Install Your Prospecting System

Key Points:

0:00 – Opening and Topic Setup
Gary opens Workshop Wednesday and explains that the session is a spin-off from Karl’s hider, winger, and installer framework.

0:27 – Installer, Not Winger
The session title is introduced: “Installer, Not Winger: Building a Prospecting System You’re Gonna Actually Run.”

0:54 – Chat Participation and Worksheet Preview
Gary asks participants to keep the chat open and says a worksheet will be provided during the session.

1:09 – Picture Your Contact List
Coaches are asked to picture their actual contact list inside FBS, their phone, spreadsheet, or LinkedIn connections.

1:55 – Identify One Missed Prospect
Gary asks everyone to think of one person they have not reached out to in over 30 days who could become a prospect.

3:28 – The Real Prospecting Problem
Gary explains that most coaches know they should reach out consistently, but they have not installed a system to actually do it.

4:31 – Gut Check: Hider, Winger, Installer
Participants are asked to identify whether they are a hider, winger, or installer when it comes to prospecting.

5:13 – Hiders Avoid Outreach
Hiders stay busy with everything except picking up the phone or sending the message.

5:42 – Wingers Reach Out Randomly
Wingers do outreach when they feel like it, but there is no real structure or cadence.

5:52 – Installers Run a System
Installers have a cadence they follow whether they feel like it or not.

6:08 – Last True Outreach Check
Gary asks when participants last reached out to someone who was not already a warm lead or referral.

6:59 – Four-Step Prospecting System
The system is introduced: name your three entry points, pick a fixed cadence, script the opener, and install the follow-through.

7:18 – Bill’s Prospecting Example
Gary asks Bill to explain how his prospecting process fits the four-step framework.

7:54 – Bill’s Entry Point: Advertisers
Bill explains that he targeted people already spending money on advertising, including wrapped trucks, billboards, mailers, magazines, and door hangers.

8:45 – Bill’s Cadence
Bill committed to calling at least 10 people every day, five days a week.

9:27 – Bill’s Opener
Bill’s script starts with a compliment about the business, such as noticing a wrapped plumbing truck.

10:00 – Accountant Pattern Interrupt
Bill then explains that he is helping an accountant grow and asks who handles their bookkeeping or taxes.

10:29 – Transition to Business Coaching
When the prospect talks about business issues, Bill transitions to, “It sounds like what you really need is a business coach.”

11:00 – Follow-Through Process
Bill then schedules a meeting, sends a confirmation email, and tries to get financial information before the meeting.

11:31 – Prospecting Is Not One Vague Activity
Gary explains that coaches often aim prospecting at everyone, which is why it never gets installed.

12:01 – Three Entry Points
The three entry points are cold, warm but untouched, and dormant.

12:24 – Cold Prospects
Cold prospects have no prior relationship, and reaching out to them takes more nerve.

12:57 – Warm but Untouched
Warm but untouched prospects know of you, but you have not really spoken with them yet.

13:23 – Dormant Contacts
Dormant contacts are people you used to talk to, but the conversation has gone quiet.

13:39 – Name One Person in Each Category
Coaches are asked to name one real person in each category: cold, warm, and dormant.

14:20 – Step Two: Pick a Fixed Cadence
Gary explains that every system needs a rhythm, not a mood-based approach.

14:49 – Rule of Three
The suggested cadence is three scheduled touches per contact, spaced out intentionally.

15:29 – Follow-Up Must Be Planned Before Touch One
Gary notes that the follow-up dates should be planned before the first outreach goes out.

16:27 – Rick’s Honest Admission
Rick shares that he contacts people when it occurs to him, but does not yet have a system.

17:34 – One Message Is Not Prospecting
Gary states that sending one message, getting no response, and quitting is not prospecting. It is the absence of a system.

18:22 – Step Three: Script the Opener
A script helps reduce the need to reinvent courage every time you reach out.

18:24 – Opener Structure
The opener should include an observation about the business, a specific reason for reaching out, and a question.

19:14 – Avoid Vendor Language
Gary warns against phrases like “touching base,” “circling back,” and generic “checking in,” because they put you in a vendor role.

19:46 – Observation, Reason, Question
Gary restates the outreach structure as observation, reason, and question.

20:26 – Bill Applies the Framework
Bill identifies his observation, reason, and question using the plumbing truck and accountant example.

21:17 – Daniel’s Silver Tsunami Example
Daniel shares a line related to helping Main Street small business owners boost profits now and prepare for a future exit.

22:17 – Narrowing to a Cold Call
Gary redirects the exercise back to a cold-call opener rather than a full elevator pitch.

22:32 – Roofing Commercial Example
Daniel shares a cold voicemail example for a roofing company with a strong radio commercial.

23:27 – Specific Follow-Up Language
Gary suggests following up by referencing the commercial again and asking to sit down for coffee.

23:58 – Melanie Asks About Role Play
Melanie asks whether there is a regular process or place for role play inside Focused.

24:26 – Role Play Opportunities
Gary explains that role play can happen through weekly calls, advisor sessions, simulator training, assessment training, and AI Coaching Dojo.

25:13 – Advisor Role Play
Coaches should work with their advisor weekly and use that time for role play and practice.

25:41 – Simulator and Assessment Role Plays
The onboarding includes role plays for the simulator and assessment, and coaches can do them more than once.

26:08 – AI Coaching Dojo Practice
The AI Coaching Dojo includes areas for Jumpstart 12, objections, elevator pitch, and other practice conversations.

26:23 – Practice Yourself
Gary recommends recording yourself, using a mirror, or opening a Zoom meeting with yourself to review your delivery.

27:16 – Sample Language Introduced
Gary moves into sample outreach language for cold, warm, and dormant prospects.

27:25 – Cold Outreach Example
The cold script begins with noticing something specific about the business and tying it to a gap common in that industry.

28:37 – Warm but Untouched Example
The warm script starts with, “We’ve crossed paths a few times…” and invites a simple conversation.

29:22 – Dormant Contact Example
The dormant script references the prior conversation and asks how that specific issue is going now.

30:09 – Peer Positioning
Gary explains that the goal is to come across as a peer, not a vendor begging for attention.

31:11 – Rick Challenges the Language
Rick says he is hard to sell to and worries that asking for time can feel like asking for something.

32:06 – Cutting Unneeded Words
Rick suggests removing “I wanted to check in” from the dormant script and going directly to the specific thing discussed before.

32:25 – Vendor vs. Relationship Frame
Gary explains that saying “I only have 15 minutes” can still feel like a vendor move, while the goal is to build owner-to-owner relationship.

34:14 – Business as a Relationship Bridge
Gary shares that business is often his way of building relationships with other business owners.

35:09 – People Want Connection
Gary says there is loneliness in the business world, and business owners often want real connection, not another sales pitch.

35:38 – Building Relationship, Not Selling
The point is to build a relationship whether the person ever becomes a client or not.

36:07 – Startup Brew Example
Gary shares an example from a weekly local business event where consistency made him known in the room.

37:19 – Genuine Interest Changes the Dynamic
If you genuinely want to learn about people, they will not experience the conversation as being sold to.

39:02 – Step Four: Install the Follow-Through
Gary explains that one message is not a system. Follow-up touches must be built in before touch one is sent.

39:56 – Silence Is Not the End
Silence should not mean the coach disappears. It starts the next phase of follow-up.

40:12 – Sample Follow-Up Messages
Gary shares sample follow-up language that bumps the message back up without sounding desperate.

40:47 – Close the Loop Without Burning the Bridge
The final touch should leave the door open and preserve the relationship for a later dormant follow-up.

42:01 – Draft Three Messages
Participants are asked to draft messages for one cold prospect, one warm prospect, and one dormant contact.

43:57 – Worksheet Shared
Gary shares the worksheet, which includes entry points, cadence, follow-up messages, self-assessment, and a commitment section.

44:56 – Put Touch Two and Three on the Calendar
The worksheet asks coaches to schedule their second and third touches before closing the worksheet.

46:00 – Hardest Message Reflection
Gary asks which of the three messages was hardest to write and what that reveals about what the coach has been avoiding.

46:24 – Melanie’s New Area Outreach
Melanie shares that she is new to the area and has been thinking about calling business owners to ask for advice on building relationships.

47:27 – Remove “Coach” From the Opener
Gary suggests replacing “business coach” with “business owner” because “coach” can trigger resistance.

47:47 – Business Strategist Language
Gary shares that he often uses “business strategist” because people hear it less often.

48:12 – Owner-to-Owner Conversation
Gary suggests framing the outreach as one business owner wanting to learn the local business landscape from another.

48:37 – People Are Generous
Bill adds that people are usually generous and often want to help when asked sincerely.

49:04 – Business Owners Are Lonely
Gary explains that business owners often appear put together, but many are lonely and do not share their problems because they do not want to seem weak.

50:15 – Sign Company Collaboration Example
Gary shares an example of a sign company that works with other sign companies instead of competing against them.

51:00 – What 90 Days of Cadence Would Do
Gary asks what would happen if coaches ran this cadence for the next 90 days.

51:29 – Pipeline Becomes Steadier
One participant says the pipeline would become steadier.

51:48 – Getting Known
Another says it would put the business on the map.

52:10 – Collaboration Over Competition
A participant reflects that collaborative conversations may be more powerful than competitive positioning.

53:27 – People Hate to Be Sold, Love to Buy
The group discusses how opening the door with relationship reduces defensiveness.

53:49 – Final Commitment
Gary asks everyone to use the worksheet, send all three drafted messages, and calendar touches two and three.

54:21 – Run the System
The closing message is that coaches do not need to feel brave. They need to run the system.

54:59 – Deck Shared
Gary confirms that the deck will be available with the recording and shares it in the chat.

Five Key Takeaways

• Prospecting should not depend on motivation. It needs to be installed as a system.
• Every coach has three prospecting entry points: cold, warm but untouched, and dormant.
• A strong opener includes an observation, a reason, and a question.
• One message is not a system. Follow-up touches need to be planned before the first message goes out.
• The goal is relationship, not chasing. Coaches should position themselves owner-to-owner, not vendor-to-prospect.

Notable Quotes

“Installer, not winger.”

“Every coach knows that we should be reaching out consistently.”

“The problem is that almost none of us actually have installed a system for doing so.”

“Installers have an actual system and a cadence that they run whether they feel like it or not.”

“One touch is never supposed to be the entire plan.”

“If you have to reinvent your courage every time you reach out, you’re not going to do it.”

“Touching base, reaching out, circling back. Get those out of your vocabulary.”

“You’re not trying to pitch anything here. You’re trying to build relationship.”

“Observation, reason, question.”

“One message is not a system.”

“Silence isn’t the end of the contact. It’s just the beginning of the next phase.”

“You don’t need to feel brave, just run the system.”

Action Steps from the Call

1. Identify one cold prospect.
2. Identify one warm but untouched prospect.
3. Identify one dormant contact.
4. Choose your three prospecting entry points.
5. Set a fixed cadence for outreach.
6. Plan three scheduled touches for each contact.
7. Put touch two and touch three on your calendar before sending touch one.
8. Stop relying on memory for follow-up.
9. Write your opener using observation, reason, and question.
10. Make the observation specific to their business.
11. Give a real reason for the outreach.
12. End with a question.
13. Remove vendor phrases like “touching base,” “circling back,” and generic “checking in.”
14. Use specific follow-up language tied to a prior conversation or observation.
15. Do not stop after one unanswered message.
16. Use FBS or another CRM to track the contacts.
17. Use the worksheet from the call.
18. Draft one message for each entry point.
19. Send all three messages.
20. Calendar the next two follow-up touches.
21. Practice outreach language with your advisor.
22. Use simulator and assessment role plays.
23. Practice with AI Coaching Dojo.
24. Record yourself delivering the opener.
25. Frame outreach as owner-to-owner relationship building.
26. Ask business owners for advice when you are new to a market.
27. Use “business owner” or “business strategist” when “coach” creates resistance.
28. Run the system for 90 days.

Resources & Tools Mentioned

• Workshop Wednesday
• FBS / Focused Business Suite
• CRM
• Contact List
• Phone Contacts
• Excel Spreadsheet
• LinkedIn Connections
• Prospecting Worksheet
• Hider, Winger, Installer Framework
• $97 Test Drive Program
• Cold Prospects
• Warm but Untouched Prospects
• Dormant Contacts
• Rule of Three
• Follow-Up Cadence
• AI Coaching Dojo
• Jumpstart 12
• Simulator Training
• Assessment Training
• Advisor Support
• Profit Acceleration Software / PAS
• Profit Acceleration Assessment
• Startup Brew
• One Million Cups
• BNI-style Networking
• Silver Tsunami
• Exit Planning
• Business Strategist Positioning
• Owner-to-Owner Outreach
• Dale Carnegie
• Arvoco
• AI Bots
• Worksheet
• Workshop Deck