The history of floating aeration equipment has repeated “failures”. We know PondLift equipment works effectively without the problems of past equipment. We wish to get this equipment to the market place as quickly as possible, and MUST SHOW it works well.
To establish PondLift widely and develop quickly, We MUST BE AGGRESSIVE:
In our initial years, PondLift must put its equipment out for free, to allow proof that the StinkSTOPper works, before asking for purchase. In this process, we show every potential user/buyer that it works before they have to put money on the table.
Marketing Overview – Our initial marketing process includes:
1. Identify existing sales and service providers who might consider being a dealer (there is a 4 year warranty period, and service is very likely during that time) Verify they can meet PondLift Licensee standards…. Move towards an agreement with them. Get them thinking of farmers who might potential installation sites.
2. Identify potential farm installation sites, focusing on those who have serious odor issues, those who fertigate their wastes through irrigation equipment and those who are restricted from expanding their operations due to disposal odors or other problems.
3. Work with farmers and dealers to verify the conditions at the ponds meet PondLift design criteria. Work with both dealer and farmer to establish what conditions would need to be met for the owner to be satisfied with StinkSTOPpers installed at the site.
4. PondLift confirms that the design can meet our requirement, determine how many StinkSTOPpers are required to properly function at the proposed pond, and establish a contract for the Dealer, and contract with the site owner to purchase the equipment upon the StinkSTOPpers performing the desired function. A letter of credit from the owner’s is gained before the equipment is built and sent to the site for installation. Insurance coverage is verified, so if our StinkSTOPpers are stolen or damaged, PondLift is reimbursed, etc. PondLift’s Sales/Training staff comes to the site with StinkSTOPpers, and helps the dealer do the site installation and get everything up and running. The dealer then visits the site regularly (once per week?) to assure things are running well, and to keep in contact with the owner, pointing out specific things and to “sell” the equipment’s value.
5. Within 6 weeks to 12 weeks, upon reaching the moment when the Owner admits he is getting what he asked for, the dealer then gains payment and sends PondLift’s share to PondLift.
By the time payment is made, the dealer should already have additional sites identified, and the cycle repeats itself,minus the help from our training/sales staff. The dealer now has an operating site to show potential customers who have to “see and smell” first. Some are such that they need to see it before they could even think about trying it at their place.
This marketing/sales process has some issues, mostly for PondLift. Clearly, it makes it a bit more expensive to manufacture the units when you don’t get paid for them until several months later. Also, on occasion, we will run into unscrupulous dealer or owner. In some cases our own training/sales staff will need to take possession of unpaid units. Yet, the patent should assure that no-one can do our design and perform as well. Others might buy “floating” equipment, but will eventually purchase ours after they experience the typical problems of other equipment.
In addition, some problems might occur for dealers if they don’t screen potential clients well enough, and they have to pull a good installation off due to non-payment. (unfortunately, later on, it is likely the owner will ask that it be reinstalled! The dealers will learn quickly, I am sure)