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Don't let the rising price of gas hurt your business. Everyone is in the same situation, and you can turn it to your advantage - people are less likely to want to go out shopping! 1. Make a point of selling in places where people meet in groups - clubs, church functions, meetings, at work. While you can't sell in the actual workplace, you can leave extra flyers and brochures in the rest rooms, or like one of my reps did for years, got to work early and parked near the exit, opening the "tailgate" of her hatchback and laying out brochures and her wares. She cut a little time off her lunch and got permission to leave five minutes early, got more people coming out and the next shift coming in! 2. Put out flyers - and then follow up with a phone call. Ask if the person has ever used Fuller or Stanley products before. You may not even need to visit to take the first order, or perhaps you can arrange to drop a catalog and pick it up later. When we started, my husband dropped flyers in fences or doorknobs in a different 3-block stretch every evening on his way home from work. Not only did he get some exercise, but it opened the door for me to call that evening using the cross directory (usually available to copy at your public library). 3. Always combine your trips. If you have an appointment, gather all the deliveries or calls in that direction, and schedule them on the way to and from your appointment. If you work in a certain area, perhaps you can also do grocery shopping, stop and the cleaners, or do other errands in the same area. 4. Keep records of all your mileage; that which is business related can come off your income tax, saving a significant amount of money. 5. Don't overlook walking. My sales for the first three years with Fuller was mostly done on foot; we only used the car for deliveries. This was as effective an exercise as joining a gym; and not only did it not cost me to join, I earned cash by doing it. 6. Keep customer records!! For many years almost all our sales are repeat sales taken on the phone. I call customers periodically to keep them stocked up on Fuller & Stanley needs. This saves significant travel cost and time. Bess W. Metcalf
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