Reps bringing donuts.................

[oceanboy]

Hi everyone......I want to pick your brains again.

Here`s the senario: New rep with a distinctive line. However the market is FLOODED with product and an over abundance of competeing reps. How do you stand out? I know the traditional procedures, drop in with a few samples, no pushing , having a line that truly is unique ( after all it IS about the product ). But here`s my quandry: the old method of arriving with donuts or some such SO THAT YOU`LL BE REMEMBERED just doesn`t work anymore.Too many health concious people. And yes, I know about being regular like clockwork, building a relationship, etc. but can you offer any other ideas?? Tickets to the Canucks???? I find I`m becoming lost in a sea of product...............some almost as good as mine. LOL
Seriously...........your ideas are appreciated. Cheers.

[cocoisland58]

Sure we are health concious but dark chocolate is good for you. Tickets seem a bit extravagent. If you have a stand out product however, no gifties are needed. If you don't, no giftees will make us buy it.

[Chris Ryser]

Tickets to Canucks will break your bank before you ever make a sale. Good technical conversation will get one foot into the door. Remembering it for the next visit and mentioning some of the facts talked about will get the other foot in.

As you have an expierienced optical background you probably know more anout the profession than many of the younger future customers, so you can give good tips which is worth more than fattening goodies. Once they catch on you will always be welcome back.

Salesreps which have a good all around knowdlege and customers will like to pick your brainm hoever it will take some time and a few visits.

[chip anderson]

I can remember when they used to bring a fifth of pretty good stuff. Most would take you out for dinner and drinks. And that was back when the owners of optical shops made more than the reps.

CL reps were also good for same as well as solution reps.

The doctors got same from drug and surgical tool reps.

Each lab was good for a fifth at Christmas and an invite to the Christmas party.

One rep used to call first thing in the morning and bring breakfast.

Chip

[eyemanflying]

Professionalism, reliability, product knowledge, technical expertise and persistence are all great charactersistics of a rep. Too bad most reps these days lack the first four.

Health conscious or not, a round or javas and donuts/muffins brought in by the rep is still a nice gesture that never gets old in my books.

[Jacqui]

I don't know if this will help or not. Here at the lab we send not only a small supply of candies with each shipment, but also at times a coupon for a FREE Happy Meal or a Starbucks coffee. Tim Horton's may also work up in the Great Frozen North.

[chip anderson]

I might mention that they stopped sending whiskey back when the courts decided that the bartender could be held liable if one had an accident after leaving the establishment.
Pity, because next to painters opticians used to be the biggest bunch of drunks around.
Once went on a deep see fishing trip with 300 opticians out of Houston. The boat left 2 hours late because the ramrod (the one holding the money) showed up late and drunk. When we got in from the fishing trip, only four of us were sober enough to walk to our cars.


Chip

[PAkev]

From personal experience I think this issue is contingent upon if you are the one paying the bills or if you are the one going home with a paycheck every week.

Discerning if the motive is to "obligate" you to make a purchase or if it is out of "gratitude" for making a purchase is often difficult. However, a good barometer is to observe the timing. If it is before an order then it can be understood as provoking your purchase decision but if it comes after your purchase than it is more genuine thankfulness.

On a final note, If a rep showed up on a really bad day with a good bottle of booze, I just may order one of everything.:cheers:

[k12311997]

None of my frame reps come bearing gifts, but they are all good for a box of chocolate at Christmas. (NOTE: guys get together we can only eat so much chocolate, mix it up a little.)

My lab rep brings donuts or bagels if he's scheduled early, offers to order pizza if closer to noon. I would say is more of a thank you for your business than a bribe for business.

[cocoisland58]

[QUOTE=k12311997;310094] (NOTE: guys get together we can only eat so much chocolate, mix it up a little.)[QUOTE]


This is not true, do not listen to this person. One can never eat only so much chocolate. But ok, bring champagne and chocolate then:p

[chip anderson]

Surely you can't mean that reps aren't really our good and since friends! Surely they just come by to visit because they really love us and so impressed with our intelligence and outstanding cheerfull personalities.
They bring goodies, take us out to dinner and look so happy to see us because we think we are so wonderfull.
Don't you notice how many of them come buy just to visit and shoot the bull after they no longer have you as an account! Surely you have noticed this.

Chip

[For-Life]

what ever happened to the reps taking you out on the night on the town? Especially to the ballet. FYI - the ballet is really not the ballet

[For-Life]

Surely you can't mean that reps aren't really our good and since friends! Surely they just come by to visit because they really love us and so impressed with our intelligence and outstanding cheerfull personalities.
They bring goodies, take us out to dinner and look so happy to see us because we think we are so wonderfull.
Don't you notice how many of them come buy just to visit and shoot the bull after they no longer have you as an account! Surely you have noticed this.

Chip

you have never had a rep visit you after they have left the business?

[chip anderson]

For-Life

Yep, but as a percentage, very damn few and less and less after the years pass.

Chip

[cocoisland58]

Don't you notice how many of them come buy just to visit and shoot the bull after they no longer have you as an account! Surely you have noticed this.Chip

Actually several do. I burn no bridges and when you have known someone for 20 years they will stop in and shoot the breeze without an agenda. Sometimes you just want to know how someone is doing.

[cocoisland58]

what ever happened to the reps taking you out on the night on the town? Especially to the ballet. FYI - the ballet is really not the ballet

In Detroit they call it the "Windsor Ballet" and I am sure business meetings are still conducted there.

[Borysko]

Oceanboy, do what you would do if you were selling houses, cars, or anything else. Your goal is to manipulate (and I don't mean this in a negative way) people into doing what you want them to do (buy your product). No single approach will work for all of your customers, you have to discern the best way to connect with each of them and go from there.
If you're any kind of salesperson, you'll quickly realize which ones will fall for the technical bit and which ones want a personal relationship or a feeling of being cared about. If you can't do that, no amount of candy or doughnuts will solve the problem; if you can, no lack of knowledge or pastries on your part will stop you!

[Judy Canty]

www.ecpmag.com

do's and don'ts

[opticianbart]

I don't know if this will help or not. Here at the lab we send not only a small supply of candies with each shipment, but also at times a coupon for a FREE Happy Meal or a Starbucks coffee. Tim Horton's may also work up in the Great Frozen North.

ummm can your lab become my lab? cause... I like candy. alot.

[Jacqui]

ummm can your lab become my lab? cause... I like candy. alot.

All the GOOD INDEPENDENT labs do it :D

:cheers:

[wolfman]

We have one rep who brings in Pita chips and Hummis. Another brings in Bagels with different flavors of cream cheese or a vegetable tray. If you are going to do something I would recommend alternating it every visit, since not everyone in the office likes the same stuff. In the past we would have one rep ask us what we wanted (donuts, coffee, bagels, etc...) as long as it wasn't too outrageous they would bring it in. Good Luck.

I do agree with everyone else, use your wisdom, knowledge and salesmanship to get in the door and use the gifties as a thank you for being a customer.

[chip anderson]

Still wish they would go back to bringing Canadian Club. Every optician likes that, it's a job requirement.

Chip

[Fezz]

Skip the:

1.) Coffee
2.) Donuts
3.) Bagels
4.) Hummus and pita
5.) Pens
6.) Stale candy
7.) Pizza
8.) Calendars
9.) Booze
10.) Etc., etc., etc.........................

If I see you...it is because I may want to do BUSINESS! Do not waste my time, smell up my office with treats, make the staff back stab each other for their *favorite* chocolate, drop crumbs, and generally disrupt my office MOJO!

Come in on time, lets cut the BS, do business, BEAT IT!

[eyemanflying]

Skip the:

1.) Coffee
2.) Donuts
3.) Bagels
4.) Hummus and pita
5.) Pens
6.) Stale candy
7.) Pizza
8.) Calendars
9.) Booze
10.) Etc., etc., etc.........................

If I see you...it is because I may want to do BUSINESS! Do not waste my time, smell up my office with treats, make the staff back stab each other for their *favorite* chocolate, drop crumbs, and generally disrupt my office MOJO!

Come in on time, lets cut the BS, do business, BEAT IT!

And be sure to bring your 'Monkey Pack'!

[Strab]

I enjoy the food, chocolate, etc. but I wish mostly that reps would give a complimentary pair of frames to me. If I am going to sell your product prove to me it is worthy of my customers by letting me test drive it myself. Yet, I do not have the means of purchasing a frame from every vendor that walks in my door. If you are a new vendor what better way to get your merchandise in the door than to have it being worn by the Optician.