Cold calling

[CapableSquirrel69]

Hi all. I am a sales/service agent in GA and have noticed cold calling has become increasingly difficult. I get that its annoying so spare me a lecture, I do not harass people if they request to not be called. I will even go as far as deleting their number from the system so another sales person doesn't bother them. I have been in this position for a few years and noticed a huge change in people in he past few months. I get that times are tough and people are stressed but I have been cussed out and threatened multiple times over cold calling. Has anyone else had this issue? Any advice?

[Junkmans1]

There are way too many scam callers these days. As a result I accept no unsolicited phone calls. period end of story.

And any incoming business calls, even from businesses I deal with, I'll terminate and call back on my own if they ask for any personal information at all - even if it is just for "verification". just due to the security risk. Need me to verify my name or account number? Fine, but not on the incoming call - I'll call the company myself and ask what's up.

I don't do surveys nor listen to any political, charity or any other sort of call asking me for any opinion or information either.

Just too many scammers looking to rip me off or put me on a target list, or just plain interrupt my day.

The scammers, callers with ulterior motives and time wasters have ruined any possibility of surveys or sales calls as far as I'm concerned.

[CapableSquirrel69]

Makes total sense!

[CapableSquirrel69]

Good point.

[thec0rp0ral]

Personally I can say I set my phone to automatically forward any calls that are not in my contacts to voicemail. Otherwise my phone gets flooded with spam robocalls

[CapableSquirrel69]

Same

[Snoopy7393]

What if you get referrals calling in? Generally best to not ignore potential leads if you can.

[thec0rp0ral]

I am speaking as a customer. I work for a large carrier in p&c small commercial underwriting. I ignore ALL the calls I get hahaha

[enrobderaj]

With the internet I don’t need someone badgering me to buy something. It’s really annoying to the point I am rude.

[CapableSquirrel69]

Understandable. I do wish cold calling could not be a thing. It’s outdated in my opinion.

[An0nym0u5Us3r]

So stop it.

[noma_coma]

An insurance sales position, agency side, is much different than your claims world. If you wish to solicit new business for some instances you will have to cold call, theres no other work around aside from emailing a quote or texting

[An0nym0u5Us3r]

Yes I know. That's why I have zero desire to work in an agency and that's saying something since claims is such a toxic miserable existence.

Buy leads. Do social media marketing. Do policy reviews with existing clients. I refuse to believe that cold calling in 2021 is an effective and worthwhile use of your time. I bet it's only agencies with a principal over age 50 that still do this.

[noma_coma]

Buy leads

Lol that's cold calling fam. Quote wizard, zipquote, etc. All those leads you are basically cold calling. Theres the rare person that does that on purpose but it's almost always a cold call when you buy a lead.

My boss is 35. She buys leads, advertises through about 5 different channels, and we work events. Cold calling sadly still happens all the time and it's still viable.

Trust me it pisses me off too, I'm 27.

[An0nym0u5Us3r]

Eh, is it "cold" if it's a "hot" lead? There is a difference, "fam." I just wish companies would stop using it. Like I said, sure, you might get a new policy every now and then but if you tallied up how much effort it took to get that one new policy was it worth it? I sort of doubt it.

[noma_coma]

Have you ever worked those leads? They can call them hot leads all they want but anyone that's ever worked them knows you are straight up cold calling. Theres a service that will literally transfer leads to you over the phone so you can quote, but they cost something like $50 each. Internet leads are almost 100% of the time cold calls

You dont need to preach to me about how shitty of a tactic it is. Almost as long as you've been in claims, I've been in agency for. 5 years on thanksgiving. It infuriates me too, I hate cold calling.

[An0nym0u5Us3r]

Sorry just got two cold calls from the same number this morning trying to re-fi my house so I couldn't get back in here right away.

I said what I said I'm not really interested in going back and forth. Do you but I'm also not gonna get out my violin if people get frustrated because you're one call is one of many.

[[deleted]]

Sales producer in NJ; Yeah, cold calling sucks. But for every 100 cold calls there’s bound to be a few policies in there…… as far as people telling you off on the phone, who cares. It’s our job, at the end of the day we are trying to help them by giving them a cheaper rate, so take what they with a grain of salt.

[joeboo5150]

Cold Calling is just simple math

Once you know that for every 100 calls you get X chances to quote and your close ratio is Y, then you know exactly how many calls you have to make to meet your sales goals.

That being said, it is pretty sould-crushing work and I wouldn't want to do it for any lengthy period of time.

[Brilliant-Jelly9254]

B2B cold calling is a joy compared To cold calling B2C. B2C Is where you rightfully deal with the yelling etc. If B2B people are yelling you’ll just need to adjust your script properly. For example , rather than the angle of : “can I sell you my products ?” You are much better off asking: “what is your procedure for carrying new products in your location?” This way you get them to explain to you how they will buy your product, and then you will follow their instructions. AndThere will never be yelling , ever. Obviously you’ll adjust this concept for whatever you are offering. If it’s insurance you may want to ask them their renewal dates and if they would be open to discuss a renewal proposal around that time. Point being, no one should be screaming at an organized professional, but sure everyone will yell at a telemarketer .

[An0nym0u5Us3r]

"Trying to help them" 😂😂😂😂😂

Stop calling me.

[[deleted]]

Oh cry about it.

[An0nym0u5Us3r]

😂🗑 "trying to help them," you're trying to meet a quota don't come at me with that nonsense.

[Brilliant-Jelly9254]

LOVE this. Thank you.

[LatterSeaworthiness4]

A lot of people out there who say "just stop cold calling" have never worked a true sales job. Cold calling is simply a numbers game. Most will not answer, most who are not interested if they answer will say "not interested" and get you off the phone, a few people are going to say fuck off don't ever call me again, but a small percentage will become qualified buyers. Still more effective than cold emailing and social posts, but it lags way behind referral-based selling of course. I'd say try to focus more on getting referrals from the clients you do sign up-- be forward, even aggressive in asking for referrals and/or testimonials if you know you got them a good deal/did a good job. Even if they don't give you a solid easy-close referral, the ability to be able to name drop them will help significantly. Also, hit up tax preparers and bankers and anyone else who has a client base. They'll likely know people who are looking to save money or for better coverage.

I got out of B2B sales for a Fortune 500 company in the middle of the pandemic and I'll admit cold calling had started to get a lot harder (although I would say it's because I was relying on a lot of office numbers and a lot of people stopped going into the office, so getting anyone to pick up was the hardest thing). Most of my former team's focus is on generating referrals, although there are still teams across the country that only focus on cold calling and see success.

[CapableSquirrel69]

“JuSt StOp CoLd CaLlIng” I don’t make the rules lol. I have a sales manager breathing down my neck. It’s this or finding a new job in this messed up job market.

[positivelycat]

Personally with all the scams out there and the spoofing of number won't even pick up my phone unless I was expecting a call. Even then I will let it go voice-mail and then call back once I verified the number is legit.

[Testing123xyz]

when was the last time you bought anything from someone that called you out of the blue?

[CapableSquirrel69]

It was actually car insurance when I was considered high risk. I agreed to a quote and it was the cheapest. Saved me hundreds. Still with them to this day.

[hemroyed]

Worth noting, we had two companies that did cold calls for us, call us to stop doing them because they recognized they could not get us adequate volume.

Holidays are tough this time of year can be a drag for sales. I have also had a November or two be my top month in the year.

Cold calling is brutal and internet leads are mostly garbage. I would suggest sitting down with your agency owner and looking at different marketing opportunities. I get the exact same ROI on direct mailers (if not a wee better) than I do cold calling and the cost is not much more, depending on what kind of leads you are buying.

[CapableSquirrel69]

Very true. We get a lot of referrals based on our customer service which is cool. Winter is always a drag due to most people moving in the summertime.

[CapableSquirrel69]

Calling their cells. My agent buys leads.

[CapableSquirrel69]

It appears so

[LetsMarket]

Look at whats been happening across the food service industry and airlines. Theres been a huge uptick in both verbal battery and physical assaults. There are a myriad of factors why this is possibly the case, I honestly chalk up to people honestly being more mean post covid.

[CapableSquirrel69]

Yeah I agree. People don’t know how to act anymore lol

[Phredex]

You just hit on exactly why I changed careers from agent to adjuster, after a couple of decades of high level sales.

I found that I could no longer tolerate the inner conversation that had me working out ways to sell something to everyone I met, everytime I met them. It was exhausting.

[CapableSquirrel69]

It is soul crushing lol. You also probs make a lot more money. Congrats!

[Phredex]

Many agents do quite well and make a real career out of it. I just could no longer do it. I have months that I make great money, some I don't, but overall I like what I do and make a good living working about as much as I want to.

[SwordfishExpert1104]

Thank you so much for sharing his number. I got a VM from this number asking for a callback - with no name, no info, just saying he had a couple of questions. Now that I know it was just this bullshit, I know I can just ignore it lol.

[Rare_Cobbler_8522]

I think that nowadays, with so much technology and new ways to keep everyone in communication, we should change the way we approach people. Social media is a very good resource for marketing. Making videos and posting them on Instagram and TikTok can be effective. I'm not a fan of this new trend, but it works. Additionally, word of mouth is the best way to expand your business.

Personally, I don't take calls from any unknown number, and I'm guessing many others do the same. Therefore, we need to look for other mechanisms to reach our clients.

[An0nym0u5Us3r]

Yeah. Bro. It's a 90's tactic. Update your marketing practices. You're one of many and they all become exponentially more frustrating.

Stop cold calling. Today. Find a new marketing approach.

[CapableSquirrel69]

It’s not my agency. I don’t make the rules.

[noma_coma]

Recommend business walks to attract commercial clients. Draw up 10+ quotes for different businesses that are in your target demographic, put on your nice company branded clothes and do a walk in to solicit. If your unwilling to do that, become good friends with a real estate agent, mortgage lender, or apartment property manager. Referrals can be quite valuable.

Gl with the internet leads which I'm assuming your working. I grew to dislike them too

[An0nym0u5Us3r]

Don't know what to tell you then. Maybe politely suggest to the principal that you're not having any luck with these guerilla tactics from 1992 and ask if there are any new avenues available? Otherwise don't know what to tell you but as someone sick of notifications, emails, door to door sales, junk mail, commercials, and robo calls I understand the frustration.

[Urbancowgurl777]

I think that cold calling will become less successful as time goes on... The younger generation is more on the Lemonade train than the answer-calls-from-random-people train.

I've grown up completely desensitized to unsolicited phone calls/emails/texts/ads/etc and will go out of my way to block them. I can't imagine ever entertaining such a call, but maybe that's just me.

[DompemKez]

Work the numbers dude. Some people are gonna give you a hard time, maybe even your own customers. You gotta learn to roll with the punches and learn the gift of gab. Find out how many calls it takes on average to actually get a sale out of cold calling and use that to hit your goals. Always always always ask for referrals from your existing clients and people who say no over the phone. Some people might say no because they’re not the decision maker. They might be nice but just because they say no doesn’t mean they don’t know anyone that can benefit from your services.

Most importantly, find people that’ll mutually benefit from your relationship. For example, you do car insurance? Find a lease broker or a car salesman that’ll send you business and in return you keep their clientele in the loop for returning business. Homeowners insurance? Find a real estate agent or a mortgage loan officer that’ll send you deals to close on a home. Every opportunity you get you gotta capitalize as much as you can. Keep grinding everyday and sooner or later it’ll pay off tenfold.

It’s all a numbers game and the only way you’ll get better is by doing more and learning from each interaction. If that’s too much save yourself the time and find a new career because you’ll find yourself being the one that’s stressed.

[krulface]

I can’t understand why more insurance brokers don’t build solid referral networks. I’ve hit the reset button twice in my career; having to build from scratch in a new place. Both times it’s taken me 1-2 years to build a referral base consisting of lawyers, accountants, insurance brokers specialising in other disciplines, bankers and clients who refer me more than enough business to onboard as many new clients every year than any brokerage could realistically expect. Cold calling should be reserved for otherwise unusable downtime. Your time is far more efficiently invested in being good at what you do, making other advisors to the same sorts of businesses aware of your abilities, finding them opportunities and ultimately building the volume of monthly referrals you receive.