Has anyone got experience with cold-visiting businesses?

[UKBUSS]

Has anyone got experience with this kind of marketing?
I'm planning to do it because I think it is more efficient than email marketing. I planning to visit accommodation businesses and selling/offer them my web service application. Email marketing is not working because I need to help them to install this application into their websites.I cannot find much information about this marketing method. Maybe someone here has done it.

 

[Mike W]

more efficient than email marketing.

Can't imagine in a month of Sundays that that could be right. Greater chance to converse, yes. greater conversion rate probably ...but 'more efficient'? No chance.

Get your email marketing right and it'll perform far better than it has done. It still won't get as high a conversion rate as face-to-face but it'll be far less soul destroying and a whole lot more efficient.

 

[BustersDogs]

I went round loads of vets, grooming parlours and pet shops to get my face known and give cards out (as well as take cards for referrals). It's only really worked to bring in work in the places that have notice boards where I can pin my info onto. The only exception was one pet shop who almost snatched the leaflets out of my hand when I went in, because two of my customers happened to meet up in the shop (they recognised each other's dogs from photos on my site) and were raving about me.

 

[telemax]

Has anyone got experience with this kind of marketing?
I'm planning to do it because I think it is more efficient than email marketing. I planning to visit accommodation businesses and selling/offer them my web service application. Email marketing is not working because I need to help them to install this application into their websites.I cannot find much information about this marketing method. Maybe someone here has done it.

I would say that with the backlash to locally based businesses, cold visiting in person is one of the most effective ways to market yourself. Be aware you will be engulfed with cups of tea!!

 

[TrafficGenerationSecrets]

I used to do this for another business I own. Its very effective if you catch the owner in, but often they are out...its a numbers game but if you know your pitch, have a good sales presentation and a nice smile you'll do well.

 

[Cynic]

Greater conversion but it lacks scale.

 

[Green Onion]

Cold visiting can work well if your product is quick to present and you can close for an order immediately. I used this approach when I was working in Pharma. I would be selling to independent pharmacies and 19 out of 20 visits I would get to speak to the owner. Would get an order around 15 out of 20 visits. So did work well however was a very straight forward proposition that didn't take up too much of their time.

Your product sounds like it is going to need more of a time investment from them so I'm not sure this approach will work. By all means try it as you may be able to make it work for you. If it doesn't and you still want to explore face to face cold visiting options why not try organising an event around your topic. Prepare a good presentation then cold visit potential customers to invite to the event. If you can think of other topics they would be interested in and have another talk on something unrelated to your product but something that adds value to them.

One of the keys to being great in sales is being open minded to options. Explore them, monitor your results and adapt as necessary.

Good Luck!

Tom