If you want to discuss TOLL Positions, here's a new thread.

Here is a couple of basic ways I like to uncover DEMAND.

Hello Mr. Grocery store manager. I come into your store every week and I got to thinking. "What products do you find that you can't keep enough on your selves that your customers keep inquiring about?"

Hello Mr. Hardware store manager. I come into your store often and I got to wondering, "What products sell better? And how often are you running out of them?"

When they tell me I then ask, "How do these companies get their products onto your selves? I mean, who would they contact about bringing a product to your business to sell on your selves?"

Once I've uncovered DEMAND and distribution data, I would then move on to the next competitor and ask them the same thing. Once I get a general consensus of what grocery stores or hardware stores sell the most of, then I know what product to look for.

Grant it, it's basic geographic leg work, but the data I bring away from meeting these people will keep me focused on their DEMAND and not my LOVE of a product.

That's fine if you can get a manager to talk to you. In the real world, their just not going to divulge sensitive information like that unless they know you, and trust you're not going to run to the competition.

I know for a fact if you go into a big box store asking questions like that, there not going to have time to talk to you, and may even become paranoid wondering if you are the competition.

I've found some pretty good products going to Trade Shows (you don't have to be a member of that Trade...just have a Generic business card to get in. In fact, Bill Myers gave me an idea many moons ago that I've used to get in some pretty hard-credentialed shows; Make up a "Press Pass"!)

And....I try to go to the BIG Flea Markets when I can.

Just "browse thru"....looking for ONE THING;

Which booths have BIG TRAFFIC....or are very busy!

Find the booths that have HOT products or programs and "make a deal with them"!

Don Alm

Jerald,

Originally Posted by Jerald

That's fine if you can get a manager to talk to you. In the real world, their just not going to divulge sensitive information like that unless they know you, and trust you're not going to run to the competition.

I know for a fact if you go into a big box store asking questions like that, there not going to have time to talk to you, and may even become paranoid wondering if you are the competition.

Thank you for your feedback.

It sounds like this may have been your experience, but fortunately it is not mine. And just because you say it's not possible, doesn't make it so.

One of the skills a traveling salesman must learn is how to get people to talk to you freely. For me I'm always honing that skill.

I walk into businesses every day and you would be shocked at the amount of information people will reveal to you when you ask them the right questions.

Owners, rather than managers will give you more information because they are proud of what they have. If you are willing to take the time to find out how they started the business, they will reveal tons of DEMAND information.

Recently, I spoke to a store manager of a very large retail business, and they revealed to me why certain products are displayed in Kiosk format and why others will always be displayed on a shelve.

And why is that important DEMAND information? Well that's information I'll keep under my hat for now.

Originally Posted by L.B. Jenkins

Jerald,





One of the skills a traveling salesman must learn is how to get people to talk to you freely. For me I'm always honing that skill.

I never said it wasn't possible, my added point is that you have to build rapport before any store manager or owner will talk to you. You confirmed my point by saying as a traveling salesman, you built the skill to talk to store managers and owners, and that's a great skill to have. If you have such a skill, great, for those who don't, this thread will give them some foresight before approaching owners and store managers, and that's a good thing.

As far as my experience, I'm extremely succesful in sales and my expereince comes from being part of the internal operations of some of the top retailers in world.