Bins at work at Sacramento International Airport -- we're guessing they tired of the kiddie pools in the background! In this issue of the Gazette:
Sales Tips
Among your most frequently asked questions are those revolving around improving the sales process. We hope that this guide will bolster your selling efforts.
Keep it simple! We hear from end-users time and time again that they are busy and that keeping a control on costs is critical. This means that your sales pitch must be succinct and must address the prospects top benefits very early in the conversation. Here are some ideas on how to approach new prospects.
Ask your prospect questions to discover what they value and sell them that very thing by tailoring your response with one of our top three selling points:
1. Cost savings – always mention how use of your CWS products saves them money. So often site superintendents will say, “I’m not paying anything for that now. Why should I start now?” Push back! Not only could an EPA inspection potentially expose the customer to many tens of thousands in fines, disposing of washout waste in a landfill is expensive and labor intensive. What does the guy operating the loader make?
2. Tidiness and convenience – it’s not always a priority with site superintendents, but for those that value it, we offer a superior solution. If you’ve ever seen a jobsite littered with the aftermath of concrete pump trucks washout, you can appreciate that they represent, at minimum, a safety risk due to tripping.
3. Compliance – superintendents do not like to be told what to do. Never threaten your customer! When selling the benefits of storm water pollution prevention, many resent that they are being told yet another thing they “must” do. In cases like this, you may have success selling what they don’t have to worry about anymore, i.e. “We save you time and money and take care of it! If you’re concerned with price, I’ll get a container out here for a week for free. You’re going to love it.”
Email and Web Marketing
Be careful not to spam prospective customers! If you send unsolicited emails you run the risk of having your email shutdown! If as few as two in a thousand emails you send are marked “spam” by recipients all your outgoing mail may be blocked (technically, your domain is blacklisted and it will be very time-consuming and costly, if not impossible, to undo the damage).
We recommend calling your customers and confirming that it’s okay that you send them promotional (or other types) of email.
Also, and this is important, do not send mass emails through your normal email for the above referenced reasons. Instead, use an email service bureau (e.g. http://www.verticalresponse.com). There are many to choose from and they are relatively easy to use and inexpensive.
Spec it!
Having CWS specified by architects and consultants is a great way to increase sales. Are you making the most of this opportunity? With construction activity down, this is the time to make the acquaintance of the top consultants in your area. In many instances, there are even opportunities with the unemployed -- just touching base, offering to keep your “ears open for work” is a positive enough experience to influence their behavior in the future. After all, if you offer to help “however you can” when times are tough, doesn’t that set you apart?
Several websites make finding local consultants easy, such as http://www.cicacenter.org (which incidentally, also contains links to local, state and federal regulatory agencies.
To find consultants in your area (http://www.cicacenter.org/consultselect.html), click here.
What’s up with other CWS providers?
Congratulations to Steve Carter of S.H. Carter, a waste and recycling operation, in Greenville, South Carolina who tells us he’s just had his best revenue month ever. Steve manufactured a skid mounted vacuum tank so one roll-off can do “double duty.” He tells us it works great for now, but he anticipates he’ll outgrow it someday as his washout business continues to grow.
Larry Shaub of Concrete Washout Disposal in Newark, Ohio stumbled into an unpleasant discovery. Larry bought used vegetable oil – oil basically just strained out of the deep fryer. Larry gave a coat of the stuff to his washout bins and when the bins came back full of washout, low and behold, nothing much cared to move. Not only that, the overspray on the bins and trucks had collected dirt and dust and was behaving more like glue than a lubricant. Larry, good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
Regulatory News
Did you know that construction on Indian land within the United States must conform to the Federal EPA Storm Water Standards?
Several states are revising their construction permits, e.g. Oregon, Connecticut. If you’re unsure when your permit is up for review, be sure to consult your regulatory agencies and make sure you weigh in early and often on the importance of the state mandating that a sealed, water tight container be used to contain concrete washout – below grade pits simply cannot handle the rigors of the construction site.
Federal EPA permit is up for review as well. CWS along with some of you (special thanks to CWS Colorado) have been lobbying for changes to the Federal BMP to be as described above
World of Concrete, Las Vegas, January 18-21, 2011
As always, we would love to catch up with you at this year’s World of Concrete. We have a limited number of free passes to offer CWS providers. Please let us know if you can make it and mark your calendars.
Referral Rewards!
Do you have thousands of dollars in your contact list? Refer potential service providers to CWS and you could be eligible receive thousands of dollars from CWS when your qualified leads purchase their first containers. Some restrictions apply.
It’s this easy -- comb through your contact lists for your best candidates and:
1. send them an introductory email about offering CWS products and copy us ([email protected])
2. Or simply send us a list of quality leads and we’ll do all the legwork and be eligible for 50% of the "introduction" rate. We’ll do the rest and, hopefully we’ll be sending you a check before long!
Referral Rewards Rules: Offer only valid for new leads provided September 15, 2010 through January 15, 2010. In the event that a prospect is received from two parties independently, only the first referring party is eligible for referral rewards. For each new licensed CWS provider you refer, we’ll pay you $100 for each container in their first order (up to $1,000). Referrers can receive separate rewards for multiple referrals. Initial purchase must be made within twelve months of the original referral date.
- Top CWS Sales Tips -- including email marketing!
- A resource to locate storm water consultants and track regulatory changes
- An invitation to World of Concrete
- Earn thousands the easy way with CWS Referral Rewards
- A brief update on two CWS providers
Sales Tips
Among your most frequently asked questions are those revolving around improving the sales process. We hope that this guide will bolster your selling efforts.
Keep it simple! We hear from end-users time and time again that they are busy and that keeping a control on costs is critical. This means that your sales pitch must be succinct and must address the prospects top benefits very early in the conversation. Here are some ideas on how to approach new prospects.
Ask your prospect questions to discover what they value and sell them that very thing by tailoring your response with one of our top three selling points:
1. Cost savings – always mention how use of your CWS products saves them money. So often site superintendents will say, “I’m not paying anything for that now. Why should I start now?” Push back! Not only could an EPA inspection potentially expose the customer to many tens of thousands in fines, disposing of washout waste in a landfill is expensive and labor intensive. What does the guy operating the loader make?
2. Tidiness and convenience – it’s not always a priority with site superintendents, but for those that value it, we offer a superior solution. If you’ve ever seen a jobsite littered with the aftermath of concrete pump trucks washout, you can appreciate that they represent, at minimum, a safety risk due to tripping.
3. Compliance – superintendents do not like to be told what to do. Never threaten your customer! When selling the benefits of storm water pollution prevention, many resent that they are being told yet another thing they “must” do. In cases like this, you may have success selling what they don’t have to worry about anymore, i.e. “We save you time and money and take care of it! If you’re concerned with price, I’ll get a container out here for a week for free. You’re going to love it.”
Email and Web Marketing
Be careful not to spam prospective customers! If you send unsolicited emails you run the risk of having your email shutdown! If as few as two in a thousand emails you send are marked “spam” by recipients all your outgoing mail may be blocked (technically, your domain is blacklisted and it will be very time-consuming and costly, if not impossible, to undo the damage).
We recommend calling your customers and confirming that it’s okay that you send them promotional (or other types) of email.
Also, and this is important, do not send mass emails through your normal email for the above referenced reasons. Instead, use an email service bureau (e.g. http://www.verticalresponse.com). There are many to choose from and they are relatively easy to use and inexpensive.
Spec it!
Having CWS specified by architects and consultants is a great way to increase sales. Are you making the most of this opportunity? With construction activity down, this is the time to make the acquaintance of the top consultants in your area. In many instances, there are even opportunities with the unemployed -- just touching base, offering to keep your “ears open for work” is a positive enough experience to influence their behavior in the future. After all, if you offer to help “however you can” when times are tough, doesn’t that set you apart?
Several websites make finding local consultants easy, such as http://www.cicacenter.org (which incidentally, also contains links to local, state and federal regulatory agencies.
To find consultants in your area (http://www.cicacenter.org/consultselect.html), click here.
What’s up with other CWS providers?
Congratulations to Steve Carter of S.H. Carter, a waste and recycling operation, in Greenville, South Carolina who tells us he’s just had his best revenue month ever. Steve manufactured a skid mounted vacuum tank so one roll-off can do “double duty.” He tells us it works great for now, but he anticipates he’ll outgrow it someday as his washout business continues to grow.
Larry Shaub of Concrete Washout Disposal in Newark, Ohio stumbled into an unpleasant discovery. Larry bought used vegetable oil – oil basically just strained out of the deep fryer. Larry gave a coat of the stuff to his washout bins and when the bins came back full of washout, low and behold, nothing much cared to move. Not only that, the overspray on the bins and trucks had collected dirt and dust and was behaving more like glue than a lubricant. Larry, good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
Regulatory News
Did you know that construction on Indian land within the United States must conform to the Federal EPA Storm Water Standards?
Several states are revising their construction permits, e.g. Oregon, Connecticut. If you’re unsure when your permit is up for review, be sure to consult your regulatory agencies and make sure you weigh in early and often on the importance of the state mandating that a sealed, water tight container be used to contain concrete washout – below grade pits simply cannot handle the rigors of the construction site.
Federal EPA permit is up for review as well. CWS along with some of you (special thanks to CWS Colorado) have been lobbying for changes to the Federal BMP to be as described above
World of Concrete, Las Vegas, January 18-21, 2011
As always, we would love to catch up with you at this year’s World of Concrete. We have a limited number of free passes to offer CWS providers. Please let us know if you can make it and mark your calendars.
Referral Rewards!
Do you have thousands of dollars in your contact list? Refer potential service providers to CWS and you could be eligible receive thousands of dollars from CWS when your qualified leads purchase their first containers. Some restrictions apply.
It’s this easy -- comb through your contact lists for your best candidates and:
1. send them an introductory email about offering CWS products and copy us ([email protected])
2. Or simply send us a list of quality leads and we’ll do all the legwork and be eligible for 50% of the "introduction" rate. We’ll do the rest and, hopefully we’ll be sending you a check before long!
Referral Rewards Rules: Offer only valid for new leads provided September 15, 2010 through January 15, 2010. In the event that a prospect is received from two parties independently, only the first referring party is eligible for referral rewards. For each new licensed CWS provider you refer, we’ll pay you $100 for each container in their first order (up to $1,000). Referrers can receive separate rewards for multiple referrals. Initial purchase must be made within twelve months of the original referral date.
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