I am a captive agent for MetLife. I have been in the business for about a year now. I have been doing well but it seem that I have hit a road block. I would like to get more clients I have sold to friends and family and the referrals have slowed down. I have been trying cold calling with no success. Don't really know where to go from here.
I use a referral program for existing clients and even new business that I write. It works great too because you and your current clients have a win/win situation. You need to check your laws on how much you are able to "give" some one. This is not rebating or anything like that either so you dont have to worry about that. I use giftcards.com They have the best and most preferred restaurants, clothing, etc. You name it, they have it. Make a flyer announcement that offers a new referral program for your existing clients to take advantage of great incentives by referring friends, family, co-workers etc. Make sure you spice it up so you get their attention. And for "X" number of people they refer you they get "X" amount in gift cards to a place they get to choose. Send it to your entire client base and you should see some action. You get business, they get to eat, shop, enjoy for free. Best way to pull out hot leads from your clientele base in my opinion and they will keep doing so. Win/Win for both!
The best way I found to generate referrals and new business out of my existing clientele and even new clientele is through a referral program. I use giftcards.com. You need to check your laws on how much you can "give" away. Each state is different. This isnt rebating or anything like that so you dont need to worry about that. What I did was create a referral program that allows my clients and new clients to take advantage of incentives for referring business to me. They love it. giftcards.com has all the preferred restaurants, clothing, shopping etc. They want it, they have it. You buy them at discounted prices so it doesnt hurt your pocket. For "X" number of people they refer to me they get "X" amount in gift cards. Create a flyer or some type of announcement of a referral program you recently came out with, spice it up, and send it to your entire client base. You can either send an enrollment form to fax or email back to you, or call, or whatever. I'd even call them up after you send it and to make sure they got it. The more clients you have that participate, the more hot leads are going to come in. They will refer you names so they can shop, eat, etc for free and you will write business and close a high percentage because they are referrals. Win/Win for you and the client.
I am a captive agent for MetLife. I have been in the business for about a year now. I have been doing well but it seem that I have hit a road block. I would like to get more clients I have sold to friends and family and the referrals have slowed down. I have been trying cold calling with no success. Don't really know where to go from here.
Thanks
Keith
Click Here to see just a few of my prospecting ideas.
Email me and I will send you some more stuff after you have check out the other link.
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Mark Rosenthal aka markingriffin
IMO/Ins Agent/Agent Trainer/Free Advice markcrosenthal@aol.comwww.realfastservice.com
Please visit mywebsite to learn more about me.
Email me for my Free Prospecting MP3 Tapes.
I am a captive agent for MetLife. I have been in the business for about a year now. I have been doing well but it seem that I have hit a road block. I would like to get more clients I have sold to friends and family and the referrals have slowed down. I have been trying cold calling with no success. Don't really know where to go from here.
Thanks
Keith
Learn how to become proficient on the telephone. Cold calling when done properly can be a very effective tool to supplement your other prospecting efforts.
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Medicare Supplement Sales Training and Coaching.
"The Perfect Contact Management Program (CMP) for the Insurance Professional" www.YourInsuranceOffice.com
877.633.0808
"Learn how to become proficient on the telephone. Cold calling when done properly can be a very effective tool to supplement your other prospecting efforts."
Yup. I used to hate picking the phone and make those dreaded calls. But cold calling is really an effective tactic when done properly. With some tips and lots of practice, you'll get better.
Wish I could remember who said it, but it's very true, "Cold calling is the price you pay for not getting referrals."
If you hate cold calling, then make yourself ask for referrals each and every time you touch a client. Of course you won't do it everytime. But if you make it your goal, then you will do it the majority of the time and get plenty of referrals.
Originally Posted by daryllenriquez
"Learn how to become proficient on the telephone. Cold calling when done properly can be a very effective tool to supplement your other prospecting efforts."
Yup. I used to hate picking the phone and make those dreaded calls. But cold calling is really an effective tactic when done properly. With some tips and lots of practice, you'll get better.
I know agents that cold call everyday and make a living doing it. It really depends on the agent and what he is selling.
I use to have to cold call and knock on doors. There are agents doing nothing at all and working 5 hours a week and they can't figure out why they are not selling anything.
I think cold calling is a numbers game and if you don't give up and have a game plan, you should do okay with it. You would have to have tough skin also.
I know agents that cold call everyday and make a living doing it. It really depends on the agent and what he is selling.
I use to have to cold call and knock on doors. There are agents doing nothing at all and working 5 hours a week and they can't figure out why they are not selling anything.
I think cold calling is a numbers game and if you don't give up and have a game plan, you should do okay with it. You would have to have tough skin also.
These numbers work for me all the time...
I dial 850 numbers.
I contact 250 out of these dials
I set 10-15 appointments out of these contacts.
I close 5-7 sales out of these appointments.
It is a numbers game. You can work on strategy to improve your responses though. And if one "barks" at me, I brush it off.
I know agents that cold call everyday and make a living doing it. It really depends on the agent and what he is selling.
I would be one of those agents.
I have tried every way imaginable to sell Med Supps. I mean I have tried everything.
I have come to the conclusion that buying "leads" when working the senior market is not only a waste of time but also a huge waste of money. I have worked thousands of direct mail "leads", internet "leads", hired a telemarketer, an "appointment setter", networked, conducted seminars, sent personalized letters direct mail, etc. etc. etc.
The one single thing that has been the most successful, easiest to do and provides the greatest return on investment is for me to pick up the phone and give them a call.
My telephone approach, I hate the word "script", is specifically designed to enable me to get the single most important piece of information I need without giving them the opportunity for them to voice an objection. The most common of which is "I'm not interested".
The first 30 seconds or so of the phone call is both "soft" and conversational. (I don't begin the call by saying, "Hey Bill, this is Frank, how you doing? I've been trying to reach you, what's going on"?) Once I get them that far into the call the transition into making it a conversation is quite easy most of the time.
Believe me, if there was a better, more efficient way of prospecting and generating my own leads I would have started using it a very long time ago. What I do works and it works extremely well.
We just upgraded ours from a 7" to a 10". WOW! What a difference. I even had to move my chair back to see the whole screen. Now Jacqueline and I can both watch it at the same time.
Dang, Frank, I know you are in a rural area, but I am glad to hear that you do have TV! I didn't know that you had electricity out there.
We've had electricity for the last few years. But, and this is so cool, after this weekend I won't have to go out in the backyard to the "other house" anymore. That is going to be so nice during the cold weathers.
You don't have an extra Sears "wish book" you could spare do you? I wish they wouldn't use that slick paper.
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