Cold Calling Reluctance

[njinsuranceguy]

Meanwhile, our NJ friend who pledged to post his cold-calling results? Haven't seen boo-sh*t!

I assume you are talking about me... Truth is, people like you don't deserve any help that posting my numbers might bring. I am beginning to doubt that you are even in sales. With that said.. I will post my numbers for this week and here they are in Dials/Completes/Appts. All appointments are with companies that have more than 25 employees. Smallest is 35 lives and all renew between now and March. Total combined enrolled from all 3 appts set is 210 lives and represent an potential annual commission of $105,000.

Tuesday: 36/3/1
Weds: 28/5/1
Thursday: 20/3/1 (I made all of these from the road on my cell phone in between appts)

But this may been the last time I am posting my numbers. Like I said, people like you won't see the success in it anyway so whats the use.

 

[Justin Bilyj]

I assume you are talking about me... Truth is, people like you don't deserve any help that posting my numbers might bring. I am beginning to doubt that you are even in sales. With that said.. I will post my numbers for this week and here they are in Dials/Completes/Appts. All appointments are with companies that have more than 25 employees. Smallest is 35 lives and all renew between now and March. Total combined enrolled from all 3 appts set is 210 lives and represent an potential annual commission of $105,000.

Tuesday: 36/3/1
Weds: 28/5/1
Thursday: 20/3/1 (I made all of these from the road on my cell phone in between appts)

But this may been the last time I am posting my numbers. Like I said, people like you won't see the success in it anyway so whats the use.

Where are the mods when you need them, its too bad you won't be posting your numbers, I enjoyed reading your posts. If this forum continues down this road, I won't be coming here anymore either, and I still have some helpful projects in the mix when it comes to the forum...

 

[njinsuranceguy]

Where are the mods when you need them, its too bad you won't be posting your numbers, I enjoyed reading your posts. If this forum continues down this road, I won't be coming here anymore either, and I still have some helpful projects in the mix when it comes to the forum...

Thanks Empty! I appreciate the kudos on my posts. There is a lot I like about this site and I do love sharing information and trying to help. There are a lot people on here just getting started and looking for advice so I probably will still post stuff and maybe numbers too! I do wish there was a way to block someone from posting if they didn't start the topic. That would be great. Then we really could build this forum with just those that want to succeed.

Anyway, I just finished up my calls for today. I had an hour scheduled and made 22 calls. Didn't get any appts today but I am happy with the week. If I can book 3-5 appts every week I am good. Big bonus for me today was that I spoke with the CEO of a 1,000 life group and had a great conversation with him. He is definitely in my tickler file and feel there will be an opportunity down the road. My goal is to write 1 group this year of 500+ employees in addition to my other goals.

Again, thanks for the support! Best of luck to you!

 

[Justin Bilyj]

Just got another referral that called me from the lady that I doorknocked on Wednesday. He has COPD and he called me up looking for insurance. I asked him why he wanted it and he said he has 12 brothers and sisters (cha-ching) and some of them had died recently, and the costs of burial ripped up the family and had them fighting each other and he doesn't want that. Made an appointment on 10:30, and I will follow up on the other two referrals from her.

I will be sure to send her a nice card and some chocolates or something from SOC.

It was funny cause I saw the two ladies sittin on the porch (best prospects are on the porch), and I walked up to them and said, "ladies, your the last house on my list today, I am meeting with the folks in the neighborhood to see who doesn't have life insurance to cover their final expenses."...all from a door knock!

 

[Justin Bilyj]

Attached is a lead sheet I use to keep track of all the different leads I develop. Print out 10 sheets=40 leads, tells me how many I close outa the lot. I only put someone down if they give me a phone number with the other info.

I can paperclip it to my binder when I am out prospecting, keeping track of all the notecards got messy and unorganized.

 

[goillini52]

Attached is a lead sheet I use to keep track of all the different leads I develop. Print out 10 sheets=40 leads, tells me how many I close outa the lot. I only put someone down if they give me a phone number with the other info.

I can paperclip it to my binder when I am out prospecting, keeping track of all the notecards got messy and unorganized.

Good idea...hope you don't mind, I made a copy.

 

[houcoogster]

This is an awesome post!
Even if you hate door knocking you have got to like this!
I can see you getting a lot of business from these folks. Good people.

Just got another referral that called me from the lady that I doorknocked on Wednesday. He has COPD and he called me up looking for insurance. I asked him why he wanted it and he said he has 12 brothers and sisters (cha-ching) and some of them had died recently, and the costs of burial ripped up the family and had them fighting each other and he doesn't want that. Made an appointment on 10:30, and I will follow up on the other two referrals from her.

I will be sure to send her a nice card and some chocolates or something from SOC.

It was funny cause I saw the two ladies sittin on the porch (best prospects are on the porch), and I walked up to them and said, "ladies, your the last house on my list today, I am meeting with the folks in the neighborhood to see who doesn't have life insurance to cover their final expenses."...all from a door knock!

 

[Full Throttle]

I assume you are talking about me... Truth is, people like you don't deserve any help that posting my numbers might bring. I am beginning to doubt that you are even in sales. With that said.. I will post my numbers for this week and here they are in Dials/Completes/Appts. All appointments are with companies that have more than 25 employees. Smallest is 35 lives and all renew between now and March. Total combined enrolled from all 3 appts set is 210 lives and represent an potential annual commission of $105,000.

Tuesday: 36/3/1
Weds: 28/5/1
Thursday: 20/3/1 (I made all of these from the road on my cell phone in between appts)

But this may been the last time I am posting my numbers. Like I said, people like you won't see the success in it anyway so whats the use.

That is an unreal contact to appointment ratio! I can only get 1 in 4 to meet me for a 5 minute introduction. Are these people you already met or discussed their coverage with them, and you are calling them at renewal? If not, what approach are you using? If those are cold calls, I never had stats any where near that calling for health insurance, much less good sized groups.

 

[Justin Bilyj]

I was thinking the same thing...

 

[njinsuranceguy]

That is an unreal contact to appointment ratio! I can only get 1 in 4 to meet me for a 5 minute introduction. Are these people you already met or discussed their coverage with them, and you are calling them at renewal? If not, what approach are you using? If those are cold calls, I never had stats any where near that calling for health insurance, much less good sized groups.

Thanks for the compliment! Yes, these are cold and they are real. I only call on companies in NJ which is where I operate and sometimes I jump over the bridge to the philly market. Primarily, I call on the 50+ MFG market. I average a 8.5% contact ratio. Its much higher on callbacks and 28% of the contacts I make turn into an appt. I have no idea when their renewal date is on cold calls. I bought lists of renewal dates in the past but never found them to be very good. If you want to try them, larkspur data has the best deal. Something like $399 for their data base access for one year but its mostly all 100+ self-funded plans.

If I make 20 calls, I will generally talk with 1.7 C-Level Execs or those I get pushed to (hr execs) and I will book an appt with 28% of the people I talk with. Over the course of a week, I make on average 100 calls, speak with 8-9 and book 2-3 appts. Its really only about a 2-3% appt ratio but thats all I need.

These have been my numbers for years. Its funny, because I really just started hitting the phones again and nothings changed. Feels good!

You're getting 1 in 4.. thats 25%, not far off.. you're doing a good job. And something I learned years ago.. it doesn't matter if they are 10 people or 100, they are all the same. People are people. Don't let anyone tell you that its harder to call on larger groups. Thats their insecurities... not yours!

Ok.. so we know I love sharing stories, so here is a good one on calling large groups. I cold called the CEO of a 1,000 life group years ago. When the secretary picked up, I asked for the CEO by name and she said hold one sec... HE PICKED UP! Turns out he just left Rhoms Haas as their CFO to run this manufacturing company. Their broker had been their same broker for 15 years and was the CFO's contact. The CEO loved what I had to say and pushed me through to the HR director who the CEO told on the patch through to meet with me the following week. The meeting went great and then went totally cold. I called, mailed and faxed 2-3x's a month and never got a return anything. Then on August 8th of 2000 the HR Director called me. I got a message over the intercom saying Bob from so and so was on the phone. I picked it up in the lunchroom, which was the closest phone to where I was, and his exact words were.."Scott, not sure if you remember me or not, but its Bob from X company and I got all your faxes and calls but I didn't have approval to bring you in. I just got approval. Can you help us?". You don't ever forget a call like that. Turns out the CFO was blocking anyone from coming in and this new CEO over ruled him and they brought me in. In the 2 years that I had that account before I left that company I worked for, I never met the CFO. He refused to meet with me. haha

This one account was worth $105,000 in annual commissions. I learned then to ALWAYS call the CEO/President regardless of size. Benefits are a top 3 line item expense. The CEO's almost always make the decision and they never get called. My easiest and best clients are always at the C-level. Still to this day!

Sorry for the long winded message.

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And just as a follow up, I didn't book any appointments today but I did have a great conversation with the CEO of a 1,000 life group. He didn't even push me off. We talked for about 10 minutes. It was a great conversation. He renews in March and I really feel like I have a shot. At least at a meeting.

And how did I reach him... I entered his name into the dial by name database and he picked up! Who says its hard to get to the CEO??? haha

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That is an unreal contact to appointment ratio! I can only get 1 in 4 to meet me for a 5 minute introduction. Are these people you already met or discussed their coverage with them, and you are calling them at renewal? If not, what approach are you using? If those are cold calls, I never had stats any where near that calling for health insurance, much less good sized groups.

I have a question for you... what do you mean a 5 minute introduction? Why would you ask for a 5 minute introduction? Just curious.