Handling sales people

Disclaimer: I used to be one of those business owners that dodged sales people but I have since found a courteous and professional way to manage any sales requests for my time.

Every business owner gets a wide range of calls each week from advertising salespeople, food supply sales people, print companies and God knows what else. I used to abruptly rebuff any requests for my time by cutting them off and saying I'm not interested. Or perhaps you have one of your staff block their way (the "gatekeeper" philosophy) or just simply be the renegade owner that absolutely no-one can reach.

Consider this - What if your customers had to be called to set meeting times with them to sell your restaurant services? Can you imagine how difficult it would be? Put yourself in a sales persons shoes - they've got a tough job.

Here is a brief and simple way to manage all the requests:

1. Block off time each week to meet with solicitors or salespeople. For example, I pick 3 days a week that I have blocked off 30 minutes for this type of thing. This is the only time I will speak with them unless I REALLY have some free time to talk with them.
2. When someone calls, I check my calendar and advise them I can meet (or speak) with them on Sept 5th between 2:30-3pm. Yes, it's May 7th and that is a ways off but that is the earliest you will meet with them. If they persist during this time, advise them they just lost the appointment and you will not do business with their company. Most will wait as they now have an appointment with them.
3. During you schedule meeting time, honor your appointment. Don't blow them off or fill the meeting time with a subordinate. You've made the commitment - honor it!
4. Be open minded and ask questions. Ask how this will help your business. Ask for references from happy customers (like they'd give you unhappy customers). Engage in the conversation!
5. Budgeting is great but many times pricing is controlled by how quickly you can act. Leave room in your budget for opportunities you may not have thought to consider. I recommend 30% of your advertising budget, 20% of your food expenditures, etc. Your the restaurant owner and I'm sure you know the numbers.
6. Never accept an appointment you don't plan to attend! You will open the flood gates to more phone calls and pop-ins from salespeople. You really leave them no choice.

Salespeople are just that: people. Treat them like you would your customers as many of them ARE your customers. I've called on many restaurants for MenuSearch that were my favorite restaurants that I may eat at once a week. When the owners treated me poorly, I made this commitment: "I'm no longer a customer of their restaurant".

Yes, salespeople want to sell you something. More than likely you need it and more than likely you're dealing with a customer. Show them the respect and if you're happy with your current supplier or can't afford it, be honest. Tell them the reason why you will not do business with them but will keep their information on file. You never know when you need to make a change!

EVERYONE THAT CALLS OR WALKS THROUGH YOUR DOOR IS A POTENTIAL CUSTOMER - If they aren't a customer now, they may be in the future. I'm a customer of all my MenuSearch.Net clients. Don't shoot yourself in the foot.