Phoenix traders - what is your most successful selling technique?

allIcouldwishfor

Oooh, well done skeeter, it's nice when they land in your lap like that isn't it?!

I did a brochure drop last Friday, collected on Monday/Tuesday, I got 2 orders from about 35 catalogues, which I was quite happy with. I've decided the brochures are not working their magic sat in my cupboard, so my aim is to keep turning over the doorstep drops twice a week in order to gradually build up my customer base.

My first confirmed toddler group is 28th April, I'm going to aim to do one a month to start with, I think. I've also started writing to pta's asking them to bear me in mind for events.

My overall strategy seems to be "if you throw enough mud at a wall, some of it will stick!"

skeeter_2

It has taken a while for the benefits of 'word of mouth' to take effect, although yes it is nice to be asked instead of being the one doing the asking!

Two orders is a respectable amount to generate from your brochure drop, and yes you are right, the brochures are not doing anything for you whilst in your cupboard!

Have you contacted many toddler groups?

sunshine_girl_2

Hi all

Your post re brochure drops has inspired me to try again allIcouldwishfor! Have done 3 or 4 brochure drops so far but only two orders and lost several brochures last time but I will try again. Ordered another 50 brochures which should arrive tomorrow so will get delivering next week - children on school holidays so they can help out! Good news re the Summer fete skeeter, could do with some calls like that myself. Doing my first Coffee and Cards event next week which is good news although the lady hosting it has now told me she's got someone else coming too - doing Pampered Chef so it will be a shared event - not ideal although I suppose could mean more people coming along so we'll see.

Hope everyone's having a good week - keep posting, feel in need of inspiration!

skeeter_2

You could actually do a brochure drop using the supplements rather than the brochure, losing supplements is more cost effective than losing brochures. Then if you do get any orders, you can give the brochure to your new clients.

allIcouldwishfor

That's a really good idea Skeeter, particularly if you put a note in saying something along the lines of "contact me if you would like to order from the full range catalogue". Would you still drop them in poly bags? If people leave them out they might blow away!

skeeter_2

allIcouldwishfor wrote: »

That's a really good idea Skeeter, particularly if you put a note in saying something along the lines of "contact me if you would like to order from the full range catalogue". Would you still drop them in poly bags? If people leave them out they might blow away!

I would also include a freepost card, order form etc. just as I would if doing a drop using the brochures.

Although I would not be too worried about not getting the supplements back, at the cost of 3p each!

sunshine_girl_2

Thanks skeeter and allIcouldwishfor, great idea - will give it a go next week and report back!

blue_butterfly_4

Hi Everyone just to let you know that my toddler group went well and I'm going back next week to pick up a couple of orders and one lady was interested in a party. I was also brave and contacted a lady regarding a local may fair event, I left a message, and she phoned me back to say that she would love me to attend! So feel so much better now; particulary after another lady was rude to me on the phone the other day! It has restored my confidence in phoning people with enquiries.:D Hope everyone is doing ok with parties, brochure drops and open days etc

skeeter_2

Glad to hear that the toddler group was a success .........

allIcouldwishfor

Hi all, hope it's going well.

I've booked another 2 toddler groups for May, done 3 more brochure drops, although one of them resulted in no orders, which I was a bit miffed about. How long do you leave brochures with people? I think maybe I've been collecting them too quickly - drop Fri, collect Mon and vice versa so that I can turn them round twice in a week, but maybe people need them for a whole week.

I still haven't got round to having a launch party - not sure it's a good idea in the holidays when people would have to bring their kids with them and lots of people are away also, so I might do that at the very end of the month.

How did your party go Sunshine?