Selling Restaurants, Pressure washing Sidewalks

Ron Musgraves

Exterior Restoration Specialist
Staff member
Selling Restaurants, Series I

Always go when the General Managers in. what are the best times? After lunch- before lunch- or during lunch. These can be sold anytime and it’s not so much about the times then days. You rarely find them in on Mondays and Thursdays, I don’t have a clue to why this is but I can only assume they may want two days in a row and Sunday Monday might be a slow managing day. Thursdays are before the rush and after restock?
Hitting them at lunch, most of there names are now on the front doors. I love bothering them at lunch time. Try it and you will get a demo, asked them in the middle of a lunch rush if they have time for live demo of your service. Try it, you will be amazed at the one you set up or do on the spot. Keep in mind a good managner can walk away from his packed unit becaise he is good. A bad manager will ask you to come back at a later time. When he is not busy, but you will rarely be told no. Most people in a rush will respond and say yes.
When you get the demo its simple, just run your equipemnt and explain what you do. Remember to listen to what they want. If you get them to tell you how often they are doing it then you might ask the last time it was done before you demo.
Its crazy but often when you get done running the surface cleaner they are amazed at the difference and you never have to bash your competitors.
Throw a few extras on to sweeten the deal, go the extra step the first time and offer more.
Never discount price, it’s a mistake because they will always want the discount. I will do these free the first time for a lifetime agreement of cleaning. I will ad some more tips and tricks here.


I have sold more in the afternoon when the GM came on at 3 or 4
Early morings are great also when they come in at 5&7 am…..
Rarely have ever sign and agreement between 11 & 2pm



DO not Hire a Sales Person YET
 
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great info Ron, to keep this post going...can you post one tip a day?
 
I have sold more in the afternoon when the GM came on at 3 or 4
Early morings are great also when they come in at 5&7 am…..
Rarely have ever sign and agreement between 11 & 2pm
If you go into a restaurant between 11am-2pm looking to cut a deal, you deserve what you get. Monday mornings are generally not good delivery's
(that's why you don't see GM):eek:
 
I'm sure early mornings are good except Monday,Friday & Saturday mornings.

I do 80% of bids between 2pm-4pm.
 
HotShot_Anthony
Why not direct your marketing so that they come looking for you?
Clarify kind sir.

HotShot_Anthony
Managers don't like to be bugged during breakfast rush, or lunch rush. Usually after 2 is perfect.

This is so true, but if you don't believe Ant go ahead a go in during breakfast or lunch rush. They will remember you.:p You won't get the job.
 
Here's what happened with my sales guy (53 yrs old, top T*yota salesman in the state) trying to sell restaurant filter accounts in addition to others.

He started 8am to 12 - Lunch then 1-5

Soon he said "lots of people take lunch at 11" - now he's lost an hour

Next "8 is too early" - Lost another hour

Next, "nobody works till 5 anymore" - lost another hour.

Then "people are busy right after lunch" - another hour gone.



Pretty soon he's leaving at 9:30 (takes a little time to get ready to go)

Coming back for lunch and - picking sports picks - at 11:00 and taking lunch till 2:00 ("It's not polite to call during lunch")

Taking off at 2:30 ("it takes a little time to get prepared after lunch")

Coming back at 3:30 ("everbody's gone already")


2 1/2 hours work in a day. No wonder he sold $3000 in accounts by himself in a year an a half and only 18k with my help.

This is why the thoughts behind this thread is, in my opinion, are business killers. I mean they are all good and honest thoughts, but they allow too much room for procrastinating.



When I went with Ron selling Restaurants he got them when they were morning, afternoon and in between, even when jam packed. He stopped a manager right in the middle of carrying heavy boxes and hustling his butt off. The guy kindof reamed Ron and treated him like crap, but by 8pm that night he left a voice mail giving Ron the account!

I caught a business owner leaving the office at 8pm and he was impressed that I would stop at night like that and he gave us the account.

We've quit paying attention to time and it works. If I'm awake and so is the potential customer, that's the time to sell. Worrying about making the wrong first impression is not the way to grow a business.

That's just my experience. (for what it's worth):)
 
Why not direct your marketing so that they come looking for you? ;)

Managers don't like to be bugged during breakfast rush, or lunch rush. Usually after 2 is perfect.

I thought that same thing for years. You can actually determine the kind of GM they are by bothering them at lunch.

Suddenly your service became less important than a firefighter loosing his or her life. I say thats more important than lunch.

Its a mis-conception anyone here thinks they are less important. If you beleive that then your loosing the battle.
 
Why not direct your marketing so that they come looking for you? ;)

We do, I get more calls per day requesting service I'll bet than most here.

We have to visit customers, you know how many people appreciate we atually have people to help them. That we answer the phone when people call and have emergency dispatch 24 hours a day.

You cant direct market all that in a postcard or on the web.

We run specials by mail, fax and other advertising means.

I will repeat this one time, the reason I have Five salespeople is that direct personal selling is what truly works the best.

Our market is much larger than a KEC guy. I just chose eating places because most here think you cannot solicit these.

There is no better direct market than walking thru the front Door. If I piss them off they will remember me. When they cant find there guy they will call me. When they see me at show or another establishment I will say hello.

Post cards work, e-mail works, all other forms work. Nothing works better than walking in. I would say its 80% more effective to my company with the technics we use.

Group meetings are working just as nice.
 
I may be wrong but coming from a person that was a general manager of many different restaurants ( fast food and full service ) I would not even speak to a vendor during peek times. We never excepted deliveries much less speak to vendors during certain times and if someone came in they were definately remebered. A "GOOD" manager is more hands off with their staff during those times but are still hands on watching service and customers, a "BAD" manager is hands on with their crew during those times. I have not hired people becuase of them not understanding my business needs is customers during my peek times. The best time to reach a good manager is 9-11 and 2-5 or speak to them quickly and set up a time for a demo.... But that is my two cents.
 
Most restaurants are going through a Property Management Company now. I have noticed that many I have talk to are doing this. Hugh
 
I may be wrong but coming from a person that was a general manager of many different restaurants ( fast food and full service ) I would not even speak to a vendor during peek times. We never excepted deliveries much less speak to vendors during certain times and if someone came in they were definately remebered. A "GOOD" manager is more hands off with their staff during those times but are still hands on watching service and customers, a "BAD" manager is hands on with their crew during those times. I have not hired people becuase of them not understanding my business needs is customers during my peek times. The best time to reach a good manager is 9-11 and 2-5 or speak to them quickly and set up a time for a demo.... But that is my two cents.

or speak to them quickly and set up a time for a demo..

That's what I was talking about, not expecting a sitdown meeting during the lunch rush. Sorry for the miscommunication.

I've gotten appointments that resulted in sales because the mgr was busy when I initially approached and agreed to an appoinment/demo/bid because he didn't have time to think about saying no. I still stand by my statement. I am not IN your business, but I do fight FOR your buseinss and, with courtesy and understanding, selling can be done all day long (and some nights).
 
Ok sales are an easy thing .. Remember they need your services.. Wether they do are not ( keep saying they need my services ) Then sale .. Dont waste time talking, most people who try to talk into a sale talk themselves out of a sale.. Give them a card , say thank you for your time and go to the next account .. they will call and if they don't so what you lost about a minute.. If they need cleanings right away they will stop you before you walk out... I hand out roughly 40 business cards a week.. When I started along time ago I averaged 100 business cards a week..Also if you want some good sales ideas try Zig Zigler or Clint Magee... Both very good motivating salesmen
 
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