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Re: Reaching Out
AMEN.
Please copy me on any answers to this question.
I stopped advertising in Yellow Pages in 1994, after they screwed me on
placement after 4 years of earning priority.
I worried in 1995 that this would mean I was going to go out of business, but
in reality 1995 was the best year ever based on referrals from ecstatically
happy customers. However, this ride seems to be coming to an end this year
and I am scared. Those old phone books are only saved by some people for so
long, too.
All the other means of selling I have tried have been poor. The Yellow pages
do have a lot of credibility. Lots of my customers take my cards and throw
them away, sure that if I am worth contacting, the can always find me again
in the Yellow Pages when the time comes.
My best contacts actually come from contractors, architects and
high-technology corporate accounts, but they don't like to be contacted. They
like to take the initiative and resent it when you contact them first. Am I
doing something wrong?
I also have found it almost impossible to get in with any corporate accounts
on a regular basis. I have many of these, but got them mostly by chance.
Trying to pull in more of these seems almost impossible. You get a wall of
subordinates around the decision makers which I have found almost
impenetrable. I sometimes feel I am getting the bums rush as if I am a
salesman or peddler. How do you overcome this?
HELP
Jeff Golin