Really quickly. A lot of us have various opt in methods. Free books, blog comments, FB adds.
What are we doing with that noise? Hello. Call them.
Objection #1 “But I Can’t Find A Numba”
OKAY, fine. You can’t find a number. Sergey and Eric made this little website, it’s a good starting point. So is linkedIn. So is Twitter. Search your lists. Search everything you do, and yeah, you can “find a numba.”
It’s not hard.
Some hints: a lot of people are in the 90 and 9 in your fb list.
A lot of people are in linkedin.
A lot of people are attached to someone else.
Objection 2: But, Daddy, They’ll HAAAAAAAAAATE me.
Twice, maybe. Twice I’ve called people and gotten some sort of jerk face. Offense that I’d dare call them. I call about 15 people a day. 75 a week. I have had a bunch of people I got no interest in, that’s for sure. I have a bunch of people that I can’t stand…another given. And a bunch of people that want the free stuff. No sweat.
More often, I call people, decide that they are morons and don’t pursue anything. With them. I call, they’re not interesting….to me. See, calling about 75 people a week gives me options. I don’t need to chase every imbecile or get anxious about stuff.
…I don’t have any Boiler Room Jedi Mind Tricks. I don’t even currently have a script. I’m not that good…I step up to the plate and take my hacks. And that’s enough to make me a living that has been six figures 9 out of 10 years 2006, friends was the bad, bad year I know you all were laughing, but I was rocked hard by the IRS, my own ego, and a bunch of rental properties that were imbecilic.
Objection 3: I shouldn’t have to sell. I’m such a great blogger that they should come to me.
Okay fine. Look, they did. They came, saw and commented. They gave you love, they gave you some confidence. Now pick up the phone, and close the deal. They are BEGGING to give you their money. Go grab it. They voted yes, checked that box.
You need to call and CARE ABOUT THEM. Give ’em some value, sell to help, do the best you can. Nobody’s perfect. Not one soul. The Nazarene gave us all some grace because nobody’s perfect. Look, I like people that I pick. I picked my wife, I picked most of my best clients. Hunting people down gives you options. Finding and serving the best people you know how to serve…is the surest path to riches.
Now, I’ve done some dumb stuff, I’ve had well intentioned process screw ups, and this year I was too slow to react and have a good customer service pattern. Fixed that now, mostly.
Objection #4: But I hate Cold Calling!
Dude, stop. This is not cold calling. You’ve served helped and added value. This is nothing like cold calling. At all. This is followup. You introduce yourself, politely, assume nothing, and call to connect and to help. Don’t be attached to the outcome. You’re following up.
Hell, they might have been to embarrassed to call about their question and you’ll be helping them…doing them a favor.
Just don’t be attached to an outcome, be there to help not to make a sale, and focus on them, not you. Amazin’ what happens if you do this.
Ken brand says:
Excuse me, pls take your foot out of my….
Thanks, it sounds dopey, but really, this post was inspirational to me.
Cheers chris.
October 28, 2009 — 8:22 pm
Benjamin Ficker says:
Another great reminder. My goal is 20 outbound calls a day to people have in the last 3 months shown some sort of interest in what I do (loan mods and short sales). I’ve been doing it about a week, trying to get the kinks out of my script. Well it paid off today when I set 6 appointments out of 10 calls. Would have made more calls but was too busy with appointments that were already on the books.
October 28, 2009 — 9:35 pm
Robert Worthington says:
Hi Chris! Another awesome post for a youngster like me to read! Thank You Sir. My favorite part is how you mentioned its not about the outcome. That is so true. I’ve learned to embrace failing, because now it’s just a numbers game. The more times I fail, the more times I succeed! Perfect!
October 29, 2009 — 5:44 am
Jeff Brown says:
I know I’m botching the saying, but seriously, sometimes I think we’re brothers from other mothers.
When I used to teach cold calling, I always told them their best list was the one making their calls ‘warm’, another way of echoing ‘follow up’. Once they’d made a few dozen warm calls, I told them to take the same attitude into cold calls.
One gal came to me a few years after the course was over, and gave me her take on what she experienced afterward in application. She said, ‘Not caring about the outcome seems to translate itself into a tone of confident competence while the call recipient almost always perceives I really am there to help. To me it was almost like magic.’
I remember thinking at the time, ‘Why hadn’t I put it that way?’ 🙂
October 29, 2009 — 7:41 am
Tim and Julie Harris says:
And THATS why we hired Chris to be the coach of Agent Tech Secrets….
All this chatter about using ‘social networking’ is useless without….picking up the phone…contacting the prospect….ya know….sales stuff.
Nice job C.J.!
Tim
October 29, 2009 — 12:14 pm
James Boyer says:
Just the way my coach puts it actually. Great advice, don’t like, get over it and learn to love it, you will get rich that way.
October 29, 2009 — 7:27 pm
Sue Zanzonico says:
Chris, you’re good about the calls! ~ and its good advice. Back to basics. I find that starting is the hardest part…after the first call they flow. Its just a matter of building it into your schedule like anything else. Make it second nature.
I agree that not caring about the outcome is the best approach…don’t act needy because you really are just trying to help. If you end up making some money as a result, well, that works too. 😉
October 31, 2009 — 7:42 pm