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[Adam Taha Contribution Level: 8]

The lesson for all of us? Do your market research! Spend time on prospects who want what you have and are ready to buy, not the ones that typically buy from someone else or don't like what you have to offer.

Yes, spot on. It's the number one rule in marketing and strange though, so many break it.

Great insight there dude.

Adam

[Gary A. Mitchell Contribution Level: 2]

That's for sure Adam;

It is a big waste of time to try selling an unqualified prospect or customer. I love this quote by Mike Dillard. I have it printed and up on my wall: "Sales are a transfer of beliefs from one person to another".

So true and if you have no idea who your trying to reason with then it's a crap shoot at best!

Gary

[John Murphy Contribution Level: 4]

I guess my thought is different than everyone else:

My first thought is going door to door is rough...

I've done it before, not the best way to build a business. But hell what not...

Here is the thing: Everything works if you are willing to do it!

To be successful in business we have to be a bunch of stuff to making money and be successful.

What I am getting at here is this: If you have no other choice to reach your goals, are you willing to go door to door to get the results you need?

One day you might now have to do this, but today, to pay the bills, going door to door might be the very task required to get the job done.

[Verniel Cutar Company: Global Domains International, Inc Contribution Level: 3]

I take my hats off to the door to door salesman..because it takes a lot of thick skin and persistence to do that kind of job. What he's doing is that he's playing it by the numbers and expects to receive a huge amount of rejection. But hey, he makes his income on the TINY percentage of folks who say yes. Don't get mad at me Ryan Wilcox, but I do believe there is very little that MARKET RESEARCH can do for this type of saleman. The best strategy for door to door is simply to saturate the territory. Knock on every home...without discrimination. What he should have improved upon is his qualifying skills. He should be able to recognize an interested prospect from someone who doesn't need the product. A series of opening questions would uncover if you are a prospect for STEAK that day. At least he could have asked for a referral...or if he was likeable enough, he would be asked to come back on another day.

A few years ago, when I was selling food supplements door to door, I would get invited inside people's homes. Most of the time, people don't buy. The ratio is often 20 to 1. (20 houses to 1 actual prospect). However, people would always say, "why don't you drop by some other time, I have a relative who I think might need those..."

Majority of people won't buy today but if you act professionally and doesn't intrude or force your way into making a sale, people will appreciate what you do. Whether they buy or not, you maintain your self respect.

In essence, selling via direct response is like door to door sales. The principles are the same. You play it by the numbers. You improve your proposition. You appeal to ALL people inside your market and sort them later. The only difference is that REJECTION is not felt personally in direct response sales. When people reject your proposition written on a sales page, they just leave your site thank you very much. It's painless.

[Dave Kotecki Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 5]

I'm struggling with this one.

You eat steak. You buy it at the local grocery store, probably at least a few times a month.

How are you not a prospect for a steak salesman?

[Adam Taha Contribution Level: 8]

I'm struggling with this one.

You eat steak. You buy it at the local grocery store, probably at least a few times a month.

How are you not a prospect for a steak salesman?

I won't mix logic with this mate. We know by now logic doesn't come into the equasion much when it comes to sales. There's more to it.

He is a prospect for steak but not for this sales person. Just because someone is selling same thing etc, doesn't mean that's what's going to decide for the customer to buy from this sales person.

If we think that way, sales will go down like crazy.

We tend to think logic and if one does, they failed big time on their sales letter and capture pages, and also on their google adwords.

1. The customer says no. He should have listened and let it go. Maybe even asked..

"Ok, but can you give me your reasons and just a thought, if you did, what would be the reason to buy off me?"

Now, because of this emotional experience in the customer mind, it's worse. Now, they'll make sure to try every possible way to avoid from buying from this sales person.

We have to look at it from the prospect point of view not logic on..

You buy steak anyway, so why wouldn't you buy off him.

There's more to it than this. There's a history with the shop he bought, experiences, loyalty, feeling of comfort, and he's going to let go of this because a stranger, a sales person knocked on door who also sells steak?

Nah, I don't think so.

He may get some customers but he'll be knocking on a lot of doors for sure. A lot of doors.

Adam

[Jeannie Pitt Contribution Level: 2]

hmmm...double post, delete option is eluding me

[Jeannie Pitt Contribution Level: 2]

But dude?! Have you ever TRIED the steak from a door-to-door steak salesman? It's really, really good! From an objective, non-BetterNetworker, non-salesman point of view, I'm wondering who's the one who really missed out here....

[Dave Kotecki Company: Life Force International Contribution Level: 5]

The fact that you happen to buy your steak elsewhere is simply an objection to be overcome.
I'm not just trying to be contrary, the fact is that if you don't sell your customers you will not succeed in a
sales business.
This is a sales business. Make as many friends as you want, develop hundreds of relationships.
At the end of the day, if they don't buy, you both lose.
Learn to sell. You'll make a lot more money and help others to do the same.

Great Book: Tom Hopkins - How To Master The Art Of Selling

[John Murphy Contribution Level: 4]

I believe if you look any the best marketers they all have some instant where they were involved with cold calling and direct sales...