How To Mine Your Natural Market

I talk about how to tap into your spheres of influence to garner referrals.

Nothing beats your own niche market and your own contacts as a source of referrals.

See my materials on Mining Your Natural Market at the catalog page.

But, here’s a quick tip to get some referrals that you can incorporate in what you are already doing.

Every time you write new business (no matter how large or small) send a snail-mail note.

I send a short note and always include the following:

“I’ve included two cards. 
Feel free to share me with a friend or relative”

How hard is it to include a note with every purchase?  And, by the way, I send the note the following day.  Don’t wait.  Get it done fast.

Every morning I spend 30 minutes writing notes.  Check out my post on time-blocking.

Implementing a simple step into your selling process will help you get more referrals with almost no effort.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  Check out the catalog page for more materials on how to sell pre-need.

P.P.S.  There are a few Whole Enchilada Packages still available.  I’ve offered the package of everything I’ve got including the kitchen sink to all Subscribers first.  Subscribing has privledges.  But, because I only have a few left I’m not going to extend the offer to regular readers.  If you want the very best I have you’ll need to subscribe and I’ll send the special link in the “Welcome” email I send you.  If you are a regular subscriber the link’s in the latest email I sent.

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So, what are you waiting for?  No one can take your experience or knowledge.  No One.  Only you have the ability to make things happen.  No one else will do it for you so get on with it and invest in your SELF.  Do it now!

Go on…

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I’m going to list 10 areas you can create a sale out of nothing without really trying.

Part one the first three opportunities:

1. Trolling for dollars
2. A strategy for covering funerals
3. Use a display 2-step postcard/brochure

We’re up to:

Opportunity Number Four

Walk-in 411 opportunities.  A common situation you might find yourself in is when people call in or drop in for information but nothing else.

Typically, most pre-need sellers will try to get the sale on the spot.  But, not all are successful in getting the sale.

What do you do next?

How about putting those people into your follow-up program?

If they still haven’t purchased?

Put them into your Stay-in-touch program.

The worst thing you can do is nothing or forget all about it.

Opportunity Number Five

JV opportunities.  Make Funeral Director your new best friend.

Let me share a secret with you.  Many times the Funeral Director hears things during the at-need arrangement.

What they hear are family/friends bringing up the thought of pre-planning.

Most funeral directors will give that information to you as long as you treat the family well.

For the cost of lunch or other inexpensive bribes you can make friends with funeral directors and they’ll ultimately be your new best friend.

Opportunity Number Six

Ask for referrals.  There are numerous ways to get referrals and numerous opportunities through out the at-need process.

Take out a pencil and note pad and make a flowchart of all the steps involved with an at-need arrangement.

Look for additional opportunities to get referrals at each step of the process.

Next time we’ll cover Opportunity Number Seven

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  Click here for part one.

P.S.  Click here for part three

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     Before I get into the details of this tip it is imperative that you not only keep an open mind to this idea but also think about the underlying issue and sense of working relationships with your competitors.

     Here’s how the idea works

     First, you should always have a cordial, professional, friendship with your competitors.

     I define competitors as competing funeral homes and cemeteries.  Even though there may be some competition there also may be some opportunities to do business together.

Example Number One

            I’m dual licensed to sell pre-arrangements for both funeral and cemetery.  I spoke about dual licensing in a previous post. 

     When families pre-plan the optimum position to be in is dual licensed to get both halves of the pie; pre-need cemetery and pre-need funeral.

     The reason I mention this is because as if you work for a stand-a-lone cemetery you offer no competition to local funeral homes.  If you work at a standalone funeral home you offer no competition for a cemetery.  A combo (funeral home/cemetery) would be looked at differently.

     One deal you can do is to make a deal with several local mortuaries so when you follow-up with the at-need family whose loved one is buried at the cemetery you can bring in your competitor from the funeral home with a joint venture.

     Here’s the lesson

     When the pre-need funeral from the competing mortuary writes the business you get credit for the referral.  You also introduce resprosity.  Your JV will work the other way with the funeral home referring back to you.

     Here are a few suggestions for you:  If you are only able to get one license make a deal with a pre-need seller that is licensed where you aren’t.  Exchange referrals; you send him some, he sends you others.

Example Number Two

     If you are at a cemetery and you see at-need families or follow-up with at-need families either cut a deal with the original funeral home that did the case to write the pre-need funeral yourself or refer the business to the original funeral home.

     If you work at a funeral home reverse the process and cut the deal with the cemetery for follow-up business. 

Here’s the lesson

     Most Memorial Counselors do not follow up with at-need families.  If you just follow up you’ll not only pick up some pre-need business (even by accident) but you’ll also pick up referrals.

     You’d be surprised at the situations you’ll find yourself in.  Many times a surviving spouse will want sons or daughters present during the meeting.

     I can tell you that the sons and daughters will want mom or dad to complete arrangements so they do not have to go through the ordeal again.

     Many times you’ll capture pre-need for the son and/or daughter.

Start at the top to make a deal

     These deals can be made with the Mortuary/Cemetery Manager.  Start at the top!  Nobody wants to turn down business.  You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the positive responses you’ll get from your NEW FRIENDS (so called competitors).

     As you open your mind to a working relationship with your competitors, you’ll discover that there really isn’t competition.  Just a friendly working relationship. 

     A side benefit is you’ll get to know other people inside your industry.

     You never know when a contact might be able to help you or the reverse.

Happy Selling! 

David…

P.S.  Networking with your competitors can create lucrative opportunities.  Your competitors and YOU can turn competition into win/win situations.

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Words are powerful especially from happy customers

     It is very important to establish credibility.  One method of establishing credibility is to share testimonials.  Beside your story, the “WHY” you got into this business, sharing testimonials of families that you have assisted is very powerful!

     There are three aspects of testimonials you might want to think about while considering kind words from an individual that is not on the payroll, not working at the cemetery, unbiased, and has no vested interest.

A testimonial is a testimonial no matter the situation

     The first is to get testimonials from current and past customers.  You may not have any testimonials specifically for pre-need situations but probably have had a letter or two written to you about the cemetery/funeral home from a happy individual.  You can always use a testimonial in your sales letter(s) and maybe even in your presentation folder.

     The second to do is make testimonial acquisition a part of your overall marketing efforts.  Always include testimonials in all of your correspondence, marketing pieces, a three ringed note book with clear page protectors, and/or displayed on a conference/office wall.

     The third to do is make it a habit of asking for testimonialsfrom your new customers and old customers.  Testimonials are like stories they are very powerful and persuasive.  Testimonials are real people that are not “sales” people.  Testimonials are advocates for you, your cause, and your cemetery/funeral home.  Testimonials add credibility, reinforce the “wise” decision to pre-plan, and demonstrate your integrity in the business.

It’s easy to get testimonials

     It almost doesn’t matter what is said.  Some people will tell you to write the testimonial, some people will “dictate” the testimonial, and some will allow you to record it.  By the way, recorded testimonials can go on your website.  There’s nothing more powerful then a live voice “saying” nice things about you, your cemetery, and the experience they had with your operation.

     Grounds crew testimonials, beautification testimonials (or even appeals for fund raising), sales testimonials, vendor testimonials, a happy (distant) relative visiting from a foreign land commenting on your cemetery testimonials will work.

     Incorporate these testimonials into your presentation, display them in your conference room and I’m confident you’ll discover even more success selling pre-need.

     When you request testimonials from your families make it easy for them to provide the kind words about you.  Send a self addressed stamped envelope, record the testimonial, and or get a note from them right on the spot.  Either way, if you ask you shall receive.

     Testimonials are like referrals.  Referrals are powerful and as I mentioned earlier testimonials are also extremely powerful.  I would think of it this way.  If you can get referrals you can get testimonials. 

Arm yourself with testimonials!

     While making your presentation, keep copies of your testimonial letters nearby, be it on normal paper, notes on note paper, napkins, post notes, fancy letters, and or Hallmark Cards.

     You might want to frame a testimonial on the wall, or on a desk, or in the conference room.  Keep testimonials in the office where they can be seen maybe even a bound book with clear plastic sleeves filled with lots and lots of testimonials.  You could also get a bound book with blank pages that people could write testimonials in similar to a diary.

     Testimonials are powerful.  Ask for them, arm yourself with them, use them in your correspondence, and have them with you when you meet families.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  There are some testimonial samples in the “Letter” package.  Click here

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Sound confusing?

Well, I was confused but met with the couple a few days later.

These folks were ready to purchase and it wasn’t a very difficult presentation or sale.  You see, my referrer made the sale for me.  But, it was difficult to get a referral out of them.

Now, the reason I mention this story is this should have been a slam-dunk-lay-down referral opportunity and conversion.

Well, it didn’t happen.

BUT, I didn’t give up and sent them my normal “thank you” note for working with me. 

By the way, you should be sending notes thanking folks for doing business with you and include TWO BUSINESS CARDS and ask for a referral.

AND, you should always reward your referrer for referring you business (this can be done by acknowledging the referrer or sending a gift)

Anyway, the reason I mentioned this story is because I sent the “thank you” note and business cards for doing business with me (I still don’t know who the original referral is).

Well, upon receiving my “thank you” card this nice couple sent me a referral.

I haven’t met with my new referral yet but the point is to always be asking for referrals.  Never give up!  If I had given up during the presentation I would not have gotten that referral.

The other lesson is to always follow-up with thank you notes.  It’ll take you less than 2 minutes to “hand-write” and mail the note but the return on that postage stamp might just make you a nice sale, sometimes several times over.

And you never know where that next referral sale might come from.

Happy Selling!

David…

P.S.  “Thank You” notes should be part of your follow-up-system.  Remember, stay-in-touch and follow-up are separate systems you  should have in place.  And, of course, always automate where ever and whenever you can.

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