How to go about contacting local small businesses
Post 1 of 16
Hello, my name is Vladimir. I am located in Rochester New York. I was reading through these forums last night and I must say the forums are a very very very good source of information so first of all a big THANK YOU goes out to everyone who contributed.
Well back to my origninal question...If i read the forums right the professionals suggest to start small by providing products for local small businesses. How do I go about talking with these small business owners, i must mention I am 19 years old so i dont think these business owners will take me seriously even if i am dressed professional so that being said I have to make each meeting very good.
Should I ask them about how many of a certain product they sell per month or is that a little to private to ask? basically how should this whole process start from the begining phone call / email to the end of the meeting with the owner.
Email: Customlinepc@gmail.com
Aim: PathToSuperiorty
Thank you for your time I hope to hear from all of you soon!![[em17]](http://img.alibaba.com/images/eng/style/icon/emoticons_shake_hands.gif)
Well back to my origninal question...If i read the forums right the professionals suggest to start small by providing products for local small businesses. How do I go about talking with these small business owners, i must mention I am 19 years old so i dont think these business owners will take me seriously even if i am dressed professional so that being said I have to make each meeting very good.
Should I ask them about how many of a certain product they sell per month or is that a little to private to ask? basically how should this whole process start from the begining phone call / email to the end of the meeting with the owner.
Email: Customlinepc@gmail.com
Aim: PathToSuperiorty
Thank you for your time I hope to hear from all of you soon!
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19 Sep 2006 19:51
Post 2 of 16
Quoting from [Customlinepc]:
Hello, my name is Vladimir. I am located in Rochester New York. I was reading through these forums last night and I must say the forums are a very very very good source of information so first of all a big THANK YOU goes out to everyone who contributed.
Well back to my origninal question...If i read the forums right the professionals suggest to start small by providing products for local small businesses. How do I go about talking with these small business owners, i must mention I am 19 years old so i dont think these business owners will take me seriously even if i am dressed professional so that being said I have to make each meeting very good.
Should I ask them about how many of a certain product they sell per month or is that a little to private to ask? basically how should this whole process start from the begining phone call / email to the end of the meeting with the owner.
Email: Customlinepc@gmail.com
Aim: PathToSuperiorty
Thank you for your time I hope to hear from all of you soon!
You can start with the YELLOW PAGES Directory.Then buy the Thompson Directory, or Directories of small companies in your locality.
Alternatively you can do a Search with Advanced features such as location country and state. Or just search for the product as the key word, and various sayings about the product/s. To know if the company is big, small or medium, you can search the Business registry for their rankings.
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19 Sep 2006 22:52
Post 3 of 16
Replying to [Customlinepc]:
![[em4]](http://img.alibaba.com/images/eng/style/icon/emoticons_sad.gif)
Nowadays , the connection of informance is trough the net., you need the help of net.
I think if you wanna to conect with the local small business , you can browse the web of local net.
Hope I can do for you .
Nowadays , the connection of informance is trough the net., you need the help of net. I think if you wanna to conect with the local small business , you can browse the web of local net.
Hope I can do for you .
19 Sep 2006 23:56
Post 4 of 16
Replying to [Customlinepc]:
Your enterprising nature is commendable and congratulations on working up a practical plan to identify opportunity. May I add - I think you are double-smart in recognising the risk that small biz owners might not take you seriously.
Three little tips:
Get an A4 clipboard complete with clipped-on Survey Forms. Print "Survey" boldly printed at the top of each form. That clipboard (in the hands of a well dressed 19 or 90 year old guy will get taken seriously).
Make your survey form fair dinkum, no more than four printed questions for you to fill in as you take the answers ... the four visible questions subtly convey you will be fast.
Your "cover" ... perhaps you are doing your mid-term college paper on "Local consumer demand and supply trends" or whatever the heck fits. We business people are suckers for college students.
Ar .. further tip ... forget learning what they mostly sell. The mark of an entrepreneur is to identify what else they would like to sell ... something they wish they had. Look for market gaps and trends ... not existing best selling stuff.
![[em1]](http://img.alibaba.com/images/eng/style/icon/emoticons_smile.gif)
Your enterprising nature is commendable and congratulations on working up a practical plan to identify opportunity. May I add - I think you are double-smart in recognising the risk that small biz owners might not take you seriously.
Three little tips:
Get an A4 clipboard complete with clipped-on Survey Forms. Print "Survey" boldly printed at the top of each form. That clipboard (in the hands of a well dressed 19 or 90 year old guy will get taken seriously).
Make your survey form fair dinkum, no more than four printed questions for you to fill in as you take the answers ... the four visible questions subtly convey you will be fast.
Your "cover" ... perhaps you are doing your mid-term college paper on "Local consumer demand and supply trends" or whatever the heck fits. We business people are suckers for college students.
Ar .. further tip ... forget learning what they mostly sell. The mark of an entrepreneur is to identify what else they would like to sell ... something they wish they had. Look for market gaps and trends ... not existing best selling stuff.
20 Sep 2006 01:36
Post 5 of 16
Replying to [Customlinepc]:If you are going to contact these businesses in person keep in mind that 80% of the sale is image. Look good, be confident and sell your company as well as your products. If you come across with confidence you will get the sale.
26 Sep 2006 18:14
Post 6 of 16
Replying to [Customlinepc]:
Reading this you may get informations.But before startign a business age is not the main factor., you must know the responsible factors....
MONEY.. is the main factor... you can hire people to run the busienss., you need not learn everything...
Reading this you may get informations.But before startign a business age is not the main factor., you must know the responsible factors....
MONEY.. is the main factor... you can hire people to run the busienss., you need not learn everything...
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26 Sep 2006 20:11
Post 7 of 16
Replying to [Aussie]:
Very good tips. I'm sure we can all use them.
Thanks.
Very good tips. I'm sure we can all use them.
Thanks.
26 Sep 2006 23:01
Post 8 of 16
Replying to [Customlinepc]:
You can open a website and contact through e mail: advertise in local dailies.. newspapers. Participate in Trade-shows. TV,Radio and FM are some of the medias. Give good discount,arrange for sale and other events will give importance from the customers
You can open a website and contact through e mail: advertise in local dailies.. newspapers. Participate in Trade-shows. TV,Radio and FM are some of the medias. Give good discount,arrange for sale and other events will give importance from the customers
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27 Sep 2006 10:48
Post 9 of 16
Replying to [Customlinepc]:You can take the help of internet and yellow pages
28 Sep 2006 02:53
Post 10 of 16
"i must mention I am 19 years old so i dont think these business owners will take me seriously even if i am dressed professional "
One thing, age never presents it self as a hard evidence upon your knowledge. If you present yourself in the correct way, and provide them that you are knowledgable, the fact of your age will be ignored. from your appearance.
One thing, age never presents it self as a hard evidence upon your knowledge. If you present yourself in the correct way, and provide them that you are knowledgable, the fact of your age will be ignored. from your appearance.
30 Sep 2006 15:27
Post 11 of 16
Replying to [Customlinepc]:
I'm from upstate NY aswell, but yea like everyone else said if you present yourself proffesionaly you will be taken seriously regardless of your age. To compensate for your lack of experiance you must learn everything you can, when talking with a business owner you're really trying to sell yourself so dont let them say "no".
I'm from upstate NY aswell, but yea like everyone else said if you present yourself proffesionaly you will be taken seriously regardless of your age. To compensate for your lack of experiance you must learn everything you can, when talking with a business owner you're really trying to sell yourself so dont let them say "no".
30 Sep 2006 17:54