Pls stop doing this

Yep. I've been doing exactly that for many years and it works well, Ken.

When I worked at a call center, Dial America, doing outbound sales, we told everyone where we were calling from and how the weather was in our area and then asked them how the weather was in their area. Dial America is huge so I am sure they have a pretty good reason for asking about the weather.

It's dumb. But it works.

I get calls like that sometimes. They ask about a local sports team. I don't care about such things. I really don't. But it's too rude not to answer. So, I answer. And, if I answered, now I'm in a conversation and they get to say something else. And I feel like I have to answer, as long as they're polite, not too cheerful, not sounding fake (too cheerful, for instance).

In other words, it really works.

It's amazing how many things you can say that you would think are dumb and cliché that actually work.


There have been lines that I avoided for years just because I thought they were dumb and cliché... and OBVIOUS... But then I said them one day, just like the ole pro's always told me to...and BAMMO, they turned a no into a yes.


Asking how the weather is seems so cliché that a newb might cringe at the thought asking it..., but just like you say, even when it's obvious to BOTH people that it is a cliché thing to ask...by the time they are done answering they are relaxed, and the ice really does break.


You think it makes you sound like a salesman, and it really does.... but its amazing how many of those things that make you sound like a salesman really do work, and they are standard for a reason, and people respond IN SPITE of the fact that you both know its a canned line...For decades on end..


One time I heard this telemarketer over and over calling people for a police charity, breaking the ice by saying "Im calling on behalf of the guys here at the precinct, don't worry, there's nothing to be alarmed about...nobody has done anything wrong... (Insert hoaky chuckle here) We are just doing our annual fundraiser that we always do... and I heard you had a money tree in your back yard... lol"


I cringed every time he said it...


But one day I picked up a monitor and started listening to him, and it was amazing how, as dumb as that sounded to me, people were really relieved hearing "don't worry, we aren't calling because anything is wrong, don't be alarmed..." and then they really laughed, engaged, and immediately liked him after he said the "money tree" thing...

I always thought "If I ever said that, the person on the other end would think I was such a dumbass cliché salesman..." but it isn't true...they actually engage and relax with that kind of stuff, just like the cliché old pro's say they will.


In any event, there are lots of things like that which may feel cliché to you, and you may think a customer would also think of them as cliché...and maybe they are to both of you, but I couldn't have said it better than Ken; somehow, in spite of the seeming "hoakiness", by the time they finish answering they are relaxed and the fact that it was hoaky goes right over both of your heads as you laugh together at how stupid it is.


I had another guy in that same room who called for the firefighters and he would say things like "Im calling for the blah blah blah....and we are FiiiiiiRED UP about this year's fire safety fundraiser...."


As dumb as it sounded, it shocked people right out of their previous mindset and got them on his track.


Successful people do things that make others cringe very often. I have had a lot of success right here on the warrior forum, through posting ideas passionately like a MAD MAN, just live streaming thought without editing...and half my posts make me cringe, because I will be as hoaky as all get out in order to get my point across, and I don't care if someone thinks I am overly passionate (at that time anyway...lol).


Ken has told me before that it's a good thing because being that guy who is unabashed works, even though it isn't "cool", a lot of times.


Too many people are too concerned with being cool, and refuse to be different. Successful people are different though, and we all have it if we can drop our pride and humble ourself to our message.


One more example: My brother James was set back in school and had a rep as being not real smart...later he became a very successful six figure MLM'r and took his money and invested in real estate and other things, and became more successful than ANY of my brothers.... I asked him how he found it within himself to succeed at such a hard thing...beating all the odds...?


He said "I thought I was dumb. I thought I was so dumb that I had better just do whatever the successful old pro's told me to, and not try to think too hard about it. So I just did whatever they said I should do, and said whatever they said I should say".


I could go on about this forever...charities aren't maybe the best example here.... anyway, Ken is right. I have been up since 3am after 3 hours of sleep. I probably shouldn't type!


There's my two cents for the day.


-JD


Ps. It's just like in ad copy "discover the amazing SECRETS of Millionaires..." sounds so hoaky... you almost wouldn't want to write it...but dang it, it works, and others think it's hoaky too, from the outset...but they still get excited, buy, and respond to it! The people with the balls to use lines like that, and (forgo looking too cool) sell products, hoaky or not.

If the call is going in the direction I want then it's about the average, usually it's a little longer.

@Ken yes that makes sense mate, I used that when I first started on the phones.. and it's amazing how someone will go through the motions of answering even if they really don't want to.. even for the most introverted people. It appeals to their sense of social obligation.

I don't say those things any more. In fact I won't say anything to a prospect that I feel is incongruent to who I am as a person. I only want to come across as ME, and maybe 30% will love me, 30% don't care, and the rest could actively dislike me, but that doesn't matter.

If I want someone to buy, I want them to buy because of the interaction they had with ME as a person, there is zero ego or posturing involved. Is this the most effective way to make sales? Probably not. To be honest, to appeal to the low consciousness masses it would be better to get them to think of me as some kind of expert or authority in their world. I am slowly getting better at combining both ways.. but I am very laid back about my work. I don't put pressure on myself, I don't want to be some kind of recognized expert or a Master Salesman. I just want to be me.. and sales is just a way for me to express who I am.. it's the same feeling I get when I sit down to write or paint.

People say they want to be millionaires, own huge businesses.. I was one of those hopefuls, and I was one of the few who committed to the idea for YEARS. I still did very well, learned a lot, grew in character. But the journey wasn't what I expected. I learned I valued other things more, simpler things than being obsessed with money and competence. That's just me, and I admire those who can play the long game and work at it for their entire lives.. your whole soul needs to be in your work for that to be sustainable, investing your entire life in your work. I value my time more than money, so that path was never going to work for me.. in fact my life would be a disaster if I kept pretending I was someone I'm not, because you can never get enough of something you don't want. So now I am travelling around Japan and living off the savings I had invested in my business. I want to do something incredible which truly reflects what I value about life. I don't know what that is yet, and I'm not hurried to make any commitment that would pigeonhole me into a role or avatar that I don't wish to portray. I'm mostly making my life mission up as I go along, moment to moment.