Real cold
‘Knock, knock.
Who’s there?
A life insurance salesman. ‘
That’s as cold as it gets.
I started my sales career walking the streets of London,
knocking on people’s doors.
“Hi, I’m Ned from Allied Dunbar”
That’s the company I work for.
(We were also known as Allied Crowbar because we will get your money from you)
It wasn’t the best of companies, but it taught me something.
Taught me hard knocks.
When you knock on someone’s door on a cold, wet, rainy London night
With your best Marks and Spencer suit,
your best smile,
and your best opening line,
and you’re met with a cold response.
and that happens.
again and again and again.
It is pretty brutal
It’s also sometimes magic.
Because you start to realize they are not angry at you personally.
It’s the situation.
It’s the reality that you knocked on their door while they were having dinner,
watching TV,
or in a family situation,
and their first reaction is ‘no’.
When you’ve done that thousands and thousands of times,
the coldness doesn’t bother you because you realize it’s the situation, not you.
Your job is twofold:
Not let the situation get you down,
Keep at it until you arrive at the right time. When they say, ‘Oh, I actually need this product’,
it feels so magical.
Let’s remember:
people can’t buy something they don’t know about,
and as a salesperson, it is your job to do that.
Sure, sometimes it’s a real cold call and they’re real cold with you,
but you’re doing a good thing.
You’re doing an honorable thing,
no matter what you’re selling: life insurance, widgets, whatever.
Real cold is the first way through.
It always will be a part of sales,
so don’t be scared of it,
because real cold,
Can sometimes will make you feel warm
Get out there
Ned
Content of the week.
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