Cold Call Reluctance

[Full Throttle]

Thanks again, I am making time everyday for cold calling and I have to say, that I feel a lot better that I am taking action.

I started a free account with Zoho (CRM) so that I can keep track of my calls. As far as scripts go, I have basically used bulletpoints of a script to keep me on track. I am not a good script reader and do much better when I am not reading from a piece of paper.

I am also using Manta.com and have targeted a specific area and then have filtered by number of employees and revenue.

Question: I am calling for two things; Group Health and Business Continuation Insurance. Is it always best to start with the Owner and then work down or the other way around. The problem is that an HR person may be in charge of Group Health but knows (and cares) less about Business Continuation. Or perhaps it's two different calls; one to owner for Business Continuation and one to the HR person for Group Health.

Lastly, when you have a name of a CFO or a finance person, should that be my target as that person should understand both products. Or again, go straight to the owner?

I assume you are talking key person life insurance (and/or DI) when you say business continuation? If so, I think your success will be very minimal when you pitch it on the phone.

Group Health: better understood, most know the drill.
Key Person: not understood by most, more of a fact finder sale.

I always call for the owner first and see where it goes. Easier to get referred down than up.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Group Health: better understood, most know the drill.

Much easier to go in initially on a "demand" product.

I always call for the owner first and see where it goes. Easier to get referred down than up.

Amen brother, amen. Problem is, most don't have the cojones to do it?

 

[DLM4]

I go through the same thing. I finally ended up just hiring a tele-marketer to work from home. That way I can focus on the things I really need to be focusing on anyways. I basically pay $5 per lead, and its worked great for me for years now.

 

[insurehound]

DLM4, what products do you sell via the telemarketer?

 

[DLM4]

DLM4, what products do you sell via the telemarketer?

The initial call is about health insurance. Seems like everyone wants to talk about it, and that's what gets me in the door. I sell mostly health, but also try and cross sell in some supplemental insurance through Dearborn Life, or Colonial. I also sell a lot of Life insurance...but its talking about health that gets me in the door. I haven't been active in about a year though.

 

[JMH]

Just to add to the great advise already given....remember that the tone or tonality of your voice is extremely important when you are using the phone. When speaking with someone in person we all use multiple senses to interrupt, and then make a conclusion about what they are saying. When working the phones those sense are reduced and tone/tonality becomes even more important.

Justin

 

[HoosierLife]

Funny, this just showed up in my email from Ari with Unlock the Game, some cold calling guru who never has a shortage of emails to send. Here it is:

Once you know what problems you solve, you also know exactly what to say when you make a call. It's simple.

You begin with, "Hi, my name is (your first name). Maybe you can help me out for a moment?". How would you respond if someone said that to you?


So you say, "I'm just giving you a call to see if you folks are grappling (and the key word here is 'grappling') with (insert the problem you help them solve)?"

What do you guys think about this for cold calling FE?

"Hi, my name is Josh. Maybe you can help me out for a moment? (Wait for response) "I'm just calling to see if you folks are grappling with leaving a financial burden to those that are left behind after you pass on?"

Seems kinda rude to me. Any cold calling gurus got an idea to make that better?

 

[DHK]

I don't like the "can you help me out" line. I think it's facetous and dumb.

I would do something like this:

"Mr/Mrs. Senior Citizen? My name is DHK. I'm a local agent here in (name of city). The reason I'm calling is that I specialize in helping seniors solve problems of ___ and ___. When it comes to your planning in these areas, are you the type of person that's open-minded or closed-minded?"

If they're open, schedule the appointment.

If they're closed, verify that that is really how they feel. If closed, then thank them and move on to the next one.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I have to admit that my biggest hangup in making cold-calls isn't the fear of failure (because it's a number's game) and it isn't being told "no". (Although 'no' is much better than a "let me think about it" which is never acceptable.)

My thing is that I don't like the fight-or-flight feeling that I get whenever I make the calls. I feel like I'm on the hunt for my prey. I don't feel like a professional when I feel that way... and it's EXHAUSTING. I feel beat up... not because of the prospects... but because of the way my nerves and my body react to doing cold-calling for an extended period of time.

And no, I don't want to do a few calls here and there... and PROLONG my feelings of anxiety.

So I look for ways where I can put my best effort and my best self into my work... and do my best to automate the rest of it.

It's not ideal. I wish I didn't have these feelings of anxiety... but I work with what I've got and put my best energy into where I do my best work... and that's in the sales process... not the prospecting for appointments process.

Just throwing that out there for the thread.

 

[Full Throttle]

In my opinion, the key is just to not care about the results of any one call or even day of calling. The cumulative results matter, but not while making the actual calls.

 

[insurehound]

I also think that everyone is different. What one person is comfortable doing, perhaps another isn't? Drop what makes you feel sick and do more of what makes you feel better.

DHK, if after a lot of practice, you still feel anxious then perhaps hiring a telemarketer would be a better choice? Or some other form of prospecting?

When I started in Sales, I was told that there is a certain personality type that will make it in the sales game. If you wern't that type, find another career. IMO, that is totally BS.

I have met successful sales people who all had different personality types and ways of doing things. The key was finding what works best for you and doing a lot of it.