How am I supposed to Make $ if ALL my leads are in Timbuktu?

I just got my lead list today, and ALL of them are over 160 miles round trip away. So its a 2 hour drive up and a 2 hour drive up. If I get no call/no showed, then obviously I make no money. For every 5, I have probably 1 sale, including the no shows. With the price of gas going up, I am really concerned. Then we have the morning office meeting at 8. So I get to the actual selling area around 11, and don't get home until 7 or 8. Now I can see maybe 1 or 2 days of this a week, but when they put EVERY lead at the FAR end of the territory, with the cost of gas, I just don't know if the job 'Insurance' is making me money or wasting me money. -Boxurian

I'm fishing here. Can you generate your own leads and how would you go about generating them? That's one question.

Another is do you know how to quality/disqualify on the phone so you only visit with high probability prospects?

One of my distributors spent a lot of time driving here and there - I did the same once upon a time - selling nothing. Today she generates her own leads, calls, and does a good job of qualifying/disqualifying. Consequently sales are up, sponsoring is up (something we do in network marketing) and long drive time far far away is way way down.

MitchM -MitchM

We get a list of about 200 leads to work for the month and we can work any referrals we get from the leads, no matter where they are in the state, because we are licensed for the state. Hopefully they will give me lots of referrals closer to where I am at. -Boxurian

The question is how do you qualify/disqualify over the phone? By becoming skilled in that you will save yourself time and gas and sit down with people who tell you they want what you offer.

I suggest getting a copy of the book "High Probability Selling" by Jacques Werth for starts.

MitchM -MitchM

The one thing that jumps out at me is you are focusing on the negative. If you focus on the negative, you'll get negative results. Focus on the positive. You have 160 leads you didn't have yesterday. Be grateful you have them and focus on how you're going to turn them in to sales.

Also follow the advice of some of the other posts. The just get to work and make it happen. -Jim Klein

Agree with Jim....too much negativity. You are not going to be successful with the wrong attitude. I know people that would give just about anything for half that many leads.

Use your time wisely and get back into a positive mindset. Obviously if they are leads there is a need in Tibuktu.

Success,

Rory Wilfong -rwilfong

We can all toss a cliche or some common phrase at you, Buxorian, none of which will address the problem of learning the business you're in and how to do it successfully.

It still gets back to basics: How do you qualify/disqualify over the phone? By becoming skilled in that you will save yourself time and gas and only sit down with people who tell you they want what you offer.

That doesn't mean that 100% will buy but it does mean your sales will grow and you'll have more time to find more high probability prospects.

The best to you.

MitchM -MitchM

I think you gave him the best advice anyone could give. It's all about learning to qualify/disqualify over the phone. I'm in the insurance business also. I don't kow how many leads "Boxurian" has but if he has 10 leads then, as he says, he will make two sales. I'll drive 160 miles any day of the week for two sales! And probably for one sale in hopes of getting referrals! Also as you say, you have to develop your own leads. Very good advice on your part. -mcaldwell

Hi Boxurian,

I agree with Mitch and Jim. The pre-screening process is vital, because some people who don't pre-screen believe they can get there and win the sale, mostly wasting the trip not knowing that the prospect was never a prospect in the first place.

I have a few questions:

How dependent are you on those leads? Do you have to process them?
How are you leveraging your exposure i.e. how many different ways can you get your message in front of people in a guerilla type marketing format where you are teaching a crowd of interested people valuable information about your product or field? Some people leverage their prospecting by finding speaking and teaching venues to bless people with valuable information while leveraging their brand / product / service.

A friend and coach of mine uses this extensively by setting up venues where one client organizes a lunch with a topic, others invite guests, and the coach or a guest speaker speak to a crows on valuable issues while leveraging their exposure. All parties involved benefit through this kind of networking venture in a non-threatening environment.

Just some ideas for you to rummage through. It would help if we knew more about your product, margin and sales goals i.e. how many sales you need to meet your goals each month. Then the daily disciplines could be focused so that you are not spending so much time on low probability engagements.

Hope some of this helps!
Blessings,
Aaron -divineeducation