Lenny Moore's Blog

Hello Friends,

I hope that you are all as tired as I am tonight. If you took advantage of Triple Bonus this month, you have already and probably will see some unbelievable rewards coming your way. Not only are the leadership bonuses fantastic today, but something special happens in the next 2 to 3 months. Your residual check will jump up as well! Last time I took advantage of the "Triple Bonus Blitz", I saw my commission check jump by about 100% in that time frame. Now as my income has grown, I don't expect these kind of proportional increases to go on linearly into the future. However, I can forsee with confidence the kind of residual growth that we talk about in the Ambit Energy Business Presentation.

So for those of you who took advantage of this unbelievably generous 33 days of the Triple Bonus Plan (TBP), I salute you!

A Special Note of Congratulations to:

Gary Moore: 6 new MC's in TBP and a Fast Track promotion to RC!
Jason Johnson: 7 new MC's in TBP and he's now only 10 new MC's away from his promotion to SC. Way to go!
David Estrada: 3 new MC's in TBP and now he's just 15 away from promotion to SC!
Randy Taylor: 1 new MC in TBP and now he's just 2 away from a promotion to RC!
Eunice Simmons: 1 new MC and she has promoted herself to SC!!!! Whooohooo!
Gina Coston: 2 new MC's during TBP and a promotion to RC!
Amanda Autry: Just signed up today, and is going right to the top!

See you at the top!

Lenny

Well friends, we are in the middle of a Triple Bonus until February 29th. I hope each of you understands that these only come around once or twice a year, and this is the time to absolutely blow out your consultant gathering!

With that said, let's talk a little about your posture in this business. I'm not talking about how you sit or stand, although everything your mom said about keeping that back straight at the table is true :) What I am talking about is what National Consultant Steve Thompson refers to as a "Strong Ambit Posture." You have to be confident in your tone, voice and context of speech.

Before we discuss "Good Posture," let's identify "Bad Posture." See if you can relate to this. You've just signed up a gung ho consultant who's ready to invite their friends to look at Ambit. Hopefully, you've told them NOT TO ask anyone to look at the business until they've watched all the Ambit videos at least 3 times. Maybe you've had the foresight to roll play a conversation or two. However, they're new and excited and the lessons didn't stick. They've got their target in their sites. They jump right into a 5 minute diatribe about "7 Eleven, $300 bonuses and Excel Communication". They usually end it with puppy dog eyes and "puh-lease join my group! It's only $429!" I'll confess, I've seen this car wreck play out too many times, and have even done it myself. Why on Earth would you let a newbie drive the conversation when you (hopefully) know that you should never collapse the invitation with the presentation? It's a little like letting Tounces the Driving Cat, taking the prospect over the cliff? (See video)

Now let's take a look at the right posture: "You know, I'm looking for business partners that are coachable and teachable. This opportunity MAY NOT BE RIGHT FOR YOU, but if you're willing to invest time in this business, I'm willing to invest my time in you. If you're not, then let's not waste each other's time." That's a pretty scary thing to say to a prospect who you just know would be great for the business. If they see that you are serious about this business and that you really don't need them, they will likely have their curiosity aroused. If you get an objection, DON'T HANDLE IT YOURSELF. Ask your upline or senior-most attendee to handle it in a 3 way call or in person at the meeting. They will knock down the objection quickly and cleanly, because there really is no better MLM business than energy deregulation. If the prospect pushes back again, the upline should be brutally honest and say "you know what, it doesn't sound like your ready for this opportunity yet." When you hear these words for the first time, you may panic or feel yourself weak in the knees. Don't be! Your prospect may need a "fear of loss" nudge to make a decision. It could also be that this great prospect is really not so great after all, and your sponsor is doing you a favor by cutting your losses and preventing you from "pushing a rope" with this prospect. Either way, they've done you a favor.

You, too, can adopt this posture when giving the invitation. Remember to keep the invitation enthusiastic, but brief and non-specific (don't mention Ambit or Energy Deregulation...that's for the presentation). If you get push back, go to the 3 questions (Who do you know who uses electricity/gas? Would they like to get it for less, or maybe even for free? What if you and I, working together, with me doing 90% of the work upfront could get paid leadership bonuses and residual commissions, just for inviting people to take a look at the opportunity?) But if they resist further, be ready to go to the POSTURE CARD. "You know what? I appreciate your honest feedback. I've mistakenly assumed that we could do this together. You see, it's not my job to make you believe this will work. I know it does. I've got big plans for my business, and I'm taking like-minded people with me who share my belief that there's a better way than 9-5 corporate America. I just didn't want to see you 3 years from now, and know that I could have done something really special for you and your family financially. It's obviously not the right time (or "not right") for you. However, next time you hear someone complaining about their finances or that they have no time for the family, think of me and give them my card. That's just the kind of person who would be great for this opportunity."

"Take it away from them! It's the best way to sort the wheat from the chaff." Steve Thompson, paraphrased.

Good luck, and press hard this month. There's no better time than triple bonus time to build a big business!!!

I've had a month to digest the changes to Ambit Energy's Third Party Verification (TPV) system.  Here's what I've learned:

1) Don't use live TPV:  It is no longer cost-effective to "hand hold" the customer through to the Third Party Verification process.  At $3.95 per call, you will eat into your profits for relatively little gain.  I'm convinced the charge is to dissuade us from using live resources, which are more expensive than automated tools.  I am all for cost-saving measures, since that accrues to our bottom line and may help us extend our rapid growth and bonuses.  What's good for Ambit is good for us.

 2) Set Customer Expectations:  At first, I was upset by the change and the loss of "control" in this process.  I liked being able to keep control of the customer call and bringing them "live" to TPV.  The new automated system REQUIRES the new customer to call from their phone WITHOUT YOU in the process.  While there is a little more effort required on the customer's part, if you do your job correctly to set the customer's expectations about how the call will go, it's actually more efficient for you, while accomplishing Ambit's goal of increased security by verifying the new customer's phone validity.  Act as if this is the ONLY way to get service, that it's ALWAYS been this way, and that IT'S NO BIG DEAL.  Posture is important!

3) The Call Script:  My new call goes like this "Thanks Mr. Customer for upgrading your service to Ambit Energy.  The setup is a two part process, each taking about 3 minutes of your time on the phone with a 15 minute intermission between.  (the 15 minutes is time for me to get to a computer, enter their info and call them back).  Is now a good time to proceed?"  (yes). "Great!  I've got your caller ID as (123) 555-5555.  Is this your cell phone?  (yes).  Do you have a home or work number? (yes).  Ambit now offers discounts to our customers who choose to pay and receive billing online.  You can reduce your already low 9.9 cent rate to 9.7 cents!  Would you be interested in this option?  (yes).  Okay.  I'll just need your email address and method of payment (get email and credit card or checking account # and bank routing number).  Now, is there anyone else who needs access to your account (if yes, take their name).  "Fixed rate plans protect you again future price increases.  We should set up your service to be as long as possible, while not extending beyond your lease term (if renting).  Our 2 year rates are 9.9 cents.  Would you like to lock in for that?"  "Lastly, I'll need your date of birth and social security number to perform a light credit check." (pause..and write it down).  "Thanks for your time.  I'm going to put in your application for service and give you a call back in about 15 minutes.  I will call you back with your new account number, which you will need for your verification call.  Will you be available in 15 minutes?"  (yes).  "Great.  Talk to you soon."  After entering the information, you can then give them their account number and the (866) 943-6248 number to call FROM THEIR CELL PHONE. 

If a deposit is required, I say: "Congratulations.  You were approved for electric service with a $200 deposit.  You are only required to pay $100 today and $100 on your first bill, which will come in about 30 days.  Do you want to pay this on a credit card or would a Wal-Mart MoneyGram be better for you?"  Notice that I didn't apologize for the deposit, or act like it wasn't expected.  Your posture will set the tone.  If they protest, I'd say the following: "All Texas electric providers require deposits in certain circumstances.  However, Ambit Energy pays you back every cent with interest after 12 months or when you move.  You can also WAIVE YOUR $200 DEPOSIT if you become an Ambit consultant.  Would you be interested in earning extra cash as a consultant?  (go into the 3 questions and your dialogue). 

If no deposit is required, modify your to say “You were approved with no deposit required.”  As before, now is a good time to approach them as above to see if they are interested in signing up as their own first customer.  If they are interested in learning more, send them to your website or better yet, make a date to show them the opportunity in person.

4.  The Follow up:  Before I wrap up the call, I ask them “Will you be able to make the 3 minute call right now?  If you are not able to call today, you may have delays in getting your service established.”  A call to action is always necessary, and even more so now, since you are no longer completing the 3 way call with TPV.  If they agree to call immediately, thank them for their time, and monitor Powerzone.  If, after refreshing your webpage, their gray dot doesn’t turn yellow on your dashboard within 30 minutes, I would call them or text them back reminding them that their electricity order is NOT complete.  This usually gets them moving.

I talked about posture and setting appropriate expectations.  Next month, I will elaborate on “posture” and how attraction marketing can help you take the next step in becoming a top Ambit Leader.

At Ambition '11 last week, a young lady next to me asked what is Ambit Energy's competitive advantage compared to traditional power companies like Reliant, TXU, etc.  So let's explore the 3 reasons why this opportunity surpasses all others:

1)  Direct Marketing has the greatest customer retention.  Unlike companies who must advertise for their customers and hope that they will not be lured away by the "next great deal," Ambit Energy enjoys the highest customer retention in the industry.  For example, if Moe finds a teaser rate for 9.9 cents through GoneTomorrow Energy, but later discovers another company has it for 9.8, he'll jump.  There is no loyalty on price.  Now take Curly.  He has signed up his mother, Jenny. Jenny would prefer a 9.8 rate, but Curly is the bald, ugly Stooge, and she takes pity on him.  She will pay the extra .04 cents (10.3 cents) for Ambit, because Curly explained to her that this is his business, he NEEDS her as a customer to advance, and that she is helping him achieve financial freedom.  Do you really think that she would listen to Moe and switch to Brand X?  EVER???  This is why it is SO VERY IMPORTANT to set up your customers as a favor to you, and not base it on rateplan. 

2) Ambit Energy only pays for pending or energized customers, not advertising.  Why has Ambit become the fastest growing, privately held company TWO years running (Inc500, Sept '11)?  If the first pillar of success is customer retention, then customer acquisition is the second.  Ambit spends FAR less per customer acquisition than traditional advertising does. It's true that Ambit pays its consultants a handsome fee for customer acquisition. However, these costs pale in comparison with day and night radio, newspaper, google and tv ads.   Let's look at a certain incumbent provider here in Houston. This company has spent millions of dollars to have the Houston Texans football stadium named after their company.  Now every dollar of these naming rights did not result in one actual customer acquisition. It certainly influenced millions of local consumers to consider their company, but this company, like every traditional marketing plan is betting on a certain percentage of customers signing up because of their brand recognition.  Has this strategy worked? You be the judge. Ambit Energy is debt-free and fast-growing. The company described above has already gone bust once, and is now billions of dollars in debt. Our advertising budget pays for performance, and has a 100% success rate.  Brand X? Not so much...

3) Ambit Energy has the best data processing systems in the industry.  Shortly after our company's founding, a large, multi-national energy company looked into our data systems that John Burke's team created and said that it was probably the best in the industry.  They suggested that we patent it and make it available to other companies to capitalize on it's strengths.  Ambit took half of their advice, but kept our systems architecture a trade secret, to maintain our critical advantage.  Here's our advantage:  since Ambit Energy acquires customers primarily through consultant websites, this information is instantaneously fed into our algorythms that predict our required energy needs over a given timeframe. Since we can accurately foreour Megawatt usage, we can accurately purchase only what we need. Market upswings and downturns are already fed into the system, because the system only sees acquired customers!  Our predictive accuracy is consistently within 2.5% of our actual needs.  Traditional energy companies can only foreexpected energy needs based on historic success rates of adverstising campaigns.  Market fluctuations caused by economic changes can be predicted with some accuracy, too. However, if they are within +/- 10% of predicted needs, they are within industry averages.  This variance can be very expensive when you are purchasing extra energy on the open market, or underutilizing megawatts of power already purchased for expected needs.  It's like having a cell phone.  Would you rather consistently use 490 of your 500 minutes each month, and hit your budgetted amount each month, or waste 50 minutes some months, and purchase extra minutes at $.25 a pop on other months?   Expenses like these drive up costs, which must be passed on to the consumer.  This is a competitive death spiral for the big incumbents! 

So you should feel good about what Ambit Energy has put together for us as consultants.  Our systems and business model are simply unbeatable.  Over time, these competive advantages will open more markets for us, perhaps in other countries... each new consultant coded to we early pioneers.  Enjoy triple/double bonuses, the new markets in existing states and New Jersey.  There's never been a better time than now to be an Ambit Energy consultant!

Hello Again, friends. I recently held a training session at a consultant's home and I was reminded of the need to share some important rules to live by regarding handling objections. Here are 3 mistakes to avoid when handling objections:

1.  Not validating the prospect's objection.  So often, I hear the objection and immediately begin formulating my clever rebuttal to diffuse the issue.  RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO DIFFUSE!  Instead, agree and validate the concern.  This provideds an important psychological function; by validating the prospects concern, they know that you have heard their concern AND that you sympathize.  For example, if your prospect says, "I just don't see myself being able to do this business."  You might consider a response like, "I totally agree with you.  When I first saw this business, I thought that I had to be an expert in the energy business."  After you agree or validate the concern, you can then respond with something like "I sure was relieved when I realized that Ambit Energy has fantastic online tools with "Ambit University" and a super support team with..."

You may not agree with the concern, but that can be handled with a phrase like "that's interesting.  Tell me more about this" or "hmm.  I can see your point.  Can you share with me what your thinking is around this concern?"  Validation is crucial to show your prospect that you hear them and you care about their opinion.  If the prospect voices multiple concerns at once, be sure to repeat their question, and say "is that right?"  This is particularly useful in phone calls, since clarity of communications can be difficult in this medium.

2.  Not using the objection as a lead-in for a 3-way call. So often, we forget that our team members are there to help us! Use the 3 way call function of your telephone to get them on the line to respond to the objection. More often than not, I know of a great response to the concern my prospect shares with me. However, I've learned that I must resist my temptation to quickly respond to the concern. The goal here is not to exhaust their concerns quickly to get to the "yes." Typically, you'll end up with a "no" in your haste! It's far better to use this as an opportunity to bring on your "energy expert / team member" to not only answer the question, but demonstrate the kinds of support they can expect if (check that, WHEN) they join your organization.   Let your 3 way call help you close your prospect! Remember, the end game is to gain a new consultant, not get your presentation done in 30 minutes or less by answering questions quickly yourself.

3.  Not exploring the concern with open-ended questions.  An open-ended question is a question that cannot be answered with a simple "yes or no."  Usually, these questions begin with "why, what, how".  When you hear a concern expressed that you do not understand completely, ask questions! By the way, if you think that you completely understand the question, STILL ask questions!  Be inquisitive. He who asks questions controls the conversation. Understanding the root of their concern will also keep you on track for getting to the real concerns.  For example, if your prospect says "it costs too much money to join."  If I have already done the 3-way call and this came up later, I would say "I agree with you. $429 is not immediately available in everyone's budget. But can I ask you a question?  If money was no object, would you be ready to get started today?" "Well money IS the only concern.  If I had money, I wouldn't be sitting here" "Well I'm relieved to hear that, because we can work through this issue. Who is the first person you thought of calling about this opportunity?" Sometimes, money can be a smokescreen for another concern. In this example, it was simply "money." But you won't know until you explore! One last thought. Avoid asking "why" questions.  Reword with a phrase that is less confrontational, like "what led you to this conclusion?"

Hopefully, this will help give you a framework for responding to objections.  Remember, objections indicate interest in moving forward!  Learn to LOVE objections and how to handle them effectively, and watch your business explode.

Understanding Personality Types to Help You Grow Your Business

 

Hello Friends.  I've been away in California for a while, but am happy to be back home.  This past weekend, I gave a 10 minute teleconference presentation on how understanding personality types can increase the effectiveness of our communications.  Although the benefits of this knowledge extend to our personal lives, my purpose was to show how these tools can directly impact your success in business, particularly in Ambit.

Let me first thank my dear friend, teacher and mentor, Pete Hinojosa.  Pete is a gifted educator, lecturer and public speaker.  This material is derived from his 3 day workshop "Connecting with Influence."  I strongly recommend you visit his website at http://petehinojosa.com/ if you desire a deeper understanding of these concepts. 

The attached diagram is a model that describes people's primary behaviors during normal, or un-stressed moments.  Most people will fall into one of four personality tendencies.  The concept is called "D.I.S.C.", or "Red-Green-Blue-Yellow".  "D" is for "dominant", "I" stands for "influence", "S" signifies "Steadiness" and C represent "compliance" type of behavior.  Each of these 4 personality types are driven by pace and focus.  Specifically, "D" and "I" personalities prefer a faster-paced conversation, whereas "S" and "C" prefer a slower pace.  A person's tendency to prefer people orientation or task orientation further refines the pace elements.  "D" and "C" people prefer task completion to socialization, while "I" and "C" folks prefer the social aspect of the task over the details or desire to complete the task.  Please note that these generalizations are not 100% accurate, and should not be thought of as the final word for all people for all time.  However, an understanding of a person's personality style can greatly aide in your presentation of material, as well as a cursory understanding of their personality strengths, weaknesses and "love language" (defined as an individual's preference for a choice of words and the way in which they best respond to the words that are spoken.)

The "D" sees the world as something that must be controlled.  While a "D" is competitive, persistent and ambitious, they may seem arrogant, rude and impatient.  When presenting an invitation to take a look at the Ambit Energy opportunity, it is better to present choices to allow for their need to control.  Never argue with a "D."  You'll never win!  Keep the suggestions to two options, and brief to the point of curtness:  "In the hands of a aggressive entrepreneur, like yourself, you can easily realize financial freedom in a short time.  Or, you can opt out and seek fortunes somewhere else.  Would you agree that it make sense to spend a few minutes to evaluate an opportunity with such possibilities?"

An "I" sees the world as a friendly place that should be enjoyed.  They are optimistic, imaginative, funny; the life of the party.  However, they tend to struggle with unrealistic expectations, exaggeration and lack of focus.  Therefore, you should anticipate their "chattiness", and demonstrate your control of your impulsiveness.  Since "fun" is the key, emphasize the fun and friendships you've made in Ambit, and how great it will be to work with other happy people.  Keep the conversation lively and face-paced.  Don't be afraid to show your enthusiasm here.

"S" style communicators are even-tempered, helpful and supportive.  They forgo the recognition an "I" desires for the satisfaction of a job well done.  Their "team first" approach can be construed as shyness, stubborness or sensitivity in the extreme, however.  An appeal to security is the right call here.  For instance, you might say "Ambit is certainly worth taking a look at, if for no other reason than it can help secure your financial future and pay for the kids' college."  Soft tones and slow pace to trigger the love language! 

Lastly, but certainly not least, is our "C" style person.  We lovingly call them "See-mores," because they will need to analyze the opportunity in great depth before making a decision.  They are detailed in their observations, logical and private.  While their modesty in their approach may seem distrustful, picky and evasive in the extreme, their slower pace and need to accomplish the task right the first time dictates their approach.  An invitation to the presentation might go something like this: "One of the things that I most admire about this company is the lengths to which they went to get this program right.  Can you imagine the detail that went into putting our database and systems together to have the most profitable company in the world audit our operation and say that our systems are some of the "best in the world?"  Be prepared for many questions, if they are interested.  Don't try to convince them in one sitting.  Offer to send them detailed materials, like the email drip campaign found on "more info" on your energy526 page, Success at Home magazine, and even a copy of the policies for independent consultants.  Chances are, they will not say yes the first time.  Remember that they are worth the effort.  Because of their detail tendency, they will absorb the material and work diligently to grow their business.

If you have a familiarity with the person to whom you are speaking, you will likely have an idea of their tendency.  However, some basic open-ended questions will likely reveal the truth.  Again, judge their pace and task/people orientation.  The attached diagram is a hand-written summary of these concepts that should help you visualize the model.  (Thanks to Chris Carey of Creative Communication and Pete Hinojosa for the descriptions and visuals herein).

Since I'm now officially plowed under with my Keller Williams Boot camp training, I will be out of pocket for a few weeks.  Please comment on any subject matter you would be interested in discussing in this forum.  Until we meet again, "Happy Telling (not selling)!"

p.s.  I'm having trouble getting hand-written diagram to post on this blog entry.  Until I resolve it, feel free to contact me directly by email, and I will send you a copy back

My apologies for my tardiness in writing again. Thank you for your patience.

So you've gotten your first customer.  Now what?  Your interaction with this customer will now determine how successful you will be in maintaining them as a customer as well as any hope she may have of converting them to a consultant.

Good, loyal customers will ensure you meet the customer qualifications as your business continues to grow. Once someone becomes yourcustomer, it is important to remind them how much you appreciate your support. Just sending them a “thank you” note periodically is a great way to do this. Once a customer has been on your service for a while, you may even want to send them a gift card as a token of you appreciation. The following is a sample of what you might want to include in your note.

“I just wanted to drop you a note to thank you for being my customer.  You are a big part in helping us reach our financial goals in our business.  Feel free to give me a call if you have any questions, or if you know someone else who might be interested in our service. Thanks again for your support.”

Ideally, you should write a hand written thank you note no later than five days after they become your customer.  If you have a number of customers that require notes, you may consider a service such as send out cards who can automate the process for you.  Keep in mind that this is a less personal way of contacting your most valuable customers, but it is better than nothing.

How often should you write notes? I suggest that you write a note to your customers every 3 to 6 months. If you know their birthday or anniversary, this would be a good time to say hello. You may also want to include a gift card of some modest denomination. A five or $10 Starbucks gift card would be ideal. It doesn't have to be extravagant. Keep in mind that your effort here is far in excess of anything they would have gotten before from their previous energy provider.

What's the benefit of sending these cards? Not only are you showing that you are thinking about your customer, which is always the polite thing to do, but you are creating loyalty.  Your efforts will also prepare your customers for a discussion about the Ambit Energy opportunity.  A quick notes stating " now that you have had Ambit Energy for the past six months and have enjoyed the benefits of lowering your energy costs, would you like to take it vantage of the lucrative opportunity that I am enjoying with this company?  My neighbor and fellow senior consultant has had great success converting her customers to consultants utilizing this approach.  Since your customers are your warm market, they are much more receptive to your approach than a cold call. For this reason, you should consider your customers as part of your consultant prospect list.

I hope that this has given you some ideas about how to approach the thank you card and the importance that it plays in your business. Ambit energy has the most loyal customer base in the industry. That is thanks to consultants like you and I, who take the time to show the customer that we care. Remind your customers in your thank you note that you are their first point of contact for any questions about their electric or gas bill, and that you are there to help them. This personal touch is one of the distinguishing factors that make ambit energy the finest and most respected retail electric provider in this country.  Be sure to include four or five of your business cards and remind your customer that you are never too busy for their referrals, and that you will treat them like family.

Next week, we will discuss basic human personality types, and how this knowledge can help you close more business.  Best of luck to you, and happy hunting.

Hello Dear Readers!  I found this video on the web, and I think it's pretty great!  Enjoy!

The power of a timely and consistent follow up is the key to any successful business venture.  So, too, is this true in prospecting for loyal Ambit customers. 

Let's first discuss your CRM (Customer Retention Management) system.  You can purchase some fantastic commercial CRM programs like Constant Contact, ACT or Goldmine that will automate many of the processes for keeping in contact with your prospects.  Some newer companies like Send Out Cards can also create front-of-mind awareness.  While all of these companies can provided automatic contact via email or post cards, you can also go with a no-cost option with tools probably already on your computer.  Microsoft Outlook, Access and Excel can be excellent tools for helping you manage your contacts.  However, these tools are only as good as your discipline in using them consistently and appropriately.  As a budget-minded guy, I use Excel for maintaining my data, and my Google Calendar linked to my Android Smartphone to keep track of my upcoming appointments.  More on this later.

Next, let's review Social Media.  Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are popular social media sites that can be helpful in re-aquainting you with old friends, family and colleagues.  These tools can be powerful when properly applied in aiding your quest for customers.  A post on Twitter and Facebook announcing your interest in helping others get "free electricity" can be a power incentive for folks in your sphere of influence (SOI) to seek more information from you.  By helping them get free electricity, you too, get a loyal customer and, if you are a consultant, you can even earn residual overrides on their electricity use each month!  I suggest that you keep the focus on helping out your SOI, not on "begging them to be your customer" or "selling on rate."  It's been my experience that "attraction marketing" is much more effective and will open many more opportunities for you.

Now let's talk about practical applications of best practices.  When I have a prospect tell me that they are interested in switch to Ambit through my website, but that they are under contract, ask them when their contract expires.  If the expiration date is within 90 days, you can put them in and post-date the switch out to a maximum of 90 days.  Your customer-gathering website (your customer number dot joinambit dot com, ie. "A1234356.joinambit.com) will automatically calculate on the calendar how many days out that you can schedule them for service initiation.  There is a small fee for not taking the "first available" option, but it is nominal, and is applied to their first bill.  If they are greater than 90 days out, I find the electronic calendar with alarm reminder to be the most effective way to help you manage these future prospects.  For example, if today is 4/18/11 and your prospect's contract expires 9/01/11, I go to 6/1/11 and put a reminder "call John Doe, electricity exp. 9/1/11).  I want to be no later than 4 weeks ahead of the contract expiration.  3 months is better, since you can lock them in 90 days out.  Besides, I know that their incumbent provider will begin a barage of "teaser deals" and marketing efforts to get them to renew their contract. Remind them of your April discussion and their interest in helping "do you a favor".  Get the commitment early and lock out the incumbent!

If you have multiple prospects and are just beginning to make your calls, Excel is a cost-effect and simple way to manage your database.  Simply put your names and contact numbers into two columns, with a third "notes" column. Alternatively, you can use the "notes feature" of Excel by right-clicking on the name of your prospect and writing notes there.  Always date your notes, and be sure to put a memory jogger there.  For instance, your entry might say "4/18/11, spoke to Jane Doe's daughter.  JD is at PTA meeting, CBL (call back later)."  So call back, and ask Jane how her PTA meeting went, to break the ice.  Then, ask for the favor...  Once the prospect has given you a "yes, no or maybe (with contract expiration date), move them off your list and copy them into your Outlook or Google calendar.  HINT:  A quick and easy way to transfer information like this is to drag the cursor through on the information you wish to transfer, right click and select "copy".  Then go to the calendar on the given date under "new event" and right click "paste."  Another option that bypasses the mouse is to hit "control c" for copy and "control v" for paste.  The "V" looks a little like a tack sticking down, so that's how I remembered it.

That's my system for managing my prospects.  I hope this helps.  Next week, we'll talk about how to keep loyal customers by following up with them AFTER they become your customer.  Until then, keep keepin' it cool for free!