Rookies: read this!

First: I want to think BondGuy and Gaddock and many others who did more than our training program ever could. I wanted to share my experience and how I went from the bottom quartile to the top. Just to preface, I got my number one month before the market bottomed in March of 2009.

I see so many people struggling to find what works. If you continue to struggle you will fail. Period.

There are three ways to make it in this business. 1. You are independently wealthy. 2. You partner with a senior FA and inherit a book. 3. You bust your tail building a business

I am going to assume you all are in the #3 category. If you weren't, why would you be reading this.

First Key: This is a contact business. What can you do to contact a lot of people in the most efficient manner? Anything else is a waste of time.

I thought I could network my way to prosperity. In my first six months I went to every dang chamber function there was. I was active in Rotary and Lions. I volunteered at a food bank. I did very little business from these activities.

In month 6 I thought I was going to get the axe. I had opened a dozen or so accounts and was in the bottom quartile of my training class. By month 12 I was in the first quartile, and was in the top three in new accounts and assets. So what happened between month six and month 12?

I began to develop a pipeline of prospects. I read everything I could by BONDGUY and GADDOCK. Then, I began to dial.

Most of you are probably avoiding cold calling because you hate rejection. You are coming up with every excuse in the book. Market is too hight, too low, to jittery, a democrat is in office. You also waste time trying to refine your script. You make five calls, and change your script. STOP!!!! Cold Calling is what you make it. You can't control the other person, but you can control your attitude.

Here are the three keys:

1. Get to the office early (6:30am) This gives you time to do your research and other time wasting activities without interrupting productivity.

2. Find a AAA Rated Bond and a list of names (I used Manta to generate a list of business owners). I used a zip code referenced phone book and scrubbed the list with the DNC for residential. When our computer when down I ripped pages out of the phone book. You laugh, but it still works. I also used Sales Genie as our firm had a contract. (Everyone I called was in another area code)

3. Dial the Phone and ask for business

That's It! I came in the office at 6:15 and dialed business owners from 7 to 9 am. I led with a bond. At 9 am I took 15 minutes to grab a cup of coffee. At 9:15 I got on the phone until 11:15 calling people at home. I led with a bond. At 11:15 I left for an hour of lunch. At 12:15 I called busines owners until 1:00. I led with a bond. From 1 to 3 I called senior citizens at home. I led with a Bond. At 3:00 I took a 30 minute break. At 3:30 I got back on the phone until 5:00 calling business owners. I led with a bond. Two nights a week I would call residential homes from 6:30 until 7:45.

I made an average of 400 dials a day. I averaged 52 contacts per day (someone picked up phone and spoke). I spoke with 15 decision makers per day, and ended each day with 3 prospects. That means 3 qaulified prospects. After one month of doing this I had to block time for follow up calls.

My script was simple: I have a AAA Rated Bond yielding X%. (Pause) Are you looking to invest in corporates, or would you prefer tax free municipal bonds?

That's it. I would let it go from there. Did people say no? Yup. Did they say not interested? Yup. Most of them did. Here is the great thing: I could always hang up the phone. And: I could dial the next number.

I was always polite and respectful, but at the same time I was authoritative in my tone. I would ALWAYS ask for a commitment. Examples: Do you have $50k to put to work today? If you like the idea, would you have $100k to put to work? We have 100 of these bonds left in inventory. Would you like the whole $100k?

If they weren't ready to buy I would ask if I could follow up. Could I follow up with you next week? Could I follow up with you tomorrow? Could I get your email and send you some information on our research department?

On day three I sold $100k of a bond to a guy who just had a CD mature at his bank I opened 22 accounts the first month doing this. The smallest account was $25k. The largest was $150k. I brought in just under 1.1 million that month and did just north of $10k in production!  I made 7,125 dials, 855 contacts, spoke to 241 DM's, opened 22 accounts, and never had a single appointment. Appointments take time. Time is money. I was tired of meeting with someone for an hour only to have them fiddle around and do nothing with their $50k rollover.

The next month I had a decent pipeline and opened 35 accounts. I also brought in additional money from exisiting accounts. I did $14k the next month, and $18 th following.

Let's recap:

1. Get to the office early

2. Have a two line script with a AAA rated bond and a list of names

3. Dial and ask for business

Here are some rules: NO CALL OVER 10 MINUTES! There are people who want to talk. Let them talk to someone else. Most dials who became clients were busy and wanted to get to the point. Most people who want to talk have nothing better to do. "Sir, that's interesting, but our office is on fire. I have to go." Whatever.

It is not a contest to see how many people you can get from no to yes. It is a contest of how many people will say yes. Don't waste time arguing with people.

Have fun and show some enthusiasm on the phone.

Don't be a jerk.

I do some other things with clients, but I position myself initially as their best resource for their safe money. I called our bond desk and learned how to speak bondanese. I call the desk every morning and ask for the bond of the day. I never, ever sound like I need to sell a bond to feed my family. You need this bond so you can continue to feed yours.

I firmly believe you must cold call to be successful in this business if you are building a book from scratch.  Stop making excuses and start dialing!