It is important to work hard, working hard provides you the level playing field to compete. However, it is by working smart that gives you the advantage over your competition.
When I was working as a insurance broker I have seen many of my colleagues working their ass off, but at the end of the day did not obtained relative results. In another words, a lot of hard work is being put in, but wasn't able to reach their sales goal.
I believe in working hard, but I also believe that working smart is even more important.
When I started out as a insurance broker, I had my existing network, including friends and ex-colleagues that I could reach out to for selling opportunities. With that I was able to obtain decent sales results. But around 6 months into the job, my existing leads started to run low. At that time, I knew that I need to come up with more new leads, I need it soon and I need it fast before my existing leads runs out.
My first plan was to go out to the streets in populated areas and distribute product brochures to the crowd. After a few observation around the area, I decide to stand at the entrance/exit of the MRT(metro) station as my first test. I purposely selected few of busiest MRT stations and during rush hours to carry out my test. Before setting out to distribute the brochures, I made an estimated in my mind that if I am able to receive a flow volume of 300 people per 10 minutes, thats 1,800 potential opportunities per hour. I have only two hands so, let say I was about to pass out the brochures to 10% of them, then thats 180 brochures per hour being passed out. However, to be realistic not everyone is going to accept my brochures. At the end of they, I am not the handsomest guy on the street. Therefore, if 50% of the opportunities decline to take my brochures, then I will end up with passing out 90 brochures per hour. I took a little more brochures then needed just in case the result was better than expected. With confidence, in my suit and tie I set out to do the job.
You probably have guessed it, the result wasn't great, and was nowhere near decent. For the two hours that I have stood at the MRT entrance, I managed to successfully gave out less than 20 brochures, thats around 10 percent of my targeted goal. The same result goes for each of the MRT stations that I have tried in the few days.
Just to be clear, I had a good attitude and had a big smile on my face and did it with confidence during the process. I hope its not because how attractive I am.... well maybe a little. I would have to admit that if it was a nice looking lady doing the same job, the result may have been better...maybe?
Anyways throwing aside how I look, below are my conclusions
1. People do not like receiving things that they are unfamiliar with. Maybe its because the fact that people are unsecured about what will happen next if they accept my brochure. Will I continue to bother him? Its the WHATS NEXT that scares people off.
2. People going in and out of the MRT station has a destination that they are going to, and they have no reason to stop for me .
3. People are able to get away from me since its an open area, and they are already on the move (makes it even easier)
4. They are not interested in the product, why should they carry an extra thing in their hands?
From the above conclusions, my next try was to target a more specific group of people that should demonstrate more interest in the insurance product, and in a location where people have came for a reason...and are not on a go towards another location...
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