Door Knock Vs. Phone Calls

[rousemark]

If you came to my door I would say..."Really up to 75 % now prove it."

He has accomplished his goal..You have just invited him in the door to "prove it"..

 

[jerry176]

He has accomplished his goal..You have just invited him in the door to "prove it"..

I only have a problem with a grandiose statement that will probably never be achieved.
Everything else is fine.

If he gets invited in and can't deliver, he walks out the door with nothing.

In reality if someone gave me that line, I would not give them an opportunity to earn my business.

 

[MadeMan71118]

FWIW, in my limited experience (2 years) in FE I know several female agents, and NONE of them did anything but door knock while running leads.

The phone is a waste of time in FE, IMHO, it just doesn't work.
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^^This is simply bad information.

It isn't bad information if that's been my experience...it means I've tried both and arrived at a useful conclusion.

The fact its different from yours doesn't mean it isn't factual or relevant.

Frankly, I don't care what your opinion is.

 

[jdeasy]

It isn't bad information if that's been my experience...it means I've tried both and arrived at a useful conclusion.

The fact its different from yours doesn't mean it isn't factual or relevant.

Frankly, I don't care what your opinion is.

You added on "it just doesn't work". And, I wasn't giving you an opinion, I was stating a fact that you were giving bad information and you obviously do care enough to respond to what i posted.

But, just how useful is your information gleaned from your experiences that form your opinion?

How much FE production do you do? How much did those doorknokers produce?

Some opinions do have more valuie than others.

 

[Mattschmidt]

MadeMan, have you ever come acrossed a guy known as MGA?

 

[cds251]

FWIW, in my limited experience (2 years) in FE I know several female agents, and NONE of them did anything but door knock while running leads.

The phone is a waste of time in FE, IMHO, it just doesn't work.
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What's your response when they say they're not interested?.....how do you get in the door then?

My response for that is "sure you are" I then get out my money clip and hand them a $20 bill. By now they are looking all confused wondering what the hell I am doing......."today is the 12th of the month, and here is $20. Would you like another $20 on the same date next month?" by now they are smiling, and warming up "well yeah" so you are interested in reducing your monthly insurance payment then? I'm in the door, resistance is dropped and they are now starting to like me.

You see most prospects are expecting you to apologize, turn around scamper by down the path with your tail in between your legs. At this point you are thinking "crap this is hard, did anyone see me, let's not go next door, they are not buyers. Better yet, let's go back to the car and I'll pick a different area. This area is no good"

I know this because it's how I used to feel. Until I overcame it. You have to be different, and once you get that "edge" you will never need another lead again..........
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I only have a problem with a grandiose statement that will probably never be achieved.
Everything else is fine.

If he gets invited in and can't deliver, he walks out the door with nothing.

In reality if someone gave me that line, I would not give them an opportunity to earn my business.

That's because you are focusing on the sale rather than the client. I never come out with nothing.....at worst I come out with the names of these nice folks and an introduction to their neighbors.

I don't worry about saving the 75%. I focus on providing service and value. Such as a client I wrote last week. Had been paying on a plan for 21 years.......turns I was more expensive.......why? Because upon review of his plan all he had was an AD plan....he was furious.....he had no idea thats what he had. The result? A happy camper, a $94 check and the names of his neighbors.

Never has anyone said what you are thinking or challenged me in the field like that.....it just doesn't happen.

 

[nfl72]

First Financial out of the Detroit area believes in running leads without an appointment. I worked there for about 4 months. They are one of those companies where the vast majority of their agents are broke. They don''t have a pot to piss in. They have about 30 agents and all but one or two are making less than minimum wage.

I beleive in working smarter not harder. Set yourself up with decent leads and schedule pre-set appointments with people who are mostly glad to see you. You will make more money.

And when you do get stood up, which you will from time to time, then spend an hour or 2 doorknocking on the leads you couldn't pin down for an appointment. You might start by telling them the following

My name is Craven Morehead and we spoke on the phone the other day. I just finished up an appointment down the street and I have a little time before my next appointment. If you have about 5 minutes I can give to you the information you requested. Then shuffle your feet as if your coming in. That will get you in the door most of the time.

Driving around aimlessly all day long hoping to catch people home is a waste of time and money and is also very trying on the sole. Its a great way to get burned out.

 

[cds251]

First Financial out of the Detroit area believes in running leads without an appointment. I worked there for about 4 months. They are one of those companies where the vast majority of their agents are broke. They don''t have a pot to piss in. They have about 30 agents and all but one or two are making less than minimum wage.

I beleive in working smarter not harder. Set yourself up with decent leads and schedule pre-set appointments with people who are mostly glad to see you. You will make more money.

And when you do get stood up, which you will from time to time, then spend an hour or 2 doorknocking on the leads you couldn't pin down for an appointment. You might start by telling them the following

My name is Craven Morehead and we spoke on the phone the other day. I just finished up an appointment down the street and I have a little time before my next appointment. If you have about 5 minutes I can give to you the information you requested. Then shuffle your feet as if your coming in. That will get you in the door most of the time.

Driving around aimlessly all day long hoping to catch people home is a waste of time and money and is also very trying on the sole. Its a great way to get burned out.

The bottom line with all of this discussion is this: does buying leads work? Yes. Does door knocking work? Yes. All forms of activity work if you committ to them and work at it.

There is no right or wrong answer, the only answer that's needed is finding something that works for you and then maximizing it to your fullest ability.

My accent doesn't allow me to work that effectively on the phone. That's forced me to get good at another avenue of prospecting.

Success is relative. Some might view success as making over 100k per year, for others that might be the minimum required. One mans success is another mans failure....you get the picture.

I met one agent the other day and she is as happy as a pig in s@&$ with 40k per year.........

Everything works. If you do it.

 

[rousemark]

First Financial out of the Detroit area believes in running leads without an appointment. I worked there for about 4 months. They are one of those companies where the vast majority of their agents are broke. They don''t have a pot to piss in. They have about 30 agents and all but one or two are making less than minimum wage.

I beleive in working smarter not harder. Set yourself up with decent leads and schedule pre-set appointments with people who are mostly glad to see you. You will make more money.

And when you do get stood up, which you will from time to time, then spend an hour or 2 doorknocking on the leads you couldn't pin down for an appointment. You might start by telling them the following

My name is Craven Morehead and we spoke on the phone the other day. I just finished up an appointment down the street and I have a little time before my next appointment. If you have about 5 minutes I can give to you the information you requested. Then shuffle your feet as if your coming in. That will get you in the door most of the time.

Driving around aimlessly all day long hoping to catch people home is a waste of time and money and is also very trying on the sole. Its a great way to get burned out.

I am willing to bet that the ones that are "broke" aren't really working. They are going through the motions but spend most of their time at home or in the pool hall.

I worked with agents in the 80s and 90s that were making 100K + back then who worked nothing but the senior market going door to door. I also worked with agents that had a fist full of leads that failed miserably. They would have failed no matter what system you gave them. The only way they survived at all was by changing companies from year to year and going back and rolling what business they had on the books for a new first year commission every year.

The folks that actually make money canvassing (not dropping in to call on a lead) do not "around aimlessly all day long hoping to catch people home". They plan their work, choosing neighborhoods to door knock and keeping notes of what is going on in that neighborhood so when they return they have a lot of knowledge of what opportunities are there.

BTW, Try the foot shuffling at my door and I am going to be taking mental bets as to how long you can keep the "chicken dance" going. Had a young fellow selling books come by the other day and he looked like a chicken scratching for bugs for a full minute before he realized it wasn't working and how ridiculous he looked.

 

[gordon112]

This is a nice thread, good information from cds and others on both methods. I like the combo way, work leads, direct mailers, pre set, dialers, and also door knock a neighborhood that seems reasonable to do it.

I think the key things are time management and common sense imho will keep you on track..but man its hard to pass up a good story from a WW2 vet even if it takes up an hour or so