I did a more elaborate setup recently. I did it all as an experiment. I bought a 14' X 48' billboard ad on a main vein (expressway) close to a neighborhood I was farming. The billboard was just so folks receiving the postcards could say, "yeah, this is the guy on the billboard down the road." Some folks need to identify with some sort of perceived legitimacy before they'll call. I mailed out about 800 postcards to the subdivision. The total cost of the postcards was about $400 (printing, labeling, and postage - not factoring in my time). That one mailing more than paid for itself.

I found a better way to farm though. For less than what I was printing those postcards, I can do full color flyers with a door attachment. I pay any kid I can trust $50 (vs postage which was in the hundreds) to hang them on the door knobs of the same homes. People tend to give door hangers more attention than something that is in the stack of junk in their mailboxes. Works well for me. As for the trigger for information, haven't really tried that. I thought my handsome face would be good enough ;-)

Add to that, my county's tax web site will allow me to select an entire subdivision, then click on mailing labels from the drop down menu, and print all the mailing labels out in just a few seconds of my time. Since I don't plan on doing the mailings anymore, I don't use that feature, but it sure is nice since it's free and easy to gather the mailing labels that way.

keep dodging the question. you may have others fooled but not me. here's your latest quip that doesn't make sense:

"I also want to be clear...I make 100 contacts per day which requires approximately 300 numbers dialed between 8:30 and roughly noon."

By my calculations thats 210 minutes in which you make 300 calls. If you make 300 calls, and get 100 contacts, you have to be the fastest talker, let alone dialer, on the face of the earth. In addition to that, the people on the other end have to comprehend your spiel, provide their details and have a total conversation with you in a matter of seconds. just doesn't add up buddy. sorry. thanks for playing.

I'm skeptical of barnstormers. Lucky, you just joined on Dec. 26th (yesterday), and your 5th post was the one that started this thread. Not really the way to make friends and influence people around here. Hope this answer is helpful.

"What do you know about Froy.." is the #1 post on the history of this website with twice as many responses as any other post:

http://www.agentsonline.net/forums/ubbth...html#Post239792

Since you have told us you know him, have met him and have learned from him... it is not alot to ask for his contact information or website. Many of us here believe he is a fictitious character. You will go along way in answering the question posted... and if you don't than I for one also remain skeptical about you and your claims and intent.

This is what Arello has:
Candelario , Froylan Jaramillo

USA

Contact Information
Office Phone: Not Provided
Office Fax: Not Provided

License Information
Number: 00875305
Type: Salesperson
Status: Active

First Issued Date: 11/18/2009
Last Renewal Date: Not Provided
Expiration Date: 11/17/2013


DATA RECEIVED FROM CALIFORNIA AS OF 12/08/2009

hp12c: are you watching CSI: Crime Scene Investigation right now? If so, change the channel bro.

The numbers add up. Define contact as someone who picked up the phone. Define a lead as someone who actually wanted to sell their home or knew someone who did.

If you've been doing it for so long I'm sure you'd be using your computer to speed dial the numbers, you'd be using related dialing software, a prepared do-not-call-list in the software, and you'd have a headset to talk.

Contacts would reasonably take 40 seconds from dial to hangup. That would be 98 contacts (2 of 100 contacts will count as leads) X 40 seconds = 3920 seconds / 60 = 65.33 minutes. Time remaining would be 210 - 65.33 = 144.67 minutes.

Leads would reasonably take 3 minutes. If you had 2 leads out of out of 300 calls that would be 2 leads X 3 minutes per = 6 minutes. Time remaining would be 144.67 - 6 = 138.67 minutes.

Non answering rings would account for the rest of the time. That would be 200 remaining calls to make. Remaining time = 138.67 minutes / 200 remaining calls = approximately 41 seconds for each of the 200 remaining non answered calls.

Also, roughly noon could be 12:30, so we'd have an additional 30 minutes to add to the formulas.

Does this clear the crime scene?

Lucky, posting what you know about Froy is unnecessary. I have no authority here, and this is only a suggestion, but if you feel compelled to do so, please do it in the infamous Froy thread. This thread isn't about Froy.

You're a friggin idiot. Really.

I think this topic needs to be locked down as it is no longer productive.

Whether Froy exists or does not exist is of no concern. Obviously if they do exist they have no concerns on answering questions here.

Since I do no cold calling Lucky's angle of cold calling really does not interest me. If you like cold calling Floyd Wickman did a lot of it.

As far as postcards,letters,bulk inserts,whatever it is not the quantity you send out but the message that gets the response. I personally write the address in hand with an envelope and hand stamp and get a great response that way. Most will open as it appears from a friend or business associate.

The goal is to get them to open the letter and inquire for more information with a call or e-mail back.

I do not like postcards as the mail carriers will slip them into the other junk which hits the trash for most. How do I know this??

Most of my family has either been in the military or worked in high levels to low levels of management for the post office.I know how delivery carriers think and what they do.

I agree with you, SuperRealtor, that this thread is pretty nonproductive, so prolly worth locking.

Gotta add tho' that it's been pretty doggone humorous reading!
(tho' that's time-wasting on my part. )

Is it the thread that's non productive or the folks who chime in with nothing productive to say? I say lock the accounts of those who just come in attacking and lock those accounts who resort to name calling. The opening post was fine. Keep it up and the people who have productive things to say will leave and not come back. You'll then be left with the non productive folks. Is that really what you want? Many of you folks need to lighten up.

As for my productive thing to say:

Super, my dad was a post man for many years after he retired from the Army with 30 years of service. I'm with you on what the post office does with the mail. Many of the post cards I mailed out never made it to their destinations. I didn't want to bring up yet another skeptical point, so I simply mentioned I'd rather do door hangers instead. This way - I know they get to their destinations. I'll drive by and take a "looksy" when the kid is done.

The door hangers are what I plan on doing more of to step up my game in 2010.

Actually the thread is very productive or could be productive. Lucky is almost to the point that he is being attacked. At this point I see nothing that Lucky has posted as being untruthful, decietful, or in violation of any rules.

I imagine this opinion will fall on mostly deaf ears, but what the heck!

Instead of striving to play the Numbers Game even harder, even more efficiently, have you ever considered playing a different game? Specifically, taking a Quality over Quantity approach to your prospecting?

Rather than attempt to contact 100 people a day in hopes of catching the attention of a few, how about trying to impress just a few every day, in hopes of making a memorable impression on every single one? If you were to impress two people a day, at the end of a year, that's over 700 people on the planet who think you're really cool - instead simply sort of recognizing your name from your mass-marketing efforts.

Instead of pestering your sphere of influence once a quarter with requests for referrals (which I promise you are not welcomed with open arms), try reconnecting with the people you know as a friend or acquaintance first - a friend or acquaintance who happens to sell real estate.

Instead of focusing all your time, energy and budget on hunting down new prospects, spend at least half of that time being a kick-a$$ real estate agent for those 50-60 clients who have honored you with their business.

I sold 50-70 houses every year without doing ANY formal prospecting other than what I describe above. If the people in your world think you're a pretty darn cool person and a terrific real estate agent, they'll take great care of you throughout your career.

I tend to agree with that Jennifer's approach. Though Lucky's was very intersting to read, and I am sure very successful, it is not an approach I could get into based on my style and personality. I always concentrate on face to face meetings with people and personal interactions that establish confidence for the future. I rarely introduce real estate into any conversation. But most of my conversations turn to real estate when I am asked about trends. These interactions for me produce very solid and loyal coustomers, and as a result I spend little to no energies on advertising or mailings. When I do mailings I always send very useful and unique information that I originate by analyzing the market.

I agree with Jennifer too. One thing that's been working for me recently is wearing my name tag everywhere I go. Amazing how many people strike up a conversation about real estate and ask "is the market getting any better?" Some of these people will be good for listings in the coming year, I am certain of that. People are looking for someone to talk to who will give them accurate information. I would not have those opportunities in cold calling except in extremely rare moments. And in this state, cold calling is almost a total no-no anyway.

I follow alot of Jennifers advice, I own several of her books and take alot away from them (and recommend them).

Cold calling is a niche. If Lucky is as successful as he claims (and I have NO DOUBT that he is)its a niche. And as August points out, the more you do it, you can schedule and anticipate the time involved. The bulk of the calls will go unanswered, move on, a certain % though will play with you.

As for mailings. I send out postcards with recipies on them. Out of 200 I sent 10 to people that would email me or call me to tell me it arrived in the mail. One month I was late getting the cards out and the SOI called to ask me "where is my card".