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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This Month…

IS BEING SUCCESSFUL CONTAGIOUS?

I’ve had plenty of emails concerning the newsletter and I’ve been preaching how you can use it as a tool for more sales.

BUT, I realize there are company rules you must abide by so remember these words of wisdom…

THERE IS A WAY

Don’t give up and say you can’t do it, you most certainly can do it…even if you’ve got to let the boss review the newsletter before it goes out.

THERE IS A WAY

I play the guitar. I used to get annoyed when follow guitar players would ask me about the technique used.

Well, no one noticed except my fellow expertly trained guitar players, and as you can imagine, it bothered me a little.

But, it didn’t slow me down.

I began telling new guitar players interested in learning to play to remember my technique isn’t considered “proper”.

You see, I found “a way” of playing.

The same applies to you. There is an industry way of doing things. That industry way is considered the “proper” way of doing everything from A to Z.

This industry norm is endorsed by the “gurus” and repeated by the Monkeys all the way down the food chain.

I say the same thing to those folks who tell me I’m not doing it the “proper” way.

You have a choice to make. You can go thru life doing things the industry “proper” way producing the same mediocre results everyone else is getting….or you can find “a way” of doing things that produces results above the rest.

It’s really YOU and YOUr mindset.

So, to the emailer who said it can’t be done I say it can be done.

THERE IS A WAY

To everyone else I say to start learning “a way” of doing things.

Go through every page of this website, re-read, re-listen, and execute the strategies I recommend NOW.

Massive Action NOW will net you results far above the rest of the mediocre pack.

Remember, the Monkey see, Monkey do is a sure fire way to mediocre results.

Get out of your comfort zone and don’t worry about what everyone else thinks.  They’re jealous.  And believe me the more successful you become the more jealous everyone becomes.

They’ll see what you’re doing but refuse to go outside the industry norms because they don’t believe…

THERE IS A WAY

Before you send me an email whining are you spending 5 minutes on your goals and 1 hour a day improving you?

We learn through repetition.

So get moving and start learning because….

THERE IS A WAY

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S. For Pete’s sake if you aren’t investing in your SELF what the heck’s the problem?  Jeez!  Get moving and start doing something for your SELF.  If you don’t NO ONE will do it for you.   Invest in YOU.

Check out MY LATEST OFFERINGS or get the WHOLE ENCHILADA package of everything I’ve got including the kitchen sink.

There’s a few copies left if you are a subscriber. If you aren’t subscribing opt-in on the top right of this page and I’ll send you the WHOLE ENCHILADA link in the “welcome” email.

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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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I’ve been in the laboratory experimenting with postcards and will be updating you soon.

One thing I can tell you is the more steps you add to your system of follow-up the better your return.

But I thought I’d mention a few important things about your follow-up system.

First, you need a follow-up system.

A follow-up system is a pre-planned, organized, way of staying in touch with a prospect.  A follow-up system is part of two-step-prospecting.  A follow-up system is more than your normal prospecting.

A follow-up system is used to warm up your prospect.  Once a Prospect responds to your marketing you plug them into your multi-step follow-up system.  In fact, the more steps in your follow-up system the better your responses from your prospects.

Remember, the goal of a system is to plan it out so all you have to do is add a name and the system takes over.

Recently, I’ve been experimenting with postcards in my follow-up system.  I did a 300 postcard mailing.  I’ll be letting you know of the results soon.

This month’s subscriber newsletter has sample postcard of a recent mailing I did to previous customers.  We (the cemetery) have not had any contact with these folks in 15 – 39 years.  The goal was to make contact with these people after years of neglect and bring up the items necessary to complete cemetery arrangements and/or funeral arrangements.

To all my subscribers look in your email tomorrow for the latest newsletter and sample postcard.  If you aren’t a subscriber yet, well, why not?  Subscribing has privileges. 

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  There are a few Enchilada Packages remaining.  The package has everything I’ve got including the kitchen sink.  When you subscribe you’ll get a a special link to the Whole Enchilada Package in the “welcome” email and the most recent and past issue of the newsletter.

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