New Homeowners Prospecting by Mark RosenthalGo to Top
This is something I did years ago, when everybody was buying a new home. It may still work today, on a smaller level. I wanted to share this with you and hope that you might get some ideas from it.
I used to target new homeowners and find a reason for them to allow me to come and see them. Remember, I say that half of the job is getting your foot in the door.
First, I had to find the new homeowners’ information. I first did this by going to the court house. I would go to the probate office and ask to see the land deed property transfer book. It is open and public record for anyone to look at. I would always start in the back of the book, where they just put in new homeowners deeds. I had done this for many years, before finding a better way of doing it. Later on, I used [COLOR=#800080]www.gaassessors.com[/COLOR] here in Georgia, to access the local tax assessor’s website. I learned how to do a sales search on most of the websites. This gave me a list in excel of everyone that just bought a new home in my area and also showed me their deed info. I knew how much they paid for the house and who is all on the deed. It even has a picture of the house on it, which helps me find the new home. My friend used to own a lead company, and this is how the lead companies get the new homeowners addresses also.
Okay, now I had the new homeowner’s information, and I had to think of a reason to contact them and a way to help them. I remember when I first moved into my new home, all of the churches and people around my house came to welcome me. I use to wonder how the churches and the people knew that I just moved in, but now you know how they knew that I just moved in. I decided to be like a one person welcoming committee, and I would offer them help with some of the problems that new families have when moving into a new homes. Think about just moving into a new home, or a new city. I did it, and I can still remember the stress from all of it.
This is what I came up with to help them.
I would start off by calling them. Hi, I’m Mark Rosenthal, and I’m your local insurance agent. I would love to come out and welcome you to the city of Griffin and bring you some free gifts and meet with you. I want to come bring you some coupons for a free Large Papa John’s pizza, a free dry cleaning, a free teeth cleaning, a free oil change, 10% off at about 20 places to eat and local services, and a ton of free things. I also brought them a big kit that I had made full of important info that I though could help them. It contained the phone numbers to poison control, the police dept, fire dept, and all the phone numbers they need to have utilities turned on. I also had a secret yard sale book that the lady’s loved. I had some fresh homemade cookies that my wife made. I would also stop by Sam’s Club and buy a couple of things. Like a free long distance calling card or some free Tide Washing Detergent.
Okay, I know you are dying to know how I got all that free stuff to give to them and I’m going to share my secret with you. I started calling businesses and talking with them about new home owners. Let’s start with the dry cleaning place, so that I can show you this example. In Griffin, there are about 10 drying cleaning places. They are all the same to me. The truth is, people stick to the first company they use for the first time. Like me for example, I have been using the same place for years. I’m not even sure they are the cheapest anymore, but I’m too lazy to go looking at other places. Let’s not forget that all these business that I call are spending tons of money on advertisements and to target the new home owners. Why not allow me to do the work for them? I tell them what I’m doing, and I would like to bring their coupon to the new homeowner. After using their service one time for free, they will be a customer for life and won’t try the other places. The same idea works on all the places. I picked one pizza place and I stuck with it. Have you ever bought a coupon book from a kid doing a fundraiser? The business will do this for just about anyone that is going to help advertise them. All you have to do is ask them and tell them what you’re doing. Most of these things didn’t cost me anything. I got those important phone numbers out of the phone book, along with the free map of Griffin that I gave to them. But, I made it look nice.
Let’s get back to my approach, now that I told you my secret. So far, I had found the new homeowner and had a reason to contact them. After contacting them, I gave them a reason for me to come out and visit them and welcome them. Let’s not forget that I did tell them what I do for a living. I’m the local Insurance Man. I bet the only one in town that came out to welcome them and bring them free gifts.
Next I show up to their new home, and I start showing them all of their free gifts. Let’s not forget what it feels like to just move into a new home. They don’t know anyone, and they don’t know how to cut on a lot of services like the trash service. I’m giving them all the numbers to the places I think they will need. I could spend a long time going over each thing that I give them, but trust me they are grateful. I’m going to get back to the insurance part now, and let’s not forget I already know what they paid for the house. Most of the time, I’m inside the home and they are showing everyone there what I have brought them. They are always very proud of their new homes and even show me around the home. I start asking them questions. This sure is a nice home; did you get a good deal on it? Where did you move from? How do you like the city of Griffin so far? I ask where they work. I want to know if they both work, to know if it takes both of their income to pay for the home. Notice I don’t call it a house, because it is now a home. Most of the time, the people are very friendly and open to my questions. If the husband is not at home, I would ask her what she is going to do if something happens to the husband today. Will she be able to keep the home by herself? I start telling them that I’m in the business of protecting families and making sure that if something happens to either one of them, that the rest of the family can maintain their current lifestyles. I ask them if they have any life insurance yet and start telling them about what I do. Most of the time, I don’t try and sell them right there on the spot. I’m just doing some fact finding right now and I need to go back to my office and runs some quotes. I work for a number of life companies to make sure that I’m giving you the best prices and best product. They respect this, and most of them go ahead and set up a future appointment. Not to say, that I won’t sell them right then, if I think that is what they want to do. I always have my laptop with me and the apps with me at all times. I’m kind of hitting them off guard, and I want to come back when they are ready for me to sit down and just talk about insurance. I’m not saying you have to do it this way, but it is what I did most of the time. I’m skipping a lot of the sales talk, because most of you know what to say and do and I don’t want to bore you with things you already know.
After making the sale, I always asked them for referrals. I did this many different ways. I would ask them what kind of a job I did today protecting them or helping them. Would they recommend me to a friend or family member? Sometimes I would ask them, if my boss called them later, would they tell him that I done a good job. Most of them would laugh and start trying to reinsure me that I done a great job and they loved what I done for them and they would recommend me. I used to work for a company also that had a referral cards, that they client filled out for a drawing to win a big screen television. The more names they gave me the more chances they had to win. I always left them with about 10 cards, so they could give them out for me.
Back in the good days, before all this crap we are in these days, this was the golden market and I did well in it.
I think that one day; this idea will work again, or on a smaller level still work today. Sooner or later things will have to get better and people start buying new homes again.
Now you know where I came up with the name markingriffin on the forum.
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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.
Last edited by Markingriffin : 11-06-2008 at 09:43 PM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Re: New Homeowners Prospecting by Mark RosenthalGo to Top
Great stuff. I almost feel like moving to a growth area. They are out there.
The idea is great, but I like the little bits of information he throws out there to. Mark's fact findin' skills are out of this world. which, I think truly is the key to this business,
I mean after findin' prospects.
Re: New Homeowners Prospecting by Mark RosenthalGo to Top
Originally Posted by Stonewall
What's the best way to find new babies? They never stop coming!
The newspaper has a birth annoucement section.
The newspapers is great for new prospects, but Don't beat me to one of my future post. I will go in great detail about this later. I'm going to type up some for ideas soon, but I have to make sure to spend 1 hour on each one making sure that I don't make any grammer mistakes or mispell anything.
My father Greg, taught me how to use the newspaper as a prospecting tool. I need to get him to write it up for me.
Re: New Homeowners Prospecting by Mark RosenthalGo to Top
Mark, please ignore all the "perfect" agents, this is probably the only place where they can unleash their pent up anger for not producing----because they don't have the balls----to do what it takes and their wives more than likely have them so whipped they are afraid to step out of line. It all really makes a lot of sense ----I too, would be scared to step out of line if I was expecting my wife to feed me and pay my bills!
Please know, that your posts and ideas are very helpful to a lot of people-----so thank you sir!
Re: New Homeowners Prospecting by Mark RosenthalGo to Top
Wow! I am new to this forum. But so far all of your posts are truly inspiring. My mentor is someone who has been doing this for years...but his ideas to get new business are pretty stale and seem to be falling flat. I love your ideas! There is so much here to build off of!
Re: New Homeowners Prospecting by Mark RosenthalGo to Top
Ever look up survivors from the obits and try to sell them life insurance?
I'd love to hear a lead in on that prospecting script !
I know the crooks use those obits, we've gotten more than a few theft claims over the years while the family was at the funeralpossibly the ultimate lowlife move.
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Oh yeah, I forgot to say I think that is a great idea.
I used to be a "welcome wagon" sponsor and they did the same basic thing but with my gift included. I never got to have any "hands on" with the new mover. It never amounted to any positive ROI so I stopped it. Your idea takes it to a whole new level.
Last edited by 1manshow : 11-09-2008 at 11:32 AM.
Reason: Automerged Doublepost
Re: New Homeowners Prospecting by Mark RosenthalGo to Top
Originally Posted by moonlightandmargaritas
Ever look up survivors from the obits and try to sell them life insurance?
Yes, but in a tasteful way. There is a right way of doing this. No, I don't call them either. I don't do it today, but yes, I was trained on how to do this, when I first got started in the business. I got a lot of prospects from the local newspaper. I had a prospect book that I had to fill up each week and show to my sales manager.
I use a lot of things in the newspaper. I'm going to be making a post on it later.
The newborns, wedding annoucements, and yes the obits can be used.
The best time to talk to an client is during a life changing event.
Everything that I do, I will do in a tasteful way.
The bottom line, is I believe in what I'm doing and that I'm helping my clients. I've never had an client complain about any of my methods. I always try and put myself in the clients shoes also.
Re: New Homeowners Prospecting by Mark RosenthalGo to Top
Originally Posted by Markingriffin
Yes, but in a tasteful way. There is a right way of doing this. No, I don't call them either. I don't do it today, but yes, I was trained on how to do this, when I first got started in the business. I got a lot of prospects from the local newspaper. I had a prospect book that I had to fill up each week and show to my sales manager.
I use a lot of things in the newspaper. I'm going to be making a post on it later.
The newborns, wedding annoucements, and yes the obits can be used.
The best time to talk to an client is during a life changing event.
Everything that I do, I will do in a tasteful way.
The bottom line, is I believe in what I'm doing and that I'm helping my clients. I've never had an client complain about any of my methods. I always try and put myself in the clients shoes also.
What's the best way to work the obituaries? Thanks.
Re: New Homeowners Prospecting by Mark RosenthalGo to Top
I miss the old days of selling insurance. When everytime someone bought a new house, they also bought life insurance. You didn't even have to really talk them into it. Now no one is buying new homes, so back to other prospecting systems. But one day this idea will work on a large scale again. The question is only many years will we be waiting for people to start finding new jobs and buying homes again.
Re: New Homeowners Prospecting by Mark RosenthalGo to Top
I miss the old days of selling insurance. When everytime someone bought a new house, they also bought life insurance.
I have been around long enough to remember those days.
Way, way back in the spring of 2008, mortgage money was flowing. Anyone who could prove citizenship (and even some who couldn't) could get a loan. You didn't need a job or even good credit.
New Homeowners Prospecting by Mark Rosenthal
possibly the ultimate lowlife move.
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