The Door Knock Life

[DayTimer]

I think it's a combination of saturation and more people turning to social media .

Even social media is going to toughen up from what I've heard from a couple of different FB lead vendors as FB and Apple start to tighten up what data gets shared due to privacy concerns.

Everything I am reading and seeing and experiencing lately tells me that the door knocker with a data list will be at a distinct advantage in getting to a large ppol of prospects who will never send in a DM card or fill out a FB form or even pick up a telephone and call into to a call center off a TV or other digital ad.

 

[DayTimer]

THE ONE SALES SECRET I HATE TO REVEAL
Carl Davidson Dec 28, 2000

For those who need things spelled out a bit ore explicitly: Simply replace "Presentations" for "demonstrations." Agents who have a good FE presentation will close more and bigger sales than the FE agents who come in and sling quotes.

When I was in the car business there were always salesmen (and yes, it was always salesMEN who did this because the women knew better intuitively) who we called "Up burners." And "Up burner" was a salesman who did not give the customer a proper demonstration, did not take the customer on a proper demo drive and did not allow the customer a proper test drive. these salesmen went right to the desk and right to the "numbers." As a result, they closed very few of their "Ups." That is, they were "up burners."

@jdeasy has a FE presentation and I guarantee you he gives the same presentation to every new prospect he sits with who is able to earn that presentation by giving JD a "why."

"No why, no buy. Bye bye." - JD

 

[DonP]

Yes my fb vendor of started sending junk as he said Facebook changed some things and he couldn't ask certain questions . I'm very ok with mailing 1000 and door knocking them all . Hell most vendors are reselling the hell out of the leads .

 

[DayTimer]

In a Facebook group to which I belong (easily the BEST insurance group on Facebook) a person asked a question that led me to recall my recent experience with the work of Matthew Pollard. I thought it was worth a share here. You can find the FB group here:

Facebook Groups If you want an invite and you aren't a douchebag, let me know.

I don't read many new sales books. I do re-read some of the old stand-by's, e.g. John Savage, Ben Feldman, Frnak Bettger, Judge Ziglar, etc. But back in February, one of the D2D chanels I follow on Youtube posted an interview with a young fella named Matthew Pollard. As I listed to his story, I realized that I approach sales a lot like he does. Now, I never considered myself an introvert, but I sure do sell like one, according to Pollard.

His book is, imo, a good one. Most of the newer sales books I have read have ended up donated to my local library. Not this one - this one I am keeping.

I will link to his interview here as well as his book on Amazon:





Amazon product ASIN 0814438873

 

[DayTimer]

I decided I will copy as many of the articles I have added to my three-ring door to door & prospecting binder over the years to this thread as are still available. Sometimes these things disappear from the internet, and at east here we can (hope) they'll be safe for sometime to come.

Having said that, there used to be an excellent forum for real estate agents. Sometime in 2019 or early 2020 that website went dark. There was a long running thread there by a user who went by the name of "Lucky" and his thread was entitled "I Make 100 Cold Calls a Day and Love It!."

It was a great read. I never would have thought that it wouldn't be available. But here we are. I hope that we can keep this insurance forum alive well into the future, But if you read something you like here, you should copy and paste it into a word doc or at least an email to yourself, because one never knows, does one?

So, here is another article, this one from 8 years ago:

What Entrepreneurs Can Learn from a Door to Door Pitchman
Robert Jordan
Contributor
Entrepreneurs
Championing entrepreneurs around the globe

Let me tell you a story about Johnny Miller.

"Johnny who?"

Trust me, you don't know this Johnny. But I bet you've seen one of Johnny's co-workers walking down your street, knocking on door after door attempting to sell magazine subscriptions. Last weekend I answered the door while blocking my big, loud and unhappy dog who was intent on killing the stranger outside. One hand on the door, one on the dog, I was not an ideal prospect. Johnny, however, had me hooked in 10 seconds. I sidled out to the front step, and before I knew it I was sitting down with a magazine salesman for a product pitch.

Opportunity Knocks (Photo credit: KimCarpenter NJ)

When you think door-to-door salesman, the word "inspiring" doesn't come to mind. Most of my friends would have sooner pretended they were not at home. But being brave, I figured I'd politely brush Johnny off. Little did I know that Johnny, a 21-year old raised in the projects of Charleston, South Carolina, could sell his words, ideas and products brilliantly. I think entrepreneurs can learn a lot from his example.



Many entrepreneurs get the strategy and execution of their pitch completely wrong. Rather than paint a picture in the world of the investor or customer, they make the mistake of focusing on what they make or sell. It is easy to talk about your product or service. It's what you know, and it's wonderful, right? As an entrepreneur, you dive in when asked the innocent-sounding question, "so, what do you do?" The truth is that most pitches fall flat and don't succeed, and that's where we can learn from Johnny.

Johnny has knocked on 10,000 doors in 3 ½ years of selling subscriptions all over the US, and managed to sell skeptical me with no powerpoint in sight…on words alone. Here's how he did it:

1. Johnny Engaged Immediately. Johnny got a hook in me immediately.How? I'll get to that. The point is he knew he had a very thin lifeline. Now take a look at your pitch– verbal or powerpoint – how long is it? And your real lead, the juice, the reason for your faith and enthusiasm in your business - how many slides into the deck is it? If you are doing an executive summary, how far down the first or second page until you get to the heart of your business? I'm getting bored already. Johnny wouldn't let me get bored or disengaged.

2. Johnny's Words and Questions Were Honed to Perfection. Johnny used his first twenty words like a scalpel. Have you refined your pitch down to its essence? No empty words? Everyone knows what an elevator pitch is, but why do so few entrepreneurs actually do it well? Listing your lawyer or accountant in your executive summary is a loser move. Endless copy about confidentiality – unnecessary. As Mies Van de Rohe said: less is more. Johnny is a scientist. He experimented in his delivery and discarded losing experiments in favor of winners. Most entrepreneurs keep plowing through the same long turgid prose.

3. Johnny's Pitch Was Human. Johnny's pitch did not distinguish between the product and the man selling it – they were one and the same. It's a given that entrepreneurs fall in love with their technology, product, and design. They love their baby. But even with all that emotion, they make the mistake of pitching very rationally, unlike Johnny, who made his product come alive. The thing is, we human beings are emotion-based decision makers. Here's an example that plays to pure emotion. My friend Dominic Luzi served as interim CIO at Hästens, a maker of high end beds costing $15,000 to $65,000. I asked Dom how a bed could be worth so much? He told me that his first night in a hotel room with a Hästens bed he wanted to see what all the fuss was about, so before turning in, he lay down on the bed in a full suit, tie, and shoes, just to test it out for a minute. The next thing he knew, it was the following morning and he hadn't moved an inch from his original spot. There is magic to that bed and all Dom had to do was tell me his experience. Can you get that level of feeling into your pitch?

4. Johnny Listened. Just because it's a pitch doesn't mean it's canned. Yes, hone your message, but don't go on autopilot. Johnny knew he was selling a basic product. Rather than rambling on about why magazines are great, he asked me what my first job was. And as I blissfully reflected on my past, Johnny listened like his life depended on it. Come to think of it, I guess for him it did.

Johnny is consistently successful in the most brutal form of business combat, the stone cold pitch to a completely uninterested prospect. Get in the mind of your prospect and you'll win. Thanks for the lesson Johnny. I can't wait to get my first copy of Vegetarian Times, and I'm not vegetarian.

What Entrepreneurs Can Learn from a Door to Door Pitchman

 

[Lawsonhj1]

The main thing people need to to learn about canvassing is you need to knock the door and talk to people when they answer. Most people will root for the underdog so it is ok to be new and sincerity helps. When I was with the big funeral chain corporate sent this guy out to visit my team in Phoenix less than 10 years ago.

Canvass King

He came out gave us a seminar canvassed a few hours and off to his next gig. I admit he is the real deal, believes in his thing, nice guy and we could respect each others past life canvassing experiences.

Result, my team liked it and got a free lunch. Corporate spent a couple thousand bucks. I already had a crew of newbies out daily in a leased passenger van so we were already used to activity. We got leads everyone in corporate was happy they could play their game and reality was we did this daily anyway so just go see the people.

 

[jasperjohns]

Would the presentation need to be different for a sit generated off of a list in which the person had not sent the card in? Different than a respondent? With a responder in so many words I ask reason card was sent in. Just curious....

 

[DonP]

Last week I got a call from a referral I talked to in October . It was a referral from a woman who only works middle class to wealthy people for medigap . He wanted to talk about the burial ins . Went on Friday and he wanted the $15 k at $149 a month . We sat at nice dining room table . Wife was sitting with us .He goes honey what about your policy ? She pulls out $300 k banner 20 yr level term that's in the 21st year and is an art now and went up 5 fold . I quote her $30 k WL at $112 a month . She says I'll take it . That's $261 a month out of there and they have people there referring me to . The 76 yr old man says " I bet you sell a shit load on ins your so personable and easy to talk to " . It got me thinking . Much like you daytimer I'm going to start targeting more middle class clients . You get much higher loyalty and get to use your knowledge .

 

[DayTimer]

Would the presentation need to be different for a sit generated off of a list in which the person had not sent the card in? Different than a respondent? With a responder in so many words I ask reason card was sent in. Just curious....

I say "Ms Mary, thank you for letting me get you crossed off my list today.

As you can see I have hundreds of seniors still to visit here in Catty before the send me up the road to Northampton in the next week or so, so I sure I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me.

Now, Ms Mary, everybody on this list falls into one of three situations and only one of these three situations: 1) Now, of course most folks already have some private insurance in place - maybe some life insurance or a small burial policy - to take care of their final expenses, so we just need to do a quick review to make sure you have the right type of insurance and that you have enough. 2) They already have insurance in place for their final expenses but they want to leave some extra for someone special - a child, a grandchild, sometimes their church, and 3) and a very few people don't have any type of insurance whatsoever and they know it is about darn time they get it because it just isn't right to leave the burden of their final expenses with their children and family.

Now, Ms Mary, which if those three best describes you?"

From there I'm into my regular FE Presentation unless Ms Mary refuses to answer or otherwise doesn't have life insurance and doesn't love anyone enough to do anything about it. Those are the saddest to me, and they are out there.

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I have changed my approach and my presentation considerably and I'll share more about that at the end of May when I some solid full time data to report.

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[DonP]

Door knocking lists is much more tedious because you must weed threw the many many that have zero interest . It's very time consuming.