Sales pitch help

[Stu Plows]

Having become a fully qualified Independent Financial Adviser last year and teamed up with my Will and Estate planning qualifications, I was allowed some 'bedding in' time before the real hard work started this year.

I have got to start getting some business in for the company, and for me really.

I recently sent a letter out to a few companies, all businesses within the cycling industry, vaguely detailing the services that I can offer to them and if they would spare a short amount of time for me to expand on this a little further over a coffee.

My letter explains that I will call them after a week and arrange to book a meeting, if they are not interested, merely send a quick email saying 'not interested'.

My problem is calling to arrange the meeting, and you have the guys who haven't read much further than the second sentence because they aren't interested or don't have the time to read the letter. I then feel as if I am on the back foot and at any given second I'm on the end of the receiver being slammed down.

My request for help is a simple one - I need some advice on how to sell myself to people, how is it best to go about it? This is the first time I have had to work on the sales side of work and it is bloody hard!

I hate rejection, FACT.

Hopefully people aren't too bored reading this. Maybe that's also my problem?

 

[ScotiaLass]

This is my opinion...
If I received a letter, I would probably not read past the first few lines. I also wouldn't want someone calling me a week later...it is too pushy.

I would probably prefer a phone call, keeping it brief and suggesting a meeting over coffee to explain further.
Face to face is always best, IMO. BUT, saying that, I don't you how your line of business works.

 

[JoeyB]

If you hate rejection then you are going to struggle. Once you get over that you won't be on the back foot when on the phone...learn to expect it and then you won't be surprised. In my experience people buy from people, so get yourself to some networking events and start building relationships. Keep going back to the same events as you'll then get to know people and it will slowly become easier.

Cold calling has its place but its a time consuming numbers game, and you will have to make a lot of calls to reap any benefit later on.

 

[asterix]

Having become a fully qualified Independent Financial Adviser last year and teamed up with my Will and Estate planning qualifications, I was allowed some 'bedding in' time before the real hard work started this year.

I have got to start getting some business in for the company, and for me really.

I recently sent a letter out to a few companies, all businesses within the cycling industry, vaguely detailing the services that I can offer to them and if they would spare a short amount of time for me to expand on this a little further over a coffee.

My letter explains that I will call them after a week and arrange to book a meeting, if they are not interested, merely send a quick email saying 'not interested'.

My problem is calling to arrange the meeting, and you have the guys who haven't read much further than the second sentence because they aren't interested or don't have the time to read the letter. I then feel as if I am on the back foot and at any given second I'm on the end of the receiver being slammed down.

My request for help is a simple one - I need some advice on how to sell myself to people, how is it best to go about it? This is the first time I have had to work on the sales side of work and it is bloody hard!

I hate rejection, FACT. The gentleman at Cyclepowermeters palmed me away pretty quickly this morning with a 'not interested', which would have been fine, but I put at the bottom of his letter that I would like some advice and to have a discussion on a Power Meter also, business is business and all that, not interested.

Hopefully people aren't too bored reading this. Maybe that's also my problem?

Have you watched the Wolf of Wall Street?

Alternatively you could buy his video at $1997.

 

[Stu Plows]

If you hate rejection then you are going to struggle. Once you get over that you won't be on the back foot when on the phone...learn to expect it and then you won't be surprised. In my experience people buy from people, so get yourself to some networking events and start building relationships. Keep going back to the same events as you'll then get to know people and it will slowly become easier.

Cold calling has its place but its a time consuming numbers game, and you will have to make a lot of calls to reap any benefit later on.

I'm also hitting the Networking groups. The way I see Networking groups is it's a give and take agreement as such, I give them business and they take some of mine. I often feel that as I am not a decision maker, I don't want to waste someone's time with their services they offer as I will only have to refer back to the powers that be. But maybe I have Networking all wrong.

 

[Stu Plows]

Have you watched the Wolf of Wall Street?

Alternatively you could buy his video at $1997.

Funny you should mention that film, I watched it last week with the Mrs. That's the sort of confidence on the phone I would like I guess.

 

[Stu Plows]

This is my opinion...
If I received a letter, I would probably not read past the first few lines. I also wouldn't want someone calling me a week later...it is too pushy.

I would probably prefer a phone call, keeping it brief and suggesting a meeting over coffee to explain further.
Face to face is always best, IMO. BUT, saying that, I don't you how your line of business works.

Honestly, all feedback is welcome.

I have thought about maybe a door to door day, but maybe that's not how to go about it - I'm just not sure. All ideas are welcome.

 

[fossyant]

Bit of advice, don't go naming companies who were not interested on a public forum. It's upto them if they are interested, and a little bad mouthing won't help.

I'd suggest you edit the first post ! You'll get many times more 'not interested' than interested comments.

 

[Stu Plows]

Bit of advice, don't go naming companies who were not interested on a public forum. It's upto them if they are interested, and a little bad mouthing won't help.

I'd suggest you edit the first post ! You'll get many times more 'not interested' than interested comments.

Good point, poor form. Never thought.

 

[byegad]

I tend to react badly to anyone touting for work. If I want financial advice, my roof mending or new windows and doors I'd much prefer to do this by word of mouth or my own efforts at finding the service I want. So advertise, advertise and advertise again. Give references if you have any and don't be put off if you call me and I put the phone down. I've sold over the phone in the past and you cannot afford to either get upset by rejection or waste time trying to persuade an unwilling customer to buy.
It's a hard job selling cold and you must adapt to it or go under.

 

[asterix]

Funny you should mention that film, I watched it last week with the Mrs. That's the sort of confidence on the phone I would like I guess.

Yes, crooked though Belfort was, De Caprio's impersonation was brilliant.

Bit of advice, don't go naming companies who were not interested on a public forum. It's upto them if they are interested, and a little bad mouthing won't help.

.

a.k.a. 'Professionalism'.

Rejection is not a personal attack, you just have to ride over it and move on.

 

[JoeyB]

I'm also hitting the Networking groups. The way I see Networking groups is it's a give and take agreement as such, I give them business and they take some of mine. I often feel that as I am not a decision maker, I don't want to waste someone's time with their services they offer as I will only have to refer back to the powers that be. But maybe I have Networking all wrong.

There are different types of network group, some only allow decision makers / business owners but not all. Don't worry whether or not you can reciprocate the favour by returning business, just focus on getting business for you / your company. Nobody is keeping track of who referred what (unless you go to a BNI group lol)

 

[Hacienda71]

Join your local chamber of commerce, ours has loads of networking events, you can offer member to member discounts and you can target the director, partner level of most companies. Try to link up with local accountants who don't have an IFA function at their practice. Also introduce yourself to other local professionals. Get yourself on Linkedin more for name reecognition, a bit like facebook for business, not my thing particularly but I do know people who have got jobs as a result.

 

[MarkF]

Are you self employed Stu or an associate, or what? If the former, you'd better get over rejection fast. Nothing wrong with your emailing and then calling, I do it, you've been polite enough to not cold call first and given a time that you will phone, that's standard practice. You will, occasionally (), find somebody is expecting your call and be all "warmed" up, for you and you have only achieved the same result as through any other advertising medium.

I get salesmen ringing me maybe 5/6 times day, I'm often on site and busy and I can be curt, but if they've already sent an email, then mostly, I am not.

I advertise all over the web, locally too, flyers, posters the lot. But, when work is in short supply, sitting by and looking the phone, will not produce any tangible results. So........

I tend to react badly to anyone touting for work.

Tough, I need to feed my kids and pay 2 people.

 

[byegad]

Are you self employed Stu or an associate, or what? If the former, you'd better get over rejection fast. Nothing wrong with your emailing and then calling, I do it, you've been polite enough to not cold call first and given a time that you will phone, that's standard practice. You will, occasionally (), find somebody is expecting your call and be all "warmed" up, for you and you have only achieved the same result as through any other advertising medium.

I get salesmen ringing me maybe 5/6 times day, I'm often on site and busy and I can be curt, but if they've already sent an email, then mostly, I am not.

I advertise all over the web, locally too, flyers, posters the lot. But, when work is in short supply, sitting by and looking the phone, will not produce any tangible results. So........



Tough, I need to feed my kids and pay 2 people.

I fully understand, just be prepared to move on when I'm very abrupt.