Need help now. Cold calling which niches?

121 replies
I'm trying to find the best top 5 niches to call to offer websites or add-ons to.

Been calling drywall businesses since late last week, but I either get an answering machine or I get the, we have one already, and then they don't seem to want to talk about add-ons. However, quite a few of the ones that said no, do not have a website for their business.

Need to make at least $1600 by this Friday. I would prefer $2k, but if I can just close $1600 worth of sales this week, I will keep from being evicted.

I start cold calling tomorrow at 4am Alaska time and plan to cold call until I make at least one sale for $599. I plan to do as IAmNameless suggested in another thread about cold calling across the country and closing on the phone.

Right now I'm pulling numbers from manta and yp.

I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks.
#calling #cold #niches
  • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
    Update.

    Just got a guy down in Anchorage who wants me to redesign his website for $599. An SEO company charged him $3k to get him to the top of google.com.

    He's calling me back later about setting this up.

    Sending a couple of theme ideas for him.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Good job. Close him while the iron is hot...How many calls did it take?

    BTW, he aint closed yet. Get the check on the table!

    Also, beware of the "I got a callback coming" trap, and dont put too much salt in it. Try to develop 4 of those guys before you start feeling like you are in the black with almost having a sale in the bag... get the numbers working for you. A 3 fold cord is not easily broken, but a single strand is easy to break..

    Again, encouraging post. Awesome action. Thanks for the inspiration.

    Ps. The best niches are things like independently owned factories and manufacturing companies...plastic injection molding, tool and die, places that make "parts"...alot of indy manufacturers do million dollar orders with just a few employees (small production crews)...the obscure niches like that are the best.

    People who have private planes and hire themselves out...that sort of thing. Limo services...Obscure stuff...think outside of the box...but inside works too.
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      Good job. Close him while the iron is hot...How many calls did it take?

      BTW, he aint closed yet. Get the check on the table!

      Also, beware of the "I got a callback coming" trap, and dont put too much salt in it. Try to develop 4 of those guys before you start feeling like you are in the black with almost having a sale in the bag... get the numbers working for you. A 3 fold cord is not easily broken, but a single strand is easy to break..

      Again, encouraging post. Awesome action. Thanks for the inspiration.
      For this afternoon's set about 10 calls. Monday must be a better day.

      I'll be wary of the callback trap. He asked if he could call me back because he was driving and talking on his cell phone. Gave me his personal email address to email him specifics. He's already page one on Google and top on Google+ for his keyword. I think what he wants is to rank for surrounding cities as well. Suggested filling out Google+ for business reputation management.

      Most were knows, a few were messages. But back to calling.

      Thanks.
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      Ps. The best niches are things like independently owned factories and manufacturing companies...plastic injection molding, tool and die, places that make "parts"...alot of indy manufacturers do million dollar orders with just a few employees (small production crews)...the obscure niches like that are the best.

      People who have private planes and hire themselves out...that sort of thing. Limo services...Obscure stuff...think outside of the box...but inside works too.
      Will start targeting such niches tomorrow. Thank you for the information. Will try to update tomorrow.
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    • Profile picture of the author Ericparke
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      Good job. Close him while the iron is hot...How many calls did it take?

      BTW, he aint closed yet. Get the check on the table!

      Also, beware of the "I got a callback coming" trap, and dont put too much salt in it. Try to develop 4 of those guys before you start feeling like you are in the black with almost having a sale in the bag... get the numbers working for you. A 3 fold cord is not easily broken, but a single strand is easy to break..

      Again, encouraging post. Awesome action. Thanks for the inspiration.

      Ps. The best niches are things like independently owned factories and manufacturing companies...plastic injection molding, tool and die, places that make "parts"...alot of indy manufacturers do million dollar orders with just a few employees (small production crews)...the obscure niches like that are the best.

      People who have private planes and hire themselves out...that sort of thing. Limo services...Obscure stuff...think outside of the box...but inside works too.
      Great post and also the thread creator great to see your motivation. Super inspiring.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Dont feel any pressure to take my advice if you are on a roll, that was good for ten calls.You'll get this no doubt. And also, even a "maybe" can be just the encouragement you need to keep going, just dont let it throw you. Looks like you got it though.

    BTW given the details, it looks like a pretty "strong" call back.
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      Dont feel any pressure to take my advice if you are on a roll, that was good for ten calls.You'll get this no doubt. And also, even a "maybe" can be just the encouragement you need to keep going, just dont let it throw you. Looks like you got it though.

      BTW given the details, it looks like a pretty "strong" call back.
      I pray so. Another bill just popped up and now I need to close $2500 by the end of this week or eviction. Not the phone call I was expecting. Any advice is welcome.

      Two quotes come to mind:

      "People die lost in the woods because they are so obsessed with 'how did this happen?' or 'when is someone gonna save us?'' Instead of being obsessed with "what is the next move I can make to survive?'"

      All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it’s impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer . - Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

        I pray so. Another bill just popped up and now I need to close $2500 by the end of this week or eviction. Not the phone call I was expecting. Any advice is welcome.

        Two quotes come to mind:

        "People die lost in the woods because they are so obsessed with 'how did this happen?' or 'when is someone gonna save us?'' Instead of being obsessed with "what is the next move I can make to survive?'"

        All courses of action are risky, so prudence is not in avoiding danger (it’s impossible), but calculating risk and acting decisively. Make mistakes of ambition and not mistakes of sloth. Develop the strength to do bold things, not the strength to suffer . - Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince
        OMG I love that quote, maybe the best one of all time and truest IMO.

        Well here is the best advice I can give and I really believe its sound.

        I have always told myself when in trouble "There is only one way out, you have to sell your way out, a busines transaction has to happen. You have to sell your way out of this...It wont fix itself...".

        Now that being said, I just advised Wally that two 3 hour cold calling sessions could produce 5 leads, but thats an understatement...maybe even 8 or more if he is rocking and dialing through the numbers...

        "That" being said...5-8 appointments is just about a guaranteed couple of sales in the bag, so I think you can do it if you commit to setting those appointments.

        Usually if a guy invites you out, he's half sold on doing business, your closing ratio should be 50% or higher on an "appointment"...even if one were a newb. Simply by the fact that someone was interested enough to have you come out, you have indications of a good potential sale.
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  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Autrey
    Keep us updated man, this is inspiring. Are you doing the web design + google rankings yourself?
    Signature

    The good thing about this business is that "People don't succeed cause they aim too high and miss, no, they aim too low... and hit. Most people don't aim at all." (Les Brown)

    Not us... Not marketers. We live far above mediocrity. Always keep this in mind at all times..

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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by marketforus1 View Post

      Keep us updated man, this is inspiring. Are you doing the web design + google rankings yourself?
      For now yes. I need the money myself. Using wordpress themes makes it easier. They have to email me pics, about us info, and a pic of their logo.

      I'll try to update daily, but it won't be until after 9PM eastern time. The next few days are just going to be cold calling, website making, sleep.

      To anyone considering cold calling, but letting the fear stop you. Just do a few. The fear goes after that. It really does. The only bad part was over drinking coffee and making myself sick.

      Don't know where to find businesses to call? yp.com & manta.com
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      • Profile picture of the author CarlsbadCami
        Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

        For now yes. I need the money myself. Using wordpress themes makes it easier. They have to email me pics, about us info, and a pic of their logo.

        I'll try to update daily, but it won't be until after 9PM eastern time. The next few days are just going to be cold calling, website making, sleep.

        To anyone considering cold calling, but letting the fear stop you. Just do a few. The fear goes after that. It really does. The only bad part was over drinking coffee and making myself sick.

        Don't know where to find businesses to call? yp.com & manta.com
        That is good advice about the cold calling, thank you for sharing!
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Rock on dude, just sent a prayer out for your strength, that is some pretty mean resolve you have going there, rocky balboa!

    EDIT: The post below is SMOKING, but I didnt want to post behind it because its too good to get buried.
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  • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
    Awesome stuff man, you're going to succeed without a doubt! BUT, something you should look at, is the eviction itself. I went through the exact same thing. Did you get served yet or just a regular landlord 5 day notice? I guess that's a side topic we can discuss in PM if you would like. I may be able to give some advice.

    Never stop calling...

    THIS WEEK, is the gateway to whether or not you can do this. This is going to show you if you can turn an unfortunate situation into a profitable business that can THRIVE and REALLY CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

    Push the limits man... you can do it, and 100 calls for someone in your position is not much at all, you can do MORE than that. A lot of your calls are going to be voicemails, or answering machines, or flat out no's or the person is unavailable... you can EASILY, hand dial 60 numbers an hour... you can do 300 calls a day when targeting business across the country like this.

    Wake up extra early, call the east coast, you can move to the midwest, then mountain time, then west coast, then alaska and hawaii time... you can make those calls!

    Now... depending on how bad you really want it and need it...

    Make your 300 dials a day.... (minimum for you try for more than that)

    Take a break at some point and get on craigslist, post on anchorage, or juneau and advertise your services. You get 3 ads a day, make them all different... post one in anchorage, one in juneau, and one in seattle. You may get an incoming call from one of those.

    Next... when you think it's too late to call businesses, start messaging people on linkedin, and cold emailing businesses. Instead of emailing one by one(you don't have that kind of time)... copy and paste emails into a text file or something, and create a mail chimp account that is free up to 2000 subscribers, and send out emails advertising your services. You should scrape email addresses at night, when you're done calling. Do not stop copying these emails until you get 500 each night... once you have 1000, import them to mail chimp and send out a mass email. That will increase your odds of meeting your goal.

    Be prepared to put in 16 hour days until you are out of this situation. I continue to regularly put in 16 hour days... if you want success, then you need to TAKE IT. It's there for you to take it, you just have to reach it. You have to make yourself available to be able to achieve it.

    Sometimes the path you take will provide a lot of doors that you can open, sometimes there is nothing there... but the more doors you open, the more opportunity you have to get someone that's behind the door!

    As for the niche... don't call corporate chains. Anything else is for the taking.
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by iAmNameLess View Post

      Awesome stuff man, you're going to succeed without a doubt! BUT, something you should look at, is the eviction itself. I went through the exact same thing. Did you get served yet or just a regular landlord 5 day notice? I guess that's a side topic we can discuss in PM if you would like. I may be able to give some advice.

      Never stop calling...

      THIS WEEK, is the gateway to whether or not you can do this. This is going to show you if you can turn an unfortunate situation into a profitable business that can THRIVE and REALLY CHANGE YOUR LIFE!

      Push the limits man... you can do it, and 100 calls for someone in your position is not much at all, you can do MORE than that. A lot of your calls are going to be voicemails, or answering machines, or flat out no's or the person is unavailable... you can EASILY, hand dial 60 numbers an hour... you can do 300 calls a day when targeting business across the country like this.

      Wake up extra early, call the east coast, you can move to the midwest, then mountain time, then west coast, then alaska and hawaii time... you can make those calls!

      Now... depending on how bad you really want it and need it...

      Make your 300 dials a day.... (minimum for you try for more than that)

      Take a break at some point and get on craigslist, post on anchorage, or juneau and advertise your services. You get 3 ads a day, make them all different... post one in anchorage, one in juneau, and one in seattle. You may get an incoming call from one of those.

      Next... when you think it's too late to call businesses, start messaging people on linkedin, and cold emailing businesses. Instead of emailing one by one(you don't have that kind of time)... copy and paste emails into a text file or something, and create a mail chimp account that is free up to 2000 subscribers, and send out emails advertising your services. You should scrape email addresses at night, when you're done calling. Do not stop copying these emails until you get 500 each night... once you have 1000, import them to mail chimp and send out a mass email. That will increase your odds of meeting your goal.

      Be prepared to put in 16 hour days until you are out of this situation. I continue to regularly put in 16 hour days... if you want success, then you need to TAKE IT. It's there for you to take it, you just have to reach it. You have to make yourself available to be able to achieve it.

      Sometimes the path you take will provide a lot of doors that you can open, sometimes there is nothing there... but the more doors you open, the more opportunity you have to get someone that's behind the door!

      As for the niche... don't call corporate chains. Anything else is for the taking.
      Can't PM as of yet, but if I can make it by the end of the week I won't have any issues.

      Thank you for the advice on LI, CG, and how to cold email. I wish it was 4am already. But you've given me other productivity ideas and so I begin scraping emails and posting on CG. I have some friends in the lower 48 that would be willing to post on CG in their areas for me. I'll be using the info from my script as to what they should post for me. It's the basic 5-page website for $499 and another for $999. I also have my price points set out for FB, YT, & G+.

      Thanks for the excellent advice.

      If it's 60 calls/hour, I should be able to do a lot more than 300/day or am I overestimating?
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  • Profile picture of the author PeacefulCalamity
    Looks like you're in the same boat as me (albeit I'll admit I'm not as financially backed to the wall as you, but let's just say that if I don't make a sale this week I'm toast)

    What wordpress theme are you using? I'm using the golden eagle wordpress theme found here: Golden Eagle WordPress Theme | InkThemes

    I think it's a bit generic, but with enough magic I think it could get the job done. At least while I look for a better template this week.
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by PeacefulCalamity View Post

      Looks like you're in the same boat as me (albeit I'll admit I'm not as financially backed to the wall as you, but let's just say that if I don't make a sale this week I'm toast)

      What wordpress theme are you using? I'm using the golden eagle wordpress theme found here: Golden Eagle WordPress Theme | InkThemes

      I think it's a bit generic, but with enough magic I think it could get the job done. At least while I look for a better template this week.
      Here's the themes I plan on using:

      Discovery
      Bizpress ? WPZOOM Theme Demo
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  • Profile picture of the author HAdrian1239
    This is an awesome thread. I am kind of in a similar situation due to some unexpected stuff in spite of my minor successes chronicled over at the TMF... and if you can do it, I can too.

    John, what is the avg expected close ratio on phone appointments? And also, I saw one of your scripts recommending sending out "free traffic reports" what do you think the close ratio would be on the follow up call to see if they got their info?

    I wouldn't be sending a traffic report, but something similar. I may not even do it that way (another step) but I am nosy. I just don't have the resources right now to drive to appointments, so it's gotta be over the phone.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
      Originally Posted by HAdrian1239 View Post

      This is an awesome thread. I am kind of in a similar situation due to some unexpected stuff in spite of my minor successes chronicled over at the TMF... and if you can do it, I can too.

      John, what is the avg expected close ratio on phone appointments? And also, I saw one of your scripts recommending sending out "free traffic reports" what do you think the close ratio would be on the follow up call to see if they got their info?

      I wouldn't be sending a traffic report, but something similar. I may not even do it that way (another step) but I am nosy. I just don't have the resources right now to drive to appointments, so it's gotta be over the phone.
      Closing ratios will vary from product to product... but I think a good/decent closing ratio is about 20-30%.

      3 out of ten full pitches.

      Now when I say 20 percent I dont mean 20% of "dials", I mean full pitches where you took them all the way down to the close, all the way through the questions... down to "asking for the sale". Some callers do better and you may have "days" where you do better or worse but thats a good average to shoot for.

      For a "newby"?

      Maybe one out of twenty full pitches the first week out of training, and two out of twenty the second. If they are dialing 500 numbers a day and havent gotten to one or two sales per day within a week- time to give em the ole proverbial boot... "next".

      Thats based on the "bower" method... and bear in mind that if you dont follow the ACTUAL numbers formula or cut corners, it wont work. Phone closing takes dedication. Dont let any slick talking "I can close a cold call in 3 dials" person lie to you.

      Being a phone closing champ is hard earned, but worthwhile.

      I closed 21 in a row once on a $300 credit card, but I also created the lead gen system myself, it wasnt out of the phone book, and they were incoming leads, and I cherry picked, which is a skill all its own.

      If you are selling a $2500 site, you may make 600 calls per day only to get one sale...maybe some days two, and maybe somedays none...but develop some great callbacks in the pipeline...and on a really bad none. In ANY of these events it may take a week to train and get any traction.

      Appointment setting is different, a decent caller should be able to get a handful of leads out of 100-150 calls.

      An appointment setter IMO needs to be able to do 2 per hour on average.At least one. Its much easier.

      Ps, on the deal about doing a traffic/analysis/ report angle , you should try to make that like a "fax call back"
      strategy.

      A: Get permission to send report along with permission to call back later that day.

      B: Call them back in an hour and ask if they have it in front of them

      C: Pitch them down all the way down the page of the report/analysis walking them through...

      With most deals this should pull two sales per day per person if they are really working the numbers and doing 10-15 full pitches per day like this. The power is in getting a commitment for the phone meeting, and having them visually looking at your report as you walk them through it.

      Thats why I say 10 to 15 pitches instead of 20, plus your callers time isnt TOTALLY devoted to pitching all day as there are other facets such as research creating a report and sending emails... Rememeber, if this is hard to imagine, these guys do it 8 hours per day, so they can get in 10-15 permission based pitches daily with time to spare.

      This is the approach most offline print rags take when selling advertising space, only with a promotional FAX and not a site analysis report... My room used to call biz owners, ask permission to fax and call back...then we would call the guy up in an hour while he had the promotional fax in hand tangibly and walk him through it. Works like a charm.
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      • Profile picture of the author HAdrian1239
        Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

        Closing ratios will vary from product to product... but I think a good/decent closing ratio is about 20-30%.

        3 out of ten full pitches.

        Now when I say 20 percent I dont mean 20% of "dials", I mean full pitches where you took them all the way down to the close, all the way through the questions... down to "asking for the sale". Some callers do better and you may have "days" where you do better or worse but thats a good average to shoot for.

        For a "newby"?

        Maybe one out of twenty full pitches the first week and two out of twenty the second. If they are dialing 500 numbers a day and havent gotten to one or two sales per day within a week- time to give em the ole proverbial boot... "next".

        Thats based on the "bower" method... and bear in mind that if you dont follow the ACTUAL numbers formula or cut corners, it wont work. Phone closing takes dedication. Dont let any slick talking "I can close a cold call in 3 dials" person lie to you.

        Being a phone closing champ is hard earned, but worthwhile.

        I closed 21 in a row once on a $300 credit card, but I also created the lead gen system myself, it wasnt out of the phone book, and they were incoming leads, and I cherry picked, which is a skill all its own.

        If you are selling a $2500 site, you may make 600 calls per day only to get one sale...maybe some days two, and maybe somedays none...but develop some great callbacks in the pipeline...and on a really bad none. In ANY of these events it may take a week to train and get any traction.

        Appointment setting is different, a decent caller should be able to get a handful of leads out of 100-150 calls.
        Thanks for this John. I still want to do the appointment setting aspect, because I don't think I'm to the point yet where I could one call close (or who knows, I could surprise myself... def want to learn to...) but the appointments are still going to have to be phone appointments, probably with a screen sharing aspect... because I want to target across all states, but even locally....

        Simply because....the only way I can get around the city right now is basically a modified mobility scooter due to an accident... even though it can take me all over it's not efficient to drag it all over town, given the time it takes to get from point A to point B when using it.

        I'm planning on using a version of your script, and targeting one niche across the country, and first coming at them for a mobile site, but if they resist that, I have a niche focused, cheaper product that I am going to offer them (not a bower method listing, but similar concept)... so one way or the other I should get some sales/interest if I talk to enough people... Here's to hoping... nah... scratch that... here's to making it happen this week, lest I want to be living in a box on Venice beach....

        Nameless.... that importation of emails thing is an awesome idea... but technically against Mailchimp TOS...

        I'm not saying don't do it... I still would because their TOS has several gray areas... but is there a way to do it so you don't automatically trip their radar detection and get toasted for illegally importing emails?

        I used to do this with iContact, and they got really, really upset and it didn't take them long to find out... so I was just wondering, is there some kind of way to do it and not have to deal with the potential of a ban hammer?
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        • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
          Originally Posted by HAdrian1239 View Post

          Nameless.... that importation of emails thing is an awesome idea... but technically against Mailchimp TOS...

          I'm not saying don't do it... I still would because their TOS has several gray areas... but is there a way to do it so you don't automatically trip their radar detection and get toasted for illegally importing emails?

          I used to do this with iContact, and they got really, really upset and it didn't take them long to find out... so I was just wondering, is there some kind of way to do it and not have to deal with the potential of a ban hammer?
          Essentially... it is against the TOS because you don't have permission. The question is, do you care more about a company's TOS that is already making money, or do you care what is going to put money in your pocket? I have over 10 accounts that have been closed on mailchimp. And I can honestly say that it's worth it! I don't lose sleep at night.

          To use mailchimp long term and actually be PAYING for the service instead of the free accounts.... then yeah you need to not get many complaints. Mailchimp is surprisingly very leniant in my experience... they don't flag your account until you're at like .8-1% spam complaints.

          The way I avoided the FBL and spam complaints, is by taking out the aol, yahoo, earthlink type emails... But... that is when you want an account you can keep for a while... .1-.2% complaints will happen if you stick to that.

          However, the OP doesn't need to worry about that because it's this week that he needs this amount of money. His primary NEED is MONEY. I violate craigslist TOS, mailchimp, and probably a lot of other things out there but what matters to me is money. I have never claimed to be 100% white hat in everything I do.. and I don't think anybody should. This is just another technique that WORKS if you work it.

          Mailchimp doesn't ban you for just importing emails... it's more about the spam complaints than anything. Of course, they WILL shut down affiliate marketers and stuff like that. They really hate them lol. For your own services though, I haven't had a problem except when setting up mass accounts and importing the same lists and spamming it all lol. The OP though, should be able to get an email blast off, maybe 2 before the account is locked, then he can create another one and do the same.

          Don't focus TOO much energy on this though... this is just another activity that keeps you active instead of passive. It keeps you on track to meet your goal instead of just waiting to get back to calling.
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          • Profile picture of the author John Durham
            You are schoolin me Iamnameless, but in this case, I think he will get it this week just from his calling alone.

            On another note...I just read a whole thread on the fax callback method ironically after just posting this, some of you may have read my posts about it 2 years ago on the TMF (as many points of it are strikingly similar if not verbatim in some places...- but also some fresh perspectives) ... Anyway, Dan Ruso's thread has some good insight as well. I just think its weird that I was typing this then jump over to his thread and see thats what its about...good thing have it in print from two years ago or this would look weird. lol

            EDIT:

            After reading the thread more thoroughly, no WONDER it sounds like my stuff only more well written, its verbatim in some places actually......Im going to bite my tongue here.
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            • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
              Why is it when you finally have a plan to succeed something interferes. Phone service and internet have been down most of the day and now back up and spotty about an hour ago.

              Well at least I should be able to punch out 150 to 180 calls.

              Question for the cold calling experts (John, IAN), provided things goes smoothly tomorrow, calling for 15 hours averaging 50 to 60 calls per hour, should I be able to get 5 phone closes a day with those numbers? Or at the very least, 3 phone closes @ $599 so I can get $1500 by Friday? That should be enough to save my ass by weeks end.
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              • Profile picture of the author PeacefulCalamity
                Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

                Why is it when you finally have a plan to succeed something interferes. Phone service and internet have been down most of the day and now back up and spotty about an hour ago.

                Well at least I should be able to punch out 150 to 180 calls.

                Question for the cold calling experts (John, IAN), provided things goes smoothly tomorrow, calling for 15 hours averaging 50 to 60 calls per hour, should I be able to get 5 phone closes a day with those numbers? Or at the very least, 3 phone closes @ $599 so I can get $1500 by Friday? That should be enough to save my ass by weeks end.
                My local area had construction and for some reason my telephone line went down today for me too. I was JUST about to go ham and start calling for 4+ hours today. The universe is probably laughing at me.

                As far as the phone closing, I wish I could answer to put you at peace. Hopefully John or Nameless has a chance to chime in about that.
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  • Profile picture of the author newbizideas312
    That's when you are you're best. There is no other way. You got to eat.

    I really like those lead recommendations.

    The best niches are things like independently owned factories and manufacturing companies...plastic injection molding, tool and die, places that make "parts"
    (Not saturated)

    A good idea would be to do the websites for the big names in each niche, give them a deal. Then you can name drop in your pitch. It will help you sound more credible, and make more sales for sure.

    @cjt1971 you got this. No doubt.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    CT, when you have been in the booth for a couple of days, you will wake up sore, and maybe even a little tired from thinking about it so much.

    I just want to remind you that the same way soldiers crawl through the mud, on those mornings, thats what sales people do. So if you are working a little rough around the edges, dont worry just do it rough Man!

    10 or 20 calls will work the kinks out.

    All good callers are a little stiff by the second or third day of the week...you dont need to feel energetic all the time to do this, you just have to have that resolve that you are expressing, and get yourself out of the woods.
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  • Profile picture of the author I_AM
    Can't wait to read how you were successful!
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    @ Hadrian1239

    I think the permission based fax/callback method could work for you. Instead of an analysis report, just create a promotional fax w features and benefits and package description and do it like the print rags do. Its really easy, I use to do them all day long, its very polite and easy going..."can I send you a fax to give you a peek at this weeks available ad spots and deals?"

    Great. Ill just go ahead and call back this afternoon to find out what you thought, is 2:00 good?

    Great I will call you back then....

    With the fax in hand its easier for them to "see" what you are selling and makes for an easy going "consultative" feeling pitch.

    I think you could pull that off easily. Its a bit easier than straight cold calling. (I edited my above post for you BTW and added the end (2 posts up)

    Probably even as easy as appointment setting or even EASIER...but takes more time due to the extra steps...
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    • Profile picture of the author HAdrian1239
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      @ Hadrian1239

      I think the permission based fax/callback method could work for you. Instead of an analysis report, just create a promotional fax w features and benefits and package description and do it like the print rags do. Its really easy, I use to do them all day long, its very polite and easy going..."can I send you a fax to give you a peek at this weeks available ad spots and deals?"

      Great. Ill just go ahead and call back this afternoon to find out what you thought, is 2:00 good?

      Great I will call you back then....

      With the fax in hand its easier for them to "see" what you are selling and makes for an easy going "consultative" feeling pitch.

      I think you could pull that off easily. Its a bit easier than straight cold calling. (I edited my above post for you BTW and added the end (2 posts up)

      Probably even as easy as appointment setting or even EASIER...but takes more time due to the extra steps...
      This is AWESOME.

      I have the format for something like this done already... basically all I do is just swap some images out from prospect to prospect so they can see THEIR situation... and then add in an "ad" to my other service... basically a down sell.... to think, I was wasting all this time trying to track down email addresses and fight spam folders. Bleh.

      It also makes sense to ask for call back permission later in the day... I admit I've kind of gotten into the passivity of emailing, even if I call first.. you know "ok, great I'll send that over" and then either forgetting to say I'll follow up... or waiting too long period.
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  • Profile picture of the author jstaffordv
    I have been in the cold calling game for sometime!! I am not trying to discourage you by any means.. I am just coming from a real place and would like to help you remove the emotion from your situation. First it does not really matter how much time you spend dialing.. Is there truly a need for your services? Have you built a report with these businesses? Its a ton of pressure to do what you are trying to accomplish in this window of time. Business owners are hit more than ever with these type of offers and unfortuinlaty this has created a lot of noise in the offline game making business owners not knowing who to trust or ultimately believe. By positioning yourself as someone that is truly interested in providing a solution to a problem or "pain" and removing the pressure of trying to sell your services you will find yourself in better position to server your prospect. It will come through in your pitch and will help remove the stress of making a sale. Think about the needs of the prospect first connnect with that and trully listet to what they have to say.. then reinforce with value and your servcies.. A lot easier this way... Also don't believe anything till the CHECK clears in your bank account!!
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    No, dont be on the phone 15 hours per day... I would say to work 3 shifts of 3 hours each, max.... But more realistically I would say "Stay on the phone for seven hours per day. Never break for more than 15 minutes and only take a 30 minute lunch. Eat light, and stay hungry.

    If you go more than that I think you will unnecessarily over work yourself.

    Look forward to the end of your 7 hours. Take an hour break, then sit back on your couch with your laptop and chill and do the things IAMnameless is referring to.

    Do I think you are going to get three sales by friday?

    Here is what I can say "May God be with You On the Battle Field Warrior"

    We will see. What are you made of? Time to test your metal.

    Here is a big key..."Put the stress aside"....think only of what you want. Expect it, and that will ring in your voice. Be enthusiastic and give positive energy and blessings so that you can recieve it back.

    May the force be with you!

    Ps. Feed your mind stuff like this:

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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      Here is a big key..."Put the stress aside"....think only of what you want. Expect it, and that will ring in your voice. Be enthusiastic and give positive energy and blessings so that you can recieve it back.
      I think that's the most important thing for me to remember while calling, not the stress but the goal of selling a website/seo/social marketing to them.

      I'll cut the time down to 10 hours. But I'm hoping the numbers will allow me to do at least 3 or 4 phone closes by Friday. 2 would be a big help, but I'd prefer 3 or 4.

      I'm averaging one full pitch for about every 40 to 60 calls. Or about 1 an hour. Doing the math from your above averages I figured I could at least close 1 phone close per day for me being a newb. I forgot that I can cold call on Saturday as well.
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  • Profile picture of the author HAdrian1239
    Hey John, I've got a question... once you get people's permission to fax something, is it implied that you have permission to fax them in the future... (for example if I wanted to send out new service flyers once a month) or should I ask permission for this at the end of the call whether or not they're interested?
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    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
      @HAdrian

      Maybe since they know you now it would be okay, but thats not the point of calling first. The point is to get their mind on it, and call them back while it is fresh in their hand or on their desk,thats what creates the power and makes the conversion higher than regular phone closing. The whole momentum of it.

      The call first is tying them down or committing them to a call back that afternoon or whatever...

      @cj

      Looks good. Your dial to pitch conversion will come up too, as the longer you are on the more readily you recognize opportunities to pitch.
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      • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
        Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

        @HAdrian

        Maybe since they know you now it would be okay, but thats not the point of calling first. The point is to get their mind on it, and call them back while it is fresh in their hand or on their desk,thats what creates the power and makes the conversion higher than regular phone closing. The whole momentum of it.

        The call first is tying them down or committing them to a call back that afternoon or whatever...

        @cj

        Looks good. Your dial to pitch conversion will come up too, as the longer you are on the more readily you recognize opportunities to pitch.
        I'm reminded of quote from you in another thread:

        3 is not an insurmountable number!!!!

        Well even if it didn't come up, pocketing $1200 to $1600 out of 3 or 4 sales for 30 hours worth of calling would be more than worth it. $40/hr is what truckers make up here.
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      • Profile picture of the author HAdrian1239
        Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

        @HAdrian

        Maybe since they know you now it would be okay, but thats not the point of calling first. The point is to get their mind on it, and call them back while it is fresh in their hand or on their desk,thats what creates the power and makes the conversion higher than regular phone closing. The whole momentum of it.

        The call first is tying them down or committing them to a call back that afternoon or whatever...

        @cj

        Looks good. Your dial to pitch conversion will come up too, as the longer you are on the more readily you recognize opportunities to pitch.
        Yea, John, I know... I'm getting ahead of myself and was thinking about sending these in the future, you know like a new set of offers each month, and following up directly after they're sent. Sorry! I'll shut my trap and focus on the first one, and the process going along with that to start with!
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        • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
          John,

          Came across a thread on the TMF that is very inspiring and motivating for having only 3 days and needing a turn around.

          Thanks for it.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Now yer talkin!
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    When you get on a "wave" and it starts feeling good, dont take a break... ride that wave out, then when you start feeling disconnected to the sales energy...take your break, come back in start warming up with your first calls and try to sense that energy again until you catch another wave. You will get to where you can ride them longer and longer...its basically your senses kicking in, beyond explanation really. You have to break the wall with a few hundred calls to start recognizing alot of things..
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Your booth is like a cockpit of a race car, you are constantly shifting gears trying to keep up with that energy, getting people off the phone as fast as possible until you see a "prospect", then gearing down.

    Some people are only "suspects", if you get that feeling, then get em off the phone...no time to waste.
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  • Profile picture of the author PeacefulCalamity
    Are you targeting any specific niches, cj?
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  • Profile picture of the author Aaron Autrey
    hey cjt, I emailed you a few times regarding cold calling for you and splitting the profits or something. Maybe it'd get you some more business.
    Signature

    The good thing about this business is that "People don't succeed cause they aim too high and miss, no, they aim too low... and hit. Most people don't aim at all." (Les Brown)

    Not us... Not marketers. We live far above mediocrity. Always keep this in mind at all times..

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    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
      Originally Posted by marketforus1 View Post

      hey cjt, I emailed you a few times regarding cold calling for you and splitting the profits or something. Maybe it'd get you some more business.
      CJ, keep your blinders on, you dont need anything else til you get a sale! Get one brother!
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  • Profile picture of the author Rearden
    Keep it up, CJ -- we're rooting for you.

    Don't you guys calling B2B use 3-line+ power dialers? Or are y'all still punching numbers one by one?
    Signature
    David Duford -- Providing On-Going, Personalized Mentorship And Training From A Real Final Expense Producer To Agents New To The Final Expense Life Insurance Business.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
      Originally Posted by Rearden View Post

      Keep it up, CJ -- we're rooting for you.

      Don't you guys calling B2B use 3-line+ power dialers? Or are y'all still punching numbers one by one?
      Some use dialers some dont... For CJ though its not time to think about that.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    9:20 Pm, What happened today brother?
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      9:20 Pm, What happened today brother?
      4 appointments via Skype for next week. And a guy who wants to call me back next month. But still no phone closes which is what I really need. I think I may switch to my 15 hour plan for Thursday and Friday. Plan to call for 30 hours over Thursday and Friday. Any advice to help me get some phone closes would be appreciated.

      Also seem to have trouble getting past objections.

      Headed to bed in about an hour.
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      • Profile picture of the author HAdrian1239
        I'm not trying to discourage you CJ, I think you can do anything you set your mind to, and I am in a similar situation...

        But, I think 15 straight hours of calling per day would actually be detrimental to your overall goal if that's what you're considering doing. You should be able to close at LEAST one of those 4 appointments and have some $$.

        Straight phone closing can be difficult out of the gate as John has told me a few times... Keep making your calls, and keep your blinders on but don't get in such a frenzy that you wear so down you can't focus... the desperation will be obvious, IMO.

        As far as the eviction goes... as long as you respond to the summons, you have the power to get a trial and negotiate from there before they toss you out on your backside... in most cases you can also make it such that it does not impact your future rental prospects.

        I met with my attorney today to answer my eviction summons, and even though my overall situation is a bit different, the advice they gave me is similar, and a great approach... look into it if you can, and go to legal aid if you have to.
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        • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
          Originally Posted by HAdrian1239 View Post

          I'm not trying to discourage you CJ, I think you can do anything you set your mind to, and I am in a similar situation...

          But, I think 15 straight hours of calling per day would actually be detrimental to your overall goal if that's what you're considering doing. You should be able to close at LEAST one of those 4 appointments and have some $$.

          Straight phone closing can be difficult out of the gate as John has told me a few times... Keep making your calls, and keep your blinders on but don't get in such a frenzy that you wear so down you can't focus... the desperation will be obvious, IMO.

          As far as the eviction goes... as long as you respond to the summons, you have the power to get a trial and negotiate from there before they toss you out on your backside... in most cases you can also make it such that it does not impact your future rental prospects.

          I met with my attorney today to answer my eviction summons, and even though my overall situation is a bit different, the advice they gave me is similar, and a great approach... look into it if you can, and go to legal aid if you have to.
          I will do 12-14 hours of cold calling when needed. I did when I was in a very similar position. Some people just won't understand it because when your back is against the wall you don't have the luxury of taking a break, you don't have the luxury of sleep. ****, I don't have the luxury of sleeping a full 8 hours now, I'm LUCKY to get 4 hours of sleep a night. 5-6 days out of the week I pass out on my couch with the laptop in my lap.

          Straight phone closing was my only option. I didn't have time for meetings and all that BS. I didn't have experience in sales so I just had to do what I could do. It was either sell or be homeless... Guess what I chose to do? Sell! I didn't know any of this fancy appointment setting stuff, I had something people wanted and if they wanted it badly enough I sold them right then and there.

          For the eviction, eviction court and laws vary on the state. I've helped a few people across the country beat their evictions and get enough time to have cash saved up. Often times in order to defend yourself you have to pay court fees, $100-400 depending on where you live. California has different and more difficult laws. In the OP's case, a lot depends on if he was even served my a processor or served by the land lord. I'm sure your case must be a bit different since you have an attorney and have money to pay the attorney.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    CJ, phone closes are just a matter of...OMG I do not have the energy to write a pitch here... lets see...

    Just basically after you call them back you are going to want to say "Hey , Bob, hope I caught you at a good time, did you get a chance to look over my fax?

    Great did you have any questions?

    No?

    Okay great, have you got that in front of you by any chance I wanted to point something out to you...

    (Now walk him through the fax...)

    As you can see , right now we are offering A, B, and C... and that one there at the bottom in bold type?

    Bob: "Yeah?"

    Well, thats only for a limited time, we are offering that for this week only, I would love to get you in a slot today and reserve your special deal for you...

    Let me ask,

    Is this you folks correct address?

    Okay great.

    Now Bob all of our websites come with interactive forms so that your customers can submit queries to you in real time over the web...is there a particular email address you want those forms sent to, or did you want us to set you up a corporate address with you url in it?

    NOTE: If bob says "Send it to this email addy"- Then he just tied himself in a little bit

    If Bob says ""Whats a corporate address?"

    Then you have a "buying signal" use it to sell him on the benefits of his staff emailing from a professional company URL...and how you will go the extra mile to set that up at no charge...

    So anyway, you keep asking him questions

    "Bob are you a member of the better business bureau?"

    Bob, do you have any particular company colors you like to use?"

    Logo's?

    And so on and so forth... each questions answer ties him in a bit more and keeps it flowing.

    At any time he could shut you off and thats part of it, but the further you can get into the questions the more he is tying himself in, and the more buying signals you have to work with...

    You keep asking the questions you'll need to make the site....until you feel he is tied in good and it seems natural to go ahead and assume the close...

    So, at that point you repeat all the info back to him to see if its correct and have him confirm it...(more tie downs)....

    The say, Okay I have enough info for now, if you have any more ideas just give us a call at this number, have you got a pen?

    Have him physically write your number...its a sign that her is submissive and ready to close.

    Now say okay great now as far as billing goes... We accept visa mastercard, or Am ex...we can also do check by phone, which one of those is going to work best for you today Bob?

    ... As far as rebuttals... Im saving those for my pitch book

    Hope this helps CJ, its just an outline, but it will give you some direction.
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  • Profile picture of the author abelamorales
    CJ,

    I have been following this thread for a while and want to give you some encouragement. I don't know how much you believe in the power of the mind, however it is very powerful. Write down exactly what your goals are within the next couple of days and then say them to yourself.

    I am a huge fan of Napoleon Hill and love the book the Courage to Succeed. You can do whatever you put your mind to, don't let anyone else tell you any different. Tomorrow you will make $800 and Friday you will make $1000.

    You can do it man!
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    If they ask why you dont do appointments, its because we do business internationally, and so our company is dependent on processes and systems, and doing things by phone or online helps it run more efficiently enabling us to spend more energy taking care of YOU, and also deliver professional work at affordable prices.

    Do you do the work yourself?

    We work with a large circle of internet professionals from every genre of the web development industry, including SEO pro's, Top designers and professional content writers from across the globe. Outsourcing to professionals via the internet as opposed to housing a huge in house staff is another reason we can get your work done better, more efficiently , and make it more cost effective for everyone.


    These are off the cuff cj, just use them as guidelines.
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  • Profile picture of the author kcom
    All the best CJ, I think I remember IamNameless stating in another post, that be sure to tell them you can answer all of their questions over the phone, and tell them you charge $100 for an appointment in person to cover your costs. Hopefully you will get your phone close sooner than later. Rooting for ya!
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      50 calls in last 20 minutes. Either the number was disconnected or there was no answer. WTH?

      I'm starting back up in 10 minutes figuring this was some sort of mass lunch exodus.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Its the barometric pressure.
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      Its the barometric pressure.
      It's something alright. Switched niches.

      Finished one pitch. Has a website but is not satisfied. He wants more info about using coupons to encourage FB likes, and some ideas for SEO using Social Media. Will also push mobile site. Calling him back tomorrow.

      On another one, I was told to give a call back at 3 to talk to people who would be the decision makers on the website.

      EDIT:

      Finished calling all 27 other businesses listed for that niche. Moving on to next niche in the city.

      Will try to update every hour if possible.

      Finished second local niche. Told to call back tomorrow to catch the owner on two and told to call back in a few hours on another. That should give me 8 total pitches from calls so far.

      One of them may end up being 2 sites. Has a business in two different cities and someone bought his business name URL and try to sell it to him. I can get around that easy by adding a state abbreviation modifier to both sites.

      I know if I can just make 20 pitches that I can close 3 to 4 sales by tomorrow at 6PM my time.

      I also don't accept no's like I use to. If they say, we have one, I ask how it's doing, if they say good, I ask if they have considered adding Social Media or a Lead Capture System.

      EDIT: I just have to say, this is actually easy. I now have no idea what the hell I was scared of.

      Simple plan to call businesses for B2B sales:

      1. Goto YP.com and pick a niche and city
      2. Copy every listing into a document (there may be 5 to 10 pages)
      3. Search for duplicate numbers. (I find this happens a bit.)
      4. Repeat your sales script at least ten times.
      5. Goto first number and call. Try to get through pitch.
      6. Repeat.

      Here's the link to the flowchart I use: sales flow chart.pdf
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  • Profile picture of the author hostwindsEvanM
    Tuned in for this one! Were all rooting for you.
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  • Profile picture of the author hostwindsEvanM
    Good! There is always room for improvement. It is your job to polish up a speech to sell them on what is possible.
    Also, dont forget follow up calls and emails. They can catch a slipping sale, and personalizing each will go a long way.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Awesome. This all tells me that you are "making distinctions", and seeing things that you couldnt see till after a hundred calls or so... When you switched niches, that was like the switching gears I mentioned awhile ago...you just gotta hang in there and stick and move with the different waves that come at you, make decisions....

    I know if you can get 20 pitches you can get a sale too, if they are full blown pitches... Now if for some GOD FORSAKEN reason that doesnt happen I must tell you this, in ANY marketing, even say the wso section, I may get two sales out of 100 visits...but they may not come in the first batch of 100....so keep your expectations management in check...the averages come out over 20 pitches per DAY.

    You are getting good though , beautiful stuff here, you are developing fast by staying in the trenches making the distinctions that others wonder about.
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Worst response I've gotten yet: Sorry we aren't interested, but thanks for calling.

      3PM call moved to tomorrow morning. Neither of the two were in.

      Most important thing to consider when picking a niche, don't think.

      If you pick a niche and it seems they all have websites, you may think don't call. Ignore the website link and call all of them using the script. I say this because from the one's listed as not having a site, I've been told, we have a friend building one for us so we're not interested in anything else. Some numbers are disconnected, others have sites but don't want anything else, some have no site and are interested some not, and some have sites they either want improvements too or add-ons too.

      Update:

      Finished off 20 pitches going through script all the way to the end. Have some lined up for tomorrow.

      Out of the 1st batch of 20 "real" pitches, zero takers. Regardless, I'm hoping to due 40 to 60 pitches tomorrow and at least 30 on Saturday. I'd prefer to go through 100 "real" or "full" pitches by Saturday. Add-ons I now always mention: Social Media, SMS/Email Marketing, Mobile Websites.

      Every business I call is polite, and I seem to have stumbled upon a way of presenting myself that gets those who turn me down to thank me for calling. And it just occurred to me that I haven't been asking them if I could send them some free info about how to better use the internet to grow their business. DOH!

      Finally got ahold of the guy from Wednesday and he wants to talk tomorrow. If this one and the other 3 potential one's from today were to close tomorrow I would have more than enough.

      I've been able to work out some things and may need only $1k to 1.5K by tomorrow afternoon. That's only 2 to 3 sales. That should be easy. I say that, because I think I am beginning to understand what John & IAN have been saying. FOR ANYONE afraid or who dislikes calling up local businesses, just do it.
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      Awesome. This all tells me that you are "making distinctions", and seeing things that you couldnt see till after a hundred calls or so... When you switched niches, that was like the switching gears I mentioned awhile ago...you just gotta hang in there and stick and move with the different waves that come at you, make decisions....

      I know if you can get 20 pitches you can get a sale too, if they are full blown pitches... Now if for some GOD FORSAKEN reason that doesnt happen I must tell you this, in ANY marketing, even say the wso section, I may get two sales out of 100 visits...but they may not come in the first batch of 100....so keep your expectations management in check...the averages come out over 20 pitches per DAY.

      You are getting good though , beautiful stuff here, you are developing fast by staying in the trenches making the distinctions that others wonder about.
      John, I can't PM yet, but I wanted to say thank you. And thank you for your PDFs.

      I do have a question for you. How many calls & phone sales would I be required to get per day and per week if I was working in a boiler room with you as the boss? I think knowing that will help me to have a good expectation and goal to shoot for.

      Thanks again for your help.
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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

        John, I can't PM yet, but I wanted to say thank you. And thank you for your PDFs.

        I do have a question for you. How many calls & phone sales would I be required to get per day and per week if I was working in a boiler room with you as the boss? I think knowing that will help me to have a good expectation and goal to shoot for.

        Thanks again for your help.
        Phone closes on smaller deals?

        Easy "One in the morning, and one in the afternoon".

        Then you would probably end up doing 1.2 per day on average, unless you were REALLY good and could do 4 or 5 some days.

        Its high pressure in a boiler room because you can see everyone else around you doing it, so there's alot of pre4ssure to keep up.

        I would give you one training week and expect 2-3 sales in it or you would be gone. Then I would push you for one per day the following week...

        Then , by week 3, you could never get extra credit from me again if you didnt at least do three in a day.

        If you dont do a few this week its because you have switched ideas a couple of times and have not been consistently repeating a verbatim action over and over, so each time you do something new, the law of numbers starts back over at the beginning. Thats why call centers use verbatim pitches, because each change effects the numbers. Thats something I learned. I still think you are doing great though, just trying to find your groove. If it were appointments, obviously you would have already scheduled enough to have your money.
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  • Profile picture of the author davideand007
    i really dont understand how it really works still now xD
    some one explain pls
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  • Profile picture of the author PeacefulCalamity
    Man, you're getting awesome responses. I would be extremely happy just to get the 4 appointments you set the other day. Everybody I call is extremely rude and it's so very, very annoying.

    I don't know if this is the general thing, but I've found woman are a LOT more patient and helpful when I called up today. The owner wasn't in at one pizzeria, so one girl just gave me the owner's cell number~

    Then, I called a Barbershop by accident because my scraper got it mixed up. LOL, the owner gave me some real encouragement, more than any owner ever has. He said "don't get discouraged. Keep on calling and maybe do some face to face. And keep being polite. You'll earn some cash eventually."

    He fired me up for another 2 hours! lol.

    Cold calling makes a man run into some interesting people.
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    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
      Originally Posted by PeacefulCalamity View Post


      Cold calling makes a man run into some interesting people.
      ROTFLMAO!

      Yes!

      Try sitting in a booth for 8 hours per day for 13 months straight in a room of 60 people and being number one for ten of those months...mostly because you got bored with trying...

      Thats 100's of thousands of calls...

      What I want to impart to people ultimately is that telemarketing will sharpen your understanding of "people"... Its an amazing discipline, and it will enrich you in 100 ways.

      By the way. I started out a loser at the bottom of the telephone pole , it took me two weeks to set my first lead.

      Actually I was born on the steps of a phone company, and my mom had me when she was on the phone, .when I was young we were so poor we didnt even have a phone... we just had to climb up to the top of telephone poles and yell at people.
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      • Profile picture of the author Gatsby
        Amazing thread - I have been so busy being a newb looking up posts by all the guys giving advice I just now thought of hitting the "2" at the bottom of this one LOL. Which is why I started my own thread asking how you close. I think this is still on topic within what Cj is doing...

        What are you all closing out on? An online contract, email contracts, credit card payments? I mean for a same day close versus going through a series of appointments. I am not in as dire a situation, and I hope for the best for CJ, and really inspired by his progress reports. Hope I can come up with some as well. But is all this based on getting appointments and going through that kind of series or is there a better way?

        Btw, I just finished reading high probability selling, and I know some might think that is an outdated model - but the idea of doing quick qualifying led me into a "why the hell not" attitude about getting more closes on the phone. I mean one or two a week sounds reasonable?
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      • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
        Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

        Actually I was born on the steps of a phone company, and my mom had me when she was on the phone, .when I was young we were so poor we didnt even have a phone... we just had to climb up to the top of telephone poles and yell at people.
        Classic lol
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  • Profile picture of the author alfid
    Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

    I'm trying to find the best top 5 niches to call to offer websites or add-ons to.

    Been calling drywall businesses since late last week, but I either get an answering machine or I get the, we have one already, and then they don't seem to want to talk about add-ons. However, quite a few of the ones that said no, do not have a website for their business.

    Need to make at least $1600 by this Friday. I would prefer $2k, but if I can just close $1600 worth of sales this week, I will keep from being evicted.

    I start cold calling tomorrow at 4am Alaska time and plan to cold call until I make at least one sale for $599. I plan to do as IAmNameless suggested in another thread about cold calling across the country and closing on the phone.

    Right now I'm pulling numbers from manta and yp.

    I'd appreciate any suggestions.

    Thanks.
    I know it's been awhile since this thread was started. So, how did it all work out for you? I hope good, and I hope you got your money you needed, but even if you didn't this is probably not a rush-rush kind of thing.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    @gatsbey...

    Sorry I have been focused on this thread and havent even opened the other, because there would have been too much temptation to dive in...

    To be most relevant, if you look up "The bower OTO" here at WF in the search bar, its designed for people just like you perfectly. Even if you didnt read the bower formula.
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  • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
    Wow! Just got my first two hang-ups! First time I was worried I said something wrong, then I read the script I'm using and decided that no, they just didn't want to talk.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    If you are giving hangups this much thought , you are still a ways from hitting your groove for sure.
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      If you are giving hangups this much thought , you are still a ways from hitting your groove for sure.
      Well the first one I did. But the 2nd one I just dialed the next number. I just found it funny after the 2nd one.

      The next call after the 2nd was from someone who gave me the contact info of the decision maker so I could email them a packet about what I offer. I'm to call back on Monday. A few calls later, "oh thanks for calling let me transfer you to our office manager."

      So I wouldn't say I'm giving them much thought. I was just surprised by them as it hadn't happened so far. Most responses are generally along the lines of, thank you for calling or thank you for caring about our business.

      Break time over.
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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post


        Break time over.

        Lol. Less talking, more dialing.
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  • Profile picture of the author rolltide
    Good luck bro! Most of us have been in your shoes! Follow John's advice. It will pay off for you big time!
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  • Profile picture of the author wahiawa
    OP and very helpful john ,

    we are all cheering you on .. have u thought about just hiring a virtual assistant to do the cold calls ( i have done inside sales and i know cold calls are tough and drains you ) .. on ebay there is a virtual assistant who charges 99cents per hour to try his service .. does this help ? ( i am willing to buy his service for you ) ..
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  • Profile picture of the author wahiawa
    sorry .. add on .. the virtual assistant wants u to try his service for (2) hours and then see if you are happy .. then the rate goes up .. ( i don't think i can put his posting on the forum ) ..
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      After, and yes I'm serious, 100 straight calls of either no answers, wrong numbers, or disconnected numbers from yp.com, I registered with sales genie for the free 3 day trial offer, though mine got extended until next Wednesday because the rep will be gone most of next week. I'm using the new business feature and calling them. Currently banging head against wall right now since I didn't even think they had a 3 day trial. During down time I will go through the records and copy them into a file.

      I've been leaving msgs as well and have already received 2 call backs, but neither one were interested in a website but just called to let me know and thank me. They were either going out of business or retiring.
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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

        After, and yes I'm serious, 100 straight calls of either no answers, wrong numbers, or disconnected numbers from yp.com, I registered with sales genie for the free 3 day trial offer, though mine got extended until next Wednesday because the rep will be gone most of next week. I'm using the new business feature and calling them. Currently banging head against wall right now since I didn't even think they had a 3 day trial. During down time I will go through the records and copy them into a file.

        I've been leaving msgs as well and have already received 2 call backs, but neither one were interested in a website but just called to let me know and thank me. They were either going out of business or retiring.

        Yeah Brother, the TM War report talks about that sales genie thing...but why in the world YP wouldnt be any good is a mystery. Happens. Its friday after 2 also, not optimal.
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        • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
          Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

          Yeah Brother, the TM War report talks about that sales genie thing...but why in the world YP wouldnt be any good is a mystery. Happens. Its friday after 2 also, not optimal.
          Yeah, but for some reason I thought you had to pay up front.

          I think you're right. It may be the time.

          @IAN, Thanks for the tip. Going after it now.
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  • Profile picture of the author HAdrian1239
    The people at SG are nice, I just finished my free trial (before I got money from my first deal and upgraded to JD's TMF gold membership which has a lead generator) and just be careful that you know it's 3 days OR X amount of leads viewed... unless you got them to give you something special. I got extra leads because my rep was out sick most of my trial too. I liked the interface, but find JD's to be just as good.

    ETA: I didn't have money to pay an attorney to deal with my eviction... I used legal aid in CA first to make sure I didn't bungle up my summons response and lose by default...and then I bartered with an attorney for services.... after he discovered what I did and we discovered some underlying issues I need to pursue once the first bit is squared away.

    Now that I've got a bit of money, I'm focused even more on making MORE... so you can do it CJ!!!
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Well I have 5 phone appts for next week on Monday. The decision maker was out for all 5, but the gatekeeper wanted to make sure I got ahold of them. I'm thinking Friday is not optimal at this time, but I'm still calling. I will also call tomorrow as there are quite a few businesses open on Saturday. I have also received about 4 requests for information on websites and will send those out tonight. No closes as yet.

      John, I've been following the script exactly. I don't know if this is bad thinking, but when I pitch I think, I wonder if this is the pitch I'll close. Should I instead be thinking, I'm closing this pitch?

      A lot of SG were disconnected. But having a list of news business for a state is helpful. Google and manta have given me the correct phone number which has worked. It's just slower than I'd like. I'm going to spend tonight producing an excel spreadsheet of small businesses in certain niches that are open on Saturday and call them all day tomorrow.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Have a good weekend CJ, the wolves might be howlin at your door...but they aint gonna get you 2DAY!

    If you wanted to you could lock yourself behind that door for thirty days till you come out prosperous enough to rise out of ALL this stuff...

    Let em howl, enjoy your weekend , fight hard monday...position yourself for battle sunday eve.

    Ps. Take a day off. Its better to fight hard and smart than tired and stupid.
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  • Profile picture of the author rbecklund
    Not sure if this would help, but I get my calling lists from the online databases at the public library here in Austin. I think a lot of libraries have online databases. You do have to have a library card to login. The database here used to be Reference usa which was good, but they recently switched to A to Z Databases - it's still good. The best, is this is free.
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  • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
    Seems a lot of decisions makers are out of the office this week. Hoping to close at least one today. I need it.

    Now I seem to be getting through to more.

    I'm averaging about 1 pitch for every 10 to 15 calls. Still no closes. If anyone has ideas to help me close during the pitch I'd appreciate it.
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    • Profile picture of the author CarlsbadCami
      Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

      Seems a lot of decisions makers are out of the office this week. Hoping to close at least one today. I need it.

      Now I seem to be getting through to more.

      I'm averaging about 1 pitch for every 10 to 15 calls. Still no closes. If anyone has ideas to help me close during the pitch I'd appreciate it.

      I have found that in any situation, when things get rough that is what makes or breaks a person. The person who gives up breaks, the person who persists finds an amazing outcome they never expected on the other side.

      You seem to keep pushing, I have no doubt that you will make it through this week!
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  • Profile picture of the author tigerbait
    pullin for you bro. wish i could help more than that.
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  • Profile picture of the author tigerbait
    oh, and yeah, i think lots of folks are closing down for the 4th. randomly drove by one of my client's offices today... parking lot empty... but screw it man, keep pounding the calls out. you'll get some closed.
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    • Profile picture of the author Yetisam
      If your pitching ask what they are doing for the 4th and do there customers know ?

      - Addon Facebook and twitter to your sale
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      • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
        If anybody has anything I could do for them such as calling, building sites, etc. I'd be glad to do that too. I need money coming in and still need to make at least $2k by weeks end. After this week it is pretty much over.
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        • Profile picture of the author John Durham
          Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

          If anybody has anything I could do for them such as calling, building sites, etc. I'd be glad to do that too. I need money coming in and still need to make at least $2k by weeks end. After this week it is pretty much over.
          Remember how people get out of the woods alive CJ... Its all you brother, the tools are here... you and the phone, each dial is like a step out of the woods or at a least a "step".
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        • Profile picture of the author tigerbait
          Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

          If anybody has anything I could do for them such as calling, building sites, etc. I'd be glad to do that too. I need money coming in and still need to make at least $2k by weeks end. After this week it is pretty much over.
          Do you have any sort of online list you could market to?
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  • Profile picture of the author PeacefulCalamity
    @cjt
    Did you end up closing one of those 4 appointments you had set up last week over skype?
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by PeacefulCalamity View Post

      @cjt
      Did you end up closing one of those 4 appointments you had set up last week over skype?
      Only 2 were available and one was already working with someone and the other did not want more business.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    ...And the soldier keeps moving forward... sure there are going to be close calls and disappointments along the way...at times its even going to look pointless, thats when many give up...but he knows that all successful people who came before him have also weathered discouragement like this, and so he doesnt fall by the wayside as the failures....and he presses on toward his just reward ....

    CJ, I released two reports last week, and neither even sold 20 copies...who cares, stay at the batters plate, when one hits it will sell $20,000... In ALL sales its like that, and to get the rewards you have to stay at the plate. If it takes a couple of strikes to get a home run, nobody remembers the strikes, only the home runs.
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      ...And the soldier keeps movin forward... sure there are going to be close calls and disappointments along the way...at times its even going to look pointless, thats when many give up...but he knows that all successfuk people who came before him have also weathered discouragement like this, and so he doesnt fall by the wayside as the failures....and he presses on twoard his just reward ....
      I can say that cold calling no longer scares me at all. And my opening line just rolls right off my tongue. No time - domain name, no money - $99 + 9.99 deal, Website - happy with the look and amount of business from it?

      Almost everyone's polite. Now I'm calling based on niche by state. I figure I should get some business for each niche before I finish calling a state.
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    • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
      Whilst you are trying to make sales, and well done for that, have you negotiated with your landlord at all?

      Obviously I am going to make a presumption here but if you are clean, tidy, no trouble to the neighbours and have a history of paying on time then it is in his interest to give you an extra month and spread the 'missing month' over the next 5.

      Dan

      PS: Do you charge $99 for a website? Wont you need 20 sales then?
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      • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
        Originally Posted by jimbo13 View Post

        Whilst you are trying to make sales, and well done for that, have you negotiated with your landlord at all?

        Obviously I am going to make a presumption here but if you are clean, tidy, no trouble to the neighbours and have a history of paying on time then it is in his interest to give you an extra month and spread the 'missing month' over the next 5.

        Dan

        PS: Do you charge $99 for a website? Wont you need 20 sales then?
        $99 is only for a one page site if they say they have no money. The regular one is a 5-page site for $599.

        You'd think, but I don't know if they will. If I could make one rent payment this week and the other next it shouldn't be any problem at all.
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        • Profile picture of the author jimbo13
          Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

          $99 is only for a one page site if they say they have no money. The regular one is a 5-page site for $599.

          You'd think, but I don't know if they will. If I could make one rent payment this week and the other next it shouldn't be any problem at all.
          Okay I just skipped to last page so went back and read your beginning and saw the $599

          What I have bolded is very similar to what you are doing if you think about it.

          If you don't ask you don't get. So ask.

          Anyway good luck. Hope it goes well for you.

          Dan
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          • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
            I've found a directory listing of Veteran Owned Businesses and being a veteran I'm considering calling as many as possible tomorrow and leaving a message for those that aren't there. It has been my plan to always offer a 20% discount to veterans and to outsource as much as possible to Wounded Warriors. I'm planning on leaving around 500 messages to VOBs that I can't find websites for.

            @John, I've also considered using the Bower method to create directories for VOBs as the one's I've seen are not very well designed. Do you think I should mention this in the message or just stick with the straight website mention?
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            • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
              I may have found my market. Emailing another package with price quotes and discounts. They'd also like a store. Anybody have any idea how much I should charge to set up a store for them? They would like to sell videos and audio material at first. I was thinking $500 to setup the store, $500 for a redesign, and depending on what they want for hosting $29/mo to $99/mo.

              Breakdown so far in this niche:

              50% - we already just got someone doing that for us. Wish you had called earlier.
              50% - Could you send us more info and contact us after the 4th about this. Then they give out their private email and let me know if they have the money to spend.
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            • Profile picture of the author John Durham
              Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

              @John, I've also considered using the Bower method to create directories for VOBs as the one's I've seen are not very well designed. Do you think I should mention this in the message or just stick with the straight website mention?
              Well, Ill tell you...

              When I was in the booth, or anyone else I know... A stage you go through from time to time is " I wonder if i could just do this, or I wonder if we could just use direct mail..., or I wonder if door to door would be easier. I wonder if my boss would let me take this home and work from there....

              You even have moments that are resentful and you are telling yourself "My boss is so stupid for even doing it this way..."

              The guys who win, get their head back on straight and keep working the proven system.

              If you tell your boss "We could do this easier through email".

              He thinks "What do you know till you have walked in my shoes? &You think I am a millionaire for no reason?" Am I an idiot that I have never had that thought before... ? Keep dialing, there is a reason we do this...".

              And there is.

              In spite of all of that though CJ, I would say that momentum can not work for you unless you stick to the same plan for a time. About the time success starts to find us we "move" alot of times.


              Personally, I became the GM later, and I got to try some of those things...

              For instance:

              "voice broadcast" worked for collections, but not cold sales...

              In the real world, where you dont have a boss who owns a $200,000 dollar machine...it would take alot of money to test campaigns till a cold calling campaign would work with something like recorded messages...

              In the end, its okay for lead generation. after alot of trial and error, but inefficient and not good for "sales" IME.

              So, those things that swim around in your head when you are cold calling are "glitter" but they arent gold... it will cost you more than you will make in the meantime trying to find out. Make some sales, make some money,. then try stuff like that later...

              Thats my advice.
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              • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
                I may have 3 website redesigns for the end of this week from calling today. Two in Anchorage and one on the east coast. I think I may have finally found a good niche for me.
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                • Profile picture of the author deepestblue
                  Great work and I really admire your persistence it is very inspiring! Well done. You'll get there!
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                • Profile picture of the author Rearden
                  Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

                  I may have 3 website redesigns for the end of this week from calling today. Two in Anchorage and one on the east coast. I think I may have finally found a good niche for me.
                  Frame that first check you get -- well, maybe just a photocopy of it!
                  Signature
                  David Duford -- Providing On-Going, Personalized Mentorship And Training From A Real Final Expense Producer To Agents New To The Final Expense Life Insurance Business.
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              • Profile picture of the author Rearden
                Ain't that the Gospel Truth.

                I have a burning desire to tinker and improve processes -- to make things better.

                Not that I think that's bad... but sometimes the money, effort, or time involved detracts (if not completely dislodges you) from the messy slug-fest, yet results-proven, method you used to use, but just isn't as sexy as the new way.



                Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

                Well, Ill tell you...

                When I was in the booth, or anyone else I know... A stage you go through from time to time is " I wonder if i could just do this, or I wonder if we could just use direct mail..., or I wonder if door to door would be easier. I wonder if my boss would let me take this home and work from there....

                You even have moments that are resentful and you are telling yourself "My boss is so stupid for even doing it this way..."

                The guys who win, get their head back on straight and keep working the proven system.

                If you tell your boss "We could do this easier through email".

                He thinks "What do you know till you have walked in my shoes? &You think I am a millionaire for no reason?" Am I an idiot that I have never had that thought before... ? Keep dialing, there is a reason we do this...".

                And there is.

                In spite of all of that though CJ, I would say that momentum can not work for you unless you stick to the same plan for a time. About the time success starts to find us we "move" alot of times.


                Personally, I became the GM later, and I got to try some of those things...

                For instance:

                "voice broadcast" worked for collections, but not cold sales...

                In the real world, where you dont have a boss who owns a $200,000 dollar machine...it would take alot of money to test campaigns till a cold calling campaign would work with something like recorded messages...

                In the end,m its okay for lead generation after alot of trial and error, but inefficient and not good for "sales" IME.

                So, those things that swim around in your head when you are cold calling "glitter" but they arent gold... it will cost you more than you will make in the meantime trying to find out. Make some sales, make some money,. then try stuff like that later...

                Thats my advice.
                Signature
                David Duford -- Providing On-Going, Personalized Mentorship And Training From A Real Final Expense Producer To Agents New To The Final Expense Life Insurance Business.
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                • Profile picture of the author John Durham
                  Originally Posted by Rearden View Post

                  Ain't that the Gospel Truth.

                  I have a burning desire to tinker and improve processes -- to make things better.

                  Not that I think that's bad... but sometimes the money, effort, or time involved detracts (if not completely dislodges you) from the messy slug-fest, yet results-proven, method you used to use, but just isn't as sexy as the new way.
                  In my experience, here on the Warrior forum, (forget training a thousand people before that), with training offliners... I can say there are alot of sexy ways to potentially get a sale, and in my time I have succeeded with many of them... However, cold calling and doing the hard work thats not so sexy is (appears to be) the difference between a newby who is standing around sexy but has no balls or sales six months from now...and one who is saying "Hey I just closed my first deal and make $900..." within a short time frame. I say this having worked with hundreds of them here.

                  Read through the threads, the guys you see pushing "sexy" are the same guys you see pushing adsense courses, and all kinds of other stuff...they dont know the first thing about offline, and none of the experienced older guys who DO ... generally agree with a word they say.

                  So, yeah I say "a bird in hand is better than two in a bush", and a man always looks sexier with a big fat check in his hand".

                  Lol.
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                  • Profile picture of the author CarlsbadCami
                    Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

                    In my experience, here on the Warrior forum, (forget training a thousand people before that), with training offliners... I can say there are alot of sexy ways to potentially get a sale, and in my time I have succeeded with many of them... However, cold calling and doing the hard work thats not so sexy is (appears to be) the difference between a newby who is standing around sexy but has no balls or sales six months from now...and one who is saying "Hey I just closed my first deal and make $900..." within a short time frame. I say this having worked with hundreds of them here.

                    Read through the threads, the guys you see pushing "sexy" are the same guys you see pushing adsense courses, and all kinds of other stuff...they dont know the first thing about offline, and none of the experienced older guys who DO ... generally agree with a word they say.

                    So, yeah I say "a bird in hand is better than two in a bush", and a man always looks sexier with a big fat check in his hand".

                    Lol.

                    Love it John, the posts of yours that I have read here on the warrior forum have helped me tremendously. I just started last week. I started making phone calls without having a clue of what I am doing. I figure as long as I get started and make some mistakes, I will learn from those mistakes. In the mean time I can find your posts to learn from in my spare time and try to avoid some of the mistakes in the future.
                    Anyway, I probably wouldn't have gotten started calling if I hadn't seen your posts.

                    Thanks!
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                    • Profile picture of the author John Durham
                      Originally Posted by CarlsbadCami View Post

                      Love it John, the posts of yours that I have read here on the warrior forum have helped me tremendously. I just started last week. I started making phone calls without having a clue of what I am doing. I figure as long as I get started and make some mistakes, I will learn from those mistakes. In the mean time I can find your posts to learn from in my spare time and try to avoid some of the mistakes in the future.
                      Anyway, I probably wouldn't have gotten started calling if I hadn't seen your posts.

                      Thanks!
                      Awe. You're killin me... Thats nice.
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  • Profile picture of the author PeacefulCalamity
    It definitely does get easier calling. And I'm an introvert. I was super super nervous in the beginning but now I just laugh at some of the responses I get.

    One interesting one I had the other day? "You guys are asking me to hang a Mona Lisa painting on my wall while the rest of my building is on fire. I simply have so many things to take care that are of higher importance than fine-tuning or getting a website."
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  • Profile picture of the author rolltide
    Keep pushing brother! Never stop listening to John!
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  • Profile picture of the author HAdrian1239
    Just checking in with you CJ, wanting to know how things have gone and wishing you the best!
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by HAdrian1239 View Post

      Just checking in with you CJ, wanting to know how things have gone and wishing you the best!
      I think now my biggest issue is getting a close on the first phone call. I'm getting interest in the niches I'm calling, but I can't seem to phone close. If anyone, such as John or IAmNameless, can give me good pointers on phone closes or previous threads for it I'd appreciate it.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    I would have to see your pitch and you would have to point out at which point in the pitch it starts going south for you. Would be glad to look at it and help. If you are pitching and getting down to the close thats awesome, closing will be alot easier than learning to pitch someone all the way to a close was....

    I use to use my cold calling burn outs for "closers"/ TO's... There is usually a simple solution if you are a guy who is getting through the pitches and just losing it at the end of the call.

    There is more anxiety about closing for most, but its really the easiest part of the sale, if they are really sold.
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    • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
      Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

      I would have to see your pitch and you would have to point out at which point in the pitch it starts going south for you. Would be glad to look at it and help. If you are pitching and getting down to the close thats awesome, closing will be alot easier than learning to pitch someone all the way to a close was....

      I use to use my cold calling burn outs for "closers"/ TO's... There is usually a simple solution if you are a guy who is getting through the pitches and just losing it at the end of the call.

      There is more anxiety about closing for most, but its really the easiest part of the sale, if they are really sold.
      The pitch I'm using is the "sales flow chart pdf" I found on the TMF that Jacer put together. (Found at the bottom of this thread.)

      It starts going south after I describe the two basic packages and then they say they'd like more information and for me to call back in two days. Not sure how to avoid that.
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      • Profile picture of the author John Durham
        Originally Posted by cjt1971 View Post

        The pitch I'm using is the "sales flow chart pdf" I found on the TMF that Jacer put together. (Found at the bottom of this thread.)

        It starts going south after I describe the two basic packages and then they say they'd like more information and for me to call back in two days. Not sure how to avoid that.
        By adding urgency.

        I will come back to this thread hopefully this eve and expound on that. Now we are getting somewhere.
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        • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
          Originally Posted by John Durham View Post

          By adding urgency.

          I will come back to this thread hopefully this eve and expound on that. Now we are getting somewhere.
          Hope you get to answer this early tomorrow. I plan to call some of the business niches that I know will be open on Saturday.
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  • Profile picture of the author HAdrian1239
    What I am doing is... if I encounter something like that while looking at the information I sent them via fax, I say something like...

    "I understand that you'd like to think it over, but remember I mentioned on the flyer that I've got limited spaces and these deals are time sensitive?

    I know I said the deal ends on X, but actually my spaces are already filling up... so if you're interested I'd go ahead and put down that deposit, all you have to do is fax me a check, and if you can do that right now, your spot will be secure, my designers can start for you, and you'll be eligible to become a preferred partner with us."

    (I cover that last bit in my pitch, the preferred partner benefits and it's a very value added aspect for most of the people I've tested something like this with)

    I've had some personal crap go on over the last week that's outrageous, so I've not been able to call like I wanted with the holiday to boot, but Monday, I'm cracking the phones, and expect to make at least 2 sales of $500+ (just the deposit) or $1500 (paid in full). We'll see.
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  • Profile picture of the author Daniel LaRusso
    I've subscribed to this thread as it is very motivational and inspiration to me. I've talked to HAdrian, and I am very inspired by you and by cjt1971. I agree with what you said just a bit ago John, about the "sexy" push button methods that people keep pushing, and people who are desparate to avoid actually calling prospects chase after. I know because I am one of them.

    I failed as a financial advisor because I didn't do what it takes to call prospects. I got caught up in the "sexy" methods, and the same is happening now. I know a lot about mobile marketing, but I have, until now, avoided calling people because of a perceived fear.

    I'm not going to be captive to fear or inactivity any more, thanks to John, rolltide, Iamnameless, HAdrian, cjt, Jason Kanigan, and some others.

    cjt, where did you get the veteran owned business directory? I am a Navy veteran, and think that's a great idea. I'd love to do that as well as, when I'm actually making money, form my LLC and register it as a veteran owned business.

    Also, it doesn't matter what people think of me on the call, or really, what they say or what I say, because the next person may desperately need my services.

    I am a champion.

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    - Benjamin Franklin

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  • Profile picture of the author cjt1971
    Update: made myself so sick with worry last week I got a free trip to the hospital. However I now have 4 weeks to come up with rent for August. So I have time, I have a plan, I have a script. I now am not desperate for the sales. So I can say I'm looking forward to this.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Durham
    Hope you are better Cj, and that it was nothing too drastic
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  • Profile picture of the author henry Argueta
    very motivational thread, and i hope you are get better soon CJt1971
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  • Profile picture of the author Mav91890
    Have you got to close a sale yet CJT?

    Regardless you have an amazing work ethic, which alone is inspiring.
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    “The only thing standing between you and your goal is the bullshit story you keep telling yourself as to why you can't achieve it.” ― Jordan Belfort

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