Q. I dread making phone calls. Some mornings I want to do anything except dial that phone to set appointments. How can I overcome that feeling?
You must build into your schedule time to set appointments because that's how sales are generated. A lot of people have phone reluctance. This is where you know what you need to do, but you have a block that prevents you from picking up the phone and making calls.
Michael Dornfeld, a former regional sales director for a large LTC brokerage and now a New Jersey agent, explains that it comes down to fear of rejection. But they are not rejecting you. People are programmed to get you off the phone quickly so they are not taken advantage of. Once you understand and accept this, it will make it easier for you to persevere. Here is Michael's simple rule for the telephone: Some will respond, some won't. But so what? Someone else is waiting for your call.
According to him, you need to believe that you're probably the only person who will ever have the chance to talk to them about this difficult subject. You have the answers to their problem. Have the attitude that they are very lucky to have you helping them with their issues (needing LTCI). Once your beliefs are in check and you are in congruence with the sales process, the dials are much easier to make.
Here's Michael's exercise to put everything into perspective
How many dials on average does it take for you to set an appointment? How many appointments does it take for you to make a sale? What is your average premium sold? What is your average placement rate? What is your annualized commission? This will tell you how much money you are making per dial.
How important would it be if you knew that after making 100 dials a week, you set eight appointments? You ended up seeing six appointments. You closed three of them for $6,900 with a 70 percent placement rate, netting you $4,830. Your annualized commission would be $____ for the week. You made $____ from 100 dials, which netted you $____ a dial. If you were paid $ ____ a dial, how many dials would you make every day? This is a business, and you need to keep track of your numbers, so you know if you are on target to reach your goals.
Your phone script needs to be conversational and somewhat informal. Internalize it by writing it out by hand several times. This exercise will enable you to come across as conversational. Once you are comfortable with this, then put your own personality into the call and have some fun.
Next month's column will discuss how Michael qualifies prospects for health and wealth.
"You must build into your schedule time to set appointments because that's how sales are generated."
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