Cold Knocking

[Josh]

Personally I think all this talk about door knocking is silly. If you don't have enough money to buy leads door knock until you have enough money to buy leads, then buy some good leads.

I believe you will make far more money in a lot less time by working leads.

Not for nothing, but I have a client that orders from me regularly that *sells* 3% of the records he buys. I'm positive he's exceptional, but he spends a lot less on leads than anyone I know writing that kind of premium.

 

[xrac]

I've had a few people reach out to me wanting to know what my "secret sauce" is for cold knocking a list. Well, It's really not rocket surgery, so I figured I would post how I approach a cold door off a list and what I say.
If any body has any feedback...have at it.

When I first started doing FE I couldn't afford leads, so I parked in a neighborhood and cold knocked. Well, after doing it for a while I realized that every 50 doors for me was a sale averaging 600AP.

I then was able to start buying leads. Well, In January I did my own mail drop aside from EFES and I also ordered the mail list that all the mail went to. I started knocking that list just as soon as I got it. I made 5 sales just from knocking the list over a two day period.

I then noticed that if I had a targeted list instead of just cold knocking a neighborhood, my numbers were better.

Now don't get me wrong. I will take a lead over straight cold knocking, but I feel that taking one day a week to straight cold knock will keep me on my toes and have the chance at some extra AP.

Ok, so here is what I do at the door. Now your job on cold knocking a list is to just see if there is any interest. You can not go into overcoming objections at the door if the person has no interest. Your job is to see if there is ANY INTEREST at all. If there is none, move on.

When I go to the door I carry my leads with me. Yea, I know this person did not mail in a lead card. I have my list tucked under my leads held together by a different clip.

I knock on the door and ask for the person by name.

Example: " Hi, Linda!..... I'm Chris. We recently mailed you this card and I wanted to come out and visit with you."

Now at this point you hand the person the card. I know it is not their card because they didn't send one back. But these people get so much mail that it doesn't matter. If the person says that this isn't my name say "I Know, We mailed this card to you but we haven't' gotten yours back yet. DO you have a few minutes?"

Now, if the person doesn't say "this isn't my name on it," Then simply give them a few seconds to read the lead card that you handed them. Once you feel they have had time to read it just simply ask, "Do you have a few minutes?"

You will get some kind of reaction. Your job is not to sell them at the door or give them a ton of info at the door. You're looking for interest. When knocking a list it is a #'s game and you need to stack the odds in the house's favor.


Once you ask them if they have few minutes and they say yes, BOOM, you're into giving your presentation.

I hope this helps. If you need anything just shoot me a PM.

Chris

Thanks for sharing a great post! This forum rocks!

 

[CALTCAgent]

I like the list shack lists from Josh for this, on a spreadsheet you can numerically sort the Zip+4 which should be good for walking D2D. $50 per month for a good unlimited targeted list is very economical.

Do you carry everything you need with you when D2D ?

Original poster said he goes back to the car to get tablet, applications, etc.

If you need to go back to your car, how do you stay close enough to the car to go back quickly ?

I am thinking it takes a "good area" to make the D2D walking work well, especially if you are a distance from your car.

 

[onefastpony]

Do you carry everything you need with you when D2D ?

Original poster said he goes back to the car to get tablet, applications, etc.

If you need to go back to your car, how do you stay close enough to the car to go back quickly ?

I am thinking it takes a "good area" to make the D2D walking work well, especially if you are a distance from your car.

If you decide to just go D2D without a list walking up a street, then yes, you have to carry all of your things with you.


I work off of a list so therefore I just leave everything in my car until I need to get my apps, tablet, etc..

What do you mean by a "good area" to make D2D work well? The majority of the people that are in the FE market we mail to get bombarded with mailers.

----------

Personally I think all this talk about door knocking is silly. If you don't have enough money to buy leads door knock until you have enough money to buy leads, then buy some good leads.

I believe you will make far more money in a lot less time by working leads.

We all know your feelings on DK'ing. I have the money for leads. I've been paying for leads since Dec when I started with EFES.

But my numbers don't lie. It is much more economical to work a mail list.

You say work until you have money to "Buy some good leads." We all know there is no such thing as a "Good Lead," as in they are buyers.

I've sold numerous policies DK'ing my list and while I'm sitting in the home have the people tell me, "oh, yea, we get those but we throw them away."

I've had people admit to receiving cards but don't mail them back in because they have insurance already, yet since I showed up at their door allow me inside and do a review and lots of times turns out they have garbage insurance.

DK'ING A LIST DOES WORK!!!!

How is 5K AP a week from knocking a list not economical?

 

[Thad.Sipple]

If you decide to just go D2D without a list walking up a street, then yes, you have to carry all of your things with you. I work off of a list so therefore I just leave everything in my car until I need to get my apps, tablet, etc.. What do you mean by a "good area" to make D2D work well? The majority of the people that are in the FE market we mail to get bombarded with mailers. ---------- We all know your feelings on DK'ing. I have the money for leads. I've been paying for leads since Dec when I started with EFES. But my numbers don't lie. It is much more economical to work a mail list. You say work until you have money to "Buy some good leads." We all know there is no such thing as a "Good Lead," as in they are buyers. I've sold numerous policies DK'ing my list and while I'm sitting in the home have the people tell me, "oh, yea, we get those but we throw them away." I've had people admit to receiving cards but don't mail them back in because they have insurance already, yet since I showed up at their door allow me inside and do a review and lots of times turns out they have garbage insurance. DK'ING A LIST DOES WORK!!!! How is 5K AP a week from knocking a list not economical?

What's you persistency?

 

[Gooner]

Personally I think all this talk about door knocking is silly. If you don't have enough money to buy leads door knock until you have enough money to buy leads, then buy some good leads.

I believe you will make far more money in a lot less time by working leads.

I'm with you man. I don't know if you will make more money or not, but my time is more valuable than knocking doors...even if that means going to Six Flags with my kids on days I don't have appointments!

----------

You say work until you have money to "Buy some good leads." We all know there is no such thing as a "Good Lead," as in they are buyers.

DK'ING A LIST DOES WORK!!!!

How is 5K AP a week from knocking a list not economical?

I disagree...there is such a thing as a good lead. I also think it depends on how you set the appointment. I'm a big believer in telling folks they mailed in the card about "life" insurance...whether it is the gubment money card or not. So maybe there is no such thing as a good lead, but a good appointment off of said lead..yes.

I'm not doubting that DK'ing works...obviously you're killing it! You have to have a killer presentation...I just think about what you could do with a qualified appointment...7-9 times a day...that'd be hand over fist money!

I'm really not knocking it, it's just not for me. Hell most newby agents...even Newby himself and Travis told me I was...well we'll say "silly" for how I treat my leads. I email them to my appointment setter...if she doesn't set the appointment...trash...I never look at them again. I sit with about half of all the leads I buy, in my mind it's the cost of doing business! Again, that's how I want to do my business, it's definitely not for everybody.

 

[CALTCAgent]

If you decide to just go D2D without a list walking up a street, then yes, you have to carry all of your things with you.


I work off of a list so therefore I just leave everything in my car until I need to get my apps, tablet, etc..

Is the reason you don't have to carry your things with you with a list because you don't go as far away from your car with the list versus no list before you get a presentation ?

I think you said, 50 knocks 1 sale with no list, versus 10 knock and 1 sale with a list.

What do you mean by a "good area" to make D2D work well? The majority of the people that are in the FE market we mail to get bombarded with mailers.

I mean a "good area" for final expense cold door knocking as one that has enough of the final expense prospects in a close proximity for walking.

Like if an area only has a few final expense prospects per street, that is a lot of walking in my area and you will have to keep going back to the car, etc.

 

[onefastpony]

Is the reason you don't have to carry your things with you with a list because you don't go as far away from your car with the list versus no list before you get a presentation ?

I think you said, 50 knocks 1 sale with no list, versus 10 knock and 1 sale with a list.



I mean a "good area" for final expense cold door knocking as one that has enough of the final expense prospects in a close proximity for walking.

Like if an area only has a few final expense prospects per street, that is a lot of walking in my area and you will have to keep going back to the car, etc.

With a list I'm driving right into their driveway. There is no walking other than from my car to their door.


I just finished putting my list in order for tomorrow. I've got roughly 75 doors locked into my GPS. I'll report tomorrow night how the day went.

 

[Gooner]

With a list I'm driving right into their driveway. There is no walking other than from my car to their door.


I just finished putting my list in order for tomorrow. I've got roughly 75 doors locked into my GPS. I'll report tomorrow night how the day went.

You know we are all expecting $4,500 AP now right???

Aren't you in Florida...you're a beast!

Good luck, can't wait to hear how you do!

 

[CALTCAgent]

With a list I'm driving right into their driveway. There is no walking other than from my car to their door.


I just finished putting my list in order for tomorrow. I've got roughly 75 doors locked into my GPS. I'll report tomorrow night how the day went.

I could see how that would work in an area saturated with mailings.

Hopefully there is an easier way than to manually type them all in to the GPS.