Three Steps To Soft Prospecting

Many of my new Members arrive here via an evolutionary path.  They may purchase a book, see me speak, own some of my starter kits, or hear from others who have taken my concept of Magnetic Prospecting For The Pre-Need Seller™ to the next level and done very well.

For those not as well prepared, it can be like a lightening bolt strike when least expected.  Most Sellers of Pre-Arrangements tell me my stuff is so different from what they’ve been taught.  I’ve often described it like a picture you want to hang on the wall of your living room.  You head to your local Hardware Store looking for a nail and hammer.

Think about this for a moment.  Really, just think about what you’ll discover when you arrive at the hardware store.  You’ll go down an aisle and look for a nail.  Now, do you care what the nail is made of?  If the store clerk were to go on and on about the features of that nail would you be impressed?  Is it important to you?  How about the hammer?  If the handle were made of wood, rubber, or steel, would it matter to you?

The answer to the above is a resounding “NO”.  Nobody cares about the features of the hammer and nail because you’re not purchasing a hammer or nail.  What you really want is your picture hung on the wall.  It is the same for a grave or a casket.  People pre-plan final arrangements for one reason only.

They’ve got a problem

Either they’ll deal with the problem in advance or the family will deal with it when needed.

To understand my form of Prospecting you must understand what your prospect truly wants.  Generally speaking your Prospect doesn’t want a grave or casket.

Your Prospect wants to take care of a problem.  When you focus on what your Prospect wants you’ll soon discover success beyond your wildest dreams.

Zig Zigler has a saying paraphrased; you can get anything you want in this world if you’ll help enough people get what they want.

The Three-Steps of Magnetic Prospecting:

1.    Your Communication
2.    Your Specific Niche Market
3.    The Delivery of Your Message   

While one step is no more important than any other step I’m always amazed at how most Sellers of Pre-Arrangements, Owners, and Supervisors, always take the lazy way; the path of least resistance.

That path of least resistance is to focus on delivery (the media such as newspapers or local magazines) without thinking through who will read the media (your niche market) and the words you use to communicate your message to your niche market (using image advertising).

The Single Question You Must Ask Is…

Who Is Your Target Prospect And
Why Should They Do Business With You?

The foundation of great Prospecting is in the answer to the question of why someone should even do business with you. 

Before you answer with the standard boiler plate; we have the best service, we care, we _______ fill in the blank.

Think of it this way.  Until your Prospect actually uses your services how do they know you’re the best? 

You see, no one knows who’s the best.  How could a Prospect know someone’s better than the other?  Yeah, sure, your Prospect might have used a Funeral Home before or heard about someone else but the odds are pretty slim. 

If you’re talking to a Prospect they are automatically going to expect and assume you are the best.  Because we all expect and demand the best service from businesses.

There must be something unique about you and your business.  And, that uniqueness must tie into your niche group of people.

Why should they do business with you?  Once you’ve thought this through it will help you in developing your communication for your target prospecting group.

Next, It is important to do all of your media (message delivery) in a way that is measurable.  It does no good to advertise when you cannot determine if your media is having any positive effect.  If you cannot measure your results through your advertising don’t waste your money.

There are other forms of delivery and media such as snail-mail.  I promote snail-mail because I can measure it, I can target it, and I can get results from it.  This type of delivery is referred to as Response Oriented or 2-Steps in the process.

In most cases this means letting your Prospect take small steps toward you by requesting some FREE information.  FREE information can be Special Reports, Guides, and Consumer Info.

Remember our picture story?  We weren’t interested in a nail or hammer we wanted to hang the picture.

Prospects interested in pre-arranging are going to be interested information about how it works and what it entails.  By satisfying the Prospect’s “itch” for info you are developing a relationship, warming up toward the sale, and being known as an expert in there eyes.

Most Sellers of Pre-Arrangements learn to Prospect the old fashion way through cold-hard-door-knocking and cold-calling out of the phone book.  You’re told to endure it and stick with it because if you’ll prospect this way for a couple of hours every day you’ll become very successful at selling pre-arrangements.

Cold-hard-prospecting is the most depressing form of seeking new business possible.  It doesn’t get anymore annoying than seeking out people who don’t want to be bothered and chasing them down hoping you can run faster.

I call this outdated type of prospecting laborious and antiquated last century stuff that went the way of the horse and buggy as main transportation.

Between gated communities, call blocking, caller ID, and cell phones this “interruption” style prospecting does not work anymore.  It is like using an out-house, yeah it will work but it’s been replace by in-door plumbing.  And, it really aggravates people who don’t want to be bothered.

Specific niche market 

Developing your specific niche group requires compiling a list of people to contact using response oriented advertising, referrals, mining your own natural market, and developing lists through organizations, and associations to name a few.

If You Do Not Own My Basic Prospecting Tools…..

At a bare minimum, I suggest How To Mine Your Natural Market.  I’ve put together a special offer for everything I’ve got available. 

Heck, I’ve done the work for you, all you gotta do is fill-in-the-blanks for the Project 200 and Golden 50 forms.  There’s nothing like it out there anywhere.  I’ve packaged together everything you’ll need to get started.

If You Are A Serious Student Of Selling Pre-Arrangements…

You may want to look further into getting this package.  You can find it along with a Special Offer at:  www.HowToSellPreNeed.com/catalog

Until Next Time, Happy Selling!

David…

 

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