Selling to Property Managers

[Randy Smith]

Hello,

I own a cleaning company. I want to reach apartment managers to do their move out cleanings.

I need some advice on "selling."

I visited the properties and gave a packet of information to the leasing agents (the apartment sales reps/gate keepers.)

I'm trying to start off by determining if I am even a salesman. I have never done B2B before. Do you need to sell to apartments, or do they basically get the vendor pricing information and choose the lowest one?

I would assume they pick one of the cleaners towards the lowest 25th percentile in price, try them out, and keep using him if good, or pick a more expensive one if they aren't good.

The sales managers don't want to be talked to...of course. I could try to bust in and talk to them, but I was reading "how i raised myself from failure to success in selling", and Frank suggests making the gamekeepers your friends. He says you should focus on getting appointments.

What advice do you have for me?

Here are a few ideas I have...

Offer discounts/free first time cleanings for the next week (I don't like discounts.)
Create lots of marketing materials (like flyers,) show up every week, and keep asking for an appointment with property managers
Keep trying to bust in, pretend I am looking to rent an apartment, force my way into the property manager's office, do a quick presentation, and give my info (I'm assuming this won't work)
Keep sending emails/calling to set up a 2 minute meeting with the apartment manager

The other question I have is should I create a pitch, or ask likes of questions...or both? Do you like the idea of having a pitch? How do I encourage the other person to talk, but give the impression that I am confident and in control?

Thanks!

Randy

 

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[Stubbers]

Hello,

I own a cleaning company. I want to reach apartment managers to do their move out cleanings.

I need some advice on "selling."

I visited the properties and gave a packet of information to the leasing agents (the apartment sales reps/gate keepers.)

I'm trying to start off by determining if I am even a salesman. I have never done B2B before. Do you need to sell to apartments, or do they basically get the vendor pricing information and choose the lowest one?

I would assume they pick one of the cleaners towards the lowest 25th percentile in price, try them out, and keep using him if good, or pick a more expensive one if they aren't good.

The sales managers don't want to be talked to...of course. I could try to bust in and talk to them, but I was reading "how i raised myself from failure to success in selling", and Frank suggests making the gamekeepers your friends. He says you should focus on getting appointments.

What advice do you have for me?

Here are a few ideas I have...

Offer discounts/free first time cleanings for the next week (I don't like discounts.)
Create lots of marketing materials (like flyers,) show up every week, and keep asking for an appointment with property managers
Keep trying to bust in, pretend I am looking to rent an apartment, force my way into the property manager's office, do a quick presentation, and give my info (I'm assuming this won't work)
Keep sending emails/calling to set up a 2 minute meeting with the apartment manager

The other question I have is should I create a pitch, or ask likes of questions...or both? Do you like the idea of having a pitch? How do I encourage the other person to talk, but give the impression that I am confident and in control?

Thanks!

Randy

Easiest thing to do is call up someone doing the exact same thing in another state, this way you are not competition. Start by introducing yourself, what you are doing and ask if they have a few minutes to talk about the industry.

 

[Get Right]

I market to property managers a lot in one of my B2B businesses. There are 2 ways that work for me:

1. Call them up, say "hey, I'm new to this and want to give you a free apartment cleaning. do you have any quick turn-around units I can help you with?"
2. A lot of apartment managers are actually employees of large parent corporations. Go up the tree, find a (new) friend, have them refer you back down to the manager. This is a GOLD way to get work.

 

[OVOvince]

I market to property managers a lot in one of my B2B businesses. There are 2 ways that work for me:

1. Call them up, say "hey, I'm new to this and want to give you a free apartment cleaning. do you have any quick turn-around units I can help you with?"
2. A lot of apartment managers are actually employees of large parent corporations. Go up the tree, find a (new) friend, have them refer you back down to the manager. This is a GOLD way to get work.

Thanks for the insight here man.

Regarding number 2, how do you get those people to refer you down to the manager?
Do you talk about your business, and they mention that xyz is the property manager, and then you ask for a referral?

Do you have any experience with Direct Mail?

 

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[MKHB]

Thanks for the insight here man.

Regarding number 2, how do you get those people to refer you down to the manager?
Do you talk about your business, and they mention that xyz is the property manager, and then you ask for a referral?

Do you have any experience with Direct Mail?

Find a need, provide a USP (unique selling proposition), become the expert in your field, put the word out that you are unique and it is all about them (customer).

See the world from their point of view (property managers).

What are their biggest issues:

• Getting it done right. Provided detailed info on your SOW, how you will go about it and the systems you employ that ensures it gets done (QC).

• Getting it done quick. Provide hard dates and times and manpower specifics, furnish them with confirmation via email/outlook/CRM.

• Making sure the apartment is show ready and there are no surprises. Offer to be their eyes and ears (especially effective if they are not onsite managers and manage a portfolio) confirm that the apartment is ready and keep an eye out for non cleaning issues that my hamper them renting the unit...punch list items, e.g., doors that don't close/stoppers missing/outlets that don't work, etc.

Direct mail is ineffective, focus on industry specific functions and events.

Join BOMA, IREM, and your local Apartment Association, attend the functions, press the flesh, be prepared to articulate your UPS.
Then just stay on top of them....call call call, stop by, bring gifts, send useful info electronically - offer your assistance - be ready.

 

[Get Right]

Regarding number 2, how do you get those people to refer you down to the manager?

Do you have any experience with Direct Mail?

Direct mail doesn't work for me. I pick up the phone and call them - the secret to B2B sales.

If your product/service is interesting enough upper management will happily send an e-mail blast to all their subordinate property managers. You then follow up by calling each property manager saying "Vice President Susie asked you to follow up with them". If you can't close that, then revamp your product/service.

 

[MKHB]

Direct mail doesn't work for me. I pick up the phone and call them - the secret to B2B sales.

If your product/service is interesting enough upper management will happily send an e-mail blast to all their subordinate property managers. You then follow up by calling each property manager saying "Vice President Susie asked you to follow up with them". If you can't close that, then revamp your product/service.

Well said @Get Right. Name dropping always works in the corporate world; especially when it comes from above.

 

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[OVOvince]

Direct mail doesn't work for me. I pick up the phone and call them - the secret to B2B sales.

If your product/service is interesting enough upper management will happily send an e-mail blast to all their subordinate property managers. You then follow up by calling each property manager saying "Vice President Susie asked you to follow up with them". If you can't close that, then revamp your product/service.

Thanks a lot. Also, when searching for the upper management, should I target any sort of position? ( like in your example, you used the Vice President) Or should I target a more relevant position like the Marketing Director?

 

[Get Right]

Thanks a lot. Also, when searching for the upper management, should I target any sort of position? ( like in your example, you used the Vice President) Or should I target a more relevant position like the Marketing Director?

Call the main phone number. Ask who you should speak to regarding your innovative new way to look at cleaning. Be nice. If you get ignored, be nicer.

If you get sent to voicemail - ALWAYS leave a message.

If you get transferred to the wrong person, call the main line again. Be super nice and say "oops, I think I got to the wrong person would you mind transferring me again

Talk to anybody that will listen. Ask them who else you should talk to.

 

[OVOvince]

Call the main phone number. Ask who you should speak to regarding your innovative new way to look at cleaning. Be nice. If you get ignored, be nicer.

If you get sent to voicemail - ALWAYS leave a message.

If you get transferred to the wrong person, call the main line again. Be super nice and say "oops, I think I got to the wrong person would you mind transferring me again

Talk to anybody that will listen. Ask them who else you should talk to.

Okay, it sounds like I should learn how to talk on the phone. Any good places to start...?

 

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[Get Right]

Okay, it sounds like I should learn how to talk on the phone. Any good places to start...?

Sure, but first a test.

Call 5 potential customers in an area you WILL NOT be servicing. Call somewhere out in Wyoming or something. Practice your pitch.

Post your results and I'll move you to step #2

 

[SteveO]

There is a demand in my location. Many of the companies here are overbooked and have long lead times.

Some of the larger companies have a cleaning staff on hand. I would look for smaller to midsized apartments. They don't usually have offices or people staff on the property full time.

How much do you charge? We expect the world out of our cleaners. I can't imagine that there would be much money in this unless you can really scale it up.