How Can Stone Design Firm Find Sales Quarry?

Q: I’m responsible for creating a sales and marketing plan for a new design firm specializing in granite, marble, travertine, limestone and tile. Where can I find prospects?

--Carolyn Ueunten,

Redondo Beach

*

A: Gather contact lists from your top management and sales people, some of whom have undoubtedly worked in this industry previously. Contact previous customers and introduce them to the new company, perhaps by holding a social event in your office.

Search out networking groups and associations for marketing people who work in architectural firms. Ask your peers in similar firms what networking events they attend; most will be generous with this kind of information. Look for published meeting calendars and attend any that are germane to your firm. Ask your suppliers who else purchases their materials.

There are firms, including Dun & Bradstreet and Standard & Poor’s, that sell cold-calling lists, but you may want to try other avenues before you go that route. Check out building industry publications and trade journals aimed at contractors, and ask your local Chamber of Commerce and other business groups which building firms dominate the local market.

There’s a group called Women in Construction that meets in downtown Los Angeles. The membership is mostly made up of owners of subcontracting firms, but women tend to help other women more than men will help them, so it might be worth your time to attend some of their meetings.

Be aware that your plan should be not only to meet prospects but also to stay in touch with them for the long term. You’re not selling paper clips; you’re selling expensive products, and it’s not unlikely that sales could take six months to a year to close. You need to stay in relationship-building mode with many of the firms you contact initially. And you need to make sure that your management understands that.

--Sylvia Rose, small-business

marketing, training and

consulting, Client/Member

Services, Santa Monica

*

Q: We have a successful business providing services to financial firms. But in our efforts to expand, we’ve been getting serious stonewalling from individuals we know are not the decision makers. Do you have any suggestions on how we can improve our contact procedures?

--Mary and Tony Scaran, Orange

*

A: This is a very common problem I call “getting stuck with the gatekeeper.” The gatekeeper can be a receptionist, a human resources person or even voicemail. The reality is that companies hate cold calls and obvious sales pitches, and the prospect who senses a sales pitch coming on automatically shuts down.

It sounds as if your sales technique needs some work. Why should anyone listen to your story? What makes you different from the competition? You should be able to answer those questions in a 30-second “commercial” that gives your prospects a reason to stay on the line or to pass you up the management chain instead of shrugging you off.

What is the mentality of your salesperson making the calls? Is this someone who becomes uncomfortable when faced with rejection? Or someone who panics if he or she actually does get through to the right person?

True, it is important to do the research, so you know who the decision makers are and can target them specifically, but it is even more important that your salesperson have the right mind-set. Selling is a profession, and you should get your sales personnel trained and coached if they aren’t already.

There are many sales courses that teach people how to be comfortable with prospects and how to present the company in a make-or-break setting. There’s also a book by Anthony Parinello, “Selling to Vito: The Very Important Top Officer,” which I recommend highly.

--Scott Bailey, Bailey Marketing Concepts, sales coaching, Irvine

*

Q: I am starting an Internet-based business selling used and antique books. I would like to be able to accept credit card purchases, but I don’t know how a small Web start-up can offer the option to customers. I fear that going through my bank will be too expensive. What do you recommend?

--Barbara Yaney,

Blythe Spirit Antiques, Aurora, Ill.

*

A: Many Internet businesses are finding that the simplest solution to online credit card processing is to align with a payment “gateway” service. These intermediaries typically charge one-time registration fees and then a monthly minimum or a per-transaction fee. In exchange for that, the company will process the orders that come in through your Web site. It has relationships with multiple banks and can verify payment information and process many kinds of credit card payments. Some of the companies will also process checks from customers who prefer paying by mail.

The key to finding a reliable, reasonably priced credit card processor is to educate yourself about the system and to identify the best deal for your company.

We talked to our client base in the financial community to see whom they worked with and got recommendations from them. Another good idea is to talk to other online merchants, perhaps in a small-business forum. Ask your current bank whom it would recommend. Make sure you ask security questions, so you can ensure your customers that your Web site will carry their financial data over a secure pipeline.

It’s very important for you to feel comfortable that your solution is something that will make your customers secure. You should do some research on the Internet, searching under key words such as “e-commerce” and “electronic payment systems.”

You will need to get a merchant account set up with a bank that is open to doing business with e-commerce companies, and a good processing service can help you do that as well. The E-Commerce Times online newsletter (https://www.ecommercetimes.com) has some information dealing with the topic of credit card processing.

--Steve Viarengo, product

manager, Commerce One Inc.,

business-to-business

e-commerce, Walnut Creek

*

If you have a question about how to start or operate a small business, mail it to Karen E. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 1333 S. Mayflower Ave., Suite 100, Monrovia, CA 91016, or e-mail it to kklein6349@aol.com. Include your name, address and telephone number. This column is designed to answer questions of general interest. It should not be construed as legal advice.