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 …..

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Adding Steps to your Prospecting Ladder

I had an email from an exasperated pre-need seller. You could feel it. She wasn’t just frustrated, she was exasperated!

I forget how many ”NOs” but there were quite a few.

Reminded me of the time I went 0 for 12. That’s baseball lingo for no hits in 12 at-bats. Or, I struck out 12 times in a row. No, nothing, nada, zilch. Just a whole bunch of nos.

To make the whole experience even more humbling I had just rode the success wave of 14 sales in a row.

It happens to all of us. I’m not sure why this is but it is what it is.

Here’s how you handle it.

First, it isn’t you but it will have a deep affect on your psyche. It will really bother you upstairs.

Second, you’ll begin to think you’re some how jinxed. Or, you’ll begin to think you need remedial training.

The only thing I can tell you is to “double-down”.

See more people.

Increase your activity level because it will lead to good things. Usually when I up the activity level by a factor of 2 or 3 it generally creates a snowball heading down the hill getting larger and larger building a huge wave of new business next month.

Don’t fret.

Increase your activity to ride out the storm. It’s like the ocean tide sometimes it’s in and sometimes it’s out.

Anyway, the big lesson is to add steps to your prospecting ladder.

Most sellers of pre-arrangements stop at one or two contacts with a prospect.

Many more make one phone call and call it quits.

Recently I spoke about the postcard mailing to customers we hadn’t had contact with in 15 – 39 years. (if you aren’t a subscriber go to the top right of the page and in the “welcome” email I’ll send you a few How To Sell Pre-Need Subscriber newsletters, look for the postcard issue)

I didn’t just send postcards to these people. I also followed up with phone calls and dropped-in unannounced.

The postcards had an excellent response but I can think of one couple in particular that did not respond to the postcard and I dropped in unannounced.

I couldn’t get in the door and scheduled a time to meet with them. I even sent them a note to remind of the meeting but when I arrived they were leaving.

So, I phoned again, and again. The last phone call led me meeting with them later that afternoon at their home.

How many contacts did it take to get the sale?

Postcard,
In-Person,
Note-snail-mail,
In-Person,
Phone Call,
Phone Call,
In-Person

Seven contacts total.

The point is most stop at one.

Add more steps in your prospecting ladder.

Don’t just phone.
Don’t just mail.
Don’t just drop-by.
Don’t just set appointments.

Do all the above and mix it up.

Had I not been able to meet with that couple the last time they would have received my newsletter next.

In other words until they tell you to get lost add more steps and continue to contact your prospects.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  Check out my latest offerings.

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We’re been talking about how you can use newsletters to prospect, stay-in-touch, follow-up, gain referrals, and much more.

To keep it simple don’t be afraid to go outside the box when it comes to using newsletters.

Recently I did a split test with a sales letter and newsletter.

I sent a mailing to customers we haven’t had contact with in years.  From 15 – 45 years of silence on our part.  As you’ll recall I first sent a postcard to these folks and had a huge response.

Anyway, the postcard was used to make contact for the purpose of updating our files (see subscriber newsletter #04).  If you aren’t a subscriber go to the right of this page and subscribe and I’ll send a link to newsletter #04 in the “welcome” email).

I followed up the postcard mailing using a split test of a sales letter and newsletter.  Half the group received the newsletter and half received the sales letter.

As the responses and sales come in I’ll update you.

The point is you can take a sales letter and tweak it and insert it into your newsletter format.  You can take your postcard and tweak it into your newsletter.  You can take your newsletter and tweak into a postcard, sales letter, cash-flow surge, and on and on.

Take your best written communication and tweak it by changing the format.

The beauty of a newsletter is it is not perceived as a sales letter.  A newsletter is looked at more in a positive light.  But, done correctly, your newsletter can be a sales letter.

Of course, like everything else you mail be sure and include relevant non boring info because the Cardinal Sin is to bore your Prospect.

Boring’s the quickest way to the trashcan on the planet.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  You can get more on sales letters in the catalog page.  Check out the sales letter manual.

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As someone used to say to me; if you can’t take the heat get out of the kitchen.

Well?  You’re in sales.  Get a thicker skin and get over it.

I realize we want everything done for us, for you, for me.  But some things you  gotta do your SELF.

Yes, I’m referring to newsletters and NO I’m not doing it for you, but I’ll show you how to naturally and easily put a newsletter together.

First, there are three important rules of thumb about newsletters…and please, spare me the emails about you wanting to do it differently.

I’m not here to debate you.

I’m here to show you, to teach you…

Let’s get started.

Always begin with the rules of thumb.  As a former sales manager used to say to me; ‘don’t let the exceptions become your rules’.

TOP THREE things you gotta do to make a successful newsletter.

ONE
Consistently put out your newsletter monthly

TWO
Develop one format and stick with it consistently.  Don’t change the format every month.

THREE
Decide, in your own mind, that good is good enough.  Don’t worry about perfection.  There’s a lot of “poor” perfectionists out there…they don’t need any more company.

Lets expand on the rules

I personally like to mail my newsletter on a Monday.  So, pick a Monday, the same Monday every month.  That would be the first, second, third, or 4th Monday of the Month.

Don’t worry about Holidays, the Post Office will get to it eventually.

However, remember my previous posts on mailing around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

I recommend a monthly newsletter because weekly is to difficult and quarterly isn’t enough.

Send your newsletter snail mail (you could test an email version but if you do see my previous post on “opening clicks” of emails.

Develop one format and stick to it.  There is magic in consistency and it forces you to stay with the format.  Also, make sure the look is the same (though you can change colors of paper).

Different formats will confuse your Prospects/Customers. 

I think its a good idea to include a picture of you in the newsletter.  The quality of the picture isn’t important but if you have a dog or hobby put it in the picture.

This is why impersonal, 4 color, Madison Avenue, Company newsletters suck.  Your company doesn’t make sales…you do.  Introduce your personality into the content of the newsletter.

Good is good enough.  Let some one proof your newsletter for mistakes and forget about perfect.  Some of my best posts on this website took me minutes to write while some of the crap took days.

If you can write the newsletter in minutes so much the better.

You’ll never get it perfect but you’ll do just fine with an attitude of “GOOD” which is good enough.

I have a sample of a niche newsletter I sent out for several years in the “SALES LETTER” manual.  See the catalog page for more on this or get the Whole Enchilada.  I include everything I’ve got including the kitchen sink.

The link is sent when you opt-in on the right side of this page and become a subscriber.  Subscribing has benefits and its FREE.  The link will be sent with the “welcome” email.

If you’re already a subscriber I’ve been including the link to the Whole Enchilada until they’re all gone.  About 5 or 6 packages left as of this post.  So quit fiddle farting around and get over there before you miss the boat.

You and only YOU are responsible for your success.  Yes, you can get a lot of help along the way but you’ve got to invest in YOU.

Finally, just about everyone of us receives a newsletter, some paid, some free.  Find a format you’re comfortable with and remember shorter is better because you don’t want to spend all of your waking hours writing it.

I like to do a one page, 81/2 X 11, tri-fold, with the middle part for name, address, and stamp.  And I’d mail it either the first Monday or second Monday of every month (remember my post on mailing around the holidays at the end of the year)

You can get a paper folding machine pretty cheap and do it all.

But no matter what you gotta do it.  Do it today and get going because if you don’t do it no one will do it for you.

Happy Selling!

David

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For all you subscribers I’ll be sending the latest newsletter “Back Page” in a day or two.  The Back Page is part of How To Sell Pre-Need Newsletter sent to you via email (if you aren’t receiving the newsletter opt-in on the right side of this page and I’ll send you a couple of pages of back issues in the “welcome” page).

The How To Sell Pre-Need Newsletter is FREE to subscribers.

If you aren’t receiving the newsletter there are No excuses.  Subscribing is FREE!

Ok, subscribing is FREE and subscribers get the newsletter FREE.  This means that if you are a subscriber you get it FREE.

It doesn’t get any simpler than that.

Below I’ve put a portion of the “back page” of the newsletter for you.

The Back Page
newsletter #06

Here is what real successful sellers of pre-arrangements know to be true.  YOU create sales by knuckling down and seriously applying your SELF to your trade.

Dedication, discipline, persistence….becoming very competent, an expert, you get there by being a great prospector of new business.

When you become a great prospector you’ll become a great seller of pre-need.

YOU become a great seller when YOU do the things great sellers do so you can have the things you want to have that great sellers have.

BE   *   DO   *   HAVE

Make sure you use this order.  BE   *  DO   *  HAVE.  It is a grave mistake to think that as soon as you have what you want you’ll be able to BE what you want.

Don’t make the mistake of reversing the order like the 80% mediocre sellers.

Yes, you should implement massive action now doing many things at the same time, accelerating the process with the very strategies you get here.

But you can’t skip the process.

And, you’ve got to do it all legally, morally, and ethically.

Honesty is a long-term strategy.

Lying is a short-term strategy that’ll ruin you in the long-run.

There are no excuses….none…Nada….

Doctors BECOME Doctors first.  Doctors DO the things that Doctors DO so they can HAVE the things DOCTORS HAVE.

BE   *   DO   *   HAVE

Next time we’ll talk about some of the details and strategies to get you where you want to be.

Once again subscribers will be recieiving this via email shortly.

There’s a couple of Enchilada Packages (everything I’ve got including the kitchen sink).

It’s the best deal ever.

Become a subscriber today and I’ll send you the special link.

If you are a subscriber check your email for the special link.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  Hurry, Hurry, Hurry!  There are only a few Enchilada Packages, five or six.  Once gone I’m taking the link down so quit fiddle fartin’ around and go get it and invest in your SELF because if you don’t do it who will for you?

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If you fold your paper just right you can turn it into a postcard sized newsletter and save a little postage.

You can also make a small postcard and call it a newsletter.

The main purpose of a newsletter is to stay-in-touch with your prospects.

Remember, there is a difference between follow-up program and stay-in-touch program.

The more steps you have in your follow-up program the better your responses.

I’ve been doing a lot of experimenting with postcards and one thing I can share with you.

If doesn’t seem to matter if I send full sized letters or postcards.

They both generate responses.

But I’m beginning to really like postcards because of the simplicity, economics, and ease.

It’s a heck-of-a-lot easier to make postcards and make them cheaper.  How tough is it to fold your newsletter into a postcard?  For more on this go to the US Postal Service for the dimensions of a postcard and the cost to mail.

Try adding a postcard to your follow-up system.

It’s fast, it’s easy, and it’s cheap.

The latest subscriber newsletter has postcard sample I’ve used.  To get it simply check your email.  If your aren’t a subscriber yet go to the top right of the page.  In the “welcome” email I send you’ll receive the previous and most recent edition of the newsletter.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  There are a few Whole Enchilada Packages.  To get the special link subscribe at the top of the page and I’ll send it to you in the “welcome” email.

Only you have the power to improve your SELF.  It begins with you investing in your SELF because if you don’t do it no one will do it for you.  No body can take away your education or experience.  No body.  Top Sellers get to call the shots.

Double your sales in the next six months by becoming an expert prospector.

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