Size-wise, small- to mid-sized companies are your best bets to start with. You'll have a much easier time getting through to the decision-makers and they likely won't have multiple layers of management to stall action.
Do not approach this as a one-time thing. The ECA program is going to get bigger and better over the coming months and years. Therefore, keep all your prospect company addresses, phone numbers, etc. so that you can do follow-ups in the coming months.
Keep your list manageable – meaning only contact as many prospects as you can follow-up with. A phone call or personal visit is ideal. Make sure the business does not have a “no soliciting” sign on their front door – keep your visit on the up and up.
Here is the key contact information you'll want to try to capture:
• Company Name
• Address
• City
• State (if applicable)
• Postal Code (if applicable)
• Country
• Phone Number
• Fax Number
• Contact Person (Marketing Director, Store Manager, or Owner's Name)
By having an actual contact name instead of a position like store owner you make the postcard more personal – an invitation of sorts.
SFI does not recommend attempting to solicit businesses for ECA via e-mail. Why? For starters, SFI has a zero tolerance policy on spamming. You will need to be very careful if you are contacting business by e-mail. You will likely be much more effective using the phone, sending out literature, or even going door to door in business districts. Of course, the other alternative is to advertise the ECA program in places where business owners will see the ad, allowing the BUSINESS OWNER to initiate contact.
Make sure the companies you contact are not on the list of prohibited companies by SFI.
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Size-wise, small- to mid-sized companies are your best bets to start with. You'll have a much easier time getting through to the decision-makers and they likely won't have multiple layers of management to stall action.
Do not approach this as a one-time thing. The ECA program is going to get bigger and better over the coming months and years. Therefore, keep all your prospect company addresses, phone numbers, etc. so that you can do follow-ups in the coming months.
Keep your list manageable
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more
