Effective & Respectable Business to Business Approach?

[Paint-Shield.ca]

My company currently operates a full service Auto Detailing, Graphic Design & Tinting shop in Edmonton, AB Canada. I have a fair amount of private sector business, and deal in a decent amount of word-of-mouth turn over. Our current pricing strategy is very efficient by our cities standards, and we are able to keep our prices lower than our competitors because we share our facilities with another company that doesn't interfere in our space or business in any way. We have much larger facilities than 95% of our competition and therefor are able to accommodate larger vehicles indoors, such a Tractor Trailers, 5th Wheels, Buses & RV's.

We have been discussing the prospects of expanding our business to include commercial & fleet clients as we feel our pricing and large accommodations can fit any need they may currently be having serviced at another shop, and be done at a more affordable rate. We are looking to approach commercial clients in the Auto Industry (New & Used), Municipal & Provincial Government Divisions as well as companies that employ multiple fleet vehicles (ie. Trucking, Construction, Taxi Cabs, Limousine, etc).

Do to the fact that our company started as a turn key operation and hasn't done any wide spread advertising we have built our client base one by one from numerous referrals and walk-ins.

How do we go about properly arranging a package or pamphlet? Contacting the right people in a given company? Setting up a meeting and presenting our company and product in the most professional manner possible without appearing intrusive, pushy or unprofessional?

We are a very customer oriented operation and our plan is to remain in business and continue expanding, hopefully throughout our province in the next 5 years, so burning bridges or making a bad first impression is not a misstep we want to make.

How have you or your company approached other (larger) companies to listen to your proposal for business to business work? What are some of the pitfalls to watch out for when taking this next step?

We feel that by branching out and approaching other businesses we can show our exemplary service and pricing, and eventually not only have said business as a customer of ours but their individual employees as well.

Thanks in advance for any advice! : )

(This thread didn't seem to be attracting any advice in the marketing forum)

[Paint-Shield.ca]

So yeah, over a week and no one has any ideas, tips, anything. Seems like maybe the blind leading the blind.

I know in most industries, businesses must work directly or indirectly with other businesses. Why do all these 'entrepreneurs' have so many threads about their twitters, or generating web traffic and I can't receive an actual response in regards to a legitimate business practice that is used daily by companies large and small all over the world?

Or is there the perception that people on this forum do business but they just talk business and the ones actually generating a cash flow are too busy to post on the forum? I would have thought a website geared towards small business entrepreneurs would have had multiple experiences to share in a practice that I'm sure is going on all over your town/city as we speak, but maybe not so much on your twitter.

[kbouw]

Hey Paint-Shield.ca! I believe I may be able to help you out with a few ideas and help you set a vision for what you are trying to accomplish. I can not guarantee that I will be able to answer each individual question you have concerning the auto industry (as it is not a forte of mine) but I would be more than happy to talk with you about your intentions and try to create a strategic plan executing them.

If you are interested please private message me for my contact information.

[rpermana]

1. rent a small booth like in shopping centre, giving free goodies, and promote your products..

2. if you have budget, purchase and give a way the balloons with your logo on them... free advertising..

3. or you can make packs of tissue paper (your design and logo) and distribute them in food center or crowded eating areas....
everyone needs a tissue after they eat.. it is better than pamphlet where 90% end up in dustbin

i have seen many companies doing this and it is really paid off..