Simplified Auto
- 1. Simplified Debt Solutions, Inc. TRAINING
- 2. Welcome to our Training CenterTraining & Education CenterOur thorough training program will equip you and your staff with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed as a Debt Settlement Affiliate. To ensure that you keep your competitive edge and stay abreast of industry changes, we provide ongoing training, weekly email updates, monthly Q&A webinars, and software enhancements.Simplified Debt Solutions™ will help in all aspects of getting your new business started including:Business planningSales scriptsState guidelines complianceMarketing and sales supportTypical Training ProcessComplete Simplified Debt Solutions™ Training SeriesAttend a Q & A session either exclusive or group with Divisional ManagerAdditional sales training will follow as needed
- 3. 7 Reasons to Work with UsSimplified Debt Solutions to its Core Knowledgeable ExperiencedCompassionate DeterminedTrusted ProvenSuccessfulWorking day in and day out, hearing the stories of our fellow Americans bruised, beaten and falling down on their luck is what puts the fire in our hearts to do what we do. Providing a service to people when they need you most is probably the most rewarding feeling a person can have.7
- 4. CONSUMER DEBT STATISTICSAmericans make over 1.5 Trillion dollars in credit card purchases annually.Over 40% of US families spend more than they earn.Almost 1 in every 100 households in the United States will claim BankruptcyThe average US household pays $950 in interest each yearBottom line, they are not ALONE!
- 5. What Is Debt Settlement?Debt Settlement, also known as Debt Negotiation, is the process of negotiating an outstanding balance of unsecured debt owed to a creditor downward and paid in one lump sum. Our credit card debt negotiation program is one of the most effective alternatives to debt consolidation and bankruptcy.A win, win, win propositionDebt settlement works because creditors hate bad debt write-offs. Obviously, getting a portion of the money owed is far more preferable than receiving none at all. This is why so many creditors are willing to reduce debt for unbelievable amounts. Imagine enrolling a client into our system and them only paying back around 50% of what they owed when they entered the process. Creditor recoups some losses, client saves a ton of money, and you get paid for helping out, now that’s a win, win, win business proposition. You delivered good fortune, and in turn, it becomes your fortune
- 6. TO BRIDGE THE GAP IN STANDARD DEBT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS
- 7. TO COMPASSIONATELY AID THE AMERICAN CONSUMERS
- 8. TO EFFECTIVELY, ACCURATELY AND HONESTLY DESCRIBE THE DEBT SETTLEEMENT OPTION
- 9. TO PROVIDE SOUND FINANCIAL CONSULTING WITHOUT GIVING FINANCIAL ADVICE OR LEGAL ADVICE
- 10. TO ASSESS THE CONSUMER'S NEED AND LEVEL OF URGENCY
- 11. HELP THE AMERICAN CONSUMERS FIGHT THEIR WAY OUT OF DEBT AND SET THEIR FINANCIAL PATHS STRAIGHTYOU ARE THE ONLY REMAINING HOPE FOR AMERICAN FAMILIES STRUGGLING TO BECOME FREE FROM DEBT.Industry Role
- 12. Debt Settlement Frequently asked QUESTIONS Q: What types of debt can I include in the program?A:Unsecured debts such as credit cards, personal loans, hospital bills, department store credit cards, old telephone bills, gas cards, and repossessions can all be included.Q: Can I apply for additional credit while I am on the program?A: Yes. It would be best though if you did not. Remember the reason you are joining is to get out of debt. Applying for additional credit will only create more debt for you to pay off. Q: Will I have to qualify?A: There is no Qualification or Approval Process. Based on past results we are confident that in order for a consumer to benefit from debt settlement they must have over $10,000 of unsecured debt (credit cards, personal loans, etc.), be 18 years or older, and have an ability to make an affordable repayment.Q: Are my creditors going to continue to call me?A: In most cases yes because they have a legal right to attempt to collect. However there are strict guidelines on how they can go about contacting you. These can be found at http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fdcpa/commentary.shtm#806. We are on your side and will help you deal with the creditors by providing some helpful tools. Plus you may always refer them to us and we will gladly speak with them about your savings plan.Q: Will this program have a negative effect on my credit?A:The Debt Settlement Process is likely to have a short-term negative effect on your credit profile. However, any short term negative effects will be offset by the long term positives. Once negotiated and settled, your creditors will report the accounts as "settled" "balance 0" or “less than agreed.” Q: How long will it take for me to become debt free?A:It typically takes about 18-48 months to complete most settlement plans. However, it could be much sooner depending on your individual situation. Q: What does this program cost me?A: Our Debt Settlement Process costs are based upon the amount of service required therefore it will be determined and explained clearly during your consultation. All contracts will disclose all fees along with an amortization schedule of your savings plan, please read carefully prior to engaging our service. Q: What if I'm behind or not paying my bills, can I still apply?A: YES! The debt settlement process is best suited for those individuals behind on their bills, those people that have suffered a type of hardship and cannot afford to keep their accounts current.
- 13. Four options your client should RECONSIDER!BankruptcyBankruptcy is a good alternative for those individuals that have absolutely no way to repay their debts; however in today’s economy, people are throwing the term around much too loosely and assuming that all their debts will be magically forgiven. Bankruptcy is a serious matter and it is very important that people who are considering it fully educate themselves on the negative effects it can have on one’s life. With that being said, there are two different types of bankruptcy that the average consumer can apply and qualify for:Chapter 7Commonly known as “liquidation”, Chapter 7 usually takes four to six months from the date of filing to the final discharge. You can file only once every six years. This form of bankruptcy basically allows filers to give up assets in exchange for complete discharge of their debts. Chapter 13Also known as “debt adjustment”, Chapter 13 allows individuals to temporarily halt foreclosures and collection actions while they draft and execute a plan to repay a percentage of or all of the debts over a three- to five-year period. While debtors are allowed to keep all of their property, the court approves a new interest-free plan for repayment of the outstanding debt. A written plan is created giving details of all the transactions that will occur and the duration. The repayment must begin within thirty to forty-five days after the case has started. Many times the court will deduct payments directly from paychecks making it very difficult to manage your own money.
- 14. 2nd option that should be RECONSIDEREDConsolidating all your debt into one monthly bill may seem like a great way to take control of your debt, but you must be careful, Debt Consolidation Loans have a catch. When a lender loans money to pay off your debt, you have one monthly bill which is paid to the lender, often these loans do not have a lower APR and can be as high as 24%. In order to receive favorable terms and debt reduction, a property must be put up as collateral, such as a home or automobile. If you don’t have a set plan to manage your finances after receiving reduced payments and lower interest rates, you face a great risk of losing more than you previously have. You face foreclosure of your home and repossession of your auto as well.Another issue with debt consolidation is that, although the monthly payment and interest rate are reduced, the term is often extended as well, actually increasing the total amount owed.Debt Consolidation
- 15. 3rd option that should be RECONSIDEREDCredit CounselingMany companies operate nonprofit or fee-based financial counseling programs. Creditors may be willing to accept reduced payments if you are working with a reputable program to create a debt repayment plan. However, credit counseling organizations have faced scrutiny because there is no guarantee that the services provided are free, affordable, or even legitimate. In fact, some credit counseling organizations charge high hidden fees, refuse to send you free information about the services they provide without requiring you to provide personal financial information, such as credit card account numbers, and balances.Try to enroll you in a debt management plan (DMP) without spending time reviewing your financial situation. Offer to enroll you in a DMP without teaching you budgeting and money management skills. Demand that you make payments into a DMP before your creditors have accepted you into the program
- 16. 4th option that should beRECONSIDERDDO NOTHINGIt’s inevitable, there are just some people out there that don’t get it and unfortunately they never will. Certain individuals just can’t recognize when they are being taken advantage of or have become a victim of a legal scheme that is designed to drain their bank account and keep them in debt forever. It’s a fact, for the past 20 years, banks have been issuing credit cards to consumers for one reason: they make billions of dollars on it! On the next page is a table that shows the number of years it takes to pay off a credit card balance based on 19% interest and the cardholder making only the minimum monthly payment of 3% of the outstanding balance. Most national cards require a minimum monthly payment between 2% and 3% of the outstanding balance. (Source: CNN Money)Continued on next page--
- 17. Number of Years to Pay-Off Credit Card Debt at 19%Number of YEARS to PAY-OFF Credit Card Debt at 19%
- 18. Notification requirements:• Requires that banks mail statements at least 21 days in advance of the due date. • Requires 45-day notice of adverse changes in terms. • Requires notice of right-to-cancel if new terms are unacceptable.Rate and late fee requirements:• Bans hair-trigger rate increases for late payments: No increased interest rates are generally allowed on balances unless customer 60 days late. •Prohibits late fees for bills due on Sunday or a holiday.• Prohibits late fees on bills that arrive before 5pm local on the due date, or arrive the next day.• Bans raising rates because of late payment to other creditors (universal default clause) in the first year of any card contract. • Bans universal default permanently on existing (previous) balances.• Bans double-cycle billing, designed to collect interest on amounts already paid in previous months.Restrictions to over-the-limit transactions:• You now need to tell your credit card company to allow transactions that will take you over your credit limit and incur additional fees. • If you opt in, credit companies can impose only one fee per billing cycle.• If you opt-out, over-limit transactions will either be turned down, or if allowed, there will be no additional charge. You can revoke your opt-in at any time.Additional changes:• Gives FTC greater authority over deceptive marketing of “free-to-pay” offers for products that are not free, such as credit monitoring.• Also provides new protections for purchasers of pre-paid gift cards.Highlights of the credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and disclosure Act
- 19. Debt Settlement CandidatesCan your future clients answer "Yes" to any of these questions?Have their minimum payments become too high?Are they living paycheck to paycheck?Are their credit cards near or already maxed out?Have they considered Bankruptcy?Do they have at least $10,000 in unsecured debt?Are their monthly bills exceeding what they earn?Is your debt causing problems with their loved ones?Are they getting collection letters and phone calls?Do they want to put this debt behind them and move on with your life?
- 20. What we do for the clientOur goal is to help your client avoid Bankruptcy by helping our clients to establish an affordable budget, build a savings account, all while we negotiate their current balances downward so they can be paid off in a timely manner. Together you will determine a monthly savings plan that fits within their new budget. They are in complete control of their savings account and they will cut all checks to creditors. They can always pay ahead of schedule!
- 21. How it WorksWhen you are discussing with your client the debt settlement, make it a point to address the positives and negatives of the debt settlement process so they know exactly what to expect and are completely comfortable with a savings plan you helped them design. Step 1: ConsultationStep 2: Develop a Budget TogetherStep 3: Sign AgreementStep 4: Begin Savings PlanStep 5: We'll Begin Handling all NegotiationsStep 6: When a Settlement is Reached We'll Notify YOUStep 7: You'll Send the Payment From Your Newly Established Savings Account to CreditorStep 8: We'll Confirm Receipt and Proof of Payment from Creditor
- 22. Money to be made in over 30 states!*WASHINGTON*OREGON*CALIFORNIA*NEVADA*ALASKA*ARIZONA*MONTANA*NEW MEXICO*NORTH DAKOTA*SOUTH DAKOTA* NEBRASKA*TEXAS*LOUISIANA*ARKANSAS*MISSOURI*IOWA*MINNESOTA*ALABAMA*TENNESSEE*KENTUCKY*MINNESOTA*OHIO*FLORIDA*PENNSYLVANIA*MARYLAND*NEWYORK*VERMONT*MAINE*ROHDEISLAND*CONNECTICUT
- 23. 6Step Qualification Process 1. CLIENT ELIGIBILITY2. PROGRAM STATES3. MINIMUM DEBT LOAD PER FILE4. MINIMUM DEBT LOAD PER ACCOUNT5. ACCOUNT ELIGIBILITY6. BANKING CONFLICTS
- 24. Step 1 – Client EligibilityThis is a financial hardship program. In order to be eligibility for this program, the client must besuffering a financial hardship of some kind. All of the following are valid financial hardship:Reduced Income *Unemployment
- 25. Divorce *Medical
- 26. Disabled *Overspending
- 27. Money Management *Gambling
- 28. Addiction/PsychiatricStep 2 – States in which we work in: See MapStep 3 – Minimum Debt Load Per File:Minimum total debt load per account is 10,000. This means that each one client must have at least10,000. In total debt to qualify. There are no exceptions for any client or any scenario.Step 4 – Minimum Debt Load Per AccountMinimum total debt load per account is 250.00.This means that each one of the client’s accounts they are trying to enroll must be at least 250.00. There are no exceptions fir any client or any scenario. 6 Step Qualification
- 29. 6 Step Qualification (cont.)Step 5 – Account EligibilityEach enrolling client can only include accounts that we are able to work with. Below you will findTwo lists: accounts we work with and accounts we do not work with.Accounts we work with (Unsecured Debts)Credit Cards, Department Store Cards, Gas Cards
- 30. Lines of Credit (Unsecured)
- 31. Signature Loans
- 32. All Collection (medical, utility, delinquent credit cards, etc)
- 33. Repossessions
- 34. Apartment Lease Re-letting fees
- 35. Business Debt (Must be personally guaranteed business, must be winding down or shut down)Accounts we do not work with (Secured Debt)Secured Loans (furniture, cars, boats, appliances, mortgages, etc)
- 36. Judgments
- 37. Cash Call
- 38. Pay day loans
- 39. Credit card tied to the same bank as the mortgage is held with
- 40. Utility Bills (only if in collections already)
- 42. Student Loans6 Steps Qualification (cont.)Bank Overdraft Accounts or line of Credit for Overdraft for Overdraft
- 44. Tax DebtStep 6 – Banking ConflictsThere are three banking conflicts that you need to be aware of: 1. Someone has debt with a financial institution where they have their checking or savings accounts. Resolution – Change banks prior to enrollment 2. Someone has two or more accounts tied to one financial institution. Resolution – Either all accounts must be enrolled in the program or none of them may be enrolled.3. Someone that has unsecured debt with the same financial institution that holds their mortgage.
- 45. How Payments are ProcessedWithin our contract is an application & disclosure that allows us to set up a “Settlement Savings Account” for the client. The company that sets up this account for us is called Global Client Solutions or “GCS” and the account is opened with the financial institution “Rocky Mountain Bank and Trust”.Every month, on the same day each month, the payment for the program will be automatically drafted or ACH’ed from the client’s bank account. Depending on the payment schedule and at what point they are at in their program, a portion of that payment will be for fees and a portion will be deposited in the client’s “Settlement Savings Account”.ACH(Electronic Simplified Debt Solutions, Inc. Processing only allows its affiliates to have their clients pay by Electronic Funds Transfer.What You Need to Know About ACH and First Payment DatesPlease pay close attention to this as it deals with your clients successfully paying into the program and things you need to do or avoid doing when submitting.If a client wants a different first payment date than what is on the contract that you sent them, then the client needs to include a letter with their submission that clearly states when they would like their first payment to be drafted.Example: See next page-How Payments Are Processed
- 46. How payments are Processed (cont.)Do not send to Docusign unless you have all the banking information entered and the account is set to ACH.
- 47. Once a client is enrolled, customer service needs five days to effectively change a payment or prevent a payment from being drafted. Please make sure you reiterate this to your clients upon their acceptance into the program.
- 48. When we try to pull a client’s payment and it comes back insufficient funds, this is called an NSF. When a client NSFs, we create a task to call that client and find out if there are any issues we need to know about. In addition, when a client NSFs, we will re-pull that payment three business days from the date of the return. If the re-draft attempt NSFs as well, we will not attempt a re-pull of that month payment again; however, we will allow the next months scheduled payment to draft on schedule.Therefore the month’s payment which NSF twice will either need to be rescheduled with the client contacting customer service or it will just get added on to the end of the enrollment period. This obviously means your commission gets pushed back one additional month so when you receive an NSF notification from us, you may assist by having your client call customer service.
- 49. THE SITUATION IS BETWEEN THE CONSUMERS AND THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES.WE PROVIDE THE NEGOTIATIONS EXPERTISE TO AID THEM IN COMING TO A FAIR ANDREASONABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE CREDIT CARD COMPANIES BY FACILITATING THESETTLEMENT PROCESS.DEBT SETTLEMENT IS A VERY VIABLE BUSINESS SOLUTION FOR FOLKS THAT ARE OVER WHELMED BY THE BURDEN OF DEBT.DEBT SETTLEMENT IS LEGAL, ETHICAL AND MORAL.
- 50. STAND STRONG, DON'T BE AFRAID AND BE PROUD OF WHAT WE ARE AND DO. WHO ELSE IS STANDING IN THE GAP FOR THE AMERICAN FAMILIES PINNED DOWN BY DEBT?CREDIT CARD COMPANIES SET THE TRAP AND AMERICAN CONSUMERS HAVE FALLEN PREY TO THEIR TACTICS.
- 51. AVERAGE INTEREST RATES ARE NOW BETWEEN 25-32%
- 52. MINIMUM PAYMENTS AREN'T ENOUGH TO FACILITATE A REASONABLE PAYOFF
- 53. MOST CONSUMERS IN THESE SCENARIOS ARE TICKING BANKRUPTCY TIME BOMBS
- 54. THE AVAILABLE DEBT MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS ARE NOT ENOUGH TO STOP THE CYCLEThe Situation
- 55. Above ReproachTHINGS TO REMEMBER THAT WILL KEEP YOU COMPLIANT AND CREATE AN ENVIRONMENTTHAT IS ABOVE REPROACH.THESE FOLKS ARE FAMILY, NO DIFFERENT THAN YOURS
- 56. EVERY PHONE CALL YOU MAKE HOLDS THE POWER TO HELP OR TO INJURE A FAMILY
- 57. PUT IT ALL ON THE TABLE WITH HONESTY AND PASSION
- 58. CARE ABOUT WHAT YOU DO OR DON'T DO IT. IF YOU'RE NOT IN THIS TO HELP PEOPLE, QUIT NOW.
- 59. SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY. THIS IS NOT A PROFESSION IN WHICH TO DABBLE IN. DO OR DO NOT, THERE IS NO TRY. STUDY HARD ON AND OFF THE CLOCK AND BECOME A MASTER OF YOUR CRAFT.GENERAL DSA PROGRAM GUIDELINES REGARDING CREDITOR CALLS“YOU WILL HAVE VERY FEW PROBLEMS WITH CREDITOR CALLS IF YOU FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES OF OUR PROGRAM” THERE ARE 3 WAYS OUR CLIENTS HAVE CHOSEN TO DEAL WITH THE CALLS. IT’S UP TO YOU TO DECIDE HOW TO HANDLE THEM.DON’T TAKE THEIR CALLS:
- 60. WATCH CALLER ID & LET THE CALL GO TO VOICE MAIL
- 61. REDIRECT THE CALLS TO FTH: (SDS)
- 62. WE WILL FAX POWER OF ATTORNEY TO ALL CREDITORS AS SOON AS THE COMPLETED PACKET IS RETURNED TO US
- 63. CHANGE ADDRESS & PHONE NUMBER WITH CREDITOR TO OURS
- 64. SIMPLY DIRECT CALLS TO US
- 65. GIVE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW IMPORTANT THE RETURN OF THE PACKET IS TO THIS PROCESS
- 66. GET A NEW “PRIVATE” PHONE NUMBER
- 68. BE SURE TO LET US KNOW THE NEW UNLISTED NUMBER RIGHT AWAY. IN CASE WE NEED TO CONTACT YOU! WE ARE THERE FOR YOU!How your Clients handle Creditor Calls
- 69. Know Your AgenciesREGULATING ENTITIES:- F.T.C. (FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION)- B.B.B (BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU)- C.A.G.'S (CONSUMER ADVOCACY GROUPS)- STATE A.G.'S (STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL)INDUSTRY TRADE ASSOCIATIONS:- U.S.O.B.A. (UNITED STATES ORGANIZATIONS FOR BANKRUPTCY ALTERNATIVES)-T.A.S.C. (THE ASSOCIATION OF SETTLEMENT COMPANIES)TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION COMPANIES:- I.A.P.D.A. (INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PROFFESSIONAL DEBT ARBIRATORS)- SDS (INDUSTRY AUTHORITY ON DEBT SETTLEMENT)
- 70. COMPLIANCE IS KEYSimplified Debt Solutions ComplianceSimplified Debt Solutions requires all of our Affiliates to be in full compliance when presenting information to the public as well as potential customers. Presentation of information can come in many forms. The most obvious of these forms being printed material. Simplified Debt Solutions has found that by following the guidelines below our Affiliates will know whether compliance is being met or not.Full Disclosure of the Debt Settlement Process: Our goal is to educate our customers and to have them at all times understand each step of the way what our responsibilities are to them and additionally their responsibility to the program
- 71. Refer the Customer to the FTC website: When confronted about issues you are unsure or not aware of, it is always best to refer the customer to the agencies that are there to protect them. Learn about these types of agencies and the regulatory bodies that govern them. These agencies and their information are a great addition to your sales tool kit
- 72. Full Fee Disclosure: When asked about the fees involved it is required that all Affiliates fully disclose any and all costs in relation to the program. The best way to present these fees is through a savings scenario based on the information available in the program plan details
- 73. Do Not Advise Customer How to Deal With Creditors: Do not advise the client on how, when or what to say to the creditors. The customer has a contractual agreement with the creditors and all decisions should be left up to them as to how to handle this situation. You can suggest an address change to Simplified Debt Solutions so that correspondence can come to the corporate office on their behalf.
- 74. Disclosure of the Collection Process: In order to get to debt settlement the customer will have to be in the beginning stages of the collection process or very close to it. If the customer can pay their monthly debt and are not showing any signs of a hardship they are not candidates for debt settlement. Getting to know your client during the first few minutes should include identifying the hardship
- 75. Program Savings are to be Estimated: At some point a potential customer may be looking for guarantees in regards to the debt settlement program being offered. At no time is an Affiliate to provide verbal or written communication on this subject as this is not existent. The debt settlement program spans 3 to 36 months and the variables involved are too numerous. The best example to use when confronted with an issue of this nature is to ask the customer if they can guarantee that they can complete their program without any missed deposits into their escrow accountThe Importance of Prospecting The importance of prospecting Potential customers come in two types: suspects and prospects. A suspect is someone who appears to fit your target market or shows some interest in your offerings; a prospect is someone who has the money, the authority, and the desire (MAD) to become your customer. The function of prospecting is to identify and attract suspects and then convert these suspects into prospects. In business-to-business sales, your typical prospecting objective is to get an appointment with a partially qualified prospect to fully qualify them. Successful prospectors know that to succeed they need to: Make prospecting an integral part of the sales pipeline. Create a defined and daily routine. Create a sense of urgency as they prospect. Keep cold calls simple. Ask for referrals. Determine when to use a script. Be persistent. Pursue only qualified prospects.The Importance of Prospecting Selling is a matter of converting suspects to prospects and prospects to customers, a process often referred to as the sales pipeline, or sales funnel. Suspects first appear as sales leads at the beginning of the pipeline. Sales leads are generated either by a sales representative who searches for suspects or by marketing programs that attract suspects to a company's offerings. Typicall marketing programs include direct mail, opt-in e-mail, trade shows, advertising, Web site hits, showcase events, and telemarketing. Other sources of sales leads are public relations, referrals, and cold calling. Prospecting is a critical practice in sales; without it, there would be very little sales activity at all. Some sales organizations divide their staff into those who prospect to open new accounts and those who develop existing accounts. Others believe that every sales representative must master prospecting and that the best way to grow existing accounts is to prospect within them.
- 76. The Importance of Prospecting To become a successful prospector, you need to follow some basic guidelines.View prospecting as an integral part of the sales pipelineProspecting is not something you do when you have time or something that you rely on others to do, but a routine first step toward a sale. Accept that you have to consider a lot of suspects to find a prospect, and consider one suspect at a time.Prospect systematicallyWhether you organize your prospects by geography, vertical market, or sales volume, you need to prospect systematically. Increase your prospecting not in an impulsive flurry of phone calls, but in a confident, methodical way.Develop a plan, implement it, and review your progress on a regular basis. Adjust your plan based on results and feedback. Half the battle is developing a routine that works for you.There are several reasons for prospecting systematically: You are less likely to lose good prospects. You know when you have fully covered a specific market segment. You use your time more efficiently.
- 77. The Importance of Prospecting Prospect dailyProspecting should be part of every sales person's daily routine — not a weekly or monthly activity. If you want a steady supply of prospects, you must have a steady supply of leads. Don't rely exclusively on marketing, advertising, Web sites, or call-ins for leads. None of those will be as good as the leads you generate yourself.Invest a couple of hours each day in prospecting. It provides some relief from the pressure of face-to-face sales calls, and you will be amazed at how many suspects you can meet in two hours.Create a sense of urgencyEvery conversation, voice mail, and piece of literature should move the suspect to some action, no matter how small. The best way to do this is to offer plenty of benefits, as shown in the following example: "Mr./Ms. O'Donnell, we have a new/updated/revolutionary/breakthrough/unique..." (Create urgency.)"... idea/program/concept/solution/system..." (Never say "product.")"... that will save you money/make you money/improve productivity." (Name the benefit.)"I'm offering you an opportunity today to evaluate/see for yourself/determine..." (Let Mr./Ms. O'Donnell know they are in control.)
- 78. The Importance of Prospecting "... whether it will be of benefit and value to you." (Answer the question, "What's in it for me?”)"Our senior account executive/director of sales/customer relationship manager..." (Never say "sales rep." This is too important and urgent.)"... will be in your area tomorrow." (Not a week from Friday. Remember, this is urgent!)"Are you in at 7 A.M. or 8 A.M. tomorrow?" (Be specific. Don't ask, "When do you have time?" Again, create a sense of urgency.)Keep cold calls simple and politeAll sales representatives are familiar with cold calling, which is the practice of systematically contacting targeted suspects by telephone or by visiting their businesses.To improve your cold calling results, remember these tips: Develop a routine Plan cold calling, and don't let other activities distract you. Experiment Try different times of the day and week until you determine the most productive time for cold calling. Collaborate with peers Learn from others in your organization or in similar sales roles. Don't reinvent the wheel; find out what already works.If you are wondering about those "No Soliciting" signs, try this:"I'd simply like to drop off my business card/literature for your <job title of ideal
- 79. The Importance of Prospecting prospect>. May I have one of his/hers in return? Thank you — and, by the way, what is the best time to reach him/her? Thank you. Have a great day."Now, that particular cold call to the suspect is a little warmer than it otherwise would be.Ask for referralsReferrals should be one of your prime sources for generating leads for new business. At the end of each call, ask your sales contact whether he or she knows of anyone else who would be interested in your product, whether or not you closed the sale. This referral can be an effective door opener.Here are a few door-opener approaches you might try: Service approach Get your customer's attention by offering a service right away. "Good afternoon, Mr. Earls. This is Carol Philips of Fabrikam, Inc. Many of our customers find that our new Bolts-to-Go service is a convenient way to shop for hardware." Endorsement approach Nothing works like a referral from a friend, colleague, or even a competitor. "Good morning, Mrs. Eaton. This is Andy Teal of Contoso Pharmaceuticals. One of your associates, Kathie Flood, suggested that you might be interested in some ideas to manage your inventory." Limited-opportunity approach Deadlines, limited offers, and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities present strong motivators. "Hello, Mr. Ito. This is Syed
- 80. The Importance of Prospecting Abbas of A. Datum Corporation. We're running a special sale on software upgrades that I know you'll want to take advantage of. The sale ends at 5 o'clock this afternoon." Special-fact approach News about your customer's business gets attention. "Good day, Mr. Uddin. This is Bob Gage of Blue Yonder Airlines. I just received the results of a helicopter usage study of companies like yours." Special-offer approach "This month, you'll get an additional 12-month service warranty free." Or "If you order a six-month supply, we'll defer billing for 60 days." Survey approach "Your industry's association reported that almost 73% of the companies surveyed had problems with over-inventory. What is your experience?" To gather this kind of information, read the business pages, read the trade publications, and talk to colleagues and other people in the firm you're contacting.Determine when to use a scriptIn pulling together your sales message, you need to choose between using a script and using a prompt guide. A prompt guide is a list of key questions, topics, or statements that you can refer to as the conversation with the suspect proceeds. If there is low risk of legal impact during your introductory call and if the information you're introducing is not highly technical, a prompt guide might be more effective than a complete script.
- 81. The Importance of Prospecting Use a script when: Your message must be concise. Your service or product is complex. Your customer is unfamiliar with your product. You are an inexperienced telemarketer. Legal issues might be involved.Be persistentCall early in the morning. Leave your sales pitch on voice mail. Call again later in the afternoon. Enter results in your contact management software program. And continue calling each day until you make contact.According to a recent National Sales Executive Association survey, sales professionals make 80% of all new sales in their fifth call to the same prospect. So, review your prospect list regularly, and be persistent with your calls.Pursue only qualified suspectsYour goal is to find customers who are buying. You must relentlessly and rigorously qualify your suspects.Pursue only those prospects who are fully qualified, not those you think might be qualified, those you wish were qualified, those who used to be qualified, those who are partly qualified, those who give the impression that they are qualified, or those who themselves want to be qualified.
- 82. How Payments are Processed(cont.)“I, ________________________, would like my first payment drafted on xx/xx/xxxx with recurring payments drafted on the xx of every month thereafter.Signed and Dated by ClientIf a file is submitted and the first payment date on the contract has passed, then we will pull that payment immediately, unless more than 14 days have passed from time of approval. In the case that more than 14 days have passed, we will then approve the file but in a hold status. Once placed on hold, no payments will be processed until the next scheduled payment date on the contract is reached or until the client calls into customer service to reschedule the payment.
- 83. If you have a client that does not want to give out banking info before they see the Agreement then you can switch it to “check” for the purposes of sending out an Agreement . If you do this, please note you must do the following or your commissions can be affected: When you get the Agreement back with all the banking information, you need to go into Debt Manager and switch it to ACH and enter all the banking information before you submit. In addition, you must cross out “Check” on the physical contract and write ACH next to it.
- 84. If you use Docusign, you must sent out the Docusign set to ACH with all banking information or the Agreement will be rejected-See next page