How to develop a list

This question came in recently:

http://howtosellpreneed.com/prospecting/7-secrets-prospect-part4  Go to the bottom of the page and check out the question and response and links.

The easiest way to build a list of qualified likely prospects is to begin with your own natural market.  How to Mine Your Natural Market

There are several methods to building a list.  I think the best method for selling pre-need is to “compile” a list.  A list compilation is finding several sources of names of people likely to do business with you.  The reason why I harp on Mining your Natural market is because if you’re new to the business you generally do not know who a likely candidate is to purchase.

You need an edge.  You need to do your homework and research, research, research.

When you begin with your own natural market you have an advantage because you know these people and you’ll soon discover attitudes about pre-planning.  Because you know these folks you speak the same language (and no I’m not talking about English language).  A groups of people have commonalities. 

Let’s suppose you went to England for a vacation and you ran into a fellow American (or if you’re from a different country you ran into a fellow person from your home country)?  You would immediately have something in common.  The fact that you  are from the same country.  Now, suppose you ran into another person from the same town you live in.  You would have even more in common with that individual.

I could keep going.  Suppose he/she went to the same church as you?  Lived on the same block?  Etcetera.

The more you have in common the more and better you communicate.

List compilation is developing small lists of people who have commonality and developing communications (letters for example) to express a compelling message to those people.

This list can be compiled through your own natural market, Champion Endorsers. 

The list can be put together through previous contacts with your cemetery/funeral home.  This requires researching the files/vault.

The list can be put together by a List Broker who will ask you for “selects”.  Selects are the characteristics you are looking for in your list.  Once again without researching this you might as well look in the white  pages of the telephone directory (I don’t advise this).

I’ve put together several posts in the past that addresses this issue.  See this post and follow the various links to other posts on the subject.  Check out part 3 & 5

I get a lot of questions about why I harp, preach, yell, and talk about Mining Your Natural Market so much.  Well, the answer is simple really.  This business is a ONE ON ONE business.  We (the pre need seller) Sell couples we are in front of.  The better you get at asking for referrals, looking for Champion Endorsers, and developing your niche market the better you will become at selling pre-need.

One final thought.  By mining your natural market you will get experience at asking for referrals, practicing your presentation, practicing your presentation and getting referrals at the same time, developing better communications with your niche market, and locating those Champion Endorser within your spheres of influence.

You get the idea.  Click here for the next part:  Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sales Letters/Prospecting But Didn’t Know Who To Ask.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  The place to begin is Mining Your Natural Market.

 

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