Service based business owners turning down offer to buy them lunch

[sarareyes]

@odgfidelity is that two-sentence quote the entire copy? it currently sounds vague, like idk what i'd be accepting. it reads like 'if you're open to hiring a fancy salesperson, i'll buy you an expensive lunch!' it's weird, it's awkward. like, where are you in all this? don't leave it so wishy-washy with 'if you would be open to hiring someone.' give them your quickest pitch, then tell them you'd like to expand over a fancy lunch. i mean, it's standard stuff, and you're making it weird. @stillstudying got it right.

 

[irinagaler]

@odgfidelity

1). 1% response rate on email is great.

2). Hunters know when they're being hunted. "There ain't no such thing as a free lunch" is taught to everyone, everywhere. It's pretty much part of the basic dad instruction book, and anyone who can afford to hire you can afford to buy lunch, with less bullshit. Honestly, I'm suspicious of everyone at this point and there's no way I'd call you (see #1 though - that's a great response rate).

3). What is the environment like for trades in your area? I don't know about you, but around here the trades are booked out for months. Might be harder to get them to bite right now.

4). They're probably not in their office for lunch. You're not asking them to eat food and listen to you. You're asking them to leave a job site or estimation visit, go back to the office and sit, not selling.

5). Think about offering to show up on a job site with lunch for the crew. This is probably not much more expensive, gives the boss something to offer his guys for free, and you might get to talk to more than one company (multiple trades on site). This works extremely well for the drug reps that come into my wife's office. They go in, flirt with the nurses, give them some bagels or whatever, and shoot their shot.

 

[odgfidelity]

@irinagaler Thanks!

1% is good - but I get 1% without offering to buy them lunch.

Before I actually tested it I went in thinking that the lunch itself would be an irresistible offer that they couldn’t possibly pass up.

But you are definitely right that they are likely thinking to themselves there is no free lunch.

What the free lunch HAS solved is getting these business owners that are interested to actually show up to the call. Without the incentive I’m lucky if 2 or 3 out of 10 that respond they’re interested actually show up

 

[thomascahill]

@odgfidelity You've fallen into the trap of LinkedIn-style one-line paragraphs that looks extremely clickbaity. LinkedIn is notorious for posts like that and honestly it looks mechanical.

 

[jakerd]

@odgfidelity With your wording it sounds like they get a meal once they sign a contract with you...? Is that the case, or is it an incentive to simply get on an initial pitch call with you?

 

[odgfidelity]

@jakerd An incentive

 

[jakerd]

@odgfidelity Yea that would be my only thought. Change it up so it’s clear you’re willing to do that for just a phone call.

“Hey Bob, I’m Joe with Company, and we help businesses like yours get leads, whatever whatever. I’d love to hop on a quick call with you to see if this would be beneficial for you. In exchange we’d love to buy you lunch of your choice (continue with what you said about restaurants).

You going with the burger or lobster?”

Make it your own, but something like that.

 

[audastic]

@odgfidelity It’s too generic and it’s clear you’re fishing, nothing wrong with that, but make it seem like you’ve put time into the message.

Say something about their company, maybe you’ve been researching the best hvac in the state and found said company. You help many other tradesmen reach their new customers. Have lunch with me to find out how I can help you...

 

[lahyormie]

@odgfidelity Yeah, you need to have a micro-commitment in my opinion. These people want to do business with someone they can trust. Work your way up from small projects to larger ones.

 

[qey]

@odgfidelity I think you need to be specific to each business. Tell me what you can do for me. Ex. I'm a painting company and my focus is PPC. I don't really see a reason to respond if I got that email. It's not like free lunch is that convenient (I'd have to tell you what I want, when to deliver, where, have to be at home for zoom call instead of job site, etc).

 

[katxo]

@qey I have increased month over month revenue for painting companies by 15% and increased referral work by 28%. We have proven this out with multiple companies. Would you have 10 minutes next Tuesday to discuss what we do and how it can help your company?

 

[qey]

@katxo Yes, this is a winner

 

[johnweelson]

@odgfidelity Offer to pay them their hourly rate. I can buy myself my favorite lunch and enjoy it without having someone trying to show me their value proposition.

 

[missy0610]

@odgfidelity As a small business owner, I could care less about a free lunch, sorry to be blunt. I also wouldn't want to be put into a position where I feel obligated to buy your service because of a free gift that I received (lunch). I'd be way more receptive if maybe you said that if you don't generate profit for my business, then you won't accept profit for yours. Then, we're both on the line, instead of just me.

 

[segunglorious]

@odgfidelity Where I think you can improve is offering something smaller to add value to their business. Reading your email not only sounds a little desperate ($100 refund?) but it also gives me the impression that I'm going to be sold on some large contract that is going to cost me thousands. The owner doesn't trust you yet so you need to create an "ethical bribe" (EB). This could be lunch but that can add up quickly. A reproducible product such as a market report or Top 10 Ways to Get More Leads or "What Can a Copywriter Do For You" article. Send your EB to them and use it to build up the value of your services (increased leads x% and profits y% or whatever). After you've created interest and desire for the prospect, subtly drop a Call To Action at the end that upsells them a "customized project plan" to implement your services. Put a link to schedule 15 minutes with you where you listen to the client's goals, ask questions, and develop a general idea of which service you offer is best for the client. Then ask for $250 for you to create a customized plan that will help increase leads and profit for your client. If you've done a good job building rapport and showing the value of your service, they should not blink at $250. Deliver them the report and walk them through it in an hour. Explain everything in incredible detail to show how much work it really is. They'll be overwhelmed and won't want to do it themselves. That's your opportunity to say "well I am happy to do this for you. I charge $X per month plus $x retainer". Start high then negotiate down if they don't like your price. Offer a one-time discount (10-25%). Don't go lower. Know your value and stick to it. Once you start getting more customers, rinse and repeat. Also, don't forget to follow up with the clients who opted in to your EB and ask if they would like to schedule 15 minutes. Happy selling!

 

[jojobear]

@odgfidelity Unfortunately, every tradesman I know (roofers, lawncare, plumbing, pest control - hey that's me) is booked until Christmas right now. Getting leads is not a problem we're trying to solve.

My trouble right now is finding & retaining great technicians, and most of my colleagues agree.

Perhaps try to sell them that the leads you can offer are easier to close, with higher profit margins? As a roofer in this position, I'd rather make a higher margin on an easier job than deal with a more complicated client.

 

[axedroid]

@odgfidelity Sounds desperate and needly. You're approaching the sales from an angle of scarcity ... not going to work well.

 

[thejohngauthier]

@odgfidelity As a service based business owner who is incredibly frugal you would definitely catch my interest but whether or not I followed through with investing in your service would depend on what information you provided me. If I'm investing even a penny of my marketing budget I wanna know why I should be and what I should expect. I suggest offering to buy them a meal and deliver it to them IF they are willing to sit down on the phone or video chat and hear your pitch.

 

[glenvin8]

@odgfidelity “If you would be open to a DISCUSSING hosting someone....” Make sure no grammatical errors! I love the idea though. I agree with some of the other posters that it could be re-worded though.

 

[incorporeal]

@odgfidelity Just research each business and tell them 2 or 3 specific things they can do right now that would improve their business.
Ideas that they don’t even need you for but suggestions to help them and to show you actually researched their company.

My guess for most service based businesses these will be the same thing. Update your website more, add key words like “blah blah blah” , have monthly deals to drive traffic whatever it is you do.

90% of companies you send it to won’t do anything with it because they are too busy dealing with some dumbass employee doing something dumb, an inspector being a jackass about something dumb or any of a number of things that come up during the day that frankly marketing is the last thing on their minds.

You want the ones that know they need it and are willing to try it by bringing you in. My guess is most won’t.

Most service companies are run by 50 and 60 year olds that know in their gut they need to be marketing on the internet but don’t want to take the time to get j to it. Also this is the generation that is big on turning lights off to save a nickel so if you get a bite show them how it will benefit them with metrics. Find some data that you can track that can show improvements in their company.

Lunch is great but refer to above where someone does something stupid and you have to rush out.

Also after 3pm is usually the best time late in the week is when it is typically slower.

I own an electrical contracting company with the guy that started it 30 years ago and his son.