Service based business owners turning down offer to buy them lunch

[odgfidelity]

Hey everyone! I’m a copywriter working with a digital marketing agency to generate them meetings with local service based business owners - painting, roofing, plumbing, HVAC.

In my experience the big problem with selling to small businesses is getting them to actually show up to calls.

So, with that in mind the offer I came up with for them is that they would buy the business owner lunch (and dessert) from any restaurant of their choice and have it delivered to them wherever they are working from (their home or office) through DoorDash, GrubHub, etc.

We’ve tested the copy with cold email and we’ve booked 6 lunches. Of those 6 they’ve closed 4 deals, which is amazing.

The show up rate is 100% but the response rate is pitiful (1% or less)

Here’s how I framed the offer in the email

“If you would be open to hiring someone to generate leads for you (we charge a monthly retainer + ad spend), I’d love to buy you your favorite meal (no matter how expensive) from your favorite restaurant or a place you’ve always always wanted to eat at but never wanted to spend the money on.”

For those of you that own service based businesses - is there anything we can do to make their offer more attractive?

EDIT: Here’s the whole email

Hi! Can I buy you lunch this week?

I can have it delivered to your office (or wherever you are working from).

I own a digital marketing agency that generates leads locally for roofers.

If you would be open to a discussing hiring someone to generate leads for you (we charge a monthly retainer + ad spend), I’d love to buy you your favorite meal from your favorite restaurant or a place you’ve always always wanted to eat at but never wanted to spend the money on.

I just had a grass fed steak delivered to a local roofer for lunch yesterday.

I can have it delivered to you through DoorDash, PostMates, UberEats, etc.

All we ask in return is that you be available for a half hour phone call (or Zoom call) during your lunch to hear about what marketing you’ve tried in the past, share some ideas with you, and so we can come up with an action plan for you.

If after the call you feel as though the half hour of your time has been wasted or you did not learn anything valuable to your business I’ll gladly reimburse you $100 for your time.

Please let me know what day/time works best, where you’d like us to order from, and what you want us to order!

Thanks!

 

[stillstudying]

@odgfidelity "I love your business and I think we can help you generate leads. In normal times I'd buy you lunch to talk further, but considering the risk we find it safer to have a meal through postmates. Are you open to a zoom discussion over a postmates meal from your favorite place?"

Make it about their business first, then the normal business interaction for a sales call (discussion over lunch) then finally your pivot on the structure considering the limitations. If I got the above it would feel less weird.

 

[rscaroline446]

@stillstudying I wouldnt say "but considering the risk" because a lot of people are sick of everything and their businesses being shut down. I would say something more like "and in these crazy times we would love to send you a meal through postmastes"

 

[mewmew]

@stillstudying OP, this ^ sounds more inviting and as a small business owner I'd be more inclined to respond to the above email.

 

[shlewis]

@stillstudying Yeah I agree with this, business first, lunch 2nd.

 

[nahkow]

@odgfidelity It seems like you're implying that they can't buy their own lunch and that the focus is more on the lunch than the offer? Makes sense the closing is working if your offer is good, but TBH I would expect lunch out of most meetings so I'd probably want to hear more about the lead generation upfront and less about the delivery.

 

[segunglorious]

@nahkow Agreed. Lunch should be a perk but there needs to be a stronger focus on the offer. I’d also offer a smaller product or service (e.g. market report). A monthly service and retainer is a big jump.

 

[robinsonlighting]

@odgfidelity

I’ll gladly reimburse you $100 for your time.

You're already buying them lunch. Honestly, that just sounds desperate.

Plus it assumes the value of someones time before you even ask how much they charge for it.

Lastly, are you really willing to part with $100 after you don't land the client? Are you going to want to do that after the 10th lunch?