Cold-calls

**optigrrl** · 11-09-2007, 01:47 AM

When I managed dispensaries I was 'visited' on a regular basis by new reps dropping in unannounced. Usually it was at the most inconvenient time.

They would leave cards, but I couldn't prioritize that phone call.

None of them called me to schedule an introductory appointment or even sent info -

But - if given the choice, what would you feel to be the most polite way to ask you to look at a new line?

**Chris Ryser** · 11-09-2007, 04:20 AM

When I started as a rep, I tried every way to get to see a customer. Usually phone calls did not work very often for a new rep.

The only way to make a good contact was to walk in without any samples or just one or two frames of the best selling ones in the pocket. Try to make a conversation and an appointment and maybe pull the frames out of the pocket. Very often just sold these frames as a starter and had opened an account that would develop later.

**optirep** · 11-09-2007, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by Chris Ryser

When I started as a rep, I tried every way to get to see a customer. Usually phone calls did not work very often for a new rep.

The only way to make a good contact was to walk in without any samples or just one or two frames of the best selling ones in the pocket. Try to make a conversation and an appointment and maybe pull the frames out of the pocket. Very often just sold these frames as a starter and had opened an account that would develop later.

I hope your sitting down Chris! I agree with you 100%

**Chris Ryser** · 11-09-2007, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by optirep

I hope your sitting down Chris! I agree with you 100%

I was sitting down Mike..............but nearly fell of the stool.

When I had my frame company as distributor for L'Amy and Nigura in the 60s and 70s.
I opened up all territories in Canada myself before I could hire reps to do them, they would have starved doing a start from zero.

Also had to learn the hard way and know all about the nice opticians and optometrists who can't say no ..............to the ones that can't say yes. The ones that like the shape but not the color and the ones that like the color but not the shape.

Used to go to Toronto worked all week and came back with $ 2,000 on orders until a competitor told me there was an optometrist that was looking for french frames. I had never seen the guy because he was upstairs in a old 2 story building with a piece of packing paper with his name written with a marking pen................just looked too cheap for my fancy european frames.

I phoned for an appointment and was told to be there next Monday at 6.45am. I drove all night, 9 hours, there were no highways then. Got there in time and was told here is a coffe for you and you have 15 minutes until the first patients arrive.

In those 15 minutes he bought $ 4,000 of frames and told me to go and see 2 friends of his and show them the order if they were playing tough.

I had to go drink coffee until 9.00am to see the first one. When I saw him opening the door I made my move. He told me that he did need anything. So I let him know about his friends order, which made him change the mood instantly, and he said: to make it short, just give me the same order. He never looked at the frame and I left 10 min later with another order for $4,000.

Then went to see the third one at 10.am and had to wait until 11.30, but ended up with a third time of a same order. So Monday at lunch time I had a total $ 12,000 in 3 sales. Just those 3 accounts continued for many years to re-order between 200 to 300 frames each per month.

From that date on I never passed by a crummy looking store without checking it out. :cheers:

**Lee Prewitt** · 11-09-2007, 11:23 AM

Heck of a story Chris! Don't we all wish to run into these situations on a regular basis. But it does show the power of the personal referral doesn't it?

**Dougfir8** · 11-10-2007, 05:55 PM

What about the sales rep who respectfully makes an appointment, drives to a remote town, and the optician says, "Sorry, I forgot, and am too busy now"! Or worse yet, doesn't even include the "Sorry" part.

**cocoisland58** · 11-09-2007, 06:32 AM

If I'm busy I really can't stop and even look at anything they might have brought with them. Always leave a catalog with prices and a card. I will look at it when I have time. If you follow up with a phone call I will tell you if I'm interested.

If you catch me when I'm not busy I won't be rude but unless you have something that isn't already on my board in one form or another or a price to beat everyone else, why do I want to talk to you? If you ever pull frames out of your pocket I wouldn't like that at all. If you bring in a small sample tray with six of your best sellers that would be fine.

I always tell the cold callers the style of frame and price point I'm looking for and that they are welcome to stop in again if they have something they think would fit that bill. Funny, they never return.

**AdmiralKnight** · 11-09-2007, 09:44 AM

I prefer a dropin. If a new rep calls me, and I have no idea who they are, and what they're product is, I'm less likely to even want to book an appointment with them. In fact, I prefer they drop in when I'm busy, because it gives me an idea what they'll be like. If they're patient, and understanding, I'll be more likely to take them seriously than if they're pacing back and fourth, looking at their watch every 5 seconds. Give me your card, and a catalog if you have one, and we go from there. No matter how busy you are, you will find 2-3 minutes to exchange names etc, and that's all that first meeting should be.

**Opticia_n** · 09-21-2021, 10:24 PM

Very difficult to convince someone on the phone because you don’t know who they are, how the product looks like.

Although I do prefer a heads up phone call a walk in is better to get a feel of the individual.

**KrystleClear** · 09-23-2021, 11:56 AM

I prefer reps make an appointment ahead of time. That way myself and my co-optician can arrange to both be present and we can schedule it during a slow time. Otherwise, we have a rep pulling out frame trays and taking up space and patients still coming in needing adjustments, repairs, and wanting to pick out frames. We only have one dispensing area and a island table that is also a frame display, so we don't have the space to multi-task like that, and we only have one optician working at a time. I like us both to make decisions on what frames we bring in.

**NAICITPO** · 09-23-2021, 06:43 PM

It feels like if you give reps an inch they take a mile. I like to be in control of the situation, always make an appointment to come see us. We also don't let them run our boards, we have an exact amount of each brand we want and we stick to it. So when a rep comes in after they check our stock we tell them exactly how many we need. Just makes it easier...

**mervinek** · 09-24-2021, 08:06 AM

We do board allocation here. It works quite well and reps don't take over. A new rep stopping by is ok if only to drop off their card or paper information. I tell them if I'm interested we will contact them to schedule an appointment. We do everything by appointment. I was quite angry with a new rep with an unknown company that came in while I was working with a patient and wouldn't take no for an answer and proceeded to open trays on our counter while I was working! Kicked her out and said not to come back. My patients get the priority. Some reps are awesome and worth their weight in gold... others just pain suck.