Here is a great email that was forwarded to me. This is a successful AMSOIL Direct Jobber in Louisiana that is also a full time Deputy Sheriff.
He talks about how he landed 5 new accounts.
Now, in my last email, I told everyone how nervous and petrified of this I was! 3 were business’s that I have mailed packets to several times over the past few years. The 4th was a oil change location that I had signed up several years ago and had not ordered in about a year. I signed all 3 locations! and the 4th location, the oil change shop, placed a order for several cases of oil.
My 1st account is a junk yard with 2 tow trucks, bulldozers to move cars and several ATV’s to get around the junk yard. Best part, their is a AMSOIL dealer that lives within a block of this location. This is what I preach to new dealers, it doesn’t matter how many dealers are in a area, if those dealers aren’t out there looking for the business, it isn’t going to come to them.
2nd account was a NAPA store in Gonzales. When I went speak to them, they had been looking for a AMSOIL dealer and had customers looking for motorcycle oil. The fact that I have 7 other successful NAPA stores , I felt helped me sign this account.
My 3rd account is a ATV / Dirt Bike location in Baton Rouge. Now, remember , Baton Rouge is loaded with AMSOIL dealers. And here is a retail store on one of the busiest streets in Baton Rouge and 5 blocks away from the biggest mall in Louisiana. The owner was also looking for Amsoil but had a bad experience when a pushy dealer came to his store several months back and basically got kicked out the store. This dealer ( I have an idea who it is , since I’ve heard similar stories) told him that AMSOIL was so good, that he would have to get rid of his other products and exclusively sell Amsoil. The dealer would not shut up long enough to listen to the owners questions, concerns and needs. So I had to repair that bridge. Owner is ready to sign and wants me to come sit down with him next Wednesday to discuss his order and marketing for his store.
Now each of these accounts, I went immediately in my vehicle and registered them in the dealer zone under Retail registrations. They were approved in less then a hour. When I got home, I faxed the Tax sheets needed and Monday , both locations have orders ready to go.
I am now working next on my list for next Wednesday. There is a large NAPA store on the westbank of the river I have been mailing to and think they are ready. But there are 2 very big NAPA’s in another part of state in the opposite direction and I have a inside on the guy that runs both of them. I will probably hit those after I finalize the ATV store. In other words guys I have preached this over and over; The business is out there, its up to us to go and get it.
Some of you who I have spoken to, know I am concentrating hard on my AMSOIL business due to the loss of Overtime at the Sheriff’s office. EVERYDAY, I devote at least 1 hour to it. Whether that’s simply sending welcome letters, looking for potential dealers on my forums, or updating my facebook page. I set a personal goal for myself to sign 15 accounts in the month of June. I have signed 6 so far. The other 2 came from T-1 if I recall correctly. So I am almost halfway to that goal and have more then 3/4 of the month left. Just imagine with 15 accounts start rolling orders in, even small orders, these will add up. 15 more accounts in July, then a HUGE hunting show in August, it could get huge!!!
Customers and accounts are everywhere you just have to have the courage to make contact with them. Over time, by building a relationship you will see success.
Getting started is the hardest part, once you get past those initial fears it becomes easier and easier every time you go out and talk to a potential AMSOIL customer. As you can see in the message above, some of these new customers were looking for AMSOIL and didn’t know where to find it. Others were previous contacts that either hadn’t ordered in a while or were not ready. Follow up is a key activity you should do in your daily activities.
Feel free to use and download our Customer Prospecting sheet available in the Custom Documents section of this dealer training site.