Cold Calling = Defensive Pa, Letter = Junk Mail, Email = Spam

[chris.quinn89]

HERE IS THE PROBLEM:

My friend is acting as a medical insurance broker, he can 100% save any business or individual on their medical insurance, he is so sure he is even willing to give you £100 if he can't!! The problem is he needs a way of getting this message across. It just seems that every means of drumming up business is unsuccessful!!

Cold calling = defensive PA, Letter = Junk Mail, Email = Spam

Could anyone advise? It just seems like a no brainer to me, you already have medical insurance & this guy is going to get you the same cover/excess at a better price. It will take up 5mins of your time & won't cost you a penny all you have to do is give him permission to act as your broker.

Anyone reading this that already has medical insurance PM me your name and telephone number & I will pass your details on to him.

 

[telemax]

I think he needs to get on the phone!!

All the best

Jonathan

 

[Morgy]

HERE IS THE PROBLEM:

We've heard it all before...

We can save you money on your utilities, insurance, blah, blah, blah...


Why not tell him to go to networking events, business breakfasts etc

 

[Simon-M]

This is always the number one challenge. What is his USP? Don't just say save money because everyone says that. The problem is hitting the right people with the offer in such a way that it does not come over as "yeah right".

Cold calling people will get results if done properly. Sure there will be mass rejection but as someone said recently, each one of those gets you one call closer to the sale It has to be cost effective though. How many deals a week does he need to do?

 

[telemax]

The best thing to do on the phone, rather than approaching it as "a 100% guarunteed saving" is to simply say "all we want to do is compare our medical insurance with what you have already", no promises but we often improve our customer's Value for money, When would you be available for a quick chat?"

 

[directmarketingadvice]

It just seems that every means of drumming up business is unsuccessful!!

Cold calling = defensive PA, Letter = Junk Mail, Email = Spam

And he's decided that those methods are to blame for his failure, not his use of them.

It couldn't be that his salesletter is the sam old hype? As Simon said, these sorts of "I can save you money" letters are ten a penny. What's different about your friend? What can he offer that no other broker can?

Finally, is it NHS or private doctors he's trying to get to see?

If it's private, can he book an appointment?

i.e. pay to see the doctor, just like a patient would, but to make a presentation, rather than get a diagnosis?

(and make that clear up front)

Cheers,

Steve

 

[Robert Blake]

The old adage "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is" springs to mind and it will do for everyone else.

People are suspicious of unsolicited marketing:

"Your the winner of a holiday - your the millionth visitor to this site - you have been chosen to recieve - I can guarantee you 100% etc etc"

I am entering into business for myself but over the years have learned the best form of marketing is word-of-mouth and I will look to build my business through recommendation and referrals.

OK, this may be a lengthy process but ultimately should provide me with a much higher quality of lead and better conversion ratio.

Better to get 10 leads and convert 8 than get 50 leads and convert 10.

Hope your friend is successful all the same.

Kind regards

Robert Blake

 

[ServersandSpares]

You have to have the ability to react to the different types of customer if you are going to cold call. Anyone of us, from MD to warehouse personnel may answer the phone, that's how we work. Everyone of us will react the same way if the first words we hear are *Hi, I'm Joe Bloggs from Bloggs and Bloggs and I can get you cheaper utility bills* for example. We probably get 15-20 a week not including automated messages that don't even get past the first three words.

Now, if the caller took a different tack and maybe said *Hi, this is Joe Bloggs, calling from Bloggs and Bloggs, sorry to interupt but do you have a minute to talk?*, any one of us might actually stop to have a conversation. It amazes me just how many people have absolutely no idea how busy the person they are trying to sell to might actually be, or just how many calls of the same nature they might get, or even care who they are talking to.

That little bit of effort can and often does go a long way, especially if you are in a market that is saturated anyway. Find a different angle, good luck with your marketing!
Julie

 

[Robert Blake]

Julie is right on the money with her post.

I'm at home until next Monday and am basically doing everything but nothing, spending too much time on here today to sat the least.

However, if the phone were to ring and it was (for example) a utility company offering to save me 50% on my heating bills, my mind would automatically switch into 'get-rid mode' and the line I normally use is "Sorry, I'm very busy and haven't got the time to talk".

The truth is I do have the time but am caught between not wanting to upset the caller and not wanting to get a scripted sales pitch.

By trying a different tactic, not bashing on about 100% guarantee to save me money and just saying as Julie suggests, words along the line of: "Know you want to hang up, but have you just got a minute to chat and then make that decision."

That kind of approach would probably work better.

All the best anyway, hope this stimulates your friend with some positive ideas.

Robert Blake

 

[chris.quinn89]

Many thanks for your input, I'm going to get on the phone myself & give it ago.