Ironically the live call that was the original subject for this article took place on the 12th Anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States. If you’re within the US you know what that specific experience was like for us as a country. If you’re outside the US, as several of my members are, I’m sure you know what it’s like from your own country’s history. No country has escaped the affects of terrorism. I bring this up for no other reason than to get a greater appreciation for the freedoms we share. Yes our patriotic freedom more however from the stand point we share as entrepreneurs, salespeople and canvassers and our ability to create and direct our own futures.
With that said, in this article, I’m going to get into how canvassers can take control of and handle what I call non-traditional situations. The situations I’ll discuss in this article are however not really objections, they’re truly situations you encounter walking the neighborhoods and have to be prepared to handle.
One thing you’ll learn about me is that I’m always on offense, rarely on defense. My entire canvassing system is designed to keep you on offense. Now, it’s important I clarify; you’re on offense, never offensive. There’s a difference. I’m a big football fan, especially for The Ohio State Buckeyes; being I’m an alumni of OSU. It’s possible, but rare that the Buckeyes can score points on defense. It’s possible, but not frequent. Let’s just say it’s not a good strategy for the coach to prepare his team on strategies founded on the defense getting the football and scoring. The defense’s job is to stop the opponent and regain the ball for the offense. It’s the offense’s job to drive and score. You can’t win if you’re always working from a defensive position. That’s why my system works for so many canvassers, it keeps you on offense; driving forward toward your objectives.
Before I get too far along, all of what I’ll discuss in this and future articles is covered in greater detail in my Canvassing in the New Economy video training, home study course. In it you’ll have the scripted presentation in the workbook as well as application of those scripts in DVD and CD, to see and experience their specific application. I think video learning is so powerful, especially for our business when the real success details are in the body language and voice inflection and tonality. I mention the program only as reference. Whether you invest in it or not won’t matter to me, won’t affect my bank account one way or another; however it’s a great manager’s training aide and a canvasser’s self-direct training. It’s like having me on the shelf to pull down and train for you, when you need it. It’s a resource. You can learn more about the program at www.canvassking.com.
I’ve identified there’s really only 12 different non-traditional scenarios a canvasser will encounter. There are 12, here’s a little hint to better prepare you mentally for what’s about to follow; most are handled virtually the same way every time. You can use the same scripting and techniques to gain control of most all these scenarios. Having the right tools to handle these situations will boost your confidence as a canvasser. Additionally, being more confident in your presentations and how you handle yourself will defuse many from ever happening in the first place.
When you’re at the door you’re going to make some type of offer, otherwise you wouldn’t or shouldn’t be there. The offer is dependent on your company and the product or products you offer. For example, if you’re canvassing for a single product or service your offer will likely be for an appointment time. You’re going to be asking when a good time to give the homeowner a free price quote. If you’re canvassing for multiple products, rather than picking a day and time initially you’ll be working to get the homeowner to pick a product, then work for the appointment time. Or, if you’re like many of my service only members, you’ll be offering an information guide; looking for the specifics about the prospect in order to pass along the correct guide based on their situation.
It’s not uncommon for you to hear, “we’re not interested”, “we can’t afford it”, “we do that kind of work ourselves or we have someone to do it for us”, or, “we’re moving” before the prospect ever gets to hear what you’re offering. And you can often hear these stalls early in your presentation or before you ever get to the presentation. The key, again, is to create the opportunities for yourself to make a presentation… and that means you have to get on offense before you can score an appointment, product offering or deliver your information guide.
What I’ll start to cover in today’s article will show you how to systematically break down those non-traditional objections and scenarios, address them and get back on offense. I say start because I won’t be able to get to all of them now, but will cover them over the next several articles.
Here are the 12 non-traditional situations I’ve identified from more than 19 years in canvassing and having knocked over 37,000 doors in my career.
1. Cut off
You get to the door and may get as much as hi out of your mouth before the homeowner cuts you off.
2. Yard or Garage presence
You approach the home and the prospect is already outside the home, but possibly not paying attention or aware of your presence. This is a tricky situation because you’re approaching the prospect from a different perspective than the traditional presentation is designed for. Normally you’re knocking on their door, which creates a certain mindset in the prospect, which the presentation and scripting is designed for. Here there’s no door to knock on, so you need to establish the situation in your favor, based on how you approach the prospect.
3. Interruption
When you knock on the door you’re interrupting something already going on in the home. It could be dinner or anything the homeowner is occupied in and committed to before you arrive. You’re an interruption in the moment’s events. If you don’t handle this situation properly and tactfully you can alienate the prospect and lose all chances of achieving your goal.
4. Leaving
As you approach the home you notice the homeowner is on their way out the door and clearly leaving the premises. This is similar to #3, you’re interrupting their present schedule and often times they don’t or won’t have time for your standard presentation; what do you do?
5. Talking on the phone
When the homeowner does come to the door they’re engaged in conversation on the telephone. Once again you’re an interruption to them at that moment. You can’t compete for their attention, because whatever conversation they’re engaged in, to them, is far more important than you and why you’re on their doorstep.
6. No soliciting
You approach the home and see a ‘No Soliciting’ sign in the window. Do you approach and knock or move on to the next house. Or there’s no sign, but the homeowner tells you there’s a no soliciting policy in the neighborhood, how do you handle it? This actually is a lot easier to defuse than people expect.
7. Won’t open door
When you knock on the door the homeowner comes to the door, but they don’t or won’t open the main entry door. I’m not talking about the screen door you can make eye contact with them and talk through the door; I’m talking about a real barrier between you and the homeowner.
8. Being observed
The prospect is outdoors and they’ve observed you walking the neighborhood, possibly even been within earshot of your presentation to know enough about what you’re calling on them about.
9. Group gathering
As you approach a home there’s a group of people gathered in the yard or at the front door. You don’t know who the owner of the home you’re approaching is and you need to identify them. Plus, how do you handle making a presentation in front of several people, some or all may also be members of the neighborhood who you’ve called on or will be calling on.
10. Immediately resistant or abusive
When you approach the home the prospect is already outside the home and they immediately become defensive or offensive with you. You may not even have a chance to say hello. The homeowner takes the position that you’re a salesperson.
11. Transitioning
Either you or the homeowner has started the relationship on building rapport. They may have engaged you in idol conversation and you need to transition to your presentation however it feels awkward to do so based on the rapport you’ve established.
12. Opportunity
As you approach the home to you there’s no visible opportunity for the product or service you’re representing. For example, you notice they have newer windows, gutters, roof, siding, etc. Where’s the opportunity and how do you flush it out?
On the call, I spoke at length with Platinum Member, LouAnn from Guardian. Her company offers a variety of different products, services and programs. They have a mixed bag of offerings and they’ve only recently started canvassing for leads. In fact, LouAnn, who’s heading up their canvassing efforts, has never canvassed prior to our working together. Initiated by the topic of the call, and this article, LouAnn posed her challenge when approaching a specific home where there was a group of women congregated outside the home and the homeowner started yelling at her before she even offered a hello (#10 on the list above).
I highly encourage you to review the live call from the September 11, 2013 Silver Level Telecoaching call as I discussed how she handle this and several other variations of this situation.
If you’re not a Silver Level Member you should be for many reasons. It’s a great example of what goes on in a coaching call with me. You’ll hear my resolution to her specific situation; and it’s not based on theory or conjecture. I’ve been in her situation, many times; and I’ve been in every situation you’ll ever encounter. You’ll discover something about me. I don’t talk and teach theory, what I share I do so from experience and what I’m doing with private clients right now. You’ll be hard to find a canvassing coach as deeply committed to canvassing as I; or as willing to share as much in depth technique and strategies on stuff that really works.
For the sake of progression, I’ll address the 12 situations in the order I’ve listed them here, in this article. I do suggest you review the live call to hear the detailed nuggets I gave LouAnn.
Cut-off
I mentioned earlier that you’re going to make some kind of offer in your presentation. Regardless of the product, service or offer you always stand the chance of getting cut-off in your presentation. Keep in mind when the homeowner sees you, whether opening the main entry door or approaching the home they’re immediately going to make a mental identification of who you are and chances are very good they’re going to think you’re a salesperson and their defenses will go up and you’re likely to meet with some unconscious, even outward resistance. Many times this will come in the form of cutting you off before you get a chance to start your presentation. Regardless where it happens, when it happens, you must take back control of the conversation. Remember, you only stand a chance of scoring your goal when you’re on offense.
When and if you do get cut off simply ask a question the homeowner must answer. A question so compelling it piques their curiosity. They answer because they must know more. In my system it’s step 2 of the 5 steps.
The key for you to understand is that by asking the transition question it gives you back the control over the presentation and allows you another opportunity in moving the prospect to your objective.
Next month I’ll pick up and discuss how to handle the next non-traditional situations on my list.
If you have questions about the technique for handling cut-offs and how they apply to your specific business or canvassing system send your question to me at www.AskTheCanvassKing.com.
Or, if you’d like to get the recording from this month’s live Silver Level Telecoaching call click on the link to the right and find out how to become a silver level member.