Chester called me one night saying that he was having problems getting enough sales appointments. I asked him to pretend I was a prospect that he was cold calling and tell me what he was saying. Chester said, “Hello, my name is Chester Doe, I work for the ABC insurance company and I want to help you decide how much life insurance your family needs.” I asked him what kind of responses he usually got and he said “Mostly hang-ups before I get to finish what I’m saying.” I said, “OK, I’m going to be Chester and you the prospect. I then repeated word for word what he had said and asked him if that is what he wants to hear when he answers the phone. “No, I reckon not.” I agreed with him. I gave him another example.

“I know you don’t want to talk about life insurance but why don’t you talk to me about it now so you won’t have to think about it anymore?” Chester said he couldn’t do that because he was supposed to tell who he was and what company he represented. I agreed by saying “Yes, but you don’t have to turn the person off before you get to talk to him. Tell him later if he shows an interest in talking with you. “Now use that approach for this next week and call me back to tell report your results.”

He called a week later exuberant that he had gotten five appointments.