Doing Business in SCs?
I've heard of men bringing customers into a SC to close a business deal, but aside from a hedgeho.com article that lightly skims over the mechanics, there isn't much on the web about how this is done. So some questions to folks who have successfully closed business at a SC before. I'm starting to regularly pitch 7+ figure deals with high margins, and I'm starting to hear more and more that showing the customers a good time at a SC at this level of dealmaking is common and sometimes even expected. I know for certain that this year I lost one such deal explicitly because the competition did exactly that while I played the pre-sale completely straight and down the middle, even after the customer hinted at being shown a good time. I sign off on such sales-related expenses in my company as long as it produces results.
I get the impression that this is usually done to close a deal, not open it (though Glock's early sales history is a rather remarkable exception), so where in the sales cycle did you find it most effective?
Did you use going to a SC as a way to close the deal and then not go again until the next deal, or was it more of an on-going, multiple trips arrangement like what Glock's national salesman did?
Obviously you have to have a good read on your customer before broaching the possibility, but what kind of phrasing do you use to actually suggest going to a SC?
If you read the customer wrong, then how did you recover from your gaffe?
What time of day do you suggest to go?
Are the customers nervous if they can tell you are a regular, or does being apparently known by the staff and dancers help with the atmosphere to close the deal?
Do most customers who go along do it because they normally don't go to a SC and your offer represents an excuse to go, or are they regulars themselves?
How did you keep your customers out of trouble with their significant others after the trip to the SC?
What was the timing of the business negotiation? Negotiate first, then party later? Reverse? Or a little alternation of both? Do you politely decline girls even joining the table until business is settled, or let them roam in and out of your business gathering?
How do you ensure you get a table that is not drowned out by the music volume, just call the club and reserve?
I can handle a customer who goes with me and not know the rules; I've handled awkward conversations dozens of times in my sales work, I would even kind of expect this to come up. But have you ever had a customer get drunk-rowdy with the dancers? I'm pretty sure I would just pre-emptively and discreetly ask the bouncers to gently kick us out and laugh with the customer about it afterwards at a bar, but has this happened to you and if so what did you do about it?
Ever had a customer lose control and just start ordering hour after hour of VIP/champagne room time and bottles once he realizes you're footing the tab for *everything*? If so, what did you do about it (I figure if the deal doesn't have enough margin for an entire evening of that until closing, it isn't worth closing in a SC)?
Ever had a customer lose even more control and express wanting to go OTC with a willing dancer? How did you handle that?
I generally figure that if I add this to my repertoire of sales tactics, then I'll use tuscl.net to find low-key, upscale places like The Lodge in Dallas or Sapphire in NYC. Would that be a generally sound way of picking the SC venue for doing business?
I get the impression that this is usually done to close a deal, not open it (though Glock's early sales history is a rather remarkable exception), so where in the sales cycle did you find it most effective?
Did you use going to a SC as a way to close the deal and then not go again until the next deal, or was it more of an on-going, multiple trips arrangement like what Glock's national salesman did?
Obviously you have to have a good read on your customer before broaching the possibility, but what kind of phrasing do you use to actually suggest going to a SC?
If you read the customer wrong, then how did you recover from your gaffe?
What time of day do you suggest to go?
Are the customers nervous if they can tell you are a regular, or does being apparently known by the staff and dancers help with the atmosphere to close the deal?
Do most customers who go along do it because they normally don't go to a SC and your offer represents an excuse to go, or are they regulars themselves?
How did you keep your customers out of trouble with their significant others after the trip to the SC?
What was the timing of the business negotiation? Negotiate first, then party later? Reverse? Or a little alternation of both? Do you politely decline girls even joining the table until business is settled, or let them roam in and out of your business gathering?
How do you ensure you get a table that is not drowned out by the music volume, just call the club and reserve?
I can handle a customer who goes with me and not know the rules; I've handled awkward conversations dozens of times in my sales work, I would even kind of expect this to come up. But have you ever had a customer get drunk-rowdy with the dancers? I'm pretty sure I would just pre-emptively and discreetly ask the bouncers to gently kick us out and laugh with the customer about it afterwards at a bar, but has this happened to you and if so what did you do about it?
Ever had a customer lose control and just start ordering hour after hour of VIP/champagne room time and bottles once he realizes you're footing the tab for *everything*? If so, what did you do about it (I figure if the deal doesn't have enough margin for an entire evening of that until closing, it isn't worth closing in a SC)?
Ever had a customer lose even more control and express wanting to go OTC with a willing dancer? How did you handle that?
I generally figure that if I add this to my repertoire of sales tactics, then I'll use tuscl.net to find low-key, upscale places like The Lodge in Dallas or Sapphire in NYC. Would that be a generally sound way of picking the SC venue for doing business?
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17 comments
Let's bring that little North Korean midget to a strip club and talk about nuclear disarmament too.
Best advice I can give you is trial and error. No forum will ever compare to experience. So stop typing, and just do it.. trust me, you'll learn more of the Dos and Donts by taking action and making mistakes
The hedgies didn't pony up any money at terms that were acceptable to me.
As a salesman, you must have a good feel for your customers. You would know if a guy would enjoy a strip club visit or would be offended.
I have occasionally taken someone to a club to discuss business. More often, I have received such entertainment. I would consider strip club visits to be a way of deepening a relationship, and not appropriate for a first time meeting. I also would never close a deal in a strip club, and I would be very leery of anyone who tried to.
I might tell them what they can expect at xyz strip club if they are interested, ie, only one way contact, you can't touch the dancers or you get kicked out or you can't touch them on stage and you need to ask what you can touch during a dance or you'll all be asked to leave. Maybe ask if they've been to one before if they do suggest a strip club. They need to know the rules of what to expect to help prevent disappointments. They might wonder if they can get extra service like bj's or more and you might know that is not very likely. I wouldn't ask too many questions. I wouldn't try to lead anyone on either that they might expect a whole lot better time. If they wanted call girls at a strip club and were expecting it, they might leave unhappy. If they want girls on their laps trying to sell dances, would that make them happier than a small club where girls never sit on someone's lap? I would say know your clients without asking too many questions unless they lead you into it. I am not a salesman though.
For business purposes I think it makes more sense as a way to show appreciation for a long time customer and help to maintain a friendly relationship with them.