Rate my variable life/securities telemarketing script.

[BiggitySwat]

I am not very good at telemarketing. But with the Christmas season rolling around...I get more clients asking me about child-friendly insurance/securities products for gifting purposes than for life insurance. What do you think about my cold calling scripts?

VUL SCRIPT:
Hi there, my name is Biggity with Biggity Securities. Is this a bad time?

I'm calling you tonight because I wanted to tell you about a special program the firm is running this month. We are presenting a special kind of cash value insurance for your child that can be used for college planning or even future retirement. Do you have something like this yet?

BLUE CHIP SCRIPT:
"Hi there, my name is BiggitySwat with Biggity Securities House. Is this a bad time?

I'm calling you tonight to see if you had bought the gift that lasts a lifetime for a young person in your life: a share of a blue chip stock, like Kraft Foods. Have you got your blue chips yet?"

COLLEGE SAVINGS SCRIPT:
Hi there, my name is Biggity with Biggity Securities. Is this a bad time?

I'm calling tonight to set an appointment with you. I work with many parents to help prepare for their childrens' education, and with Christmas coming soon, it's a great time to set up a college savings plan. Do you have a 529 savings plan or a Coverdell?


I am wondering if there are any suggestions to these scripts before I start taking them out onto my list. My past telemarketing campaigns always have a ton of rejection in the form of "I'm not interested" or "that doesn't interest me." I am trying to avoid that....

Also, I tried the High Probability Selling script: when I asked "Is this something you want?" The answer is always "no."

 

[Golden Jet]

Oh, my God. Painful.

 

[Mark]

I am not very good at telemarketing. But with the Christmas season rolling around...I get more clients asking me about child-friendly insurance/securities products for gifting purposes than for life insurance. What do you think about my cold calling scripts?

VUL SCRIPT:
Hi there, my name is Biggity with Biggity Securities. Is this a bad time?

I'm calling you tonight because I wanted to tell you about a special program the firm is running this month. We are presenting a special kind of cash value insurance for your child that can be used for college planning or even future retirement. Do you have something like this yet?

BLUE CHIP SCRIPT:
"Hi there, my name is BiggitySwat with Biggity Securities House. Is this a bad time?

I'm calling you tonight to see if you had bought the gift that lasts a lifetime for a young person in your life: a share of a blue chip stock, like Kraft Foods. Have you got your blue chips yet?"

COLLEGE SAVINGS SCRIPT:
Hi there, my name is Biggity with Biggity Securities. Is this a bad time?

I'm calling tonight to set an appointment with you. I work with many parents to help prepare for their childrens' education, and with Christmas coming soon, it's a great time to set up a college savings plan. Do you have a 529 savings plan or a Coverdell?


I am wondering if there are any suggestions to these scripts before I start taking them out onto my list. My past telemarketing campaigns always have a ton of rejection in the form of "I'm not interested" or "that doesn't interest me." I am trying to avoid that....

Also, I tried the High Probability Selling script: when I asked "Is this something you want?" The answer is always "no."

Try and not sound like you are reading a script to them.

On a college saving script you could use this.

You could say something like, I know in these yard times the last thing you want to think about is how you are going come up with the money to send your child/children to college, but I have found a way to help you with this.

I would like to come out and show you how I plan on helping you with this problem.


Mark Rosenthal
[email protected]
www.realfastservice.com

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Oh, my God. Painful.

I'm not sure this comment is strong enough.

Here' a conceptual tip: STOP trying to sell products. START looking for problems that can be solved by owning your products.

There's a BIG difference...

 

[Mark]

I'm not sure this comment is strong enough.

Here' a conceptual tip: STOP trying to sell products. START looking for problems that can be solved by owning your products.

There's a BIG difference...

I agree with you 100% on this.

Figure out what the client’s problem is and try to find a way to solve it with what you are selling.

 

[LGilmore]

Isn't this something you should be running by a compliance officer at your BD? Asking us is a waste of your time. You have to have your BD approval and file your script.

I would agree with the others here though that your "script" is painful.

 

[Salary_Guard]

why do you say "Is this a bad time" in every opening line? You are giving them an out, right from the start.

If you called and said that, I would say "yes, it is" then hang up.

It wouldn't matter if you had the best product in the world that was going to save me thousands of dollars. Your opening statement gave me an excuse not to talk to you, I didn't even have to make something up to get off the phone.

 

[BiggitySwat]

Isn't this something you should be running by a compliance officer at your BD? Asking us is a waste of your time. You have to have your BD approval and file your script.

I would agree with the others here though that your "script" is painful.

I create the script first, then I file it with the CCO. When it comes to telemarketing it's alot of common sense in knowing what you can and can't say. Where alot of my cohorts are getting into trouble of course is promising that their penny stock is the next Google and you have to buy it today to find out.

If my script has too much pain, how about this approach:

Hi, this is Biggity from (B/D name). I am a local financial advisor in the neighborhood, and I advise parents on their different options for funding their childrens' education. What I wanted to do is sit down with you and show you some of the options and get your thoughts. How does that sound?

Or

Hi this is Biggity from (B/D name). The Daily Tribune last month reported that the price of college is going to nearly triple by the time our young ones are going to enter school. I advise parents like yourself on how to start saving money for their childrens' future. Is this something you want?

PS: I like asking "Is this a bad time?" from the get-go because if I am interrupting their dinner I don't want to hold them captive on the phone while their families are waiting....virtually all of the time though when I ask the question the prospect responds by saying "no no, what's up?" or something to that effect. Of course, I also don't want to sound like too much of a pushover....

Oh, my God. Painful.

I welcome your criticism, but can you at least provide some kind of recommendation. "Ohmyawdpainful" doesn't tell me what exactly you think I'm doing wrong or how it can be improved.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Hi, this is Biggity from (B/D name). I am a local financial advisor in the neighborhood, and I advise parents on their different options for funding their childrens' education. What I wanted to do is sit down with you and show you some of the options and get your thoughts. How does that sound?

PS: I like asking "Is this a bad time?" from the get-go because if I am interrupting their dinner I don't want to hold them captive on the phone while their families are waiting....virtually all of the time though when I ask the question the prospect responds by saying "no no, what's up?" or something to that effect. Of course, I also don't want to sound like too much of a pushover....

First off, if you are interrupting their dinner, or it's a bad time, they'll let you know. No need to ask. Assume it's a GOOD time.

Second, and more importantly why would you cold call like this?

How do you know they have kids? Why should they want YOUR "advice"?

When you offer to "sit down with them", you've got to realize that most people would rather schedule a root-canal appointment! It sounds like Amway for crissakes.

"What I wanted"? The DON'T CARE what you want, they care what THEY WANT.

As soon as they hear "financial" - you're done.

Lemme ask you this: would you be prone to take "advice" from somebody that has to resort to cold calling like this?

It screams DESPERATE.

Better idea: do some kind of a seminar (there's no shortage of school groups, PTAs, etc. that look for speakers) on college funding...

Call it something like, "Three Biggest Mistakes People Make When Trying To Scrape Up College Money For Their Kids". Schedule one-on-one appointments with anybody interested.

Your current approach (cold-calling) is not only ineffective, even worse, it's boring.

Try some marketing - you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Good luck!

 

[LGilmore]

I think I would ask more simple questions..

Note: It is nice that you identify yourself from the get go.. good following of the rules.

"I am a local "financial advisor" (might not pass CO) in the neighborhood, and I advise parents on their different options for funding their childrens' education
Have you given much thought or had any discussions on how you are going to help fund college for your child(ren)?
yes/no

No... well most people find the time goes much faster than anyone would like and before they know it, college is here. Would you like to begin to learn your options the pro's and con's of each?

Yes, what options have you looked into?

and so on...

I would do more to draw the person into the conversation. I think you're asking for a sit down in a hurried manner.. prequalify a bit more.

If you are looking for a trump card for a life product ask the person if they've heard of FASFA?
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