DTA,

Give some background....how old, area of country, yrs in the biz, main pitch.

i like how you are calling it an accountability journal. spot on. it is tough to hold yourself accountable.

31 years old tomorrow! I am in the Pacific Northwest, but licensed and connected in California as well. I am brand new, but have cold calling experience. I am still trying to figure out my pitch and whether to lead with a product or service/ portfolio review. 

great! im 26.  New England area. been in the biz since 06, production since jan 2010.

i have ftried everything for attracting assets and all have been some what successful, but i think the only way to build a book is by cold calling. it sucks completely but it is effective. i would def. lead with product. im saying that from experience. and it has to be eye opening. today i pitched a tax free investment grade bond getting 7.5%. that opens a few doors.

i like that you are trying to be accountable. that is the most important thing. if you say you are going to do it, do it. i look forward to seeing your progress and sharing ideas and call logs.

Rook-

i've seen on a couple posts you have been writing about how you lead with product and sometimes ask for appointment.  As some relatively new, could you enlighten me on how you do that?  I have been going back and forth with the product/appt pitch and I think as a young guy (23) product is the way to go.  How to you segway to appt?  Do you try to close if they seem somewhat interested? 

Any thoughts you could share would be greatly appreciated.

my advice (and i may not be the best to give advice) is to do both. do a 100 dials of each. it doesnt matter. anyway to open the door and talk. Personally, i lead with product because there is a talking item.

Mr smith, i have a high quality tax free bond paying 7.5%/year. do you invest in bonds or have money tied up in CDs

that makes more sense than

mr. smith, would you like to sit down for a portfolio review so i can show you how you and your "advisor" screwed everything up?

i have done the appt approach and just didnt like it.

I like your approach.  I am two years in and one piece of advice I wish I would of been giving, is to not over think things.  Stick to what works FOR YOU, and keep doing it.  You can spend a lot of time tweaking things and pondering "what ifs", but when you boil it all down it is as simple as, it's nothing more than a numbers game.  And I think you have that figured out.

Take advice with a grain of salt.

You're very much on the right track.  Looking forward to seeing ur success.

After a fun day of fixing a flat tire and having to deal with meetings most of the day, I finally was able to start cold calling. I know the numbers are extremely weak, but I am happy I was able to get on the phone. I consider tomorrow my first day.

Calls: 27

Contacts: 11

Prospects: 1 

DTA,

it is tough to get started huh? never feels you are prepared enough which i hate.

dials - 122

contacts- 11

prospects- 1

what are you calling on? product or appt? residents or business owners? just curious what is working?

I am calling on residents between the ages of 40 and 60 who have express interest in working with a different investment firm. In my area, the best approach seems to be call/mail/call. I would rather just go for the appt. on the first call, but most people are very reluctant. I have a pretty large list of business owners I will call beginning in the fall.

[quote=DTA]

I am calling on residents between the ages of 40 and 60 who have express interest in working with a different investment firm. In my area, the best approach seems to be call/mail/call. I would rather just go for the appt. on the first call, but most people are very reluctant. I have a pretty large list of business owners I will call beginning in the fall.

[/quote]

Are your contact number for calling people a second time?

Otherwise how would you know they have expressed interest in working with a different investment firm?

Also how does 1 person make 27 dials and get 11 contacts and another makes 122 dials and gets the same number?

What are each of you defining as a contact?

Just curious..

Squash,

The list I am using is one that my manager provided for me. He subscribes to a service and thats about as much as I know about that. I consider a contact as a person who let me get through my pitch and possibly asked a question. A prospect is someone who was interested in receiving some info from me.

If I should be going at it differently?

Please, any input is greatly appreciated.

Also, my calls were made between 4:30 and 6:00 in the afternoon when people were more likely to be home.  

Guys & Gals

I'm new this forum and have been reading a lot of posts lately.  It's time for me to start cold calling as well and I see a few of you have started posting results here.  I'd like to join a "Group" or the forum to hold myself accountable as well. I had a coworker and I hold each other accoutable for a few weeks until he left, and that was the end of it.

IMO,  I consider contacts as (An adult who answers the phone)

Prospect - (One that has sizeable assets, Somewhat interested and I want to call back)

[quote=squash2]

[quote=DTA]

I am calling on residents between the ages of 40 and 60 who have express interest in working with a different investment firm. In my area, the best approach seems to be call/mail/call. I would rather just go for the appt. on the first call, but most people are very reluctant. I have a pretty large list of business owners I will call beginning in the fall.

[/quote]

Are your contact number for calling people a second time?

Otherwise how would you know they have expressed interest in working with a different investment firm?

[/quote]

Squash, you can buy lists from companies with that criteria.  The person interested in "working with a different investment firm" sent back a mailed questionaire piece that was located in a credit card statement, cable bill, etc.

DTA let me know if those work for you?.

[quote=Stockguy2011]

[quote=squash2]

[quote=DTA]

I am calling on residents between the ages of 40 and 60 who have express interest in working with a different investment firm. In my area, the best approach seems to be call/mail/call. I would rather just go for the appt. on the first call, but most people are very reluctant. I have a pretty large list of business owners I will call beginning in the fall.

[/quote]

Are your contact number for calling people a second time?

Otherwise how would you know they have expressed interest in working with a different investment firm?

[/quote]

Squash, you can buy lists from companies with that criteria.  The person interested in "working with a different investment firm" sent back a mailed questionaire piece that was located in a credit card statement, cable bill, etc.

DTA let me know if those work for you?.

[/quote] Find those "lists" are mostly crap...

[quote=squash2]

[quote=Stockguy2011]

[quote=squash2]

[quote=DTA]

I am calling on residents between the ages of 40 and 60 who have express interest in working with a different investment firm. In my area, the best approach seems to be call/mail/call. I would rather just go for the appt. on the first call, but most people are very reluctant. I have a pretty large list of business owners I will call beginning in the fall.

[/quote]

Are your contact number for calling people a second time?

Otherwise how would you know they have expressed interest in working with a different investment firm?

[/quote]

Squash, you can buy lists from companies with that criteria.  The person interested in "working with a different investment firm" sent back a mailed questionaire piece that was located in a credit card statement, cable bill, etc.

DTA let me know if those work for you?.

[/quote] Find those "lists" are mostly crap...

[/quote]

Wouldn't disagree... Can be expensive too - $2-4 a name.

My "crap list" was free so if it only produced one client, my ROI would be acceptable...

All I can say is, don't do any business with "Prestige Management"  Awfull Lead Service company and terrible customer service.

Any services that are worth it?