Cold Calling FE Prospects

[HoosierLife]

Finding and hiring the right person takes time, have you completely given up on finding a TM?

Not necessarily. I've stopped looking if that's what your asking. I paid up for another month on my dialer and havent used it at all this month. I really need to make a decision about it soon, cause I hate to spend $100 on the dialer if Im not gonna use it.

 

[LonghornMark]

So I have never cold called before. Forgive my ignorance, but it is as simple as picking up a phone book and dialing or can you get a list of seniors in your area?

 

[HoosierLife]

So I have never cold called before. Forgive my ignorance, but it is as simple as picking up a phone book and dialing or can you get a list of seniors in your area?

First you get a dialer. Then you get a targeted list. Then you dial. Search dialer or any thread started by Josh or scroll through the cold calling forum to find out more.

 

[Rearden]

Some of you know I have a corporate sales job during the day.

The way we are taught to tele-prospect is summed up as follows:

-Introduce yourself and and the company.
-(assuming you are talking to the right person) Tell them why you are calling and ask for an appointment to show them how you've helped countless others with their final expense needs.

It sounds like this:

"Hi Mr. Prospect, this is Hank Rearden calling. I'm calling you because I'll be in Jasper tomorrow helping a few people with their final expense burial insurance needs, and wanted to stop by for 10 or 15 minutes to show you how I've helped them get affordable, guaranteed burial insurance coverage. Are you free at 10 tomorrow?"

Expect to rebuttal every opener.

Most of all, tonality will have the largest effect on your results.

I can set 1 appointment out of 25 dials for my corporate gig like this.

 

[Cory]

Hoosier makes a valid point. As agents we are going to generate more leads than TM as we know the business, competition, underwriting, etc. I always generated more than the TMs, but as agents our time is valuable. I think a happy medium can be found b/t agents and hiring a TM.

TDFnCali... you may not like calling but it will do two things. Put you in touch with more people quicker and it will also better your sales skills. A dialer won't make it fun, but a dialer will take all the laborious demotivating tasks out of the equation and any dialer will give you more contacts. Start w a script (like Mark's) and make it your own...it will change over time.

I'm a big fan of having the TM in-house so you can train them properly and nurture them otherwise you don't know what they're doing. Just my two cents...hope this helps if only a little.

 

[gordon112]

Hoosier makes a valid point. As agents we are going to generate more leads than TM as we know the business, competition, underwriting, etc. I always generated more than the TMs, but as agents our time is valuable. I think a happy medium can be found b/t agents and hiring a TM.

TDFnCali... you may not like calling but it will do two things. Put you in touch with more people quicker and it will also better your sales skills. A dialer won't make it fun, but a dialer will take all the laborious demotivating tasks out of the equation and any dialer will give you more contacts. Start w a script (like Mark's) and make it your own...it will change over time.

I'm a big fan of having the TM in-house so you can train them properly and nurture them otherwise you don't know what they're doing. Just my two cents...hope this helps if only a little.

Cory, do you have an automated system for the recording? This is how I would like to do it or just use a script through the whole process. I figure time and the cost of the dialer will still be lower then ordering TM leads. I bet it equates to around 5-8 dollars per lead and will only get better with time. If you take out the time variable in your equation, then you have free leads minus the dialer and list!

 

[SirKnight31]

Ok, im just trying to get ideas...Im not looking to replace all my DM leads, I would never do that. Im looking to add, but I also dont want ALL DM leads.

Im not doing this myself...too much time & Im not good on the phone, esp COLD CALLING!

Im just trying to see if u have a person whos proven good at generating leads cold calling & u have a good list is it viable long term? Hes not setting the appt for me, just generating the lead!

And tips on scripts never hurts...I have Mark's & the ones of Josh's website!

What I learned is that the more I did it the better I got. Get a cheap dialer and just try it a few hours a week. I set about 8-12 appts a week and door knock Dm from the same area between appts.
I would agree with what someone else said on here, Do it yourself. I've had about 5 telemarketers but I've done a lot better when I'm doing it myself. A true numbers game...

"Hi... I sent you out a mailer letting you know about the new state regulated insurance program and was just following up to see if you would be interested ".

-Overcome one or two objections, if Yes then I set the appt if no then I move on to the next one.

I like it this way because I've talked to the prospect and I know the vibe that I got from them. A telemarketer will force the appt and it will be a no show or I'm not interested later.

 

[agentahna]

I've done some cold calling and I got sales that were lay downs, but they required great persistence. Not because it was particularly hard but because I hate repetitive calling and script reciting. I think having another person call and prequalify feels more professional to the client and is more efficient. It also allows you to spend 100% your valuable time talking to the people who really intend to buy your product. Not everyone can do your job but anyone can call, read a script, and get you qualified leads.

I have a year of experience at a call center with telemarketers generating fresh leads. It's lovely, when I call someone I have everything I need but medications. I get to talk to my clients and find out their needs/experiences/personal final arrangements. I already know they have a bank account, what they have/price, how much they can afford, and 1 of 6 is our goal ratio for leads/sales which is reasonable. Make sure you have an exceptional script, i've seen unskilled, inexperienced people do shockingly well with a good script and persistence. We had one girl with no experience that I got in the most awesome sales streak with. I had five sales in one day from her leads and we figured it was because we were both Virgos.

Give it a try if you find you can't stand cold calling like I did

 

[mark68]

First week cold calling a list in my life (with a dialer) I sold 2 policies the next day. Beginner's luck I guess.

 

[Justin Bilyj]

Nice! good for you, did you sell over the phone or set appt to do f2f?
What was your opening if you don't mind me asking?