Play Meter

Where can I find
a new location
By Ernest W. Fair
That is, without a doubt, one of
the most frequent questions spoken
by the average coin machine opera-
tor. Continued profits depend upon
finding quick answers . Here are
some places to look :
Among locations doing business
with others . No coin machine firm
has each location owner's total
loyalty to machines , personalities, or
the other firm . Develop vour own
efforts around that premise . Ignore it
and a lot of good future business is
sure to be missed .
New arrivals . Prospects and cus-
tomers moving into your area or city
seldom have fixed loyalties . Most of
them could be looking for someone
like yourself. Check regularly for
those new arrivals .
Within your past failures to secure
locations . Sooner or later one has to
give up sales efforts on certain
locations . Bear in mind that things
change with the passing of time . The
one you failed to sell last year might
be the easiest today .
Where no need existed for a
machine in the past. Again , time
changes th:ngs . The location with no
need for a machine may have it
today . Look particularly for changes
affecting specific groups and go after
them all .
Among business outlets with
changed status . The outlet that has
been sold . The one that has merged
with another . That which has added
new lines and services making coin
machines a natural side business.
Look into each of these , as well as
scores of others , in your area .
In any area or territory that you
PLAY METER, June, 1978
have never worked before. Analyze
every district carefully if there is an
area wherein you have never made
an effort to secure locations . No
matter what reason brought about
your decision things therein may be
different today .
Through the newness in machines
you are offering. At any time a new
feature or new use develops-such
as solid state developments-it offers
opportunity for new locations . Any
individual who declined a commit-
ment in the past could be a promising
new location owner as a result of that
change .
Among prospects with new loca -
tions . Conditions surrounding that
new spot may lend themselves to
coin machine location where these
were not present in the old location
of the business . Your success may
depend upon reaching them ahead
of others , so act qUickly .
Location owners suddenly free of
major responsibilities . These people
may be excellent prospects as new
locations, particularly where they
now have funds available for physical
expansion of their places of business.
Any such situation gives room for
your machines which was not
present in the old and crowded spot.
On the list of dissatsified and
unhappy contacts. No coin machine
firm is im mune from possession of
such a list. Don 't give up on the
names on your own list. Go after
them again . Passage of time has a
way of smoothing over most such
unpleasant situations.
By asking present location owners
for leads. Rare is the individual who
will resent your doing so . Most will be
eager to help . But you have to make
the request. Few present customers
will do so voluntarily . Some of one's
best new locations can come from
this source .
Through casual contacts. Injecting
sales words with casual contacts is
seldom wise . But a subtle idea
dropped here and another there may
develop a new location you had no
idea could be present.
Within the activities of other
members of your family . Be sure that
they know all about what you do and
talk about it among their friends .
They don 't have to make sales
attempts, of course. Just spread the
words about the business . Some
surprises in the form of new
locations, will be discovered through
these efforts .
When economic changes occur.
When a business is sold, the new
owners may be your newest location .
Each time such ownership changes
hands there is an opportunity
present.
Where you are certain no new
locations could possibly exist. There
are few such places . Assuming any
one exists anywhere closes ou.tJmany
an opportunity for obtaining' a new
location . It is never good procedure
to "give up " on any possibility that
new locations may be present in such
a place .
New locations can be found by
any coin machine operator who
maintains a constant effort toward
locating them . They arise only now
and then for the individual who fails
to do so but depends entirely upon
chance bringing them around .
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