Cold Calling Reluctance

[JimmehBone]

I don't think ill be reluctant to try it. I know what motivates me. With a good script set up i'm willing to try it. Are you definitely going to get some appointments this way? id call 1,000 people a week if i knew id get 10-20 appointments for it. Realistic?

 

[Wtprice]

Cold calling works because you are generating marketing activity. Doing a 1k dial per week you will be able to gather 10 appointments (at least) and have future leads. I work off the 1% rule, because I'm conservative. 1k dial yeilds 100 prospects, 100 prospects equal 10 sales. These sales may not be immediate (due to future leads), but it's building a pipeline of interested people.

 

[Robert_Brown]

if you were to make 1000 dials per week, how many days a week would you say should be spent making those dials?

Also, how effective would it be to use this in conjunction with direct mail? Worth it?

 

[Justin Bilyj]

Dials are different than contacts and thats a number that I think should be more important than hours dialing, or number of dials. You could have a crap list and spinning your tires getting contacts or the right ones.
Activity based around number of contacts will help you track your business better imho...

 

[JimmehBone]

if you were to make 1000 dials per week, how many days a week would you say should be spent making those dials?

Also, how effective would it be to use this in conjunction with direct mail? Worth it?

i was thinking about spending 3 or 4 days cold calling and 1 or 2 days door knocking or setting up a booth somewhere public. then having 2 days for appointments. Making a full 7 day work week. working as many hours as possible. My goal is to get 2 sales a week. from there ramp up the referrals and hopefully after a few years be sitting pretty happy with prospects calling me cause i helped out their friend or family.

 

[Robert_Brown]

I would set a goal of 4-5 sales a week. Then you could probably land 2-3 sales a week. With you working 6-7 days a week, that should be feasible. Shoot for the stars and you may hit the sky.

 

[JimmehBone]

I just think of it differently, i'd rather set the 2 sales goal then when i start hittin 4-5 I feel accomplished. Kinda like id rather get a 110% on a test then a 90%. Just what works for me though when it comes to goal setting. Had my training orientation meeting today, and it got me fired up. LESGO

 

[scott4usc]

Thanks for the article. Cold calling is tough.

 

[Justin Bilyj]

i was thinking about spending 3 or 4 days cold calling and 1 or 2 days door knocking or setting up a booth somewhere public. then having 2 days for appointments. Making a full 7 day work week. working as many hours as possible. My goal is to get 2 sales a week. from there ramp up the referrals and hopefully after a few years be sitting pretty happy with prospects calling me cause i helped out their friend or family.

Stupid Story but it relates. Back when I was a "formal wear advisor" for weddings, we had the biggest event in northern Ohio one morning at the Brown's stadium. It was literally a get married extravaganza! So many vendors, every person from my company was there trying to sign up potential brides for their wedding.
Most *** salesmen tried to bombard the ladies as soon as they walked through the doors. The women simply wanted to see everything before they commit was my logical conclusion.
So I drug out a mini hightop table for drinks, stacked around it our free giveaways, and stood there in a vacant corner. Brides came up to me to see what I was offering. I signed up almost 30 brides in a matter of an hour, I had a line...
The next highest salesman had 5 or 6 weddings signed up....

Point of story is, make yourself available, give value, and always ask for the quote. I keep thinking about a story about someone that was posted. She gave away free gum and asked if anyone needed insurance. She was a top producer (according to the story). Or how bout the guy who went door2door asking anyone if they wanted to buy any life insurance.

The secret in this business is seeing enough of prospects to sift through to find the buyers, who are already in that part of the sales cycle (Research, Compare, Buy). Using a booth is awesome, so long as you don't just sit there waiting for someone to say, "hey I need that insurance", thinking to themselves "I will interrupt the guy reading the magazine for more information". Gotta have a go-getter attitude, tons of smiling, willing to engage people with a couple of value based catch phrases (like the phone sales guys at the mall).

I would love a chance to open early in a mall where seniors walk to sell them insurance...

 

[JimmehBone]

I been hearing a few stories like that too. Like the guy who set up in a new york subway every day and became a top producer. There's a few theme parks around my area. And nyl does that child id program. I think i'm going to try that at these theme parks. Alot of people with their kids and what not. Have you ever set up inside malls? how well did it work for you.