[Zyzz]

Hi Guys,

I had a question for the experts here. I work for a semi frequent contributor here, and I love my job. Sales is really where I can utilize my people skills and love of problem solving to good use. I have only good to say about my coworkers and work atmosphere is very productive.

Because everyone is deep in their own hustle, I don't necessarily feel comfortable asking this question at work. My question is this: how can I maximize the use of my time so I can originate as many deals and gross as much commission as possible for the firm? What are some tips to save time between calls? I want to make as many connects and get as much business as I can in my pipeline. I've got a book on this, but it's not industry specific and I don't want to waste time experimenting at work. I just want to make fat Gross.

Thanks!

-Zyzz

[ridextreme]

If you have a book of contacts that are business owners, that would be a great way to introduce them to your industry to see if they need a cash infusion either now or in the future.

This is a very basic question don't you have a manager or a firm owner who would want to guide you into being a productive producer? Basically you have to make as many calls, one after another as you can without sounding like a salesman to the gate keeper. Don't take a break between every phone call, don't go down to smoke every 15 minutes, socialize or surf the internet. Spend your time wisely and have conversations with your prospects rather than "pitch" them and you will do fine.

[Zyzz]

If you have a book of contacts that are business owners, that would be a great way to introduce them to your industry to see if they need a cash infusion either now or in the future.

This is a very basic question don't you have a manager or a firm owner who would want to guide you into being a productive producer? Basically you have to make as many calls, one after another as you can without sounding like a salesman to the gate keeper. Don't take a break between every phone call, don't go down to smoke every 15 minutes, socialize or surf the internet. Spend your time wisely and have conversations with your prospects rather than "pitch" them and you will do fine.

Obviously you cant succeed by crushing cigarettes in the bathroom or surfing pornhub. My question is a bit nuanced than that. I'll explain what I mean. Supposedly Chris Gardner learned that if he didn't hang up the phone between dials he gained 8 mins a day. I'm looking for stuff like that.

[ridextreme]

easy. buy a headset.

[Lender Of Gold]

Nothing really advanced, but here's some super basic ideas I tried when starting out:

-- If you do hand dialing, print out your lists as opposed to sorting them on an Excel sheet. You'll be more focused and frankly get more calls in that way. Plus your eyes welcome the break from staring at the computer all day. Sometimes the best ways are the old ways

-- Go into every call knowing your clear purpose, whether it's prospecting, chasing paperwork, selling the offer, etc. It's important to stay on track and keep from rambling and getting lost in the conversation where you risk wasting yourself and the merchant's time.

--Create different copy and paste fax/email templates for all the situations that come up over and over (Intro Letter, Offer Sold, Industry-Specific Letter, Callback Letter, Offer Sold, Funding Stips Letter etc). Personalize the first couple of sentences though.

--While doing paperwork/sending emails make calls at the same time. Better yet if you can, send emails/faxes/paperwork/etc after prospecting hours are done so you can maximize prospecting hours and be productive when its less optimal times for calling.

It's like fishing....sometimes they'll bite, other days they won't, you never know what to expect but your rod's gotta be in the water to catch something.

[Lender Of Gold]

easy. buy a headset.

This x 8 million

[KTK]

I've been old school my entire career. I've ran multiple different sales floors over the past 10 years and I regret not adapting to a predictive dialer as early as the technology has existed. I just adapted the use this past 12 months and it has increased productivity X10.

It allows you the ability to maximize the time spent at work and gives you the competitive edge you need by having as many meaningful conversations as humanly possible with prospects on a daily basis.

And no, Im not saying a "robo-dialer" blasting out messages and the such so please spare yourself the typing if you are feeling an itchy trigger finger and the need to bash me for "ruining the industry".

I'm simply saying that having a computer dial 5 lines at once and connecting you at lightning speed in between calls is a blessing.

[ridextreme]

Better yet if you can, send emails/faxes/paperwork/etc after prospecting hours are done so you can maximize prospecting hours and be productive when its less optimal times for calling.

I strongly disagree with this point. It's important to send it out as soon as you hang up so he connects the email/fax with your phone call. He's going to be getting a few followup/spams by the time you get it out at the end of the day.

[Zach]

1. Create solid rebuttals to every possible objection and memorize them.

2. Manage the client's expectations from the first call.

3. Ignore the cost and focus on the ROI and benefits until value has been established.

4. "Tell me exactly how much money you will make EACH MONTH after I transfer this $50,000 into your account" <--- Compare that number to the payment and overall cost of the loan. Help them think through it.

5. Weed out smokescreen objections by using phrases like: "Sounds like this makes a lot of sense for your business. If I could transfer the money to you tomorrow, is this something you are ready to move forward with today?" ANY RESPONSE BUT A YES MEANS YOU NEED TO PROBE FURTHER.

6. Call and email simultaneously, and quickly.

7. Ensure that every call ends with an advancement and a specific timeline ("When should I be looking out for that app in my fax machine?")

8. Learn every lender inside and out. Most solid lenders have a specific niche. For example, National Funding funds fast and pays 20 points. Quickbridge funds oddball industries and offers early payoffs. WBL lends up to 3X their monthly deposits and will consolidate multiple loans. Knowing the lenders is our space's version of product knowledge.

9. Understand what criteria underwriters look at, and be able to size deals up.

10. Make a TON of calls.

11. Each evening, plan out your next day in specific detail.

12. Create and visualize clear-cut goals and standards for yourself (eg. I will fund $30,000 of GM this month and finally put a down payment on that BMW!!!). These little visualization techniques help you stay motivated and keep the adrenaline flowing.

13. Beat your chest like a gorilla before an important sales call. Laugh about it. Your confidence will spike. Not joking.

14. Take every call to the furthest logical point; on the prospecting call go for the application over the phone. On the closing call ask them to send you stips and contracts while you wait on the phone ("just to make sure I get it in one piece").

15. And MOST IMPORTANTLY... send all deals that need a bigger approval or consolidation to ZRamirez@WBL.com

;-) Happy hunting!

[Lender Of Gold]

I strongly disagree with this point. It's important to send it out as soon as you hang up so he connects the email/fax with your phone call. He's going to be getting a few followup/spams by the time you get it out at the end of the day.

Personally I actually go for as much as possible on the first call if he is qualified and truly has a plan and need for the money; even getting application and statements on first call etc. (even though you can only deduce so much from the first call as we all know).

However I was giving advice in the form of context to OP who is learning the ropes where'd i'd recommend focusing on qualifying well and developing rapport with the merchant. Speed, while important, is secondary to those IMO.

If you really do a good job personally connecting and setting expectations with a merchant, he's serious about the money, and believes you are the best person to get him the money, you will stick out to him and he will follow your lead no matter how many people blow up his phone.

---

Also Zach's list is the best post in the thread. There are a couple of things in there that I need to work on as well.

[KTK]

Zack - Well said good sir. Some solid advice.

[Zyzz]

I strongly disagree with this point. It's important to send it out as soon as you hang up so he connects the email/fax with your phone call. He's going to be getting a few followup/spams by the time you get it out at the end of the day.

Completely agree and this is my current practice.

[Zyzz]

easy. buy a headset.

Suggest a model?

Nothing really advanced, but here's some super basic ideas I tried when starting out:

-- If you do hand dialing, print out your lists as opposed to sorting them on an Excel sheet. You'll be more focused and frankly get more calls in that way. Plus your eyes welcome the break from staring at the computer all day. Sometimes the best ways are the old ways

-- Go into every call knowing your clear purpose, whether it's prospecting, chasing paperwork, selling the offer, etc. It's important to stay on track and keep from rambling and getting lost in the conversation where you risk wasting yourself and the merchant's time.

--Create different copy and paste fax/email templates for all the situations that come up over and over (Intro Letter, Offer Sold, Industry-Specific Letter, Callback Letter, Offer Sold, Funding Stips Letter etc). Personalize the first couple of sentences though.

--While doing paperwork/sending emails make calls at the same time. Better yet if you can, send emails/faxes/paperwork/etc after prospecting hours are done so you can maximize prospecting hours and be productive when its less optimal times for calling.

It's like fishing....sometimes they'll bite, other days they won't, you never know what to expect but your rod's gotta be in the water to catch something.

Very smart.

I've been old school my entire career. I've ran multiple different sales floors over the past 10 years and I regret not adapting to a predictive dialer as early as the technology has existed. I just adapted the use this past 12 months and it has increased productivity X10.

It allows you the ability to maximize the time spent at work and gives you the competitive edge you need by having as many meaningful conversations as humanly possible with prospects on a daily basis.

And no, Im not saying a "robo-dialer" blasting out messages and the such so please spare yourself the typing if you are feeling an itchy trigger finger and the need to bash me for "ruining the industry".

I'm simply saying that having a computer dial 5 lines at once and connecting you at lightning speed in between calls is a blessing.

I'm thinking that headset+autodialer might generate the most conversions.

1. Create solid rebuttals to every possible objection and memorize them.

2. Manage the client's expectations from the first call.

3. Ignore the cost and focus on the ROI and benefits until value has been established.

4. "Tell me exactly how much money you will make EACH MONTH after I transfer this $50,000 into your account" <--- Compare that number to the payment and overall cost of the loan. Help them think through it.

5. Weed out smokescreen objections by using phrases like: "Sounds like this makes a lot of sense for your business. If I could transfer the money to you tomorrow, is this something you are ready to move forward with today?" ANY RESPONSE BUT A YES MEANS YOU NEED TO PROBE FURTHER.

6. Call and email simultaneously, and quickly.

7. Ensure that every call ends with an advancement and a specific timeline ("When should I be looking out for that app in my fax machine?")

8. Learn every lender inside and out. Most solid lenders have a specific niche. For example, National Funding funds fast and pays 20 points. Quickbridge funds oddball industries and offers early payoffs. WBL lends up to 3X their monthly deposits and will consolidate multiple loans. Knowing the lenders is our space's version of product knowledge.

9. Understand what criteria underwriters look at, and be able to size deals up.

10. Make a TON of calls.

11. Each evening, plan out your next day in specific detail.

12. Create and visualize clear-cut goals and standards for yourself (eg. I will fund $30,000 of GM this month and finally put a down payment on that BMW!!!). These little visualization techniques help you stay motivated and keep the adrenaline flowing.

13. Beat your chest like a gorilla before an important sales call. Laugh about it. Your confidence will spike. Not joking.

14. Take every call to the furthest logical point; on the prospecting call go for the application over the phone. On the closing call ask them to send you stips and contracts while you wait on the phone ("just to make sure I get it in one piece").

15. And MOST IMPORTANTLY... send all deals that need a bigger approval or consolidation to ZRamirez@WBL.com

;-) Happy hunting!

Whoa amazing post. Bravo good sir.

[CreditGuy]

My question is this: how can I maximize the use of my time so I can originate as many deals and gross as much commission as possible for the firm?

Log off Daily Funder.

[FUNd]

1. Quit reading books about sales and start actually selling.

2. See #1

[1StopFunding]

Thumbs Up Zach!!!

[jotucker1983]

A lot of suggestions provided here I agree with as well, especially the use of a Predictive Dialer rather than using a Manual Dialing procedure. Not sure why any Sales Office is still using Manual Dialing procedures in 2015, when there's much more efficient dialing procedures available?

With that being said though, I have never been an advocate of what I call the traditional "Sales Manager" way of doing things. The traditional Sales Manager focuses on canned, robotic, "overcoming objection-based," sales script strategies, and I absolutely hate this approach with a passion. Coupled with this, the traditional Sales Manager has the reps calling random lists of SIC Codes, or parking their car down the street and randomly walking into businesses, or just calling random industry listings out of the Yellow Pages. Their motto is that if you are slick enough, make good rebuttals, are charismatic, and if you are smooth, sales will be flying through the roof. So when they go out recruiting their sales force, they look for slick, smooth talking guys. It's completely insane to me.

For me, over the previous 8 plus years in sales, the profession has always been about producing value to the client through the solutions that you offer. You can't produce value to a client through your solutions, if they have no present (or upcoming) use for them. Based on this fact, I always did strong secondary market research on the generic target group of prospective clients before I contacted them, and only contacted those who from my analysis and information, were in some type of situation that one of my solutions could address. I only have 24 hours in a day anyway, there's no way I can call "everybody" anyway, so it was always better for me to spend my day calling people who were in situations that I could actually help.

For me, having that information was (and is) 95% of the battle, because you know what to lead in with on the initial call, you know how to tailor your solution presentation offering, and you are going to obtain more traction than using other strategies. You won't have to sit on the phone using these insane canned "rebuttals" as if you are playing tug-o-war with the prospect, instead you will be having a conversation and an "negotiation" in terms of how to best move forward. That's what I call a professional sales call.

It establishes you as a Professional Sales Person from the first call, which is your true differentiation in a very noisy market. When you introduce yourself and go right into a current situation, problem, activity, etc. that's going on with that prospect in particular, that right there shows them you have done your research on them individually, and they respect that.

Then when you talk about how you have a potential resource that could provide some assistance (cost reduction, funding for the project, etc.) then they are open to speak with you, negotiate and do business because you have established yourself as a trustworthy Sales Professional, rather than the typical robotic, canned, "overcoming objections", sales script sales guy that calls them everyday with various "pitches".

But this is just my approach and opinion commentary, if the sales script route is working for you then great.

[Michael I]

zzz -its very simple stop sleeping and wasting your time at a deadbeat place that's not training you properly and find a good shop to work for . I guarantee you that everyone who answered here does not have a single rep with questions like this , that they need to go on a forum for .
Good Luck

[Sachip24]

1. Create solid rebuttals to every possible objection and memorize them.

2. Manage the client's expectations from the first call.

3. Ignore the cost and focus on the ROI and benefits until value has been established.

4. "Tell me exactly how much money you will make EACH MONTH after I transfer this $50,000 into your account" <--- Compare that number to the payment and overall cost of the loan. Help them think through it.

5. Weed out smokescreen objections by using phrases like: "Sounds like this makes a lot of sense for your business. If I could transfer the money to you tomorrow, is this something you are ready to move forward with today?" ANY RESPONSE BUT A YES MEANS YOU NEED TO PROBE FURTHER.

6. Call and email simultaneously, and quickly.

7. Ensure that every call ends with an advancement and a specific timeline ("When should I be looking out for that app in my fax machine?")

8. Learn every lender inside and out. Most solid lenders have a specific niche. For example, National Funding funds fast and pays 20 points. Quickbridge funds oddball industries and offers early payoffs. WBL lends up to 3X their monthly deposits and will consolidate multiple loans. Knowing the lenders is our space's version of product knowledge.

9. Understand what criteria underwriters look at, and be able to size deals up.

10. Make a TON of calls.

11. Each evening, plan out your next day in specific detail.

12. Create and visualize clear-cut goals and standards for yourself (eg. I will fund $30,000 of GM this month and finally put a down payment on that BMW!!!). These little visualization techniques help you stay motivated and keep the adrenaline flowing.

13. Beat your chest like a gorilla before an important sales call. Laugh about it. Your confidence will spike. Not joking.

14. Take every call to the furthest logical point; on the prospecting call go for the application over the phone. On the closing call ask them to send you stips and contracts while you wait on the phone ("just to make sure I get it in one piece").

15. And MOST IMPORTANTLY... send all deals that need a bigger approval or consolidation to ZRamirez@WBL.com

;-) Happy hunting!

great post Zack

[MCNetwork]

Invest in solid lead gen. Using dialers individually is the slowest way to achieve success in this business. The boiler room dialer model only makes money for the organization as a whole at the expense of the individual reps. That's why these offices tend to have a revolving door of salespeople. You're most likely to burn yourself out prematurely working in this environment. I threw away my office's dialer equipment years ago and am a much happier and successful person now

[Zyzz]

Invest in solid lead gen. Using dialers individually is the slowest way to achieve success in this business. The boiler room dialer model only makes money for the organization as a whole at the expense of the individual reps. That's why these offices tend to have a revolving door of salespeople. You're most likely to burn yourself out prematurely working in this environment. I threw away my office's dialer equipment years ago and am a much happier and successful person now

Do you mean that you advocate dialing each number by finger? Why is that better for the individual, ie me?

[MCNetwork]

My guys do 60-100 calls per day. We only call new inbound leads and follow up on our pipelines. We don't cold call any lists. Since our call volume is low, we don't need a predictive dialer. We focus on quality of calls, not quantity.