best way to approach businesses?

Being 21, and looking more like I'm 17, what's the best way to approach business owners about collecting their scrap?

The biggest issue I have, is nobody takes me seriously because I look like a kid barely old enough to drive (meanwhile I live on my own) nomatter how professional I try to be, they all seem to just brushe me off.

Also some of the bigger businesses and even places like dealerships can be pretty intimidating... And I don't wanna just walk in and ask "hey got any scrap?" I don't want to get any WTF looks, and a bad reputation. (not everyone here in Canada is friendly, as many would assume lol)

Would be awesome if anyone dealing with bigger businesses, and small busineses too, could chime in and give me a few pointers!

First pointer I can give is to dress the part. Not the part of a scrapper, but the part of a business owner. Dress nice and clean and you will get good responses. Not saying anything about how you approach them now because I have no idea how you have been approaching them thus far.

Be professional in every aspect. This includes dressing the part as well as having some business cards to hand out.

Beyond that, the next step in my opinion would be, .....be prepared to answer any question that is thrown at you. Price you pay? how often can you pick up? etc.

You need to make a good enough first impression so that the fact that you are young does not come into play. Clean cut, clean clothes, shirt tucked in, biz card in hand, notebook and practice what you are going to say to them.

I rarely will refer to it as "Scrap" when talking to customers, I think they would rather here a list of things I "Recycle". Know the crowd you are addressing and what lingo will best get your point across with them and make them comfortable dealing with you.

If you give up the 9th time out you will never know if the 10th time lands you a gig.

I work at a family shop so I have a shirt with my name and company name on it, but not sure if it would be a good or bad idea.. seeing someone from another shop might turn them off. Great tips though thanks guys, ill for sure show up in my car and nice clothes instead of my plaid jacket and my truck! Lol

One bit of knowledge I will add is something I learned many years ago about successful salesmen. Now you say you are a scrapper not a salesman, you are asking how to "sell" youself to potential customers. The most successful salesmen are told no NINE times out of TEN. That's a ninety percent failure rate.

So do what the others have suggested and keep pounding on doors.

Here's something that the salesmen who fail fail to do.

The four rights of the customer.

My name is ----- ------
My company's name is -------
My company is in the ---------- business
The reason I am here today is --------(I suggest you might say the following: "I am here today to determine if we need to do business")

You would be shocked at the number of "professional" salesmen who don't do this basic technique.

Lastly practice while looking yourself in a mirror. Make sure you look yourself in the eye. It can be difficult at first but it will make the real in-person sales call much easier.

Best of luck Mike.

Business people like to hear you are recycling and not "I'm doing some scrapping", it just sounds greener. I'm not a "licensed" business but I run it that way along with the business cards and flyers. I try to look professional at all times.

Originally Posted by jord0690

I work at a family shop so I have a shirt with my name and company name on it, but not sure if it would be a good or bad idea.. seeing someone from another shop might turn them off. Great tips though thanks guys, ill for sure show up in my car and nice clothes instead of my plaid jacket and my truck! Lol

I almost always drive my truck........Never know when you'll get that load and if you don't take it right then you may not get it

I also have a good size four door sedan that I can haul about twenty towers in LOL

use it to your advantage, im 26 but still look like im fresh out of high school, people always think 'oh what an entrepreneurial young man - sure ill throw a couple bucks your way, give you a fat tip AND teach you something'

Originally Posted by happyisthealero

My problem is how do I start the conversation, so that I don't offend them.

I wouldn't worry about offending anyone......Are you trying to put food on your table and pay the bills????