Your Toughest Competitors Can Be Your Best Source for Leads

by Ann Barr
 

In a very competitive industry - where businesses are selling exactly the same products - some businesses (considered competitors) are actually helping each other.  If you are not familiar with this practice, you may be surprised to learn about it.

How to Solicit Business from Your Competitors

     This was hard for me to believe when I first heard about it ten years ago. But over the years, several different office equipment dealers in various parts of the country have told me similar stories.  And then, last month I saw a question and answer posted on an industry message board that describes the process perfectly.

     If you are an office equipment dealer, you probably consider the discount super stores your toughest competitors.  But these stores can actually be your best source for leads.

New Customers

 Last month I saw this message – and question - posted by Judd in Florida on the Industry Board at www.ImagerZone.com

     "Some people have told me that they hand out business cards to managers at Office Depot, OfficeMax etc. They give these cards or refer people to them when they bring back a machine for repair.

     “We are HP, Samsung, Xerox printer and Brother authorized for service.

     "Think this is a possibility?  If so I will make new cards that just say service and don’t promote toner or equipment sales."

This was the surprising response posted by Todd in Ohio:

"Once a month we deliver one dozen doughnuts, some flyers, and business cards to our local Staples, CompUSA, OfficeMax, and (used to be) Gateway, stores. We have done this for three or four years now and it has really paid off. I couldn't even begin to tell you how many new service customers we get from this.

     "CompUSA has called us asking for more of our business cards!

     "It's amazing how much a dozen doughnuts can do for business!"

Lead-Exchange Agreements
 

   Todd’s story is similar to other stories I have heard during the past ten years. Think about it.  When a discount store sells a printer or other equipment that they don’t service, this is an opportunity for you if you service the equipment.  Visit your local Office Max or Staples.  Ask to see the manager and introduce yourself. Let him/her know that you can provide a service their store does not offer.  This works especially well when you find a store manager who wants to keep customers happy.

Sweeten the Deal with Doughnuts

     In many cases, dealers have told me they offer to exchange leads in this way: 

     If a customer at the discount store asks for a product the store does not carry and does not want to order (it may be an old style typewriter ribbon or cartridge) the store manager refers the customer to the local dealer.  In exchange, the office equipment dealer who does not sell pens, pencils, file folders, etc., will refer his customer – who is looking to buy those products - to the specific discount store he has a lead-exchange agreement with.

     And you may find more success getting new leads by following Todd’s example:  Visit the store once a month with a dozen doughnuts to build and maintain the relationship.

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Ann Barr is a consultant and sales trainer who has

written eight books on sales and marketing
available on her web site www.sellingsupplies.com