Cold Calling is No. 1
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Cold Calling is the best way to get a lot of Appointments and Business.
Brokers have raised Millions this way.
The catch with Cold Calling is that it is as good as you are.
[quote=NaySayer]
Cold Calling is the best way to get a lot of Appointments and Business.
Brokers have raised Millions this way.
The catch with Cold Calling is that it is as good as you are.
[/quote]
My humble opinion - while it helps to be good at cold calling if you are going to do it (obviously) if you make 1000 dials, (just to pick a number) your script can be " F *** You, Mr Jones" and you'll probably get 2.5 people to say, sure, I might be interested!
I agree cold calling is a great way to grow your business and increase your contacts. However dialing for the sake of dialing is a waste of time and you would be better off calling people who make the decisions within their companies. If your are going to start a cold calling campiagn to try to increase revenues it would be wise to check out http://www.canadianbusinessdirectories.ca as they provide detailed lists of clients in North America. http://www.canadianbusinessdirectories.ca provides you with numbers, websites, addresess and names and company positions (decsion makers) therby making it easier to get intouch with the prospect. http://www.canadianbusinessdirectories.ca also lets you choose the region of the lists you want which could be ideal for face to face meetings. If your looking for a way to grow your business and build your contact data base and thinking of going the route of cold calling it would be a good idea to check them out!!
[quote=NaySayer]
Cold Calling is the best way to get a lot of Appointments and Business.
Brokers have raised Millions this way.
The catch with Cold Calling is that it is as good as you are.
[/quote]
Exactly right. Many try to jump on the phone with little or no prep and then wonder why it didn't work. There are many variables including list developement, work habits, number of calls, script preperation and delivery, and who you sound.
Those who make 25 dials a day to the yellow pages without using a script are kidding themselves.
The general rule on lists is, the harder the names are to get the better the list will be. Why? People who are hard to reach don't get their fair share of calls. They haven't been used and abused thus MAY BE more receptive to a well scripted message delivered without sounding scripted.
Hey, if some people like cold calling, then all the power to them. Personally, I can’t stand it and it makes me look like a used car salesperson or sleazy politican, rather than the trusted professional advisor than I am trying to be.
I was introduced to a high-tech high-touch relationship marketing system just over 6 months ago. It is the best $400 investment I have ever made. I did not get sales overnight, but I did get immediate positive feedback that turned into sales just a few months down the line.
Their website is:
www.Word-of-Mouth-Referrals.com
I wish I would have found these guys years ago!
[quote=Marketing]Hey, if some people like cold calling, then all the power to them. Personally, I can't stand it and it makes me look like a used car salesperson or sleazy politican, rather than the trusted professional advisor than I am trying to be.
[/quote]
So, you're trying to be a trusted finanacial advisor?
Here's a lesson, see the keyboard in front of you? Good, now try to type a message using that keyboard. So, how'd it go? Notice that you actually typed a message.
I'm not trying to be a smartass here. There is no such thing as try. You either do something or you don't. You either are something or you're not.
You already are a trusted financial advisor.
As for how cold calling makes you feel, your problem. if something doesn't make you feel good about yourself you shouldn't do it. That much you got right.
Thanks for the website, I'll check it out.
I love cold calling. I am good at it.
Most brokers are too chicken s$it to pick up the phone... That's fine by me..
When I get someone on the phone engaged, I close and get the meeting. Then my partner and I go in and pull accounts. ACAT's follow usually about a month after the first face to face...
[quote=blarmston]
I love cold calling. I am good at it.
Most brokers are too chicken s$it to pick up the phone... That's fine by me..
When I get someone on the phone engaged, I close and get the meeting. Then my partner and I go in and pull accounts. ACAT's follow usually about a month after the first face to face...
[/quote]
Exactly the way it should be done.
And that's not to say that cold calling is the be-all end-all prospecting solution. Its not. There are many ways to get the job done. Cold calling, for those of us who know how to do it, just happens to be one very effective method of pulling in the assets. And that, my friends, is the job.
Marketing used the exact same post, word for word, in the other cold calling discussion.
If you haven't worked in the industry, like Marketing, then you don't recognize the power of cold calling because you've never done it.
My good clients constantly complain to me about annoying sales people calling them and I hate telemarketers, but seriously who has time? You should be selling not prospecting…
"My good clients constantly complain to me about annoying sales people calling them and I hate telemarketers, but seriously who has time? You should be selling not prospecting..."
Those same clients are signing ACAT's to me that afternoon, after they drop off their savings deposit at the credit union...
I agree with most people on here . I have cold called again in the last few weeks and I am in the proscess of bringing over some nice accounts . If you can offer something of value up front that compels the prospect to meet with you , to me that is the key. What worked for me when I call a prospect is I tell them is you can pick up the phone at 530 am and I will be on the other end to talk to you about your stock market needs. Being here on the west coast that is huge since most brokers/advisors I know dont come in till after seven or eight.
Besides, I can purchase a list for a couple hundred bucks , which is a lot less expensive then seminar advertising , mailings etc. I keep it simple . I call 100 people I am expecting 99 to say no and 1 to say yes. Remember if you talk to 20000 prospects and you get a 1% conversion, that is 200 clients . Much easier said then done but it can happen.
I have found my only calling success in cold calling businesses but never individuals. How can I be good enough to get $$ from businesses but never individuals?
Where do you get your personal call lists?
I’ve been in this business for almost 2 years. I still can’t belive that some advisors love to cold call. I had to do it for 6 months and hated every minute of it, but, it did produce business. Cold calling is nothing more than a numbers game. But I felt very unprofessional.
After my first year I had about 100 clients (mostly mom and pop accounts and a few small business owners)and barely kept my nose above the water and wondered if I can survive in this business.
Thank God another advisor in my office showed me a super simple relationship building system she was using. All I can say is that 12 months later, about 75% of my business now comes from referrals and I don’t even ask for them.
For me personally, it’s good-bye cold calls and hello referrals. No more sweaty palms and stammering. Check it out at - www.Word-of-Mouth-Referrals.com - it’s a pretty informative website.
"No more sweaty palms and stammering."
Cold calling got you that upset??? How many times did the prospect reach through the phone and slap you across your face??? Really? That many times?
Not much of a man eh???