Cold Calls > Buying Leads - I'm Convinced

[MyGenericName123]

lots of great info in this thread.

I am sort of a sicko in the head in that I enjoy the process of cold calling. Not everyday but many days. I've cold called in multiple settings, some of which wern't offering nearly the commission that commercial P&C cold calling does.

In my experience, its important to realize that each phone call is "dialing for dollars" as Trout pointed out. Never lose sight of the fact that you are driving revenue, and in the insurance industry, each call is driving revenue that could feed us for a long time, and lead to other accounts via referral.

Also, try to make a game out of cold calling. Cold calling can be monotonous. After a while, the mind can get bored, begin to wander, or straight up doubt the importance of the activity. Maybe you aren't allow to get up and get a coffee until you've heard the word "No" or "busy" 15 times. Maybe today your game is trying to see how many gatekeepers you can get to laugh, or today you're going to try out new thought pattern disrupters (as noted about, 'how ya been') works great! Maybe you play a particular song after every appointment you set. This stuff may sound trivial but it breaks up the day and builds solid rituals.

Lastly, dress well, even if you work at home. It will come through in your voice. Don't forget the importance of FEELING GOOD when making your calls. This can not be emphasized enough. Watch your body language - do not ever slouch. Perhaps clench your fist or do some other "power move" before calls. Remember, the brain can not differentiate between genuine success and fabricated success. If you move your body in a way that is consistent with triumph, your brain will respond, and it will shift your mindset into a triumphant state.

 

[Rob Lion]

lots of great info in this thread.

I am sort of a sicko in the head in that I enjoy the process of cold calling. Not everyday but many days. I've cold called in multiple settings, some of which wern't offering nearly the commission that commercial P&C cold calling does.

In my experience, its important to realize that each phone call is "dialing for dollars" as Trout pointed out. Never lose sight of the fact that you are driving revenue, and in the insurance industry, each call is driving revenue that could feed us for a long time, and lead to other accounts via referral.

Also, try to make a game out of cold calling. Cold calling can be monotonous. After a while, the mind can get bored, begin to wander, or straight up doubt the importance of the activity. Maybe you aren't allow to get up and get a coffee until you've heard the word "No" or "busy" 15 times. Maybe today your game is trying to see how many gatekeepers you can get to laugh, or today you're going to try out new thought pattern disrupters (as noted about, 'how ya been') works great! Maybe you play a particular song after every appointment you set. This stuff may sound trivial but it breaks up the day and builds solid rituals.

Lastly, dress well, even if you work at home. It will come through in your voice. Don't forget the importance of FEELING GOOD when making your calls. This can not be emphasized enough. Watch your body language - do not ever slouch. Perhaps clench your fist or do some other "power move" before calls. Remember, the brain can not differentiate between genuine success and fabricated success. If you move your body in a way that is consistent with triumph, your brain will respond, and it will shift your mindset into a triumphant state.

I've been calling in my Perry Ellis underwear for the last couple months and it has dramatically improved my closing ratios he's not wrong about dressing well.

 

[Markthebroker]

It's a shame it takes a trainwreck of a post like this to flush out a few good points... but Mark is dead on with this. In CL cold calling can be very effective and is one of several ways to get going and after a bit it becomes self-perpetuating. I use a system of developing lists from Reference USA which is free with membership in almost every city or county library. Search by your successful SIC codes, hit up the business owners by name... targeting and really learning a class of business makes it so much easier to sell... when you have tapped out your target region move on to the next SIC code...

Anyway...

My final 2 cents... in P&C Cold calling still is effective because you can target, Robocalls would not be nearly as effective. Business insurance is not something that lends well to commoditization. Real people, real cold calls, and real Q&A wins the most deals. Any system can work, but it may take different levels of money, volume, and effort. For me, dialing for dollars, and getting out and walking into my targeted business' was the MOST effective. I am the one who knocks... on doors.

Side note on that dojo guys site, at the bottom he has a disclaimer... A clever, but lame way to boost your search engine rankings maybe? I dunno but...

This site is not a part of the Facebook website or Facebook, Inc. Additionally, this website is NOT endorsed by Facebook in any way. Facebook is a trademark of FACEBOOK, INC.

 

[DayTimer]

I would much prefer to call a total cold call off versus a bought lead.

You are dead wrong. Why spend X amount of hours to find 1 client that might be interested when you can pay a small fee per person that is interested.

Cold calling works! One of my agents that used to be homeless wrote $8,300 in a single week ... without spending a dime on advertising.

I love $hit like this ...

 

[goillini52]

I love $hit like this ...

Was Michael speaking out of both sides of his mouth there?

 

[Markthebroker]

Was Michael speaking out of both sides of his mouth there?

There are a lot of things about Michael and his organization that don't add up. I've seen his type before.

 

[goillini52]

There are a lot of things about Michael and his organization that don't add up. I've seen his type before.

Oh yeah? Name 10 things.

 

[DayTimer]

Was Michael speaking out of both sides of his mouth there?

Well his posts were three years a part, so it is obvious that some evolution of opinion has occurred. I didn't mean it as a slight against Michael ... I just liked fact that he embraced both sides of the divide with such certainty. I've said it before that I like him and I continue to like him. The fact that diaper man does not seem to like him only increases my certainty that I am right in continuing to view MIchael favorably.

 

[goillini52]

Well his posts were three years a part, so it is obvious that some evolution of opinion has occurred. I didn't mean it as a slight against Michael ... I just liked fact that he embraced both sides of the divide with such certainty. I've said it before that I like him and I continue to like him. The fact that diaper man does not seem to like him only increases my certainty that I am right in continuing to view MIchael favorably.

I didn't realize the posts were 3 years apart. People can definitely change their opinions over time.

Michael does have some good ideas and for the most part I like him, but I stopped watching his videos because in some of them he sounds like a shyster in them and I've thought they were hard to listen to.

Also, his hair blinded me. I can joke about the color of his hair because my mom's a redhead(I was when I was a kid) and I have a 7 year old nephew that has bright orange hair.

 

[Markthebroker]

Oh yeah? Name 10 things.

He's been beat up on this forum plenty by myself and others. No need to dig back into it. His "explosive growth and amazing program" are very suspicious as only a few people that have dealt with him in the business world that are on this forum have only poor things to say about him.