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Am I being overly optimistic?

by Housing5
23 replies
*wanted to change the title to: "my current offline goals".

Alright Brahs, I have give or take 278 names and phone numbers of realtors and other people in the land business operating in my small town. I'm going to call as many of them tomorrow as it takes to make a sale. I am going to make a $500 sale tomorrow.

I am going to call people in this niche until I run out of names; I'm certain I'm going to make a sale before I run out of this first list. Once I make that sale, I'll pay my brother to create these lists while I work on the sites in the evening. Wake up the next morning, call til I make a sale, pay bro to make more lists, work on site in the evening, rinse and repeat.

1 sale per day for 240 days (that's how many business days there are in a year if you take 4 weeks off)...

240x$500=$120,000

Let's say I make 3 sales a week... that's a little more realistic. 48 weeks x 3 sales = 144

144x$500=$72,000

Alright... maybe even 3 sales is pushing it. If I call people everyday, I can surely at least make 2 sales a week, right? 48 x 2 = 96

96x$500=$48,000

Plus include $20 for hosting each month per client. Worst case scenario, at the end of the year I'm making 96 clients x $20 x 1 month = $1920

$1920 x 12 months = $23,040

Worst case scenario: $48,000 per year sales + $23,040 per year hosting = $71,040

Damn... that's my goal. I just want 2 clients a week. Aside from maybe being a little optimistic suggesting I'll hit 2 clients per week for 48 weeks, can you see anything wrong here?
#optimistic #overly
  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    The sale is made in the mind of the salesman. If you are asking this question then you arent committed to making $500 tomorrow, its still an option. Not saying you wont though.

    Work with that feeling and shoot for the stars, and you may at least hit the moon.
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    • Profile picture of the author Housing5
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      The sale is made in the mind of the salesman. If you are asking this question then you arent committed to making $500 tomorrow, its still an option. Not saying you wont though.

      Work with that feeling and shoot for the stars, and you may at least hit the moon.
      Then it's simple; I am going to go to bed tomorrow $500 richer than I am now. And now that you mention it, I guess I've been asking this a lot. And thanks for always answering, John. Haha. Alright Warriors, you aren't going to hear from me until I make that sale. I'm out.
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      • Profile picture of the author Rooso
        Originally Posted by Housing5 View Post

        Haha. Alright Warriors, you aren't going to hear from me until I make that sale. I'm out.

        ....he never came back. Still diligently, steadily calling the realtors on his list? Or forsaken the whole idea and feels defeated now?
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        • Profile picture of the author Claude Whitacre
          Originally Posted by Rooso View Post

          ....he never came back. Still diligently, steadily calling the realtors on his list? Or forsaken the whole idea and feels defeated now?
          Sad. He probably gave up after the first few calls.

          500 daily calls from a dead start, and never having done cold calls before? It's like quitting smoking, getting off heroin, stopping sniffing glue, and starting a diet...all the same day.

          But I can tell you this; In the 1980's I had a schedule of earning $2,000 a week selling vacuum cleaners in people's homes. I never missed a week in three years of keeping tight records. Every day my goal was to canvas door to door until...I met the right couple I wanted to show my product to. I averaged one sale every six hours of effort. That included knocking on doors, demonstrating, calling on the phone, getting referrals, and closing. One sale every six hours. Once I knew that figure, it was kind of liberating.

          I took a young man with me one day to show him my cold calling ways.
          He asked "What are the chances of getting in someone's home to show our vacuum?"
          I said "100%. I just don't know who yet."

          There is real power in just plowing through the numbers until someone buys.
          One $500 sale on average a day if you call until...someone buys? I believe it. And by the end of the week, I'd make sure I was a sale or two ahead, just in case.

          I wish he would have come back with good news. I was pulling for him.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mav91890
    Let us know how it goes.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mekanism
    making 1 sale per day is wildly optimistic IMO. 1 per week is better. thats why we bill monthly for services, because it accumulates.

    but i like the fire.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mekanism
    making 1 sale per day is wildly optimistic IMO. 1 per week is better. thats why we bill monthly for services, because it accumulates.

    but i like the fire.
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    • Profile picture of the author mil0x
      Originally Posted by Mekanism View Post

      making 1 sale per day is wildly optimistic IMO.
      Why? Professional telemarketers must do this every day or they're fired, and usually they have an even higher sales target..
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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by mil0x View Post

        Why? Professional telemarketers must do this every day or they're fired, and usually they have an even higher sales target..

        ................BINGO!
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  • Profile picture of the author ramsfir
    I would say, always use the 1% avarage conversion rate. Its easier that way. Just remember that 98-99% will be a no, or atleast thats what every sales man is counting on.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mekanism
      Originally Posted by ramsfir View Post

      I would say, always use the 1% avarage conversion rate. Its easier that way. Just remember that 98-99% will be a no, or atleast thats what every sales man is counting on.
      that might be true of websites, but the conversion rate of salespeople over the phone is really dependent on how good you are and your pitch. some salespeople can convert 10%, some can't convert any.

      i'm currently working on a WSO that will include a new way to pitch people over the phone without selling them, called "education based marketing". any insight from anyone would be greatly appreciated and would be rewarded with a free copy!
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      • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
        Originally Posted by Mekanism View Post

        that might be true of websites, but the conversion rate of salespeople over the phone is really dependent on how good you are and your pitch. some salespeople can convert 10%, some can't convert any.

        i'm currently working on a WSO that will include a new way to pitch people over the phone without selling them, called "education based marketing". any insight from anyone would be greatly appreciated and would be rewarded with a free copy!
        I'm sure you are working on one... :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

        Average conversions are 1% and that is with the phone, direct mail, websites, etc. Of course you can be lower or higher, and can always adjust and test.

        1 sale per day at $500 is pretty easy. If you're only achieving 1 sale a week I don't think your "education based marketing" is really WSO worthy.
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        • Profile picture of the author MaxwellB
          Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post


          1 sale per day at $500 is pretty easy. If you're only achieving 1 sale a week I don't think your "education based marketing" is really WSO worthy.

          Then why did you tell him it was overly optimistic, speculative and theoretical?

          Because he hasn't done it yet?
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  • Profile picture of the author IMguy123
    Originally Posted by Housing5 View Post

    *wanted to change the title to: "my current offline goals".

    Alright Brahs, I have give or take 278 names and phone numbers of realtors and other people in the land business operating in my small town. I'm going to call as many of them tomorrow as it takes to make a sale. I am going to make a $500 sale tomorrow.

    I am going to call people in this niche until I run out of names; I'm certain I'm going to make a sale before I run out of this first list. Once I make that sale, I'll pay my brother to create these lists while I work on the sites in the evening. Wake up the next morning, call til I make a sale, pay bro to make more lists, work on site in the evening, rinse and repeat.

    1 sale per day for 240 days (that's how many business days there are in a year if you take 4 weeks off)...

    240x$500=$120,000

    Let's say I make 3 sales a week... that's a little more realistic. 48 weeks x 3 sales = 144

    144x$500=$72,000

    Alright... maybe even 3 sales is pushing it. If I call people everyday, I can surely at least make 2 sales a week, right? 48 x 2 = 96

    96x$500=$48,000

    Plus include $20 for hosting each month per client. Worst case scenario, at the end of the year I'm making 96 clients x $20 x 1 month = $1920

    $1920 x 12 months = $23,040

    Worst case scenario: $48,000 per year sales + $23,040 per year hosting = $71,040

    Damn... that's my goal. I just want 2 clients a week. Aside from maybe being a little optimistic suggesting I'll hit 2 clients per week for 48 weeks, can you see anything wrong here?
    It's only optimistic if you don't start and don't continue pursuing your prospects. It could be a simple but huge psychological barrier if you let it be.
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  • Profile picture of the author vCr8
    Overly Optimistic?... Hmmm yes I guess, but then again it is better having that fire and goal than not having any goals at all... Keep that enthusiasm, I'm looking forward to great results on your next update
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  • Profile picture of the author payoman
    I used to think the lower your price, the easier it was to close...

    That belief is beginning to shift.

    I think it's more about their interest than the price. For example, I tried selling sites for $500 total for a while, VS my usual $1000, to see a difference. There wasn't any at all.

    Most people still said no, while 2-3% said maybe and 1% said yes. So I think you might as well charge as much as you can. I am aiming for $1497 + $360 hosting/maintennance per site next month, and recording every lead/call/close to see the results.
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    • Profile picture of the author Rearden
      Payoman, I bet you'll end up attracting and closing BETTER clients, too.

      Had the same thing happen to me in another business -- raised my rates 100% within a year or so -- attrition decreased, quality of clientele increased, and closing ratio stayed pretty much the same. All while providing the same quality service as I had previously.

      I instructed my book-keeper to do the same several years ago; she's since then brought on new staff and is making more money and seemingly happier now.

      And I told my lawn guy to get his rates higher so he can drop the dead-beat "price-only" clientele.



      Originally Posted by payoman View Post

      I used to think the lower your price, the easier it was to close...

      That belief is beginning to shift.

      I think it's more about their interest than the price. For example, I tried selling sites for $500 total for a while, VS my usual $1000, to see a difference. There wasn't any at all.

      Most people still said no, while 2-3% said maybe and 1% said yes. So I think you might as well charge as much as you can. I am aiming for $1497 + $360 hosting/maintennance per site next month, and recording every lead/call/close to see the results.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    An optimistic outlook indicates an outlook that isnt yet totally convinced I believe is what Iam is saying. If things look simply "optimistic" by his definition, then they arent in stone as "Definate" yet.

    Once something has been accomplished, it doesnt look optimistic, it looks "done".
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  • Profile picture of the author John Grey
    Banned
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    • Profile picture of the author Mekanism
      Originally Posted by John Grey View Post

      I am just going to share with you what happened for me when I was thinking to sale something,

      I used to think in term of sales, I noticed that I was making much more sales when I didn't not focus on sales but just on speaking honestly about what I was offering and rose my productivity by 50%
      you make a valid point. but i would go further and instead say you should focus 100 percent on the clients needs. stop talking about how great you are and what you offer and instead hold your meetings focused on the lcients problems and tell them what solutions you think would work
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  • Profile picture of the author MysteryOfSean
    You got to have a salesman's heart to be a good salesman! The pitch is only a part of the sale. The follow-up is what sells. A good follow-up takes experience. Your plan is great! However, it won't work! You're going to have to have this plan and do it for a very long time, until you've learned all the correct replies to all the comments you hear! You're going to have to become insensitive to all the lies that people tell you about how they are not interested! You need to be able to believe that what you're selling is the best product or service that your listener will ever need! You must sell your product! You must convince your audience that you are right! They need what you have to sell! You must convince them that you know more than they do! And you must do this while you get them to trust you as being a really good person! There's a science to selling! Do your plan! over and over and over and over ond over. Do it like you're playing a Stratovarious! Get really really good at it! Salesmen make more money than most doctors! Get really good at your science!
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