Cold Calling Without a Gimmicky Script

[briko3]

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.

I think it's knee jerk reaction to feel that way about door knockers. I hate to see them come, but I have thought several times that if someone came to my door selling a security system, I'd probably take them up on it. I'm just too lazy to look it up and call about it.

 

[mkayk55]

Hello, My name is _____ with ___. I'm looking for companies who don't have a relationship with ___ or have not seen our new products once the new Health Care reforms took effect. Can I bring you some information?

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Be sincere; be brief; be seated. Franklin D. Roosevelt

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Hello, My name is _____ with Aflac. I'm looking for companies who don't have a relationship with Aflac or have not seen our new products once the new Health Care reforms took effect. Can I bring you some information?

OMG, please tell me you're not actually using this? LMFAO. Who told you to use this? AFLAC? What's the comp on "information"? Here's one you'll have more success with; "can I bring you some information - on root canals?"

 

[mkayk55]

Nope. We're just told to call these companies, don't use a script, be yourself, and


and what??? and Hi, this is MK with Aflac. How Are You Today?!


I won't. As soon as I hear HOWAREYOUTODAY I Know I've picked up a sales call with a dolt on the other end -

I'm looking for feedback. All I need is the first 5 words, then let the exchange branch from there. I too have received 'cold calls' from programs that think I want to enroll in school because I searched online for a job. They talk 90 mile a minute, the last one didn't even HEAR no, I wasn't asking about training, I was applying for a job. Kept on rambling through her script. I said Do you even hear me? She kept rambling - stopped abruptly - "What?" I said, do you even hear me or are you just going to keep on reading the next page?!?!?! while she stammered, I hung up.

help! I just need a brief intro that doesn't sound like a broken record
and I'm not making ANY calls til I figure it out.

Hey there, how are you? Bad?? AWWW! Wanna buy some Life Insurance??

 

[mkayk55]

yeah, so helpful thanks. New member, taking stuff seriously here.

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actually, we're not given any tips or training on phone skills, here just dial these 100 numbers of companies whose names start with A - C and be yourself.

sigh. You know how many times these local companies get? They're sick of it. Can I have J thru M please?

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

You know how many times these local companies get? They're sick of it. Can I have J thru M please?

Tried to tell/warn ya......

 

[mkayk55]

Yes I see your helpfulness and support marked plainly in invisible ink.

 

[keepgoing]

Going door to door in January and February hasn't worked out well. December everyone was "after the holidays". January the days are very short and by February, I was sick for two weeks, then snowed in. UGH. Feeling a lot of pressure.....

Have been looking to switch to businesses, because it's indoors. Businesses take longer, but at least I'll still be out there, as I feel so housebound and no one answers phones these days.

Any advice?

My initial goal is to get an appointment, so I don't want to be more than a few minutes with a busy owner, and get some info. Here's the approach I'm planning, open to critique:

"Hello, I'm ______ from _________. I know you're busy, I just wanted to introduce myself and learn more about your business, and see how we could partner up to achieve your business goals.
(PAUSE to hear what he/she has to say)
What is the biggest concern you have about your business?
(after each questions, take notes, assess how antsy they might be getting, ask a followup question or make personal chitchat if it goes there)
If you lose a key employee, or if something happened to you, what financial impact would it have on your business?
How have you prepared for an exit strategy?
What do you do to retain your best employees?
Thank you, I didn't want to take up much of your time, but this is good information to see how i could be of benefit to you. Could I follow up with you next week? Is _________ on _____ a good time? Thank you, it wouldn't be more than about 10-15 minutes to share some ideas with you. Here's my card, have a great day."

What do you vets think?

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Yes I see your helpfulness and support marked plainly in invisible ink.

I advise folks not to get involved with AFLAC. You seem angry. Somebody pee in your cornflakes this morning? As soon as you accept that AFLAC has basically lied to you, the sooner you'll be on to a real opportunity!

 

[DHK]

These are the [scripts] you are looking for. Just adapt it for yourself.

http://www.insurance-forums.net/for...usiness-life-insurance-t68447.html#post900680

What I learned at Combined Insurance, was that most people are interested in policies that pay THEM... a policy that will benefit them personally. And they instinctively know that if their health fails for an extended period of time... their business, reputation, and cash flow can suffer greatly. Of course, this impacts the kinds of businesses where the owner is constantly there, and can't ever seem to get away from the business.

I would use Critical Illness insurance as my door opener. It's a relatively new insurance product, relatively inexpensive, great benefits, and not too many people really know about it.

My approach would be: "Hello _____? This is DHK with Assurity Life here in (city). Do you have a quick minute to talk?

"Great! The reason I'm calling (stopping by) is... You know how health insurance pays doctors and hospitals when you get sick or hurt and can't work? Well, our policies pay YOU and help you pay YOUR bills. (pause)

I just need 10 minutes to stop by and show you how it works... and then you can judge it for yourself."

The question often comes up: "Is this AFLAC?"

"No, it's not AFLAC. One big difference between us and AFLAC is that AFLAC has minimum employee participation requirements just to buy one policy. We don't do that. We don't do payroll deduction or have minimum employee participation. We work one-on-one, one-by-one. We can offer it to your employees too... but that's your and their decision to make."

Now, all you have to do is stop by, explain how the product works, run a quote for maximum coverage of $500,000... and go down from there.

Here's what I did at Combined Insurance. First, I used the ReferenceUSA database from a local library. If your library doesn't offer it, find one that does, and get a library card.

Now, find business listings based on street name and address. This will help you group your calls in a geographic area. Just know the bigger streets in your area that has lots of businesses. Call only those listings that have a name. It's a lot easier to ask for a person by name than to simply ask "is the owner in".

Call them up with the script I posted earlier.

Way back when I did this, out of 60 dials... 15-20 were wrong or disconnected numbers. The majority of the time, the person I was asking for wasn't in. However, when I did get to the person, 1 out of 4 agreed to let me stop by for 15 minutes to show them the kind of work I did.

It took me about an hour to do 60 dials... and I'd set anywhere from 1 to 4 "stops".

Now this part is key: If they hesitate to want to set an appointment, I try to put them at ease. I say something to the affect of "I know your business needs come first. If you're busy and it's not a good time, at least we can shake hands and I can stop by another time. Would it be okay if I penciled you in for 9am on Tuesday?"

Now build upon that with the remaining calls for that street. Talk to others... and say "I'm going to be visiting with x at 9am on Tuesday... could I stop by your office at 11am? If you're busy, I understand. At least we can shake hands and I can stop by another time."

This gives you a "social proof" that others are also meeting with you, so it must be important and in demand.


If you get stood up... take the opportunity to leverage that business name & owner/manager to the other businesses around. "I just got out of a meeting with X next door, so I thought I'd stop by and introduce myself."

In essence, you kind of don't care that you got stood up. You are going to leverage that appointment, name, and business into other introductions.

You'll notice that these are not "hard set appointments for an hour of time". All I'm looking for is permission to stop by at a given time. I want them to say 'yes' to me for something.


Now, if they've only got a few minutes... (remember that you are perceived as a salesman, so lower their perception of pain for agreeing to meet with you in the first place) keep your promise and give them the reason why most people are interested in this product and how it works. Show them a single product or a concept. If you're presenting Critical Illness (as I suggest), be prepared to quote the MOST EXPENSIVE policy... so they know the maximum they could expect to spend. I think it helps people to know what the maximum cost could be. Then negotiate with them to find an affordable solution.