First day cold calling a FLOP

[HomeService]

Rockport is nice, I could do some good cold calling activity around there, but I would gravitate toward Corpus and Houston, because I'm kind of a bigger city type, as opposed to rural, even though I grew up in the rural midwest, I have been getting my door to door training in Austin and San Antonio, mostly.

 

[MikeLevy]

.... however, i'm not ready to be indenpendent totally so I latched on to a guy that is going to help me.

I spent wed, thursday and some of friday with him ... in that time, he sold 7 policies (he sold 3 the day before). the guy is Kick a**!!! Great greeting, easy presentation, smooth close ... everybody is smiling when he leaves and he has a check in his hand. He is making 110% on each sale and with over 5k in sales ... cha ching!!! He does this well every week. I saw his plaques for every month. In july, he did 40K.

Anyway, you can probably see why I'm holding hands with this guy. Praise the Lord.

In fact, all his hard working agents are keeping up with him ... he trains them to do it eactly like he does.

to say the least, I'm excited and ready to rock and roll.

Fantastic! That's the trainer you needed. In the end, you found exactly what many people suggested you needed. It sounds like you did it independently. Your obviously one of the keepers!

This forum has been awesome. I don't think I would even be trying this career without it. The information .... the experience ... the phone conversations ... this is a great resource. You've got all your insurance needs in one place: leads, organizations, Organizational software, IMOs, FMOs, etc ... who ever created this site ... hats off to you.

It is a great site, but the information is only one part of why it's great. The uncovering of the best information can't happen without a catalyst. Necessity is the mother of invention.

The catalyst for the best threads in this forum don't come from the people who have the answers. It's the people who ask the questions that get the ball rolling. You sparked one of the most important threads on this forum. Who knows, maybe in the end something more than just a thread happens as a result.

Best of luck to you. The next time you visit Atlanta, shoot me a PM or give me a call and we'll hit this great brew pub right next to the MostChoice office or maybe we'll do it right at Bones! It's on me. I want to hear the war stories.

Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

 

[jody108]

Thanks Mike and thanks for the Leads ..... so far, my trainer and i have had good success with them ... all the best, jody

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

I've not done anymore cold calling. Not because I didn't want to but because I found a local agent here that has offered to take me in and stand by my side while I learn the business.

however, i'm not ready to be indenpendent totally so I latched on to a guy that is going to help me.

Congratulations on the wisdom to understand.

This is the best arrangement that gives you the best shot at success - despite what you read on here from various associations, coaches, etc.

I spent wed, thursday and some of friday with him ... in that time, he sold 7 policies (he sold 3 the day before). the guy is Kick a**!!! Great greeting, easy presentation, smooth close ... everybody is smiling when he leaves and he has a check in his hand. He is making 110% on each sale and with over 5k in sales

I'm curious...how much "cold calling" does he do to achieve these results?

 

[jody108]

0 cold calling - all leads. He used to do cold calling/door to door but this lasted a month for him ... in 96, he moved to leads and he has been rockin since ... I know cold calling works and is cheaper and probably best for my current budget ... but when i see this guy meeting with 5-7 people a day on leads ... well, it made me think a little ...

I guess leads are like Adwords with google ... you spend a certain amount for clicks and you yield a higher amount in sales ... some people opt to get up in the search engines with content but others pay for those clicks ... they both work ... just a matter of what you want to do.

I learned something at Physicians Mutual that I will use. They teach you to knock on all the doors around each appointment you have ... if you have time, go to the doors, say I was helping Mrs. Jones down the street and I thought I'd stop by .... yada yada yada ... it only takes a few minutes ...

i was also going to use Mark Rosenthal's prospecting system using the "free living will" concept ... He has really good ideas.

Also, If I have time and no one to meet, I will go through my list of seniors in my area,call them and ask for appointments ...

I guess you have to work everything you have to get the sales rollin and to keep the rollin' ....

Thanks Paul.

jody

 

[HomeService]

Yeah, I used door to door as a supplement to leads and referrals and other stuff, { but the leads I have gotten for free really kind of stink, I guess you get what you pay for..} but in 2009 I am committed to buying some quality leads that will supplement my door knocking- or maybe put my door knocking a little bit on the back burner. I am committed to making something work in 2009, we shall see... I am looking forward to 2009, that's for sure.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

0 cold calling - all leads... I know cold calling works and is cheaper and probably best for my current budget ... but when i see this guy meeting with 5-7 people a day on leads ... well, it made me think a little ...

Why would you do something that "works" if there's something that "works better", right? Is there some rational reason that the hard way is better?

It's not a question of "cheaper" - intelligent marketing isn't a cost, it's an investment. What investor wouldn't enjoy a 400-500% return on their money?

Here's what I hear from the so-called experts: "yeah, but they're broke." Well, if that's the case, there's a choice.

You can spend your energy pounding your head against the wall relentlessly by cold-calling...all the while becoming frustrated while looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Or, you could spend that energy finding a way to beg, borrow or steal some working capital in order to do some intelligent marketing...

The best idea is to spend a little...to make a LOT.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Certainly glad I didn't listen to this advice when I was new and broke. I 100% cold-called - biz to biz, made thousands a week then off to buy leads. Not too sure where I would have found a local expert nor was I in a position to commission split with anyone.

 

[jody108]

In defense to cold calling and door to door ... my gut tells me it's the tried and true way ... maybe the more intelligent way to go. It seems leads may be a bit easier on the psychie .... this makes it so the average agent can succeed.

however, I see the other side of the spectrum as well ...

I guess I will keep doing both and as I become a professional, I'm sure I will see the light .... the best path for me to succeed in this career ... or fail ... who knows?

Off to work ...

Jody

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

I got into UGA and was told to buy leads. I had a little cash but being new I didn't think draining what money I had was the wisest way to spent it.

I said I'd just go BtoB - the office response to that was "it's a complete waste of time."

4 months later the "it's a waste of time" agents were calling their leads. I was on the beach in Cabo after winning the Quick Start contest for the country with $220,000 in issued business over 12 weeks.

But remember, cold calling doesn't work.