Re: I Want Out

["ABLE1" <nospamhere@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hey John, Jim as some really good points in there. :-)
Too bad he didn't read your original posting.

Good luck!!




"Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1a14141a-101e-4a4b-a295-37aa88ccbdcd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Thursday, January 23, 2014 8:01:19 PM UTC-5, John Smith wrote:
> Well, I have had one extreme lowballer, and a couple that talked the talk,
>
> but when it came down to talking about numbers just stopped responding.
>
>

Hi John, I don't know where or how you obtain your leads from. I no longer
have to hunt for leads but back in the day, I would designate a day to go
door to door in shopping centers just asking if people wanted an alarm
system. I would note where new shopping centers were being built, keep a log
of my visits and noting possible installs and when to re-vist to take
another shot at getting the job. Don't quote anything elaborate, front door,
back door, glass break and that's it. Keep the price as low as you can. Be
prepared for a high attrition rate as small business fail. So make sure you
don't get into any long term payment agreements. What worked for me
(depending upon the size of the job)  was to ask for two to four hundred up
front and $40.00 a month until the total was paid off then it would drop to
$20.00 per month. Really, equipment is paid for by he $200 and the $40/60
per month is your profit to be paid off in a few months. Even if they go out
of business in 6 months your ahead. Some of these accounts will thrive and
eventually you'll get their homes and referral. Another thing I've always
done it to write a brief newsletter every 3 to 4 months that I include with
the monitoring bill. Nothing fancy, just a single sided typed review of some
of the jobs you're doing, some statistics about the advantages of owning an
alarm system, how to check their alarms etc, etc. And of course outlining
what services you provide. Offer a month or two or three credit to anyone
making a referral that turns into a job. Don't do random mailings. Depending
upon the neighborhood, sometimes door hangers work. And don't forget to stop
in at every construction site and ask to speak to the builder, foreman or
homeowner or get their telephone numbers to follow up. If no one is there,
tape you card to the front door. Write a short personal note on the card,
telling them what you can do for them.

Just remember, you're sowing seeds. Some will come up and some wont but
eventually if you get enough seed out there it begins to grow a crop that
you don't expect. I've had people call me two years after I scouted a
housing project while it was under construction.

Also, networking with other trades helps some too. Join a business club in
your area. The insurance guy will have a customer that's had a break in, the
contractor will be rebuilding a house that had a fire, the plumbers customer
had a flood ...... and so on.

Don't fret over the lowballers and free alarm phonies out there. Their
customers were never your customers to begin with. Anyone that believes they
can get something for nothing isn't smart enough to be your customer.