Cold Doors 2020 - Discussion Thread

[DayTimer]

I'm pretty sure I'm knocking in much lower income neighborhoods than you are currently. But, like you, I'm not really trying to get in right then. I'm not making specific appointments like you, though. I'm just getting permission to stop by again on a particular day, like I said earlier.

For FE leads I'm trying to get in right then and there and make a presentation and close a sale right there that day. My fall back position on an FE lead is, like you, to set an appointment for the next day or two (and what is an appointment with an FE Lead but permission to knock again on a particular day in the future, right?), though I've set appointments a week or so out and I've had them stick.

With the cold knocks, I am trying to get an appointment, but if I don't, I am also asking permission to contact them in the future, email or mail the Spring edition of my newsletter (soon to be monthly rather than quarterly once i get things set up with the Insurance Pro Shop). In other words, I'm trying to set an appointment with them in the next week or two, but failing that, I am trying to gauge interest and develop a lead.

I am still running FE at least one or two days a week (even if only half days) to keep the cash coming in while I fill that pipeline.

As far as income levels I am targeting neighborhoods for cold doors where I expect that most of the households are going to be at, near, or above the average income level for the townships I'm working, which is high five figures. But the income range can ary widely - folks have retired since buying the home, the wife gave up her career to stay at home with the kids, mom or dad had a great job with Lucent or Air Products but was downsized and now makes 1/3 as much as a new high school science teacher ... Lots of different stories out there I'm finding.

 

[DHK]

I cold knock too. I disregard video door bells. I consider knocking on them to be a total waste of my time. All I want to know is are they interested. And I do not want to have a conversation through one of those things. You might say that I really am "Old fashioned." LOL

You can have a little fun with video door bells.

I simply say "I'm just out and about introducing myself and the work I do. I was hoping to meet you, introduce myself, and shake your hand... but that's up to you."

Then just wait for the response.

My favorite one so far: "Well, we're in Vegas right now." They don't know me, but they tell me they're out of town??? lol!

 

[theleadingagent]

I never ring a bell. I knock. Every door - whether cold or a lead - gets knocked with "shave and a haircut, two bits!"

Funny as all get out when I have someone ansewr "what the hell you banging on my door for?!"

I say, "Well, I was going to tell you 'til you answered that way. Have a nice day." And I turn and walk away. About one out two will actually call after me and tell me they're sorry and ask what I was there to tell them. People are phunny.

Some of those video doorbells can sense sound and motion so in theory it doesn't matter if you knock or ring the bell or knock, they know you're there. But yeah I knock first then ring the bell only because some of these houses are big and there's no way they can hear me knocking

 

[theleadingagent]

I cold knock too. I disregard video door bells. I consider knocking on them to be a total waste of my time. All I want to know is are they interested. And I do not want to have a conversation through one of those things. You might say that I really am "Old fashioned." LOL

Yeah I find it useless to have a convo through them too.

What I have done is hold up the lead card and be like "you had filled this out with your signature right here but I don't know if you can see well enough...." and they open up the door if they're home.

 

[NAF1138]

I'm pretty sure I read a story somewhere that attributes the wave and the shuffle to Combined Insurance. But I may be wrong. @DHK and @NAF1138 are both former combined agents who've been through the corporate training. Perhaps they'd share if it was or is still a part of the company sales training in Chicago.

It wasn't part of "corporate" for me, but my two field trainers were both people who started with Combined in the 70s and they both taught the wave and the shuffle "off the record" as techniques that were no longer officially sanctioned but "those idiots at corporate don't know how to sell, and this works."

 

[DayTimer]

It wasn't part of "corporate" for me, but my two field trainers were both people who started with Combined in the 70s and they both taught the wave and the shuffle "off the record" as techniques that were no longer officially sanctioned but "those idiots at corporate don't know how to sell, and this works."

Thanks Nick!

 

[theleadingagent]

You can have a little fun with video door bells.

I simply say "I'm just out and about introducing myself and the work I do. I was hoping to meet you, introduce myself, and shake your hand... but that's up to you."

Then just wait for the response.

My favorite one so far: "Well, we're in Vegas right now." They don't know me, but they tell me they're out of town??? lol!

That's hilarious! One one hand telling you you're out of town so you'll go away but not realizing you could be moonlighting as a burglar/robbery mastermind who they just gave info about their house being vacant

 

[theleadingagent]

Also with regards to door knocking I am wondering about y'all knuckles

I guess I have thin skin and noticed some bruising. I don't want to do the police knock with my padded part of my fist bc that might scare the daylights out of them but how are y'all keeping from getting bruises, premature arthritis, and ***ing up your joints by constantly doing hefty knocks?

 

[DayTimer]

Also with regards to door knocking I am wondering about y'all knuckles

I guess I have thin skin and noticed some bruising.

I've been knocking doors off and on for literally 20 years and this has never been a problem for me. The best part about door knocking is if you keep up a brisk pace it is a great way to lose some extra pounds that keto hasn't been able to take off by itself.

 

[rousemark]

Also with regards to door knocking I am wondering about y'all knuckles

I guess I have thin skin and noticed some bruising. I don't want to do the police knock with my padded part of my fist bc that might scare the daylights out of them but how are y'all keeping from getting bruises, premature arthritis, and ***ing up your joints by constantly doing hefty knocks?

Like anything else, if you do it enough your body becomes accustomed to it. You may even develop calluses on your knuckles.