Pro Offliners: Help! Potential Customers Going Cold/Unresponsive When It's Time To Meet/Pay.

15 replies
Hey guys, I need your help. I know you smart cookies have run into, and solved this issue.

I cold call business owners offering them website design. A ton of them agree that they need it, and will pay.

Then after some follow-ups/correspondence and it's time for us to meet. Quite a handful go flat out cold and no longer pick my calls.

I've made a few sales. But very far from what I think it should be. Please what could I be doing wrong...or not enough. Thanks.
#cold or unresponsive #customers #meet or pay #offliners #potential #pro #time
  • Profile picture of the author mcfcok
    Sounds like you need to be striking while the irons hot. When you say they will pay Get a deposit upfront 50% they're committed then, If they don't agree to that then i'd bin them.

    Sounds like your sales cycle is too long,remorse is setting in.

    Dave
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    • Profile picture of the author Richfella
      Originally Posted by mcfcok View Post

      Sounds like you need to be striking while the irons hot. When you say they will pay Get a deposit upfront 50% they're committed then, If they don't agree to that then i'd bin them.

      Sounds like your sales cycle is too long,remorse is setting in.

      Dave
      Sounds like a plausible reason. However, getting paid without a meeting is certainly out of the question.

      And meeting same day is usually not possible.
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      • Profile picture of the author mcfcok
        Why is getting paid without a meeting out of the question? lots of marketers sell on the phone, you can always have a brief online meeting plenty of tools allow you to do this mate!
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  • Profile picture of the author TakenAction
    Why do you say getting a 50% deposit without a meeting is out of the question?

    Get that thinking out of your head. I know you won;t take my word for it so since it seems not a problem to get people interested for you, go start testing. Start asking for that deposit at the end of the call and see what a difference it will make.
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  • Profile picture of the author sconlinemarketing
    When I first started with offline marketing this happened to me as well, because I thought the same way you do. I have to meet with them to get them to pay me. This really isn't the case. I close a lot of deals over the phone now. I rarely meet a person face to face anymore unless they insist. I never set up meeting face to face anymore.

    Believe me you can do it as well. Just make sure you build trust. When you have trust you don't need a face to face meeting.
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    • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
      Originally Posted by Richfella View Post

      Sounds like a plausible reason. However, getting paid without a meeting is certainly out of the question.

      And meeting same day is usually not possible.
      I can't remember the last time I had a sale in a meeting vs. over the phone. Then again, I don't really go after local businesses because of people wanting meetings and wasting my time.

      You certainly could sell over the phone without having to meet. However, if you're calling with the intention of setting up a meeting, and it takes multiple follow ups to get the meeting then you're doing it wrong... 1 phone call = 1 meeting, meet the same day or the following day and close it out. I personally find meetings a waste of time and energy.
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    • Profile picture of the author iAmNameLess
      Originally Posted by sconlinemarketing View Post

      I rarely meet a person face to face anymore unless they insist. I never set up meeting face to face anymore.
      Yeah, even if someone local wants to buy but insists on a meeting I tell them that we have an appointment fee of $250. Most will ask why, and I say that the hour it takes with drive time, meeting, and return time back to the office, I would already have another sale. A lot of people would think this would be a complete turn off but people tend to want what they can't have and when you come across as not caring about a sale, the more likely they are going to want to buy. There are 3 possible reactions to the appointment fee, they will either buy without a meeting, they will either pay your appointment fee, or they will scoff and not pay or buy.

      To know if that strategy is good for you, it all depends on if you have more time than money, or more money than time.
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  • Profile picture of the author goldengater
    I taught Marketing to Sales Agents for years. I used to keep it small and simple - Remember what your Mama taught you: 1. Smile,2. Make Eye Contact 3. Give a firm (NOT hard) handshake). 4. After you are seated with them, pull out your presentation paperwork and refer to it when needed. 5. Call them by name (first name is generally ok but pay attention to how office staff refer to your client - use the same terms) 6. Make a clear, Simple presentation that shows your best work. Pull out your calendar and say, "I can fit your project in on blank or blank - Which would you prefer?" Tell them a deposit check is required and ASK FOR THE CHECK! Never, Ever leave an appointment without asking for a check.

    So maybe it does not go so well... Ask when would be a good time to revisit the website issue - make an appointment - be on time and do what Mama taught you...
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  • Profile picture of the author savidge4
    Originally Posted by Richfella View Post

    Hey guys, I need your help. I know you smart cookies have run into, and solved this issue.

    I cold call business owners offering them website design. A ton of them agree that they need it, and will pay.

    Then after some follow-ups/correspondence and it's time for us to meet. Quite a handful go flat out cold and no longer pick my calls.

    I've made a few sales. But very far from what I think it should be. Please what could I be doing wrong...or not enough. Thanks.
    ok you call them, THEY agree they need it, and are willing to pay. WHY is there follow ups ( plural here is not good ) AND correspondence. then you meet WHAT?

    CALL... get them to agree they need it, and are willing to pay SET THE APPOINTMENT. Show up on time and close the deal. The tighter the time frame the better! I will more than bet that the clients you have warmed up, got sold on the spot by someone else. or if there is enough time in there they went shopping.

    The first DAYS of client communication is the MOST important. If you are not delivering timely and quick in this point of the process, how is the client going to think you will react later when they really need you? YOUR current process is placing doubt in the prospects mind. THEY want a site, and you are giving them blah blah blah ok now lets get started.

    Makes no sense. If you are getting all the buying signals that you say you are and you are not getting a definitive YES ( with check in hand ) or NO in 24 hours time. YOU are to blame.
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  • Profile picture of the author Richfella
    Thanks guys for the responses. I have learnt a great deal from you guys already.

    Am on mobile right and can't respond to each post as I really want to.

    Another thing I get a lot is "I'll get back to you" and when you follow up you find out your number wasn't even saved (most people in my country use mobile phones - businesses included).

    I just feel like they don't take you seriously enough. They generally act as if a website is a commodity and they can get it whenever they want but at a better price elsewhere.

    Am not new to IM - I've had some modest success over the years. About 10,000 ebook sales or thereabout.

    I outline benefits, employ time-pressure, etc...but I just can't place a finger on some of the things I am missing.
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  • Profile picture of the author Defacto
    Who the hell wants a meeting for a website? I wouldn't either. I would however pay you via a paypal link if I liked your portfolio and felt the price was right. Stop selling meetings/appointments. That is the biggest load of crap people teach about selling. Back in the early internet days business owners were leery of paying via email/paypal but not anymore.
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    • Profile picture of the author savidge4
      Originally Posted by Defacto View Post

      Who the hell wants a meeting for a website? I wouldn't either. I would however pay you via a paypal link if I liked your portfolio and felt the price was right. Stop selling meetings/appointments. That is the biggest load of crap people teach about selling. Back in the early internet days business owners were leery of paying via email/paypal but not anymore.
      In general people that do not currently have websites want an appointment. People that have been scammed way to many times with promises want appointments.

      The appointment process with regards to web design CAN be a crucial part of making the sale. Are you on time? Are you presenting the same information as discussed over the phone? Do you and the presentation look professional?

      Setting yourself apart from the 10's if not hundreds of calls these folks get to sell the same thing puts you a step above the rest. The fact that you are taking the time to have a sit down, explain the process and answer any and all questions they may have can be the key that permits the sale.

      The fact that you were allowed to even set the appointment.. well that means you have at least a 50/50 shot at a close.

      Old School may not be as efficient as New School, but you factor in that 30% of the US population ( your probable target audience ) whom you will communicate with ( ages 40 to 65 ) remember the days of sit downs. and then factor in that 40% of the population is below 20 and another 20% is above 65 you then might realize that 1 in 3 people you communicate with may have or still do business this way. ( all these figures are courtesy of The 2012 US census bureau report on age and sex )

      so ask the question again... "Who the hell wants a meeting for a website?" the stats says more than a few people do.
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  • Profile picture of the author MrFume
    From actual experience I would say you are targeting the wrong kind of client - the Pizza shop owners, the small retail merchants are the very worst kind of prospect, they want the world for 500 dollars and always try to screw you out of information and services...you need to target higher end clients, the types that spend $10,000 on a Yellow pages advert but have no website, or a lousy one, there are 10's of thousands of these - they don't mind spending money as long as it is worthwhile-do a critique on their websites and send it along in an 'interesting package' - you usually find this type of client is ideal.
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    • Profile picture of the author Richfella
      Originally Posted by MrFume View Post

      From actual experience I would say you are targeting the wrong kind of client - the Pizza shop owners, the small retail merchants are the very worst kind of prospect, they want the world for 500 dollars and always try to screw you out of information and services...you need to target higher end clients, the types that spend $10,000 on a Yellow pages advert but have no website, or a lousy one, there are 10's of thousands of these - they don't mind spending money as long as it is worthwhile-do a critique on their websites and send it along in an 'interesting package' - you usually find this type of client is ideal.
      This could really be it. Thanks.

      And may I ask, how do you usually go about this? What kind of niches do you usually target?
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Nameless and MrFume have gotten to the root of the problem here.

    OP, you have been going after cash-poor prospects in industries where getting one more customer for them just doesn't make much of a difference. Start targeting fields where a new customer is worth $1000 or more. I have a woodworking shop client who's typical kitchen reno order is $40K. Do you think I can make a difference in his life?! One new customer for him pays for a month of my attention.

    Also, how YOU buy is not how everybody else buys. Yes, some people will follow the same process you do. But many will not. What someone else thinks of as "A Lot Of Money" is not the number you think of. This is called Head Trash and you can learn more about it here:

    http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...duct-tape.html

    Set yourself up for success instead of failure. Make the equations work for you. Tilt the field in your favor. Pick a target market in which if you get results for your clients, you make a major impact in their lives. Make it so that a handful of additional customers for them pays for everything you want to do. Realize the way THEY buy is not the way YOU buy. Definitely get a 50% or 100% deposit up front. They are getting your time, and the real business owners understand they must do something to show you confidence, ie. put the money down.

    Another really interesting thing is that you will find customers who are doing well have money, and do not have any issues about giving it to people they believe can effectively do something for them. Contrast to the struggling owner who "would" do something, if only they could afford it. Who do YOU think you should spend your time talking to?
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