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How To Open Every Cold Call
- Thread starter InfinityLeads
- Start date
smbinsurance
New Member
- 11
Your opening should always be dependent upon your goal for the call. Any initial cold calls I make, I'm only trying to get the prospect to commit to a future appointment/call. That's it, nothing else. I've found that being concise, direct, and asking for what you want is the best route to go. Save all the pleasantries and rapport building for a call down the road. Here's an opening I've had some success with regarding booking fact-finding and quoting appointments with commercial accounts:
"Mike here from SMB Insurance. I caught you off guard today, so I wanted to see if you had 10 minutes for a quick call later this week; we specialize in small business insurance and want to provide you a free quote. What does Thursday or Friday look like for you at around 1pm?"
"Mike here from SMB Insurance. I caught you off guard today, so I wanted to see if you had 10 minutes for a quick call later this week; we specialize in small business insurance and want to provide you a free quote. What does Thursday or Friday look like for you at around 1pm?"
Dilly Dilly!
- 5,778
Let's make that Zesty Dill! Perhaps aged. 
...like cheese the longer the sharper.
...like cheese the longer the sharper.
- 252
I read the 1st post and then I read a couple folks that just want to argue and feel its important that others know "This would never work on me"...just get out of the insurance business, you're a miserable old timer that finds fault with everything everybody does.
You hate new ideas, you hate anyone who blazes a trail, just go play in traffic and leave us alone.
I know for a fact with a very prominent "Sales Pro" company that is a member of the Palm Beach Chamber and something very similar to the opening post is used with great success. On LinkedIn for example, I typically along with a connect request I include a note stating "we've never met" and it breaks the ice and I typically get a good reply back.
-Anything will work if you believe in it enough, you're passion comes through on the phone whether they can see you or not. Your mind is capable of far more than you ever give yourself credit for.
Go Get 'Em!!!
You hate new ideas, you hate anyone who blazes a trail, just go play in traffic and leave us alone.
I know for a fact with a very prominent "Sales Pro" company that is a member of the Palm Beach Chamber and something very similar to the opening post is used with great success. On LinkedIn for example, I typically along with a connect request I include a note stating "we've never met" and it breaks the ice and I typically get a good reply back.
-Anything will work if you believe in it enough, you're passion comes through on the phone whether they can see you or not. Your mind is capable of far more than you ever give yourself credit for.
Go Get 'Em!!!
Gee. If a person disagrees, they should just get out of the business?
There is nothing "trail blazing" about this approach.. It has been around a lot longer than this "miserable old timer"... And, it has always been debated as to whether it is the best way to do it or not.. I don't think so.. You do .. Next! 
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Rick - I agree and disagree with what you're saying - all at the same time.
First, the comment of "that would never work on me" is irrelevant. Why? Because nothing works on everyone 100% of the time.
However, if you assume that one comment represents 100% of the population and everyone's opinion... then that's where you (or anyone else) needs to think this through.
There is no trailblazing going on here. Just finding ways to make US more comfortable and helping OTHER to (hopefully) be more comfortable in talking to us that gives us the best chance of doing what we do for them.
Almost nothing works on ME either. That's why I worked diligently to craft my introductory approach to work especially on me. I am my own worst critic and judge of my efforts. I am also the worst judge of everyone else's efforts too. Don't knock on my door, unless you're good. And even then, "being good" just means that you'll get me to listen and perhaps engage in a conversation. And that's all *I* want and expect from my approach, then their feedback on what they think of what we've talked about, and if we should schedule a time where we can keep talking.
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"I sell home and auto insurance, but only to those who have a house payment, a car payment, or both. Would you like to know more?"
You need to create a class of people with your "but only those who ..." The idea is to add a limitation or qualification that both identifies your best prospects while also prompting them to agree to hear you out and give you the opportunity to provide a quote, e.g. "I wonder why he only sells insurance to folks who owe money? I owe a boat load of money. Maybe this is the guy for me. Maybe I should get a quote for insurance from him."
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To be broader, you are putting a qualifier on your ad or script. You are saying that you only work with people who qualify to work with you. So naturally people want to be part of the "in crowd" and will respond if they qualify.
That said, some qualifiers work better than others.
