Calling Vs Doorknocking

[liquidglass]

I'll chime in my 2 cents on this one. I like to call people, sure. But over the phone they view you as almost a telemarketer in a lot of cases.

Even with leads I honestly discovered that I have a better rate of sale with just showing up. I know it might sound ridiculous to those more experienced than myself. But so far it has been working .

 

[Frank Stastny]

I'll chime in my 2 cents on this one. I like to call people, sure. But over the phone they view you as almost a telemarketer in a lot of cases.

Even with leads I honestly discovered that I have a better rate of sale with just showing up. I know it might sound ridiculous to those more experienced than myself. But so far it has been working .

No, that doesn't sound ridiculous at all. Selling is still very much a "contact sport". I believe this to be especially true in the senior and FE market.

As a rule I don't attempt to market Med Supps to those turning 65. Been there, done that, have a whole drawer full of those t-shirts. However, if I were a new agent to the senior market and trying to build a book of business I would give serious consideration to purchasing a list of T65 people with the intent of knocking on their door.

They are literally getting hammered by phone from agents from all over the country. Most have a lousy script, not a whole lot of knowledge and are trying to rush through their "script" as quickly as possible because everyone know that the more calls made per hour the greater the number of sales. Maybe so but how long will that senior stay with that agent? Renewals are where the real money is.

I believe that many seniors would find it very refreshing after having been pestered to death on the phone to have an agent sit down at their kitchen table and take the time to educate and explain to them how Medicare and Med Supps work. The rapport built at the kitchen table will last a lot longer than a quick sale over the phone.

 

[GoCubsGo]

Man charged for scaring salesmen with gun

Man charged for scaring salesmen with gun near Fox River Grove - DailyHerald.com

He fired the gun into the ground to scare the salesmen who called police. They found a bunch of guns in the house that he didn't have a valid firearm ID card for and seized them. He is free on bail.

Have to watch for the nuts out their.

 

[Braxtonut]

Yeah good points. It's hard to trust someone over the phone. When selling insurance you need to build rapport, and the best way to do that is to show up and have a real conversation with a potential client.

 

[vanquishV12]

Although there is no "Do Not Door Knock List" there are senior housing communities here in Salem Oregon where by the time you knock on the 5th door there is a cop asking you to leave.

Will be entering the senior market waiting I am looking forward to door knocking. No such thing as do not knock list.

I think Frank makes a great point seniors are bombarded with telemarketers/agents etc. Face to face with a female, cute, non-threatening professional like me might get me a few clients.

 

[Frank Stastny]

Although there is no "Do Not Door Knock List" there are senior housing communities here in Salem Oregon where by the time you knock on the 5th door there is a cop asking you to leave.

I would suggest that you find different areas to prospect in. There is nothing wrong with driving an hour or so to a more target rich area.

Go to areas that my grandfather would have referred to as "where Jesus lost his sandals".

 

[xrac]

Man charged for scaring salesmen with gun

Man charged for scaring salesmen with gun near Fox River Grove - DailyHerald.com

He fired the gun into the ground to scare the salesmen who called police. They found a bunch of guns in the house that he didn't have a valid firearm ID card for and seized them. He is free on bail.

Have to watch for the nuts out their.

That is Illinois where you have to have a firearms owners ID Card.

 

[DHK]

Know your local laws before doing it!

I heard a pretty confident solar panel guy coming to my door today. Wasn't interested, but I simply asked him if he had his solicitor's permit. He said his company had one. (Since I had to go through this, I know that each individual must have one in my city.) I just told him that he needs to check that out and that I'd hate to see him get into any trouble.

I wouldn't do business with people who won't take the time to understand the laws. We don't have to LIKE the laws, but we need to FOLLOW them until we can change them.

 

[rapidrobert]

They used to be called "Green River Ordinances" and they can sometimes just be another way for a city to raise revenue. I did some door knocking and had to obtain a permit and this was in Oklahoma City.

 

[liquidglass]

No, that doesn't sound ridiculous at all. Selling is still very much a "contact sport". I believe this to be especially true in the senior and FE market.

As a rule I don't attempt to market Med Supps to those turning 65. Been there, done that, have a whole drawer full of those t-shirts. However, if I were a new agent to the senior market and trying to build a book of business I would give serious consideration to purchasing a list of T65 people with the intent of knocking on their door.

They are literally getting hammered by phone from agents from all over the country. Most have a lousy script, not a whole lot of knowledge and are trying to rush through their "script" as quickly as possible because everyone know that the more calls made per hour the greater the number of sales. Maybe so but how long will that senior stay with that agent? Renewals are where the real money is.

I believe that many seniors would find it very refreshing after having been pestered to death on the phone to have an agent sit down at their kitchen table and take the time to educate and explain to them how Medicare and Med Supps work. The rapport built at the kitchen table will last a lot longer than a quick sale over the phone.

Appreciate your input Frank, thanks for the support! However, I'll clarify I do more FE, I tried the med-sup thing, dropped it faster than a diseased raccoon. With FE if they don't invite me right in, I go ahead and set up an appointment for the next day, and plan accordingly. It's not fool proof, but damn if it's not a hell of a lot prettier than calling people up. They know what we'll be talking about up front, so if they set up an appointment to come back (because I'm sure it is a bad time sometimes.) They are 9 times out of 10 a solid sale, because it strikes a cord with them after I educate them a little bit. Hell some of them invite me on in and explain they already have the plots paid for, they know how much they need, and they have a monthly budget in mind.....But no one ever thought to ask .





In an unrelated note. It wasn't until I started knocking on doors that I discovered someone had invented a sister to the clap-on lights..... Knock-off tvs. (rim shot)