Cold Calling Results, Hunting the Right Telemarketer

[cusaba]

Ok, guys,
I just decided to hire a person to do telemarketing for me. Individual health insurance market.
This person started today.
Experience: 2 Years selling chemicals.
Mojo Dialer.
Here are the results:
AM-LM 88 AM-NM 1 Ans_Machine 56 Busy 6 CB Requested 2 Disconnected 10 DNC 40 NoAnswer 268 Not Available 55 Not Interested 29 On Hold 62 Other 1



Total 680 numbers dialed, 0 appointments!
Any comment? with "value" please...

 

[YouGotMyMoney]

Re: Cold Calling Results, Hunting the Righ Telemarketer.

What is their pitch?

How do they sound on the phone?

What kind of businesses are they calling on?


P.S. I hope you are paying the extra $25 per month to have the MOJO calls auto recorded.

 

[cusaba]

Re: Cold Calling Results, Hunting the Righ Telemarketer.

What is their pitch?

How do they sound on the phone?

What kind of businesses are they calling on?


P.S. I hope you are paying the extra $25 per month to have the MOJO calls auto recorded.

Yes, I'm paying the recording feature, haven't been able to listen to them because there is a problem with my system, the files don't download and can't listen to them, the date in the data is also conflicting, already submitted a ticket, hope to solve the problem tomorrow.
Calling for health insurance for individuals.
Simple pitch: Hi this is X from XYZ we are calling individuals like you who pay for their own health insurance and offering free no obligation quotes... do you have a minute so we can explain you better?

 

[YouGotMyMoney]

Re: Cold Calling Results, Hunting the Righ Telemarketer.

Check out John Petrowski's old telemarketing blog if you haven't already:

Independent Health Insurance Agent: HSA telemarketing pitch

BTW, where did you get you're data, and how many hours of calling was that?

I can dial 75-100 numbers in an hour with mojo.

Are you calling Urban or Rural areas?

 

[Josh]

Re: Cold Calling Results, Hunting the Righ Telemarketer.

First things first, why aren't you doing it yourself? How much experience do you have on the phone?
If you're telemarketer can't make 1 appointment (or at least someone who wants to have a discussion about health insurance on a favorable basis) then the situation you have isn't working. Even a bad telemarketer can pull at least one legit lead out of 680 calls if the campaign is moderately realistic and the script isn't terrible.

Personally, and I mean this with no disrespect, I think you're script is junk. I think one of the biggest flaws insurance agents make when they're marketing is not being direct enough and sounding too salesy. Cut out the "I'm (whoever) from (no one cares)" and get straight down to business. "Hi, I'm calling you because ______, how are you today?" The downside of using this approach is the person on the phone has to be talented at handling the objections they're going to get right off the bat and work them correctly.

Bottom line: My bet is you either have the wrong person making the calls or they haven't been trained correctly and you need to shorten your script and be more direct. I think you're at the beginning of what is a very steep learning curve. PM or e-mail me if you want more specific information about what you might be able to do better.

 

[moonlightandmargaritas]

Re: Cold Calling Results, Hunting the Righ Telemarketer.

Simple pitch: Hi this is X from XYZ we are calling individuals like you who pay for their own health insurance and offering free no obligation quotes... do you have a minute so we can explain you better?

Yawn.

If you're looking for a cure for insomnia, you may have it. The only thing worse than bad is boring!

Hint: reading your script, it's all about YOU. To be successful, you better find one that's about THEM.

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

NEVER ask questions when telemarketing. Make statements:

"We're saving our clients an average of 30%."
"HSAs could save you over 50%"
"I'd like to send you some information and all I need is your email address....."

Those are statements, not questions. Everyone can disagree with me if they want but I found it best for telemarketers to simply find people who were interested enough to want to receive information.

My job was to sort them out; qualify them. I don't know why agents want "qualified" leads. There's no such thing and only the agent, not a telemarketer can qualify someone.

I didn't care if my telemarketers gave me 30 leads a day and 80% had a very low level of interest. What's that to me - I'm paying them by the hour. By default, my deals where in this 30 leads.

Also remember that during the initial call you're just a telemarketer. However, when they receive the information, interested prospects will read over it and your information. When you call back, now you're an agent.

 

[Frank Stastny]

Using the phone correctly is a learned, well practiced art. It is not something that comes naturally and is definitely not done successfully simply by handing someone a "script". They must have a very smooth telephone presentation

One must know how to maintain control of the call and how to transition it from a phone call to a conversation. Nothing is sold during a phone call, not even an appointment.

That initial phone call is the single most important part of the sales process. It should not be delegated to someone who simply has a pleasant voice. A good telemarketer needs to know as much about the product they are selling as the agent does to effectively handle objections.

The best telemarketer would be a licensed agent who for what ever reason doesn't want to sell insurance. I do my own telemarketing. I have used telemarketers in the past and they let too many potential clients "get away" from them.

This job is 80% prospecting and 20% writing apps.

 

[cusaba]

Would it make better sense to say:
Hi, we are xwz company and we are promoting HSA health plans. Most people can save up to 50% in their health related expenses. I would like to send you some information and all I need is your email address.

I saw a video @ mojo's site about the sales man making cold calls, he has a very neutral polite tone and all he says is: Hi this is Y from XZT I wonder if you are planning to sale your house, pause, thank you, have a nice day!
Is this the way? is a neutral, polite and open tone a good way to go?
Me personally, I hate those telemarketers that call you in an overexcited mood, and also those that call you with the tiredness in their voice.

 

[Josh]

Would it make better sense to say:
Hi, we are xwz company and we are promoting HSA health plans. Most people can save up to 50% in their health related expenses. I would like to send you some information and all I need is your email address.

No it wouldn't. They don't care about what your company is or what an HSA plan is. They care about the fact that you're bothering them while their in the middle of living their life. "Hi, I'm calling you because we're saving people thousands of dollars on their health insurance and giving them better coverage, is that something you would like some help with?" Or, instead of asking if that's something they would like help with, just ask "how are you doing today?" instead. The customer is going to respond basically the same either way. I have to completely disagree with John saying to never ask questions. A good telemarketer should be able to ask questions and have a dialogue with a prospect. If they can't do that, then it's either a bad telemarketer or a poorly trained one.