Pre-call intelligence. Anyone do it?

25 replies
Long shot. But does anyone make use of the special tools the internet has graced us with to research prospect before hand, or are most people locked into bone-headed industrial scale, old school numbers game prospecting as the discussions and methods on this subforum suggest?

For those who take a more refined approach, would you like be able to see, with the click of button, the following info about any prospect you might want to contact. Instantaneously. All in one place?:

* Their unique monthly visitors to their website for the last 6 months and what the trend is now (bullish or bearish), so you can see if they are panicking about a dip in sales and approach according with a perfect relevant, pressing, 'keep them up at night' problem you want to provide the solution for. (For instance, according to Compete, that the warrior forums traffic has halved from near 400,000 a month to 200'000 since around April)

* Their SEO standings for top 10 keywords

* How many keywords the website has ranked organically for each country in the world

* The estimated total monthly traffic for their top 10 keywords and how much it would cost in Google Ad Words to rank for them each month with ads.

* Their top PPC ads and how long they've been running

* Their Display ad figures.

* Their top image and flash banners and how long they've been running for

* Their top landing pages

* Contextual Ads

* Demographics of visitors

* Twitter mentions

* Web mentions

* Whois details

* Top 10 competitors on Google, Bing and Yahoo

You just go to the site you want. Press button. And all this data appears before you. You can follow that company to sell and monitor their web activity everyday, or monitor your competitors and see what they are doing online. Where their traffic is coming from. How much. What advertising they are doing. Who is mentioning them online. What their best ads and creative is, etc.

Would this be helpful to anyone?

Follow.net
#intelligence #precall
  • Profile picture of the author Kilterman
    Whered half the users go?
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    • Profile picture of the author Underground
      Originally Posted by Kilterman View Post

      Whered half the users go?
      Going by the graph is was more that this place reached a peak it had never reached before and then quickly came down below the average since 5/13

      That would suggest a sharp increase in people coming to check the place out but not really being compelled to stick around. Rather than a mass exodus of existing or long-standing clientele.
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      • Profile picture of the author Underground
        Can anyone raise their hand if they immediately saw the solid gold worth of that kind of instant intelligence on any potential prospects online marketing activity? I'm sure there will be 1 or 2 who know how immense that kind of info is.
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        • Profile picture of the author pxitvcrnwgkd
          Originally Posted by Underground View Post

          Can anyone raise their hand if they immediately saw the solid gold worth of that kind of instant intelligence on any potential prospects online marketing activity? I'm sure there will be 1 or 2 who know how immense that kind of info is.
          It makes perfect sense to me. But being in the data world for more than ten years I just can`t see where half of this data would come from. The other half, no problem.
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          • Profile picture of the author Underground
            Originally Posted by pxitvcrnwgkd View Post

            It makes perfect sense to me. But being in the data world for more than ten years I just can`t see where half of this data would come from. The other half, no problem.
            Get the free browser extention and see for yourself. It's aggregated from the top data providers in each category. There's a mix of different providers because of the discrepancy of the data from different sources.
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  • Profile picture of the author Underground
    Only two comments and both negative or trivial and beside the point. You get a chance at a glance to see exactly what marketing your prospect is doing, how much they are spending and where, where they are seeing success and where they are seeing failure, so you can lead with something personalized and relevant and identify real problems, instead of guessing and wasting time on the phone trying to uncover them, and no one here really bats an eyelid.

    No wonder the sense of failure is so strong on this place for the most and advice so bad.
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  • Profile picture of the author Celltactics
    This looks interesting. The video wont play for me so I'll have to just poke around the site when I have more time. I'll look into it for no other reason than to see how much info it provide for the smaller business that I usually work with.
    Thanks for the post Underground
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  • Profile picture of the author Underground
    For those who contacted me or were interested in the idea of pre-call intelligence that will dramatically increase the results you'll get from prospecting calls, here's a great book that will teach you what kind of information you can obtain and how to use it and to create scripts with the new intelligence you find to double you chances of getting prospects to do business with you.

    Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling: Sam Richter:...Take the Cold Out of Cold Calling: Sam Richter:...
    Video from the author.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOJ78Mj5TmU#t=159


    Pre-call intelligence is will increase your results. It's used in SOAR selling, and you can see the kind of results companies using that methodology get here. http://www.soarselling.com/wp-conten...ost_Anyone.pdf
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Originally Posted by Underground View Post

    Long shot. But does anyone make use of the special tools the internet has graced us with to research prospect before hand, or are most people locked into bone-headed industrial scale, old school numbers game prospecting as the discussions and methods on this subforum suggest?

    For those who take a more refined approach, would you like be able to see, with the click of button, the following info about any prospect you might want to contact. Instantaneously. All in one place?:

    * Their unique monthly visitors to their website for the last 6 months and what the trend is now (bullish or bearish), so you can see if they are panicking about a dip in sales and approach according with a perfect relevant, pressing, 'keep them up at night' problem you want to provide the solution for. (For instance, according to Compete, that the warrior forums traffic has halved from near 400,000 a month to 200'000 since around April)

    * Their SEO standings for top 10 keywords

    * How many keywords the website has ranked organically for each country in the world

    * The estimated total monthly traffic for their top 10 keywords and how much it would cost in Google Ad Words to rank for them each month with ads.

    * Their top PPC ads and how long they've been running

    * Their Display ad figures.

    * Their top image and flash banners and how long they've been running for

    * Their top landing pages

    * Contextual Ads

    * Demographics of visitors

    * Twitter mentions

    * Web mentions

    * Whois details

    * Top 10 competitors on Google, Bing and Yahoo

    You just go to the site you want. Press button. And all this data appears before you. You can follow that company to sell and monitor their web activity everyday, or monitor your competitors and see what they are doing online. Where their traffic is coming from. How much. What advertising they are doing. Who is mentioning them online. What their best ads and creative is, etc.

    Would this be helpful to anyone?

    Follow.net
    Screening your list before calling or attracting them with marketing content is a very valuable tool for ensuring the conversations you have are with people who need what you have to offer.

    My warning is for you not to get stuck in 'analysis paralysis' and do nothing else. Eventually you are going to have to somehow reach out to your target market.

    But by beginning the filtering beforehand, to discover if there's a "hole" you can fill, you will increase your chances of getting an order before ever talking to them.

    It does not guarantee a sale, however. The prospect must also agree a problem exists. You can know and insist an issue exists until you're blue in the face, but if the prospect won't acknowledge it's there, it isn't real. And if it isn't real to them, there's no sale to make. Remember that.

    Personally, I would never call a list unless it met a certain criteria. The idea of "picking up the phone book and starting to dial with the 'A's" is crazy. I do believe investing at least half, and probably the same amount, of the time you will spend prospecting in filtering your list is vital. Developing a pre-qualified list is tremendously important a factor to your ease and success in selling.

    And there are other methods than phone prospecting to accomplish the prospecting function.

    But the first thing you should do is make sure any conversations you have by any means are with people who have an immediate use for your product or service. Do that, and you will be far ahead of the game. Just don't get stuck there and not take the next step.

    I can think of many valuable filters for potential clients by using this tool.
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    • Profile picture of the author Underground
      Great pointers Jason. It would be easy to get complacent and think you'd just have to get on the phone, present the problem and think just doing that will be enough. Skilfully presenting/selling the problem until they really get and want to know more it is vital. It's good to get that reminder that the main goal is to get them to see the problem, not just finding them in the research phase.

      Great advice to on not getting lost in analysis and wasting time researching things that are irrelevant. I know that temptation in there to go too far down the rabbit hole. I think having one or two set problems you're looking for in advance, and look for prospects with them problems first and then maybe dive deeper into only those who have the two problems to see if there is any more 'evidence' that would support your case.


      Would you care to share a few of your ideas you can think of to use this?
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  • Profile picture of the author Peter Lessard
    I can't help but be insulted by the tone of your post.
    Do you feel this sub forum is beneath you somehow?

    I am sure your post was well intended but saying things like

    "Long shot. But does anyone make use of the special tools the internet has graced us with..."

    and

    "No wonder the sense of failure is so strong on this place for the most and advice so bad."

    or

    "Only two comments and both negative or trivial and beside the point. You get a chance at a glance to see exactly what marketing your prospect is doing, how much they are spending and where, where they are seeing success and where they are seeing failure, so you can lead with something personalized and relevant and identify real problems, instead of guessing and wasting time on the phone trying to uncover them, and no one here really bats an eyelid."

    Really? Wow we must be a bunch of stupid hicks!

    To many of us in the sub forum what you are presenting is not revolutionary and though it provides some data certainly does NOT define the real problems that my ideal clients are having. That is uncovered through discussion and analysis and frankly my ideal clients (intelligent and educated) don't respond well to emails/calls of people quoting them their traffic stats, top 10 keywords etc...
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    • Profile picture of the author Underground
      Originally Posted by plessard View Post

      I can't help but be insulted by the tone of your post.
      Do you feel this sub forum is beneath you somehow?

      I am sure your post was well intended but saying things like

      "Long shot. But does anyone make use of the special tools the internet has graced us with..."

      and

      "No wonder the sense of failure is so strong on this place for the most and advice so bad."

      or

      "Only two comments and both negative or trivial and beside the point. You get a chance at a glance to see exactly what marketing your prospect is doing, how much they are spending and where, where they are seeing success and where they are seeing failure, so you can lead with something personalized and relevant and identify real problems, instead of guessing and wasting time on the phone trying to uncover them, and no one here really bats an eyelid."

      Really? Wow we must be a bunch of stupid hicks!

      To many of us in the sub forum what you are presenting is not revolutionary and though it provides some data certainly does NOT define the real problems that my ideal clients are having. That is uncovered through discussion and analysis and frankly my ideal clients (intelligent and educated) don't respond well to emails/calls of people quoting them their traffic stats, top 10 keywords etc...

      OK, I can't be asked to discuss the tone aspect and why I took that one too much. And obviously I was drawing a distinction between two sets of people with two different mindsets, the opportunity seekers who just want to find something to hawk to make them easy money (no matter how crap it is) and teach other to do that and bad business practices, and those who who have put in the blood sweat and tears and take this gig, and the results they get for their clients, far more seriously. So no, I wasn't put everyone down.



      Even though I happen to know you're firmly in the category of those who take their game seriously on this place, the need for some kind of petulant retaliation at the perceived slight has clouded your judgement here and made you feel the need to trivialize this tool in your attempt to ''bring me down a peg or two''.

      Go and read Jason's 4000th post. If you're the kind of marketer he has aimed that thread at, those looking to provide real value to higher-end clients and wanting to find those who won't bat an eyelid if you charge based on the value you can provide, being able to see what kind of figures they are dropping at the push of button on online marketing, what they are paying for ads, how many visitors they get a month, how much buzz their is about their company on social media, how much advertising they're doing, is going to save you many hours and provide great information.

      You'll find those who know business and marketing is a game of investment and ROI, and you'll be able to better craft a case about how you can get them one and how you'd do that.


      I'm not even going to discuss this further. You wouldn't have made such a foolish assertion and assumption about the use of a tool like this if you hadn't have take it upon yourself to be offended at my deliberate choice rhetoric.
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      • Profile picture of the author Peter Lessard
        Originally Posted by Underground View Post

        OK, I can't be asked to discuss the tone aspect and why I took that one too much. And obviously I was drawing a distinction between two sets of people with two different mindsets, the opportunity seekers who just want to find something to hawk to make them easy money (no matter how crap it is) and teach other to do that and bad business practices, and those who who have put in the blood sweat and tears and take this gig, and the results they get for their clients, far more seriously. So no, I wasn't put everyone down.



        Even though I happen to know you're firmly in the category of those who take their game seriously on this place, the need for some kind of petulant retaliation at the perceived slight has clouded your judgement here and made you feel the need to trivialize this tool in your attempt to ''bring me down a peg or two''.

        Go and read Jason's 4000th post. If you're the kind of marketer he has aimed that thread at, those looking to provide real value to higher-end clients and wanting to find those who won't bat an eyelid if you charge based on the value you can provide, being able to see what kind of figures they are dropping at the push of button on online marketing, what they are paying for ads, how many visitors they get a month, how much buzz their is about their company on social media, how much advertising they're doing, is going to save you many hours and provide great information.

        You'll find those who know business and marketing is a game of investment and ROI, and you'll be able to better craft a case about how you can get them one and how you'd do that.


        I'm not even going to discuss this further. You wouldn't have made such a foolish assertion and assumption about the use of a tool like this if you hadn't have take it upon yourself to be offended at my deliberate choice rhetoric.
        lol your hilarious! so...

        "I can't be asked to discuss the tone aspect and why I took that one too much."
        ok just be rude nobody minds

        "Even though I happen to know you're firmly in the category of those who take their game seriously on this place"
        thanks for the compliment maybe we are moving in the right direction...

        " the need for some kind of petulant retaliation at the perceived slight has clouded your judgement"...
        umm OK back to insults now I am petulant and have poor judgement.

        "You wouldn't have made such a foolish assertion and assumption about the use of a tool like this if you hadn't have take it upon yourself to be offended"

        and more insults lol... now I'm foolish

        and finally the kicker: "I'm not even going to discuss this further. "

        yes by all means take your toys and go home.

        But before you go ;-)

        Just because I don't think the tool you recommended is the greatest thing since sliced bread for my specific business does not mean I am making "foolish assertions".
        Your tone or any offense I take from it does not cloud my judgement. Only my ex wife has that power, you can't even come close ;-)
        I have no issue using tools and use many but frankly this is just another one and there will be many more. Maybe it works great, maybe the data is questionable. I don't know but I don't personally need it.

        In regards to your recommended reading, I read Jason's post thanks.
        I read everything that has his name on it. He doesn't post stuff then throw a hissy fit in 10 minutes when everyone does not stand and applaud. Jason if your listening I sometimes do stand and applaud :-)

        I don't need some online tool (not you but you know that thing you mentioned) to tell me what prospects are dropping on their marketing. I know my niches and now my target market.

        I do agree some people may not be there yet and may find this tool or other tools (not you but what you recommended ) and a new way of thinking to be beneficial but I doubt you will have much luck converting them to any new way of thinking by basically putting them down.

        Now I refuse to talk about it any longer ( grabs toys and runs )
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        • Profile picture of the author Underground
          Originally Posted by plessard View Post

          lol your hilarious! so...

          "I can't be asked to discuss the tone aspect and why I took that one too much."
          ok just be rude nobody minds

          "Even though I happen to know you're firmly in the category of those who take their game seriously on this place"
          thanks for the compliment maybe we are moving in the right direction...

          " the need for some kind of petulant retaliation at the perceived slight has clouded your judgement"...
          umm OK back to insults now I am petulant and have poor judgement.

          "You wouldn't have made such a foolish assertion and assumption about the use of a tool like this if you hadn't have take it upon yourself to be offended"

          and more insults lol... now I'm foolish

          and finally the kicker: "I'm not even going to discuss this further. "

          yes by all means take your toys and go home.

          But before you go ;-)

          Just because I don't think the tool you recommended is the greatest thing since sliced bread for my specific business does not mean I am making "foolish assertions".
          Your tone or any offense I take from it does not cloud my judgement. Only my ex wife has that power, you can't even come close ;-)
          I have no issue using tools and use many but frankly this is just another one and there will be many more. Maybe it works great, maybe the data is questionable. I don't know but I don't personally need it.

          In regards to your recommended reading, I read Jason's post thanks.
          I read everything that has his name on it. He doesn't post stuff then throw a hissy fit in 10 minutes when everyone does not stand and applaud. Jason if your listening I sometimes do stand and applaud :-)

          I don't need some online tool (not you but you know that thing you mentioned) to tell me what prospects are dropping on their marketing. I know my niches and now my target market.

          I do agree some people may not be there yet and may find this tool or other tools (not you but what you recommended ) and a new way of thinking to be beneficial but I doubt you will have much luck converting them to any new way of thinking by basically putting them down.

          Now I refuse to talk about it any longer ( grabs toys and runs )

          Pre-call intelligence will significantly increase the effectiveness of people's prospecting and sales methods.

          They'll find more people qualified for their services before they even call. Speak to far more people who have a need for their services. Have something relevant to say. Distinguish themselves from every other call if they skilfully identify something personal and relevant and communicate that well. Will gain their prospects attention and get to talk about what they do, and can double their sales results, or even increase them 4 fold or more like the examples in the SOAR case studies show. Art Sobcak of Smart Calling advocates it and gets far more results without having to phone hundreds a day.

          I was willing to be controversial, and take the inevitable flack from pedantic fragile egos who might get bent out of shape and miss the point, if at least one person out of the controversy benefited and looked into pre-call intelligence and made use of an amazing tool that greatly decreased the time needed to do such research.

          Thankfully a few people did. Hopefully once they get to grips with it they realize the capabilities of it in full and will forever be able to contact people with a much higher percentage of success. They'll realize how it can help in their sales processes, how they can follow prospects and wait for that key bit of information that will give them the idea reason to call, how they can monitor their clients competition, or analyse their own competition, their competitions best converting ads and creative, find the owner of businesses and their details, gage how many customers they get each month etc.


          If there is one thing I've learn in hiring 50 people in last few years, and in marketing, is that you really have to press a point on most people until they absorb it and understand it.

          I felt it was important to press on this thread so it wasn't just skipped over. And for good reason. I want others to get better results in their business.

          I won't hide my contempt for this place and a great majority that make up the number, because they are doing things arse-backwards and often teaching newcomers the same failure patterns. Or they shit on proven success principles with their faulty, distorted opinions, like you're doing here. The amateurism that is rife. The bad attitudes people have that stop them from putting their clients and their results first instead of their desperate desire for cash. A lot of people promote a certain course of action only because they want you to join their list and buy their stuff, etc.

          It's the truth. And not many people like to here that, even when it's sugar coated. There are some incredibly knowledgeable people here to of course who do things right, who know far more than me.

          But, there are people here who picked up a WSO yesterday about some marketing tactic and then going out and pitching businesses the next day. People who know far more about marketing successfully then they do.

          If you click on the majority of ''Marketing Consultants and Experts'' websites on here, most times you'll see cheap, ugly, amateur webdesign with lots of stock imagery, terrible copy, silly claims, poor social media activity. Take note of their location and go and type in ''Marketing Agency - their location'' and see then difference in how professionals do it. Their competitors.


          The thing is they don't even know how shoddy and amateur their image is, or how bad a lot of the advice they get given here. Or what their competition is doing and what their target market expect. No business nous whatsoever. And they pass that on

          Yes, I wanted to point out that truth. And point out there are better ways of doing things. I wanted to make sure the point was laboured and stirred a response of some sort.

          Unless your an expert here, a real one or someone who has just followed some formula to position themselves as one, with a following here, or are making claims of some easy money tactic that will get people new customers with no effort, you won't get heard. Or unless you are a bit controversial.

          I opted for the latter. Personally, I really don't give a shit if jumped up, precious people take offence. It's amusing. I only care that at least 1 other person grasps that a call with something immediately relevant to their prospect will have far more impact than just calling random people up based on working through a blind list in alphabetical order.
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  • Profile picture of the author Underground
    OK, so the polarization method didn't go down as well as I had hoped on this thread to get debate going. Way too many of the opposing side. Like making a joke about Liberals at an Obama rally. LOL.


    However, I do want to share a great practical example template of how people are using this approach to get very high response rates from personalized cold email for those I know are interested in getting better results.

    This guy uses Aaron Ross's methodology. Here it is. A nice, handy video.

    A Cold Email Template To Get 80% Response Rates:

    http://predictablepipeline.co.uk/coldemailsvideo/
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    • Profile picture of the author TakenAction
      Originally Posted by Underground View Post

      OK, so the polarization method didn't go down as well as I had hoped on this thread to get debate going. Way too many of the opposing side. Like making a joke about Liberals at an Obama rally. LOL.


      However, I do want to share a great practical example template of how people are using this approach to get very high response rates from cold email for those I know are interested in getting better results.

      This guy uses Aaron Ross's methodology. Here it is. A nice, handy video.

      A Cold Email Template To Get 80% Response Rates:

      http://predictablepipeline.co.uk/coldemailsvideo/:
      page not found.
      Signature

      The best thing you can do is put yourself out there.

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  • Profile picture of the author Underground
    Try again.
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  • Profile picture of the author TakenAction
    Signature

    The best thing you can do is put yourself out there.

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  • Profile picture of the author digichik
    I'm a big believer in taking the time to do research about the businesses I plan to target. I just sent out 20 targeted mailers, and I have 4 appointments set-up, with the 5 people I have been able to follow-up with. I know I will get more appointments, when I am able to make contact with the others.

    I have been really working on setting up prospecting systems for my business, so I am going to try doing some researched/targeted emails, as suggested in the video and whitepaper you have links to. I really want to put prospecting on autopilot, as much as possible.

    Thanks for the interesting content.
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    • Profile picture of the author Underground
      Originally Posted by digichik View Post

      I'm a big believer in taking the time to do research about the businesses I plan to target. I just sent out 20 targeted mailers, and I have 4 appointments set-up, with the 5 people I have been able to follow-up with. I know I will get more appointments, when I am able to make contact with the others.

      I have been really working on setting up prospecting systems for my business, so I am going to try doing some researched/targeted emails, as suggested in the video and whitepaper you have links to. I really want to put prospecting on autopilot, as much as possible.

      Thanks for the interesting content.
      So pleased to hear about your success. So much respect. Obviously you providing great value to the people you contact and get it.

      It's become ever more apparent to me that the more value and relevance you are able to provide in your marketing and sales approaches, via ads, email, letters or calls or whatever, the less people you have to contact or burn through, and the more willing they are to want to hear from you, and the better your results.

      I've been trying to automate the prospecting too, as much as pos. I hired someone to find around 350 owners a week and their name emails on linkedin this week. Not ideal, as freelancers can get sloppy so you have to vet the list

      If you can find people who do understand just who your are looking for, it can be helpful and very useful and saves a lot of time.

      I'm setting up some facebook campaigns as another way to build a hands off method of attracting qualified leads into the funnel. Just building the lead magnets and funnel now. But if it reliably brings in targeted leads in a hands off way, I'll be happy.

      I probably monitor that group of owners now and contact them when they trigger alerts.

      I also want to implement a direct mail campaign but was holding off because I thought I'd need to do a a lot of volume, but seeing your results, I'll add that approach and send a batch out each week.


      Would you mind sharing about what you sent and how you targeted? No probs if you don't want to.
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  • Profile picture of the author TakenAction
    I second that, mind telling us more about that direct mail campaign?
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  • Profile picture of the author digichik
    I do a variation on the 4 line letter, mine is 7 lines. I put together a short personalized report about their marketing. The letter is on expensive stationery paper and put into a 4 3/8 x 5 ¾ matching envelope, along with the short report. I use a handwritten font for the envelope and attach a stamp(crooked). I then write confidential on the lower left corner in red ink. I learned to do mailings in small envelopes here on the WF.


    The purpose of my mailings is to get them to take my phone call. That's it. Once I have them on the phone, I can decide if I want to meet with them. Most do want to meet. My report shows where they are losing money/leads/clients, the research shows them I know what I am talking about. In talking with me they get a pretty good idea I really can help them, without me giving away too much. I also think, because I genuinely want to help my clients, it comes across naturally in my conversations with prospects.


    I have targeted these specific businesses; however, there have been calls when I knew they'd be more trouble than they're worth, so I passed.


    I totally agree with Jason, don't get caught up in the research, without taking action. For me, the research part is interesting, so I have to exercise real discipline.


    If you do targeted, personalized mailings, you usually don't have to do as many. For me, the results are much better. It's totally different than doing mass unpersonalized mailings.


    I usually put my mailings together on Sunday or Monday mornings, and mail them on Monday. Then I make follow-up calls on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday(Fri. mornings only).
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    • Profile picture of the author Underground
      Originally Posted by digichik View Post

      I do a variation on the 4 line letter, mine is 7 lines. I put together a short personalized report about their marketing. The letter is on expensive stationery paper and put into a 4 3/8 x 5 ¾ matching envelope, along with the short report. I use a handwritten font for the envelope and attach a stamp(crooked). I then write confidential on the lower left corner in red ink. I learned to do mailings in small envelopes here on the WF.


      The purpose of my mailings is to get them to take my phone call. That's it. Once I have them on the phone, I can decide if I want to meet with them. Most do want to meet. My report shows where they are losing money/leads/clients, the research shows them I know what I am talking about. In talking with me they get a pretty good idea I really can help them, without me giving away too much. I also think, because I genuinely want to help my clients, it comes across naturally in my conversations with prospects.


      I have targeted these specific businesses; however, there have been calls when I knew they'd be more trouble than they're worth, so I passed.


      I totally agree with Jason, don't get caught up in the research, without taking action. For me, the research part is interesting, so I have to exercise real discipline.


      If you do targeted, personalized mailings, you usually don't have to do as many. For me, the results are much better. It's totally different than doing mass unpersonalized mailings.


      I usually put my mailings together on Sunday or Monday mornings, and mail them on Monday. Then I make follow-up calls on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday(Fri. mornings only).
      Thank you for sharing so much in detail.

      So envelopes that look like it could be a personal, hand-written letter like a friend would send a friend or like a birthday card. I can understand how that would be effective.

      They wouldn't know if it was commercial or personal, so would open it. And then you grab their attention with the personalized research you've already does that graphically shows they have a need for your services.

      That's what personalized selling is all about. Very powerful. Takes work though and a genuine desire to provide a valuable service and be helpful. You have that, but many don't.

      The 4 line letter was the one with a little note on a sticky on top of the research report right? With an informal, non-hard sell message. Great approach.

      Research can be a time drain for sure. The video offers a nice way to make sure it only takes a few minutes to be able to find something and have alerts for right time present that research through email. I'd use mail if I want to go direct and not wait for alerts as it's obviously really powerful.

      As for prospecting, since you want to automate that as much as possible, I would recommend checking out what zoominfo.com offer. Lets you find all contact details of people in companies and organizations you want to target, with the usual selects available from list providers, and follow them and get alerts. Really cool.

      It does cost some, but well worth it. Worth looking into if you want to greatly reduce the work load of finding and logging potential clients and their details in order to contact.
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  • Profile picture of the author mjbmedia
    I been using Follow.net, I use anything to give me an advantage, the about us page and other pages eg company vision type pages can be helpful.
    Do you think a company that publicly (via it's website pages) commits to eco friendliness ,recycling , reducing its CO footprint etc will or could be approached differently to a company that is more all about itself ? And when you're talking £000's its worth the extra thought processes taking place .
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    Mike

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