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Time Management?

by xzorpl
7 replies
I have been excited about getting my business on the right track by getting on the phone every day beginning this week (Mon 3/26/12) but I encountered an unusual setback on the first day of my efforts, let me explain.

After spending about 2 hrs on the phone, I made contact with a business owner who is not ranking anywhere near the 1st page of Google. He has had his 2nd website built in an attempt to overcome this handicap, but still to no avail. Needless to say this is what we are all working for right? to make contact with potential customers.

What has happened, is that I have wasted practically the entire day (today) trying to figure out how to secure this business when I should probably have been on the phone setting another three appts elsewhere. What swould you do if yu were in over your head in a situation like this?
F.A. Perry
#management #time
  • Profile picture of the author DWolfe
    If you feel you were over your head think of it as a learning experience. Actual experience is a better teacher than anything you will find in a how to book. How ever if you landed the job to fix his site it was not time wasted.
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  • Profile picture of the author CoursesWeb
    Hi,
    I think is better to write some articles, or advertisements, about your business, then to wait the clients to come.
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    • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
      Originally Posted by CoursesWeb View Post

      Hi,
      I think is better to write some articles, or advertisements, about your business, then to wait the clients to come.
      You think wrong, but that's okay, I hope you are one of my "competitors" if that is how you feel about it.

      To the OP, it happens, especially when you're a one man show at first. Even the most experienced and knowledgeable people in this industry have that issue from time to time.

      There is a difference between starting out and having that issue often, and being more vetted, and once in a while having that problem. Usually when people first start out they try too hard to get business and end up on the phone longer than needed in order to make the sale and sometimes not even close the deal!

      I think next time you have this situation, ask for the sale. Did you ever ask for it? Did you position yourself well enough to have leverage? Were you in control or was it the guy on the other end of the phone? Do you know enough about SEO to be able to get results?

      You're lucky.. you have someone that has a problem and you can offer a solution. Do it.

      One of my first clients took up 3-4 hours one afternoon, and MUCH more time than that through the life of the agreement. He is still my client and pays very well. Sometimes you have that, the main thing is you need to make the sale.
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    • Profile picture of the author MonteMichaels
      Originally Posted by CoursesWeb View Post

      Hi,
      I think is better to write some articles, or advertisements, about your business, then to wait the clients to come.
      Xzopl may not have sold that lead right now, but chances are he would not have made contact with that business owner if he did not take the proactive route and contact that business first.

      There are many business owners that do not know what they are doing with their online presence, and for the most part, most of them do not really care unless someone points it out to them. It doesn't matter how many articles that you write, if these guys are not reading your article they are not buying from you either. They are definitively not reading your article if they are not searching for your services.
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  • Profile picture of the author David Miller
    Originally Posted by xzorpl View Post

    What swould you do if yu were in over your head in a situation like this?
    F.A. Perry

    Were you in over your head, or did you just not want to stay on the phone?

    Not a lot of us enjoy the act of getting on the phone and starting the process of prospecting and selling. Although we do it because the end result far out weighs the action itself.

    However, there are days where we look for a reason to get off the phone and do something that allows us to tell ourselves that we are still being productive. I don't know many people (myself included) who haven't fell victim to this at some time or another. In addition, it's not something that only happens to people just starting out, it can happen any time for any number of reasons.

    But there is a way around it, and it's the title of your thread, Time Management.

    I break my day into several parts. One of those parts is prospecting. That means (to me) that when it's time to prospect, I don't let anything else take my attention.

    I agree with IAmNameless. It sounds like you missed a selling opportunity. But it's just a matter of getting back on track and managing your day.
    Signature
    The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
    -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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  • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
    Next time, get the buy in first, then when theyre paying for your time, thats when you figure out how to solves their problems , until then you can solve anything (if theyre prepared to pay right for it!!!) .

    But hey dont be hard on yourself, youre taking the action, youre getting some good response , if they ask how are you going to solve XYZ, just say along the libes of 'there are a number of options available, once the payments go through you will choose the best one for their specific situation '
    Signature

    Mike

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  • Profile picture of the author xzorpl
    I really appreciate all the encouragement and want to encourage those who may be reluctant about using the phone. it really is our Best friend. My problem was not that I did not try to close the guy, but that I was not knowledgable enough to close him (on thi call).
    On a positive note, if this guy really wants this done, I am relativly confident that he will do business w/me in the future. Hopefully by then I'll have filled some of the gaps in my experience. Thank all of you for your help. F.A. Perry (aka xzorpl)
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