Big Lesson #14

BIG LESSON #14

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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