The Be Back Kid!

Running the road can be an adventure.  You never know day to day and appointment to appointment what is going to happen.   You stare at the list of opportunities for the day and try not to assess who will buy and who will be a challenge.   But we are human and some amount of prejudging is what we are wired for...Miss O'Malley sounds like she need insurance but not so sure about Mr. Johnston.   Yes...we all do it.   We all have our own set of credos we operate by.  They may not be written down and we can't  recite them, but we tend to live by them.   Met an agent about a month ago that said he hated "Be Backs".  For him, this was anyone that canceled, no showed, or didn't buy but said he should contact them later. He said it was a total waste of time and that his time was too valuable to chase people down.   I told him he should rethink his position and strategy...that it was costing him.  I explained that real life happens to people and, yes, some are stalling or letting him down easy, but some of them really forgot about the appointment, have a sick relative in the hospital, or need time to make a decision.   He would have none of it.  Good kid...building a solid business...but missing the mark on this subject.   One day, we had a scheduled call and even though we allocated a specific time, I always ask, "Is this a good time for you?"   He said, "I need 10 minutes to wrap up a client matter...please call me back then."   10 minutes passed and I did not call.  In 20 minutes, he called me and I did not pickup.  He texted me and I did not "hit him back".  He called twice again that day leaving voice mails...I did not respond.  That evening he sent an email saying,   "Where are you?"    I answered...   "I don't do be backs."   The next day we spoke and laughed at my "lesson" that I had tried to impart.  He said he would try the approach I suggested and we agreed if it did not bear fruit in 30 days, he could go back to his old credo.   Didn't take long.  The first week he had 5 no-shows and 4 cancellations - almost half of his appointments.  He followed up with each of them and reset 5 (55% appointment save rate) of them.  He ran those appointments the following week and closed 2 (40% close rate) but also got 2 referrals that he sold the same week.     4 sales that were generated from "be backs".  Nothing like a few sales to change your philosophy.  Yes, he will still have to deal with no-shows, cancellations and people who put off making a decision.  Sure, there are times with clients where you have to know when to fold'em and when to hold'em and stop chasing.   Then there are times you have to be the...   The Be Back Kid!    Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success!