Final Expense Door Knocking Method

[sshafran]

Cool, thanks for the info Sam. Is there any way to import a list of addresses into the garmin using your computer? Or do you type them in manually into the gps?

 

[MedSuppPro]

I've used Maps & Trips for years. Glad to see such an great post full of new tricks of the trade. Here's my two cents...


Microsoft Streets and Trips 2010

Microsoft Streets and Trips 2010 Improvements
Streets and Trips 2010 adds several incremental improvements over 2009, including:
• Ability to toggle the display of pushpin sets
• Importing and exporting GPX files (standard files for GPS data)
• Ability to export data to a mobile phone or other GPS device.
• Updated mapping data and POIs
• Construction avoidance (existing feature, but worth mentioning)
• Save your route data including waypoints, notes, pushpins, and your path (also an existing feature, but a great one)

Streets and Trips 2010 Features

Streets and Trips has several advanced features that make it, quite honestly, my favorite navigation tool if I have room for a laptop. Without the keyboard/mouse interface, these features would be too clumsy to be practical. But if you're sitting in your parked car or planning from home, you'll be glad to have them.
Route Planning: Once you've chosen where you're going, you have several ways to chose a route. If you don't like the automatically calculated route, simply drag the route path onto a road that you'd like to take, or off of a road you want to avoid. This is hugely useful, as you can change the route as many times as you want. Over 300 pushpin types means you can mark personal points of interests before you leave, or (more useful I've found) mark interesting things as you discover them on your journey. And of course you can add unlimited waypoints or stops along your path, and manage them in the Route Planner panel.

Video Tutorial for Streets and Trips

If you've never used S&T before, this is a good tutorial on adding the GPS feature ("eh"):



Route Options: You can ask it to avoid certain types of road (on a sliding scale of avoidance), and tell it the fuel efficiently of your vehicle (miles per gallon, or liters per 100 km). Several other options to fine-tune the auto-routing.

Trip Scheduling: Streets and Trips has a fantastic interface for planning your long trips. You can specify when to leave, how often you'll stop, when you'll stop for the night, and how fast you'll drive. It will calculate your route itinerary and show you where you'll need to take breaks or find a hotel, and tell you how much you'll spend on gas.

Overall Review of Streets and Trips

For the serious traveler, Streets and Trips offers a great depth and breadth of features. These advanced features are rarely seen on portable or self-contained GPS devices, and can save you both time and money. Now that it can export GPX data, the serious traveler or tourist will also appreciate they can export data from their trip to another device, or simply save it in the native S&T map format.

Source: Microsoft Streets and Trips 2010 | Reviews for portable devices and GPS tracking systems

 

[Sam12]

Cool, thanks for the info Sam. Is there any way to import a list of addresses into the garmin using your computer? Or do you type them in manually into the gps?

I believe there is a way to import addresses from your computer, however I just input the addresses directly into the unit.

 

[Daytona_Guy]

I believe there is a way to import addresses from your computer, however I just input the addresses directly into the unit.

Yes, it's very simple. You will need a standard USB cable (make sure it's not the mini-USB). Download the software here: Garmin | Mapping Programs. The program you want is MapSource which will install a group under Programs called "Garmin", and MapSource will be in there.

Then you can start with the city, then house number, then street. Make each one a "Waypoint" and you can put other info in there like "APT 2B", etc. When you're all done, upload the data to the unit while it's plugged in. Takes about 10 seconds with 50 contacts.

Then you can simply do "Go to" .. "Favorites" and it will list all of your Waypoints in the order of which one is closest. Once you're at a house, you can delete it by pulling up the closest again and then deleting it, then pull up Favorites again and the next closest one shows at the top of the list.

Hope it helps!

 

[captain94]

I looked this up. it says Mapsource costs $119. Is this right? Streets and Maps is like $30.

 

[Daytona_Guy]

I looked this up. it says Mapsource costs $119. Is this right? Streets and Maps is like $30.

If you have a recently bought Garmin, it comes with Mapsource or the ability to download and use it. It did not cost me anything extra and my latest GPS is 6 months old.

 

[captain94]

Thanks. I got a Garmin in Dec 09. Did it come with a Download CD? I cant remember. Thanks Again!

 

[MedSuppPro]

I also purchased a Garmin Nuvi (Dec09) and no CD. My old Megelin was a better GPS unit.

If your using ACT! and Excel or Streets & Trips, you should be able to transfer your contacts to your GPS. 2010 Streets and Trips has a toolbar icon for GPS transfers via your USB cable. The GoogleMaps feature also lets you do the same.

My experience with the software downloads from Garmin is they work better with XP and not on VISTA. Garmin has a patch for Windows 7 that is hard to find on their site, but, seems to work.

I'm not able to transfer the routes from Google. I can transfer multiple names though.

Some of the above can be found at:

Garmin | Communicator Plugin

Happy GPSing

 

[Daytona_Guy]

Back to the topic..

This is a repost from another forum source, but I thought it was pretty good information on this thread's topic of door knocking for FE:

"Between appointments, I knock on the door and when they answer it I say, "Hello, my name is_____, I've got several appointments with people in your neighborhood this week concerning the supplement to their social security benefit of $255 and I wanted to see if I could set up a time to visit with you about it tomorrow," (now I open my appointment book and before they can say anything, I say), "I've got a 10:30 in the morning and a 4:00 in the afternoon available, which would be more convenient for you?"

I am looking at my appointment book with my pen on the 10:30 time and waiting to write the one that they pick.

I find this to be very effective and set a ton of appointments this way. And I do only work by appointment. I even go so far as to refuse to go into their home if they say "well I've got time right now, come on in." I say, I'm sorry, but I've got an appointment with Mr. and Mrs.______ in 15 minutes, but I can pencil you in for 10:30 or 4:00 tomorrow, which would you prefer?

I think this makes you look more professional and a lot less desperate. It also makes them realize that you value their time (and yours) and your not just peddling something door to door.

You've got more than a hot lead now, You've got an appointment."

 

[steveadlman]

Re: Back to the topic..

This is a repost from another forum source, but I thought it was pretty good information on this thread's topic of door knocking for FE:

"Between appointments, I knock on the door and when they answer it I say, "Hello, my name is_____, I've got several appointments with people in your neighborhood this week concerning the supplement to their social security benefit of $255 and I wanted to see if I could set up a time to visit with you about it tomorrow," (now I open my appointment book and before they can say anything, I say), "I've got a 10:30 in the morning and a 4:00 in the afternoon available, which would be more convenient for you?"

I am looking at my appointment book with my pen on the 10:30 time and waiting to write the one that they pick.

I find this to be very effective and set a ton of appointments this way. And I do only work by appointment. I even go so far as to refuse to go into their home if they say "well I've got time right now, come on in." I say, I'm sorry, but I've got an appointment with Mr. and Mrs.______ in 15 minutes, but I can pencil you in for 10:30 or 4:00 tomorrow, which would you prefer?

I think this makes you look more professional and a lot less desperate. It also makes them realize that you value their time (and yours) and your not just peddling something door to door.

You've got more than a hot lead now, You've got an appointment."

It maybe effective to make an appointment but how many of those appointments actually take place.