Sales Kits for Operators
b y LOUIS KARNOFSKY
The number of businesses engaged in sell-
ing commodities who utilize sales kits as
part and parcel of their merchandising pro-
gram is endless_ In fact, it is the exception
rather than the rule for a salesman to stake
all on the fluidity of his tongue and the
affability of his personality.
In the Coin Machine Industry the oppo-
's ite holds true: only a few scattered coin-
men back up their vocal chords with bro-
chures. Only a few send circulars through
the mail soliciting locations. And the per-
centage of operators who combine an at·
tractive mailing and an attractive port-
folio is exceedingly small.
As competition increases in all fields of
coin endeavor, the need for pursuing a
thoroughly integrated sales program be-
comes readily apparent.
An exhaustive survey of the men who use
kits reveals that regardless of the type of
equipment, pictures are most popular.
The first thing the location owner wants
to know is: What does the machine look
like? If it's a small device-bulk vendor,
counter machine or salesboard-the opera-
tor can carry it along with him. Otherwise.
a clear photo will serve the purpose.
One successful wired music operator's
sales kit is comprised solely of pictures.
These show the beautiful mirrored cabi-
nets on location at a number of installa-
tions, the central studio with the pretty
girls and wide selection of records, and
close-ups of the cabinets themselves.
The psychology of viewing a picture of a
machine on location is simple. The un-
spoken thought of the location proprietor
is: If XYZ Cafe, one of the finest eating
houses in the city, has this man's machil"'.
then it must be a good deal.
Some locations are "hep" to the facl
that commission percentage isn't of pri-
mary importance; rather, it's getting the
kind of equipment and service which will
boost play, thereby making more money for
both location owner and operator. Bll t ill
competitive time, commissions are brand-
ished aloft like torches before a haystack .
and the solicitor must be prepared for un -
reasonable demands. Trade journal arti -
cles (such as "Adju tment of Location Per-
centage Poses Operator's Gravest Problem'
from July '46 REVIEW), break down of
costs of operation, and newspaper and mag-
azine art icles sympathetic to the operator's
plight in this era of high costs, are all good
fodder for the kit.
In the coin radio field, pictures of the
various models and brief descriptions of
what the cabinets are made of, size, type of
radio-salient features only-plus "take"
sheets on estimated revenue, contribute to-
ward a favorable reaction. Also helpful is
a letter of in troduction by the manufac -
turer of the radio, designating the opera-
ting firm as bona fide representative. Testi-
monials by well-known hotels or motels or
hotel associations have likewise proven
effective.
A beverage machine distributor has i,
sued a four-page pamphlet, listing typical
q uestions asked by locations and the cor-
rect answers. The salesman can usc it for
a three-fold purpose: to refresh his own
verbal approach, to soften the location ill'
placing one in the mail prior to ca ll ing,
or to hand to the owner when voiced ohj!'''-
I ions hecome strong.
The operator must build h is portfolio
toward one important impression: that Ire
has a well-orga nized business whic h bristles
with efficiency. Pictures of the operator\
truck or fleet of trucks, personnel in uni-
form, inside shots of the opera tor's war!'-
house, shop. processing rooms, and rna -
("hines on location all tend to solidify tl la!
illlpression.
A printed list of established firms alr('~(h
IIsing the operator's service explodes sales
resistance and the owner asks, "Why not
our company too?"
Reproduction of letters from ~atis(i('d
location owners also helps. Here are SOllll"
('xcerpts from the correspondence file of
" large industrial caterer.
Doug la Airnaft: " . . . During the pa,!
six ytars which you have had the exclusiv(,
license to service our Pacific Coast plants,
T have had a gratifying experience in sec-
ing how truly valuable a service such ai'
yours can be . .. We are now firmly of tl,.,
opinion that this type of service is a defi -
nite aid to production , not only because it
is a sound tmployee relations practice, bill.
also lJf'cause it provides a valuable mid-day
pick-up for the worker."
Lockheed Airc raft Corp.: " . .. We wi , ;,
$27 50
(D i. tributor D ilCou nls)
The~~
to commend you upon the fine job you have
done during the past year in furnishing
candy and confections to Lockheed em-
ployees through your vending equipment."
Paramount Pictu~es: " ... You render"
dual service-first, as expressed in the
gratitude of our employees; second,
Ih rough your commission checks which we
add to our fund for sending the many
necessities requested by our employees in
the Armed Services."
Chrysler Motors: " . . . Not once during
the time you have served us have we had
occasion or cause for complaint."
Here are some pointers to aid the opera-
tor in setting up an effective sales kit:
F irst consideration is kind and size. In -
asmuch as most location counters are wa;'1
high, the easel type, with spiral binding
at Ihe top, is preferable. The operator call
nip the pages as he speaks, and the proprie-
tor can see and hear without discomfort
or inconvenience.
The best size is approximately 11 inche,
hi/!:h and 14 wide. This provides for suffi-
cient display space to showcase the con-
tents. yet it is small enough so the operator
can talk over the top without standing 0.1
h is toes. The portfolio can be bound in
leather or heavy board material; paper
shou ld be top quality- at least ]00 pound
stock.
Size of printing and pictures should he
large, thus saving the owner from squinting
or wading through paragraphs of descrip-
tive matter. No more than one major point
shou ld be hi/!:h lighted on each page.
Tn arranging the material, the product
should be featured first: pictures of th.,
mach ines, both off and on location, plus
outstanding qualities. It can be pointt'd
out that the product is not merely a local
one, but used nationally. Pictures of ma-
("hines on location in other cities help suh·
stantiate the universality of its u e.
The profit side comes in for consideration
next. The no-investment-by-owner angle
can he stressed and revenue derived by
other locations cited.
The third part of the portfolio should
prove the stability of the operator and the
excellence of his service. The proprietol
should be convinced that the operator is 1H)
Ay-by-nighter, but will be on the job for
months and year~ to come.
To emphasize dependability and penna-
nence, the operator can show photograph,
of hi s trucks, personnel, shop rooms, and
machines on location. The operator's posi-
tion in the community should be enlarged
upon. Membership in clubs and ~ommit
tees. efforts to combat juvenile delinquency.
donations of equipment to churche and
charities are all excellent. Testimonials
from other locations or expressions (,f
gratitude from any organization he ha~
aided , newspaper clippings applauding hi;;
GAMES, CONSOLE
SLOT & VEST POCKET
• All metal, highly polishe d chrome finish.
• A fl ick of the finger automatically d ispenses
~ NICKELS, S DIMES, 4 QUARTERS or 2 HALVES
in th e palm of your hand.
REPAIRING and
REFINISHING
• Solid d ie cast construction with precision machined
coin sl ides .
All Work Guaranteed
Iring ' Em 'n'
• Fully balanced on heayi ly we ighted non-slip base.
• T ime-tested for absolute accuracy.
--SEE--
• Sold on a money-back guarantee.
PAUL A. LAYMON
DISTRIBUTOR
M.EMB ER
]6
3144 ELLIOTT AVENUE
SEATTLE I , WASH .
COIN MACHINE REVIEW