As the year closes out be sure and spend some time appreciating what you do have because you have a heck-of-a-lot more to be thankful for…

Shortly I’ll be updating everyone on the 2012 Schedule for How To Sell Pre-Need.

As always, all members will receive the schedule first followed by subscribers.

If you have not subscribed yet go to the top right side of this page and opt-in the email.  Remember I’ll send you an email CONFIRMATION you’ll need to respond to. 

This email is to confirm it really is you.  You may also have to rescue the confirmation email from the junk section of your email box.  Please confirm quickly…..get it done.

Happy New Year and Happy Selling!

David….

P.S.  The website went down recently for a full week.  Some of you long timers will remember this happens at least once a year.  I think it is an internet requirement.

Of course, I have no idea why it went down but am certainly glad it is back up.  For all of you who noticed thanks for bringing this to my attention.

If there are some links missing or not working send me an email and I’ll pass it on to the web folks.

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There’s so much YOU are in control of I think we forget just how much impact YOU have on every aspect of your life.

YOU decide to get up,
YOU decide to work,
YOU decide to successfully sell pre-arrangements.

YOU and only YOU

"I had to pick myself up and get on with it, do it all over again, only even better this time."
– - Sam Walton

Every single working day do something that will bring you closer to a sale.  The more you do each and every day that brings you closer to a sale, the more you’ll achieve.

"Every act you have ever performed since the day you were born was performed because you wanted something."
– - Andrew Carnegie

There are numerous postings of strategies on this website to give you the step-by-step-how-to…

Until you make the decision to get out there and do it nothing will happen.  It’s kinda like staying in bed all day expecting something to happen.  Until you get up, until you get ready, until you actually do something you’ll never achieve your dreams, goals, wants and needs.

"You cannot push anyone up the ladder unless he is willing to climb."
– - Andrew Carnegie
 
This business is simple.  Generate activity.  Find people to talk about pre-planning.  Make presentations, get referrals.

Focus your energies on true leads and be willing to "know when to fold them and know when to hold them."

“Aim for the highest.”
– - Andrew Carnegie
 
It really is you who decide how successful you’ll be.  If you want to blame someone take a look in the mirror.  If you want to congratulate someone take a look in the mirror.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  If you have not already done so go to the top right of this page and opt in to receive more via email.  When you receive the confirmation be sure and confirm or you will not receive.  Also, you can opt out at any time by selecting the unsubscribe button on the bottom of the emails I send you.

P.P.S.  Many have expressed interest in becoming a member or investing in various products mentioned on the site.  All of the products and new stuff will be available very soon…

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First, let me just say, Happy New Year!

May this be the best year of
selling pre-arrangements
you’ve ever had only
to be surpassed by
the next year.

There have been so many emails from you I don’t know where to begin.  So, I’ll just say, “thanks”.

Second, let me remind you that the top right of this page is a great opportunity to get some wonderful strategies sent from me to you in your email box. 

I’m updating this as we speak….so, tell me your name and email and be sure and hit the confirmation email I send to you (and, don’t forget you might have to rescue my confirmation email from your email junk-yard).

Third, there’s plenty happening in the world of pre-need throughout the nation.  And, contrary to the newspapers, web-news, broadcast news, cable news, and other doom-gloom-ugly-predictions there’s plenty of folks pre-planning.

You don’t have to participate in the “severe economic down-turn” or the worst recession in the history of the world.  Fact is people are still functioning in uncertain times.  The grocery stores are still busy and I had to wait nearly an hour to eat breakfast in what turned out to be a nice non-franchise restaurant the other day.  It was worth the wait and it wasn’t cheap.

You know my saying, “if it’s expensive it must be good”.  Which, by the way, is a great lesson for those sellers of pre-arrangements who don’t think they can sell packages or private estates. 

I’ll be giving an update on a new project I’m working on very soon.  I’ll be sending some email updates so if you’re not on the email list get over to the opt-in email on the top right of this page.  It’s free…so, for Pete’s sake, let’s stay in touch.

Fourth, I’ve included a few links to previous posts on goal setting, selling more in six months than the previous 12 months, and how to succeed in this business.  It really is simple.  Yes, really.  It is simple.  It is much like football.  You tackle, you block, and you score points.  Don’t be on defense.  Be the offense.

Pre-need selling is about doing something every day that brings you closer to a sale.  Be persistent, don’t quit, don’t give up!  If it’s not working fix it.  Read all the posts on this site and pay attention to the email strategies I send to you.  It’s that simple…really.

The Links:

 http://howtosellpreneed.com/success/the-pre-need-seller-set-backs#more-2997

http://howtosellpreneed.com/success/pre-need-sellers-growing-or-dying#more-2640

http://howtosellpreneed.com/success/how-to-establish-a-goal-part-two#more-2554

http://howtosellpreneed.com/success/do-the-things-no-one-else-will-do#more-2542

http://howtosellpreneed.com/success/why-you-should-kick-it-up-a-notch-to-achieve-your-goals-for-the-year#more-2284

Finally, I’ll be updating you periodically.  Be patient.  I’ve had many of you request consulting sessions and products I used to have posted on this website.  Stay tuned for updates because I have some surprises for you but you won’t find out unless you’re on the mailing list.  So get over to the top right side of this page and opt-in now.

Happy New Year and Happy Selling!

David….

I’ve broken this post into several parts because it covers more than one topic.

Below, part one from the Email bag:

The wisdom of door-knocking vs. door-hangers: I’m curious how you, David, and your subscribers in the biz feel about the relative merits of cold-call door-knocking vs. leaving door hangers.

Here’s why I ask:

50 years ago, when housewives were home all day; there was no Stranger Danger; no Caller ID; no Do Not Call Lists; no DCA strangling of the funeral/cemetery industry, door-knocking was probably a very effective means of reaching prospects.

I’ll be commenting on other parts of this email in the coming days.

Some thoughts on the subject of door-knocking vs. door-hangers:

First, how many doors did you knock?  What neighborhood?  Did you target the neighborhood?  Are there families in those neighborhoods you’ve done business with?

Second, I can tell you a story about a Sales Manager I know who went out and placed 1,552 door hangers and got exactly ZERO replies.

Third, I asked the Sales Manager the same question I’m asking you.  His reply was he would have door knocked the area he placed door-hangers.  But he only placed the door-hangers one time.

Fourth, split testing will give you the answer.  Door-knock some and Door-hanger others.  But smart prospecting should apply.  Smart prospecting is to combine both methods.  Door-knock an area and leave the door-hangers on the doors of those folks not home.  You should profile the neighborhood to know who lives in your area.  If it is younger people like your email mentions you must door-knock between 2 pm – 7 pm.  Why do I pick those times? Because your prospects are probably still working with children living home.

Fifth, you can door-knock anytime just remember who is likely to be home at certain times of the day.  In the day time you’ll find retired folks who probably have done some pre-arranging.  This would be pre-need funeral leads.  Door-knocking in the late afternoon and dinner time would be cemetery leads.  Most families will pre-plan the cemetery first, funeral second.

Sixth, a better strategy is to blend the two methods.  It is similar to “farming” a concept Realtors use by focusing on geographical target areas.  Realtors will flood the neighborhood with mail, phone, in-person materials to get their name out there.

Seventh, a tip to put on your door-hangers is to use a classified style ad.  A headline that gets the Prospect to raise a hand in interest for additional information (see Sales Letter Manual for details).

If any of the above techniques are not working it is because you are not targeting your Prospect.

For example, does your prospect own a home?  This isn’t a requirement but homeowners tend to purchase pre-arrangements more than renters.

The hard part of this email question is not the strategy it is the Target Prospect.

Clearly identifying the “WHO” your likely prospect is will answer the question about the methods of contact.

If you don’t know who your prospect is no strategy or method will work.  It’s much like shooting arrows in the dark at a target that doesn’t exist.

It isn’t so much door-knocking vs. door-hangers, it is communicating a message and delivering that message to a particular Prospect.  It is about knowing who your prospect is. 

If you don’t know who your Prospect is the message, the delivery, the frequency doesn’t matter.

So, the answer is to TEST, TEST, TEST, but figure out who your Prospect is so you can adjust the message to the person(s) and your delivery is just another step in the process.

Remember there isn’t a magic bullet.  It is many bullets and blending different strategies together.

One shot door-hangers are similar to one shot mailings are similar to one-time-door-knocking.  They never get noticed.  But, a mailer, door-knock, door-hanger, advertisement, drop-by, referral, combined with frequency does get noticed.  The magic is in the frequency but only after you’ve determined who your prospect is and developed a message for him/her.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S. Good news/Bad news.  All of my catalog products will be coming down in a couple of days.  This includes the Whole Enchilada of everything I’ve got.  If you’ve been on the fence about investing in your SELF than I suggest you get off the fence pretty darn quick because you’ve got a few days to act or you’ll be out of luck.

This is good news for you because I’m having a fire-side sale.

P.P.S.  To all my subscribers and members you won’t see much of a change.  I’ll still be updating you and sending out tips, strategies, techniques, and other goodies.

But, Membership has privileges and subscribers get benefits.  If you’re not willing to invest in your SELF you might aught to look in the mirror for the reason your sales aren’t where they should be. 

No one can take away your education and experience.

NO ONE!

BUT, the key is YOU.  You’ve got to do something about it because no one will do it for you.  The fact that you’re here now going through this material is a good thing.  The next step is to invest in your SELF.

Click here for more …..

…

I received a question concerning an older cemetery and their mapping system.  It is interesting how we have all of this modern technology including G.P.S. but the cemetery still uses the original system.

I mention G.P.S. because I was involved in a start-up cemetery that literally used satellite technology to locate the grave spaces.

The accuracy was totally amazing.

But, here’s a little more on the email I received.  It seems there’s a cemetery or two out there still using hundred year old maps with pins to identify blocks and lots buried long ago or made of cement that’s been chipped or busted.

Reminds me of a cemetery I worked at that was two cemeteries combined.  Both had sections 100 years old and a mapping system that was designed when the dinosaurs still roamed the earth.

Because it was two different cemeteries combined the mapping system for each was different.  Further, many sections had a completely different mapping system.  And, many graves spaces did not have markers to help you figure out the system.

But, I still figured it out.

I’ll tell you my secret.  I found one of the grounds guy that had been at the cemetery for plus 25 years.  He knew that cemetery inside an out.  I ended up slipping him a few bucks to stay late while I would take copies of maps to figure out where things should be.

Some of you might argue that I spent money to solve the problem.  What I did was solve the problem I had and it allowed me to be one step better and translated into more money in my pocket.

Here’s an idea for my fellow pre-need seller.

Wouldn’t it be interesting if they took those old maps and married with G.P.S. technology and not only figured out where the current supply of graves are located but new pins placed exactly where they need to be?

Well, it can be done.

But, like a lot of things in this industry they’ve been doing things the same way forever.

This is why you continually hear me go on and on about old style prospecting.  Why do cemeteries and funeral homes repeat last century techniques for selling?

My fellow pre-need seller hit the nail on the head with his question.

He wanted to know why mapping systems are still being used from the early 1900s.

It’s called, “industry norms”.

The less “industry norms” you do the better you’ll succeed.

The only other advice I can give you is to spend some time on the cemetery grounds with copies of the maps and figure it out.  There is a way.  Once you’ve figured it you’ll be that much better.

I heard a famous golfer from the 1950(s) used to walk the golf course before a tournament.  He would walk and count his steps and make notes to help him with distances and terrain.

No one else had ever done this.  He was already a great golfer but that bit of “outside the norm” preparation gave him a little bit of an edge.

To all you pre-need sellers out there do that little something extra that puts you head and shoulders above the rest.  That’s the difference between mediocre and Top Producer.

I often talk about the difference between an elite running back in football and an average running back.  The difference is about a half step.  I heard one running back once say he ran and used colors to help him get through the line.  He would glance at the color of the jersey to give him a little bit more of an edge.  That little thing turned into a big edge and made a large difference in his production.

YOU, the pre-need seller, need an edge. 

Many times it is the little things we do every day that put us closer to a sale that makes a big difference at the end of the year.  Read the posts on this site, invest in yourself, do something proactively to put YOU in a better position to sell more pre-arrangements in the next 6 months than the last 12.

Next time you’re at the bank take note of the safe door.  The safe door at a bank is huge and weighs a lot.  But, when you note the safe door take a long hard look at the hinges.  The hinges are a heck-of-a-lot smaller than the door.

Many times it is the little things we do that make a huge difference for us.  Look for the little things you can do to give you a huge advantage and more sales.

Happy Selling!

David…

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