Cold Calling Without a Gimmicky Script

[xrac]

Hi guys! Haven't been on here in a while because I've been out cold-calling. I passed probation, and am trying to keep it going. I chose that as my username because it's my short-term goal.
Really easy to skip a day of prospecting, and harder to pick it up again afterward. It has to be like working out -- make it a habit, and JUST DO IT.

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I go door-to-door. I found that telephones just ring and ring, the few that even make it to voicemail are being screened for telemarketers and not listened to. For every 200 calls, I might actually get to speak to maybe five people, none of whom have ever allowed me to get even to the 20th word of what I say to them.
Not only does that not allow for practice, and we all know the only way to get good at something is to do it over and over, but it's a major waste of time.
At the door, if you get them at home, at least you can put a card in their hands, you learn a bit about them, they learn about you, you are a human being and not a faceless drone telemarketer (which is all they think when getting a phone call from a stranger trying to sell them something they didn't ask for).
However, it's SLOW. You can't reach that many people in a day. But hour against hour, I actually reach more people than I do making calls. I have made fewer knocks than calls, that's for sure, but I get the same number of people spoken to at the end of the day, and the ratio of getting people interested is way higher.
Any thoughts?

Great job! Keep it! Rick at Topgunproducers is a great believer in cold walking.

 

[DHK]

Hi guys! Haven't been on here in a while because I've been out cold-calling. I passed probation, and am trying to keep it going. I chose that as my username because it's my short-term goal.
Really easy to skip a day of prospecting, and harder to pick it up again afterward. It has to be like working out -- make it a habit, and JUST DO IT.

----------

I go door-to-door. I found that telephones just ring and ring, the few that even make it to voicemail are being screened for telemarketers and not listened to. For every 200 calls, I might actually get to speak to maybe five people, none of whom have ever allowed me to get even to the 20th word of what I say to them.
Not only does that not allow for practice, and we all know the only way to get good at something is to do it over and over, but it's a major waste of time.
At the door, if you get them at home, at least you can put a card in their hands, you learn a bit about them, they learn about you, you are a human being and not a faceless drone telemarketer (which is all they think when getting a phone call from a stranger trying to sell them something they didn't ask for).
However, it's SLOW. You can't reach that many people in a day. But hour against hour, I actually reach more people than I do making calls. I have made fewer knocks than calls, that's for sure, but I get the same number of people spoken to at the end of the day, and the ratio of getting people interested is way higher.
Any thoughts?

Padawan... you figured it out!

Your tactics are very sound. You learned that you can bypass the DNC stuff and you can reach those who ARE on the DNC list. People would rather see you and "size you up" rather than a faceless name on the phone.

(BTW, on the phone, just make sure you're calling from a LOCAL area code... so you can have a slight advantage there, but it's still slim.)

"Dials (or knocks) to reaches" doesn't matter. That's just the luck of the draw and you almost have nothing to do with that ratio. The ratio of "reach to apt" is all that matters. By going door-to-door, your ratio is much higher than on the phone.

The next step is to determine if you are focusing on selling your products... or are you focused more on helping others solve their problems. Problem solvers are in higher demand (and do bigger cases) than product salespeople.

If you're focusing on solving problems that most people have, then you won't need that many prospects per week to do very well for yourself in this business: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXJtuJR-x6E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlVxoZud9WA

 

[keepgoing]

Thank you for that! Really helps to hear someone successful telling me I'm on the right track!
Could I ask what you say to let them know I can help with more than just selling a product? I think this is where I'm stumbling. I feel so vague saying, "I can help you with any insurance or investment needs", sort of like an 1880's huckster selling a cure-all syrup.
However, if I mention a particular product, like life insurance, then it's easy for them to say no, they are covered, but in reality they might need disability and that never gets discovered because I'm already shut down.
I have a Series 7, and came from a financial background, so I can provide variable annuities, or IRA rollovers as well as insurance. If they say no to one thing, I don't want to open my coat and say, "Well if you don't want the gold ring, look at all these fabulous watches I have!" and really sound sleazy and desperate!
Do you have any advice on that? On letting them know I'm open to solving any of their problems right from the beginning, so they can tell me what they need, rather than me telling them what I want them to have?

 

[DHK]

I sent you a PM with some ideas.

 

[RFMaurone]

Going door-to-door is one of the best kept secrets in the world get a permit in the town you're in find out what the rules or regulations are so you don't run afoul of the police

 

[goillini52]

Anyone see GoIllini52 lately? Hope he's okay. He hasn't posted in over 2 months. I miss his Avatar around here.

Here I is. Thanks for worrying about me. I was spending too much time on here, so I took a break for a while...also, I was on vacation.

 

[xrac]

Thank you for that! Really helps to hear someone successful telling me I'm on the right track!
Could I ask what you say to let them know I can help with more than just selling a product? I think this is where I'm stumbling. I feel so vague saying, "I can help you with any insurance or investment needs", sort of like an 1880's huckster selling a cure-all syrup.
However, if I mention a particular product, like life insurance, then it's easy for them to say no, they are covered, but in reality they might need disability and that never gets discovered because I'm already shut down.
I have a Series 7, and came from a financial background, so I can provide variable annuities, or IRA rollovers as well as insurance. If they say no to one thing, I don't want to open my coat and say, "Well if you don't want the gold ring, look at all these fabulous watches I have!" and really sound sleazy and desperate!
Do you have any advice on that? On letting them know I'm open to solving any of their problems right from the beginning, so they can tell me what they need, rather than me telling them what I want them to have?

Take one simply product and go with it. But then have a second product that you can pitch Columbo style as you walk away.

 

[Joe_Arak]

I'd say it's best not to focus on any products at all until you've had a chance to find out more about the prospect's situation and needs.

You're initial opener might be something like, "I wanted to introduce myself. I work with individual clients in all kinds of ways to create a secure and thriving financial base." You can probably come up with a better introduction but the key, I think, is to first work at developing connection and trust, before you start talking about products and what you have to sell.

Hope this is helpful.

 

[DHK]

A well thought-out first post. Welcome to the forums!

 

[agentinsure]

I use to have an Allstate manager who liked going out knocking on doors and leaving a door hangar to talk with folks about home owners insurance. Most people arent married to their homeowners insurance company, and they arent bombarded with ads all day long to save on their HO like with car insurance. Of course this was just a segway to begin a client relationship, inevitably the conversation later would turn to the cars, and of course then life insurance. A 3 call close to wrap up the entire account with multiple lines.

I didnt use to do this because in those days cold calling for car insurance was a cinch. But now looking to get back into P&C the $1000 question as always is how to find leads, and Ive been thinking about door knocking. But in my neck of the woods so many home improvement guys and stuff have been doing it some people are beginning to post NO SOLICITATION signs on their doors. It annoys the hell out of me when someone is coming to my door. So Im still undecided about this. On a sunny afternoon it cant be all that bad.

I looked up job reviews under glassdoor for Edward Jones, all the posts spoke of door knocking the first 5 years of their new career as the worst experience, but the most lucrative once they got past it. Seems for EJ, door knocking is the prime method of prospecting.