particular restaurant or bar? They will buy from you without much effort at all.

Think of all the people who you give money to...all your suppliers, accountant, baby sitter, bookie, independent stores you frequent, doctor, lawyer, optometrist, the guy you bought your car from, the lady you bought your home from, your printer, barber, karate instructor, the guy who sold you that treadmill that you never use....you get the picture…..

Oh yeah, the guy who takes your pictures. (that was me being clever)

These people expect to buy from you. If they haven’t, I would at least mention that they need to stop in & buy from you.

If they don’t after a few hints...well….you can get your hair cut somewhere else.

Relatives.

When I was selling in-home and decided to open my current store, I knew needed another $25,000 or so to open it. I could borrow the money, steal it, hold myself for ransom, or just sell a bunch more vacuums quickly.

I had never been one to try to sell relatives. I still barely mention what we sell to them. Some relatives make bad customers.

But I went to my mother & said “Please give me the phone number of every cousin, aunt, uncle, second cousin, and in-law that you have” The list was about 30 names & phone numbers.

I confess now, that I’m not really close to most of my relatives. I like most of them, and love a few….but we just have different interests.

So I don’t see them all that often.

I crossed out a few names that, frankly, I didn’t want to see, and called the rest up.

I just told them that I wanted to stop by & show them a vacuum cleaner. No subterfuge, no pretending like I was visiting, and then springing a vacuum cleaner on them….

I need to make a confession. Everyone I called agreed to see me. Some of these people I hadn’t seen in a few years. I knew that a few of them were inviting me over because they wanted to see me, and were just willing to put up with a vacuum cleaner presentation.

On a few of these visits, I told them that they didn’t really have to see the vacuum.

All of them (21 total) took a look at my vacuum cleaner & all of them bought one.

They did get a better price than most, but I liquidated my remaining inventory in 3 weeks (the time it took me to see 21 people, in addition to my other appointments).

That’s how I raised the money.

Many of us have social connection, and business connections that we are ignoring.

A few may be thinking “Claude used his relatives”. Maybe. I though of that myself.

But have you ever been invited to an Amway meeting by a relative, go to a Tupperware party, or accept an invitation to a charity event? Same thing.

And there was no closing involved in these sales. I just showed it, gave the price & said

“If you want one, tell me. If you don’t...tell me that. I’ll be happy either way”.

Why did they all say “Yes”?

Sure, a little of it was that they knew me. That’s what got me “in the door” I guess.

But they really wanted what I was offering. All attempts at “selling” were left at the door.

And they really did get a great deal.

By the way, I only did this once. This isn’’t something you can do over & over again. You may wear out your welcome.

But with Suppliers? My Dentist? Full price.

And I can’t think of a single merchant I do business with who hasn’t bought a vacuum cleaner or heater or air purifier or all of them…….from me.

This is low hanging fruit guys. They have to buy what you sell someplace.

Make sure it’s from you.