The brain bone not connected to the phone bone...

Brain bone possibly not connected with anything...

Sorry to be negative again. I'm posting this in the heat of the moment. I just got off the phone with a "prospect." I use that word very loosely (as it turns out).

Overall problem -- it makes no difference whether an idea is GREAT, or a PIECE OF CRAP -- the reaction to it, is THE SAME.

Without getting into the GORY details, let's just say I was speaking to someone who COULD make a bunch of ADDITIONAL money "from nowhere" WITHOUT *ANY* additional effort on their part. It is a NO BRAINER to at least TRY. No risk or ANY spending of one cent. No addt'l effort -- yet $$$ yield could be very good.

Prospect runs 50 (yes, 50) trucks (again, I won't get into the details) -- but it's a TOTAL mom+pop operation.

I call and keep getting the machine. I don't leave a msg. Then, just now someone answers. A woman. I ask, "Is Brian there?" No, I'm his wife, she says. Then she asks, "Who are you?" I say, I have something I wanted to run by Brian, as a way you could make additional money, WITHOUT any additional effort (I'm not really sure how I put it, exactly).

Then she says, "Tell me." I begin to explain (but I get the impression she's a workhorse type of person -- and not too bright). Part of what I explain involves the WORD website -- but NOTHING TO DO WITH *THEIR* WEBSITE -- she immediately jumps in with "We already have a website." Signifying that she has not listened to (or understood) a word I've said.

Then she says, "I'll discuss it with my husband, and get back to you if we're interested."

In short, I'm sure they'll never call back. There's NO WAY she can explain "it" to her husband -- she has no idea what "it" is!

Apparently the ability to FIELD incoming ideas is somehow proportional to the number of teeth one has. In this case, that ability is ZERO.

I got kinda rude at the end (as I saw THEM loosing out on the possible income for ***THEM*** -- yes, I am GENUINELY more interested in the income THEY will get from this!!!).

I just see this happening over + over again.

Again, if their ears are TOTALLY SHUT TIGHT, it makes no difference if an incoming idea is GREAT or a piece of crap.

It's a real SHAME!!!

-- TW

PS: I guess what I'm saying here is, it makes no difference if I'm calling to GET money (selling something), or if I'm calling to GIVE THEM MONEY (!!!), at least in this case, they are UNABLE to field an incoming idea -- even if it would mean money flowing *TO* them!

[MMacGillivray]

Hi, TW - you've gotta stand back from this a little and figure out how many cold calls this company is getting every day (unless they already know you, of course). We get loads of folks ... and it gets wearing after a while - especially if you want to use the phone to solve a more urgent business problem.

One option is to run a mile from them because they're trouble with a capital T. Your call on this.

The other option is to find a different way to get your message through the filtering system - a letter, visiting them in person, a cute postcard, a .... ... well something which gets to the husband and not the wife.

One more try with them and see which other trucking companies might qualify for whatever it is you're pitching.

...

Best
Margaret

Thanks for that. I'm a little calmer now.

What gets me is -- even if what I am offering is TOTALLY self-less (meaning I am focused 100% on what THEY would get out of "it" -- and my motives ARE genuine), I get the exact same reaction as if I was BERNIE MADOFF (a giant SWINDLER).

So, making the offer 100% THEM-oriented does NOT yield any better result than if it were a TOTAL CON JOB. The receiving end (them) is INCAPABLE of seeing the difference -- and they seem not to WANT to see the difference.

If I were to hand out 100-dollar bills on a street corner, they'd hold them up to the light and crumple them up + throw them in the nearest garbage bin, accompanied by a skeptical grumble.

Real 100-dollar bills get thrown away at the exact same rate as fake money.

Can't wrap my brain around that knee-jerk reaction to incoming ideas.

One would think, in order to REJECT an idea, one would FIRST have to KNOW WHAT THE IDEA *IS* -- no?

-- TW

TW, it sounds like your prospect wasn't properly qualifed to start with. Next, you didn't really engage the person you talked to...nor did you qualify her as to her role in the company or her ability to comprehend and pass along your information. You just went right in assuming the wife of Brian would be equivalent to talking with Brian. Not necessarily so!

About engaging the prospect: you need to get THEM talking to/with YOU instead of you doing all the talking. Probe a bit and ask them about their business, her role in the business, ask her if the business is having any fulfillment or other problems. Get them talking to you!

You're too anxious to tell all you know without making sure that your co-communicator wasn't left at the starting gate wondering what you're trying to do..or what it means to them. Slow down. Take time to show INTEREST IN THEM. Be friendly, engage in a minimal amount of small talk. Do some research on the prospect before you go to their business. Find out what interests them, why they're in the business, what community projects they support...anything that will give you a foothold, a common thread to establish rapport.

Hope this is some help.

Sandi Bowman

I do know all that you said -- but I didn't apply it in this case.

After the disas... err, I mean phone call (+ before I read your post), I DID do some research -- turns out I would have had a PERRRRFECT (+ INSTANT) IN with them -- I found an article (would have been like DIVINE INTERVENTION!) dated a few days ago, about how they just got burned by a big company who FAILED to pay them $4,800 they were owed. I've NEVER seen an article with that subject matter, EVER.

Had I researched it FIRST, I could've said, "I have a way for you to recover that $4,800 -- without ANY effort on your part...[etc.]"

That "in" is SO perfect, I think I might give them another try. Maybe I'll GO THERE in person this time.

I really WANT to help people -- I just REFUSE to get into a position where I am twisting THEIR arm, to get them to "LET" me help them!!

That's the Willie Lowman zone that forces one to relinquish one's own SANITY! -- and I REFUSE to do that (any more).

-- TW

TW,

Imagine this...

The phone rings and you pick it up...

Hello, is your wife there?

[you think: voice doesn't sound familiar, wonder who it is and what they want]

I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name nor what you're calling about.

I'd like to run something by her.

[he didn't answer any of my questions. The mysterious voice has not told me Who he is or why he is calling. I don't TRUST him. Probably some sales call, again.]

She's not available. Why don't you tell me and I'll pass it on when he's ready.

... save money... no cost to you... blah blah blah

[yep, sounds like a sales call to me. Says it won't Cost us anything but we've heard that one plenty of times before]

Yeah, sounds good I'll let her know and if she's interested I'll get her to call you back, ok?

[fobbed off that one, now where was I doing that crossword]

TW, your problem... and it is YOUR problem... is that you want something from them. You can say you're being altruistic or whatever, you still want something from them, don't you? THAT is what comes through.

There are guys the world over who talk and interact daily with women at work - whom they have no Interest in. BUT, the moment there is a flicker of attraction and therefore the guy Wants something from the woman - whatever that something is - he turns to blubber.

Now, say you DO have a way for them to get that money back. Telling them over the phone you can do it and asking for a go ahead is akin to the blubbering guy. YOU want something. It doesn't matter what you say. They ain't buying it because...

1: They don't know you
2: They don't trust you
3: They don't believe you
4: They didn't contact you first
5: You were not recommended by a friend

Someone who did NOT want something would tell them how they can do it themselves, wouldn't they? Even in writing because they were so helpful. Without any expectation of reward or even a Thanks. Sure, a small PS of offer of help is a courtesy if they don't want to do it themselves. But otherwise...

See the difference?

Michael Ross

I understand it's my problem -- I didn't say in my op it was their problem. Or, more accurately, it is I who must figure out the solution to the problem. The problem is not my 'fault' -- or theirs -- it just "is."

The responsibility for finding a solution to the problem is mine (only) -- I get that.

One way of finding a solution is to (first) rant a little -- which is what my op was, basically. There was a twinge of blame, but mostly I was trying to outline the problem. It's a fence or hurdle -- and I must find a way to get around or under it somehow.

-- TW

I use something I call...."Pre-Conditioned, Controlled, Mailing"

1) I call the owner...introduce myself, tell him "I have a way for him to bring in more customers (clients, patients) via the internet and May I send more info.
2) I send my Giant PostCard with a little more info and..."Call my FREE Recorded Message to receive more info about this!
3) If he leaves his Name after the message...I then know I have a HOT one and will usually call for an appointment...or...many times, I just hop on over.

I've found that trying to provide ENOUGH info on an initial phone call is a waste of time. They think you are selling something and the "lead-wall" goes up where they shut you off and are just looking for a way to "nicely" end the call and hang up.

They are NOT Ready to make ANY "Buying Decisions" at THIS point in the "game".

I call this "TugBoat-Marketing".....referring to how a little tugboat is able to tow a huge ship into port with a huge chain. The tug starts by firing a Nylon Line up to the guys on the bow. They pull the nylon up, which has a rope tied at the end. They pull up the rope which has a chain tied to it.

Whala! Same with prospects. You must "Reel Them In"...slowly. And, when you finally sit down and talk to them, face-to-face, they've already expressed a Solid Interest in what you're selling AND....they've Seen or Heard YOUR NAME....3 Times.

I've been using this "Voice Mail" thingy ever since I learned it from Gary Halbert back in 1985. It STILL WORKS....for MY stuff anyway.

I can't understand some of the posts I've seen on other Forums where people have said, "I made 100 calls and didn't get one appointment!"

This is called, "Working Hard, Not Smart!"

Wow! If I get 3 "No's" in a row...I immediately CHANGE my words or approach.

Don Alm

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