Coffee with the Dog: Is Cold Calling Really Dead?

Let's Talk About Cold Calling

In this week's Coffee With the Dog newsletter, SalesDog founder and CEO, Michael Dalton Johnson, is giving you the lowdown on cold calling.

If the idea of making the first move and calling your prospective clients sends shivers down your spine, you're not alone. But Johnson is offering up some encouragement: 

"Despite what you are being told, Cold Calling is alive and kicking – and still an important part of many sucessful sales and marketing efforts.

In a lot of instances the need for a human voice is absolutely required. In a world of overhyped and outright devious Internet marketing, impersonal broadcast emailing and a transparently self-serving social media presence with thousands of 'friends,' a person's voice is reassuring and says 'I am a human,.. a real flesh and blood being... just like you. Let's talk.'"

To read the rest of Johnson's cold calling article, click here.

If you want more free (you can't beat that!) sales and marketing advice delivered straight to your inbox, make sure to subscribe to the Coffee With the Dog newsletter here! 

Give us your thoughts on cold calling in the comments below! 

SalesDog Quick Tip

Think differently.

Not every group of prospects is going to be interested in the same things. Learn to differentiate between the companies and contacts on your list, so that you can grab their attention in your cold calls and lead generation activities.

Today's quick tip comes from Kendra Lee, a top IT Seller, Prospect Attraction Expert and author of the award winning book "Selling Against the Goal" and president of KLA Group. Ms. Lee is a frequent speaker at national sales meetings and association events. To find out more about the author, read her latest articles, or to subscribe to her newsletter visit www.klagroup.com or call +1 303.741.6636

SalesDog Quick Tip

Cold calling is one of the most difficult ways to sell, so I'm always on the look-out for interesting tips that I think will help you to sell more and feel more comfortable with the entire process. This quick tip from sales trainer Sam Manfer is a quick change you can make in the way you present your offerings - that could make a big difference!

Cost Reduction Is a Low Excitement Benefit

Revenue generation is a more exciting benefit. People want more money, more business and more customers to grow or just survive. If you can show them how your services can get them more sales or more customers, it is about four times more effective than cost reduction.

Many salespeople assume that the mere mention of cost reduction will get a prospect's attention. Prospects hear about cost reduction all the time, and unless they specifically tell you they have a cost problem, avoid it or use it as a low priority expose and entice.

Sam Manfer delivers keynote speeches and in-depth selling workshops for those anxious to increase sales. His hands-on coaching turns individuals and sales organizations into selling whirlwinds. Follow Sam's C-Level Selling Blog for more insights.

Cold Calling Quick Tip

Sam Manfer has shared a lot of cold calling tips and ideas in his newsletter, and I particularly like this one, because it helps you probe for need, and determine when it's time to move on - two very difficult things to determine on a cold call. Read on for his advice!

Be Prepared to Expose and Entice -- No Pushing

When the prospect gives you the expected "Everything is fine" on a cold call, you must try to get the conversation going without putting them on the defensive.

Therefore, have two or three issues ready to offer, one at a time, that you think they should have. For example, in my business, creating more sales, shortening the sales cycle and cross-selling are three common issues among the prospects I pursue.
So when I get the -- "Everything is fine." -- I might say, "Well what about sales cycles. Is this an issue?" If s/he says, "No", I then might say, "And cross-selling, is cross-selling meeting your expectations?"

I will do this for a maximum of three No's, and then I give up, politely hang up and recycle this prospect for a future retry in three or four months. If however, one of these exposes and/or entices gets a "Yes", then I'll go into my selling mode.

The idea here is to see if this prospect has a need or want that she realizes she has. If she doesn't, you're beating your head against a wall and setting yourself up for rejection. You'll think you're just not good at selling. Whereas, the prospect just isn't interested.

Basically, the reward for her to change is less than the effort plus the risk to change. Think about that for a second. The key to selling is finding people that have an issue or want, and would like to do something about it. Give up on the idea that "I have to convince him or her." You need to find those that want help.

Since 1995 Sam Manfer has been speaking, consulting, writing and leading seminars in sales and personal development. As a keynote speaker and seminar leader Sam has addressed thousands of new and experienced salespeople and managers all over the world in all types of businesses and industries. Learn more at www.SamManfer.com.

I Hope You Don't Open Your Calls This Way

Because you only have a few precious seconds to make a connection and establish interest, you'd better have a good opening prepared in advance. Besides being very busy, your prospects probably get a lot of sales calls every week, and many of them from your direct competition. So why would they want to talk to you? What can you do to separate yourself from all the other calls they get?

The answer is that you have to establish a real connection with your prospect and stop sounding like all the other sales reps who call them. Here is what your competition usually sounds like (I hope you're not doing this!):

"Oh hi Mr. __________, this is _______ _______ with the MLT Group. __________, we are an industry supply manufacturer and we help companies streamline their production process. We work with many companies in your field and save them between 10 to 15% on the cost of their storage and delivery process. What I'd like to do is ask you some questions to see how our process may save you that kind of money as well. Where are you currently getting your..."

Do you see how this opening makes no connection with the prospect? Do you see how it just starts pitching at the prospect and doesn't acknowledge that the prospect might be busy, or not interested? Do you see how there is no rapport built here and how it's a one sided conversation? How do you feel when someone barges in on your day and starts in with a pitch like this? You're probably thinking what most prospects are thinking: "How do I get this sales rep off the phone?!"

Now let's look at the right way to open your call. Your goal in the first few seconds is to make a connection and get them to interact. You have to acknowledge that they may be busy or that you respect their time and you need to establish some rapport and separate yourself from all the other sales reps calling them.

Try this:

"Hi ________ this is _______ _______ with (your company), how's your Tuesday going? Great. Listen, _______, I know you probably get a ton of calls so I'll make this brief.

Let me ask you, if I could show you a better way of tracking and shipping (or) and save you money doing it, would it be worth spending five minutes with me next week to show you how?"

Or,

"What is the one thing you could change that would have a dramatic impact on your productivity and that would save your company money?"

Or,

"If you had a magic wand and could change one thing about how you currently do (their business), what would it be?"

Can you see how this quick questioning approach is more effective than what you may currently be using now? Eighty percent of your competition still barge in on their prospects and open their calls up with a long explanation about what they do and what they offer, and pitch their products and services without checking in with their prospects or establishing any kind of connection. No wonder most people brush them off the phone!

You can separate yourself from this group instantly, starting today, by using the opening technique above. Once again, adapt it to fit your product or service, and then practice it until it's natural and easy for you to use. As you do, you'll begin to notice yourself struggling less, making more connections with interested and qualified buyers, and you'll have more confidence and feel better about yourself. Just like the top 20% do!

Mike Brooks, MrInsideSales.com, is creator and publisher of the "Top 20% Inside Sales Tips" weekly Ezine. If you're ready to Double Your Income Selling Over the Phone, then sign up to receive your FREE tips now at: www.MrInsideSales.com.

Resolutions for Prospecting Success

Cold calling is very difficult - and not a favorite of many. But, I think many sales experts would agree it is an essential part of a successful year. Today cold calling expert Wendy Weiss shares nine resolutions to incorporate into your cold calling now - your bank account will thank you!

--Make introductory calling into a game, and reward yourself when you succeed. For example, for every 'yes', put a dollar (or $2 or $3 - it's your game) into an envelope. At the end of the week take the money and treat yourself - even if it's only an ice cream cone.

--The biggest mistake that you can make when prospecting for new business is to stop. There is no new business without prospecting. The more calls you make, the more success you will have. The more doors you open, the more sales you will close. Keep calling.

--Set up a comfortable, organized, quiet environment in which to work. Get a good telephone - a land line is the best and make sure that it has clear sound. Get a headset so that you don't have neck and shoulder problems down the road.

--Wear comfortable clothes. Your prospect cannot see you. It does not matter what you are wearing. It does matter that you are comfortable so that you can focus and concentrate. If your business attire is uncomfortable change clothes. If your shoes are killing you, take them off.

--To become totally comfortable, rehearse your script. Practice it out loud. Call your voice mail and record yourself so that you can hear how you sound. Practice with your friends and colleagues. Role-play. Do everything that you can think of to prepare before you ever get on the telephone.

--When speaking with your prospect, tailor your introduction to their concerns. This process is about your prospect, not about you. Remember that people buy for their reasons, not yours.

--While you are calling, stay conscious of your breathing. If you find you are feeling stressed and holding your breath, take a moment. Do some breathing exercises and then go on. Sometimes you can breathe better if you are standing. Try that. Sometimes pacing while you are talking helps to get energy going and lets out the nervous tension.

--Do what you say you're going to do. If you tell your prospect that you will call next Thursday at 3:00 p.m. - call your prospect next Thursday at 3:00 p.m.

--Most sales are made, on average, after the seventh contact with a prospect. These contacts can be by phone, e-mail, fax or letter. Most salespeople give up after three or four contacts. If you do that, you are leaving cash on the floor behind you.

Known as "The Queen of Cold Calling," Wendy Weiss is a sales trainer, sales coach and author specializing in cold calling and new business development. She helps clients speed up their sales cycle, reach more prospects directly and generate more sales revenue. Learn more at: www.WendyWeiss.com.

What to Do With an Immediate Brush Off

I know this has happened to me - you're making a call, and you get maybe half a sentence out before the caller says, "Not interested" and hangs up. Not a very fun experience. So what do you do to handle the situation? Today tele-sales expert Art Sobczak shares his expertise.

Should you just call back right away and act like you were disconnected?

Well, you could, but really, is that going to cause them to think how clever you are? I doubt it.

If this truly is a prospect that you want to pursue, consider some alternatives.

First, consider that the prospect might be having a bad day, or has just experienced an office emergency requiring immediate attention. Therefore another contact might be worth the investment, just not right now.

And instead of calling, try an email, fax or a brief note, stating,

"I have the feeling I called you at a bad time the other day. I apologize. The purpose for my call was to run an idea by you that could potentially help you to (fill in the blank with some result they would be interested in). I'd like to ask you a few questions to determine if we have the basis for a
conversation. I will call you again on Friday, or you can reach me at 800-555-2922."

Is this likely to get a high response rate? No, but any response you get would be better than the flat out "no," and the upside return on the investment could be huge.
Another alternative would be to simply place them back in your calling rotation for a few weeks down the road. They likely won't remember.

Art Sobczak helps sales pros use the phone to prospect, service and sell more effectively, while eliminating morale-killing rejection. To get FREE weekly emailed TelE-Sales Tips visit: www.BusinessByPhone.com

15 Ways to Stay Motivated and Focused When Cold Calling - Part 2

Yesterday tele-sales expert Jim Domanski shared priceless tips with us to make cold calling more manageable. Today he's back with even more tips for you to start using right away.

Call and only call. Don't use your 1-hour sprint to make copious notes, stuff envelops, send a fax or compose an e-mail after a call. You'll use up precious minutes. Stick to your hour of dialing and stick to the goal you set. After you've done your dialing you can go back and update information.

Reward yourself. You've heard this one before: if you do your solid hour of dialing, give yourself a reward. Maybe it is a triple grande latte at Starbucks. Whatever. Something.

Create a competition. Misery loves company. If you have associates, get them to cold call with you at the same time. Have a contest for dials, connects, presentations, leads or sales. Buy a small trophy and award it to each other on a daily basis. Have fun with it.

Make a commitment to someone else. Publicly state to a co-worker, boss, friend, significant other or whoever that you WILL do 1 hour of cold calling at a given time. Ask them to ask you how you did. Telling them you didn't do it will make you feel embarrassed and sheepish which means you'll want to avoid it at all costs. (Thus, you're more likely to pick up the phone and get it done).

Track results. Keep track of your dials, connects, presentations, leads, sales and revenues. Make a chart on a sheet of paper. Use little 'sticks' to record your results. This is easy and takes .67 seconds per stick so it saves time. Over time you can create a predictive model. If you have a boss, it's also a great way to provide feedback on lists or offers.

Avoid the Dementors. In the Harry Potter books 'Dementors' are creatures that literally suck the life spirit from people. Whiners and complainers are like Dementors. Avoid them at all cost. They'll drag you down and eventually your drive and spirit will be depleted.

Hang out with winners. If there's someone who is good at cold calling, or at the very least, is disciplined about cold calling. Sit near him or her. Feed off their energy. Compete with them. Their drive and spirit is infectious.

Don't be a wimp. You know what's real easy? Quitting. It's real easy to quit. Don't be wimp. Stick to the plan and follow the tips here. Give these ideas a chance. Your revenue and your job may depend on it. So don't quit. Be persistent.

Cold calling doesn't have to be as miserable as we sometime make it. Follow these tips and you'll create momentum and the process will not be so taxing. It'll be easy, faster and more effective. Just do it.

Jim Domanski is a tele-sales expert and president of Teleconcepts Consulting. Teleconcepts Consulting helps businesses and individuals who are frustrated with the results they have being getting when using the telephone to market and sell their products. For more information visit: www.TeleconceptsConsulting.com.

15 Ways to Stay Motivated and Focused When Cold Calling - Part 1

We know that the people who like cold calling are few and far between. That's ok, but most people still need to do it to keep their business active. Use these manageable tips from tele-sales expert Jim Domanski, and we think your attitude towards cold calling will change - at least a tiny bit! We'll share the first half today, and the rest tomorrow.

The 1-hour sprint - Treat your cold calling not as a marathon, which is tedious and grueling, but rather as a sprint. Devote a good solid hour to calling then stop. An hour is manageable and achievable and not nearly as discouraging as the thought of four hours of cold calls.

Set a goal. Having a 1-hour sprint is great but tie it to an objective. For example, you might have a goal of a minimum of 30 or 40 attempts. This will help ensure that you stay on the dialing track and not idle away the time with other activities.

Schedule your cold calling. Sit down right now with your calendar or planner and schedule that 1-hour sprint every day for the next three weeks. Consider it an unbreakable appointment. This will create discipline and reduce procrastination.

Fish where the fish are. Are there better times than others to reach your target market? You bet there is and that's when you should be calling. Executives, for instance, are easier to reach early in the morning, say, from 7:00 onwards. Wake up early and start dialing. You'll increase your success almost immediately.

Do it first. If your target market doesn't have a particular time that's more effective than another, then schedule your cold calling for first thing in the morning. Do it first. Get it finished so that it doesn't linger over you like the sword of Damocles.

Create a Master List. Don't fiddle with your database flipping back and forth from screen to screen. Get a list of 30 prospects. Put their names on a pad of paper with their phone numbers. Begin at the top and start dialing. Go down the list. If there is no answer, don't leave a message; go on to the next name and number. If you get through the list with no answer, start at the top of the list and begin again. This creates speed, rhythm and focus on productivity.

Be prepared. Duh! Be prepared and organized. Have your opening statement prepared ahead of time. Don't shoot from the hip. Know what you want to say. Practice it if you have to. Have any job aids you might need in front of you. Have a pen that works. Clean your desk of clutter and distraction. Do all this before you start your 1-hour sprint.

Jim Domanski is a tele-sales expert and president of Teleconcepts Consulting. Teleconcepts Consulting helps businesses and individuals who are frustrated with the results they have being getting when using the telephone to market and sell their products. For more information visit: www.TeleconceptsConsulting.com.

Smiling and Dialing No Longer Works

"There's a myth that selling by phone is a numbers game," Wendy Weiss says. "If you dial the phone enough times, someone is going to say, 'yes.' Perhaps that was true years ago; it is certainly not true today. It is simply too hard to get people on the telephone. When you do get a prospect on the phone, you had better have something compelling to say as you will probably not get a second chance."

Wendy's new e-book, 101 Cold Calling Tips for Building New Customers in a Down Economy, is a must read if you're serious about booking more sales. I've used Wendy's clear-cut advice and no-nonsense approach and it works.

Do you want more sales? I suggest you check out Wendy's new e-book.

How to Open a Cold Call

During a recent workshop sales trainer Kelley Robertson discussed with his clients the best way to open face-to-face cold call. One participant volunteered to share his approach.

"Hi Mr. Prospect. I'm Mr. Sales Person and I work for Big Sales Company. We do a lot of work in your industry and have been in business for over 40 years. We carry a wide range of products and services including this, that and the other thing. We pride ourselves on delivering great service and..."

Unfortunately too many people in sales think that they need to talk about their company or product or service when they first connect with new prospects. But this approach is ineffective.

Here is a better way:

Begin by stating your name and your company and then reference a problem you think that your prospect may be facing. "Mr. Prospect, Kelley Robertson, Big Sales Company. One of the trends we're seeing with companies like yours is the requirement to improve accuracy while also increasing production. How does that compare with your situation?"

This takes less than half the time to say which means you reduce the risk of your prospect tuning you out. Avoid the blah, blah, blah syndrome and focus on your prospect when you make a cold call.

As President of The Robertson Training Group, Kelley has helped thousands of professionals improve their business results with his engaging approach to sales training and speaking. Learn more at www.robertsontraininggroup.com

Cold Calling 101 - Preparation is Key

While many people think the call itself is the most important aspect of a cold call, sales trainer Dr. Drew Stevens thinks there's a lot more to it - and we'd have to agree. He's outlined a few of the things you must do before picking up the phone to make a cold call. Not being prepared will leave you with little success. Prepare for success, and you'll achieve it.

1. Call Preparation
Call preparation is the single most imperative idea about cold calling. Before you make a call, you should understand the client, the industry, and perhaps any competitive issues. Never call a client without premise.

Since your mission is to establish a relationship, you need to consider whom you will call and your call motive. Names of those to call can be purchased through database management systems, or obtained through referrals or reading industry periodicals.

2. Competitive Analysis
Once you obtain the required company information, it's time to conduct your competitive analysis. Useful information related to prospective competitors to the buyer is helpful in understanding industry issues affecting the client. A sincere understanding of client issues assists in promoting a stronger relationship.

3. Value Proposition not Elevator Speech
The proliferation of the Internet has made it easier for prospective clients to gain information on you, and with so many competitive players, detailing your services to clients begins to sound ubiquitous to them. Heard one, heard them all as the cliche goes.

Organizations today require focus on two complicated issues: productivity and profitability. Your mission is to create a succinct message that addresses these concerns. In other words, you need to depict your value and outcomes in a succinct method so that prospective clients understand your differentiation.

So, there you go. Research and create a way to differentiate yourself before the call, and your day will be much more successful.

Drew Stevens PhD knows how to dramatically accelerate your business growth. Known as "The Sales Strategist" Drew Stevens has 25 years of domestic and international sales and marketing experience. Learn more at http://www.stevensconsultinggroup.com

Heat Up Your Cold Calls

I don't know many people who would say cold calling is one of their favorite things to do, but plenty of people make a great living from it. Sales trainer and telesales expert Renee Walkup is one of those people, and today she shares a story that will get you going - no matter how much you like or dislike cold calling.

Renee's story:

There I was, having coffee with a successful, seasoned business partner today, when he said, "You know, I have bad days sometimes. These are the days when I just don't feel like making cold calls. So do you know what I do?" Eagerly leaning forward in my chair, I looked him in the eyeball and asked, "What?"

Lee responded. "Well, for the last 7 years, I've been collecting script ideas. Stuff I've listened to on tapes. Books I've read. Speakers I've heard. In fact, I even have some stuff from when we first met when you were speaking at a Sales and Marketing Executives luncheon. I have compiled all the best ideas and have my own little black book of stuff to use. When I'm too tired, unmotivated, or just bored, I take the notes out and use them. After about 10 calls or so, I'm back on track. You know, it works!"

At this point, I got excited. Here is this highly motivated, successful person at the top of his profession, willingly admitting that he gets stuck sometimes. He uses his crutch sometimes. Someone who is dedicated to his profession and to his company. In short, a TRUE professional!

I mentioned to Lee that most people hate making cold calls. My theory is that since we were about 2 years old, our parents started drilling into us that we shouldn't talk to strangers. Now, we're in sales. What are we supposed to do? We HAVE to talk to strangers - in fact, sometimes the stranger, the better!

So, what do you do when you are tired of making cold calls? You can take a tip from Lee and use your "little black book" of scripts. You can sit down and write out your own scripts. How about reading an article? Or listening to a download on sales techniques? You can picture your greatest sale. But no matter what, get back on the phone!

Renee Walkup is president of SalesPEAK, a national sales performance company, as well as a well-recognized keynote speaker, sales coach, and author, with a 25-year background in sales, sales team management and training. Learn more at www.salespeak.com

New Rules for Cold Calling - Part 3

Cold calling is not dead. Telesales expert Wendy Weiss made a successful living with cold calling and now has expert advice for you to do the same - the only thing is, you need to get out of the dark ages and look at new ways to cold call. Here's her last rule to earn money with cold calling.

Have a system

This is probably the hardest rule for most people to follow. I am always surprised by the number of sales professionals and business owners who do not have a good system to track their prospects--or even their customers. In 2009 there is no excuse for not using some type of contact tracking software.

In addition set up your "Best Practices" for prospecting. What are your systems for contacting prospects? How often do you try a prospect before letting them go? What scripts are you using? What scripts are you using for voice mails? What email templates are you using? What is your system to follow up with prospects? What other tools are you using to support your prospecting efforts? While the answers to these questions are outside the scope of this article, they are important and will have a great impact on any cold calling campaign.

While cold calling has changed in certain ways, the bottom line is that cold calling still works. It must be targeted and you must have a compelling, market-focused, value-centered message that will resonate with prospects. Rather than manipulation, cold calling is sorting--you are looking for those prospects who are looking for you. For cold calling to work best, it is about sorting your prospects with a system. Cold calling is about conversations that lead to conversions, it's not about closing on the telephone on the first call.

The "numbers game" and "open the phone book and call" days are history. Cold calling is not dead. Long live cold calling.

Learn more from cold calling expert Wendy Weiss at www.wendyweiss.com or email her at wendy@wendyweiss.com

New Rules for Cold Calling - Part 2

Telesales expert Wendy Weiss is back today with a few quick tips to help you update your cold calling skills and earn more money. Keep these in mind when you pick up the phone today.

Use all available tools

While it is more difficult to get prospects on the telephone today, the good news is that there are more tools available to you to reach your prospects directly. While at one time the only way you could contact a prospect was via their office phone (or perhaps a letter) today you can also call the prospect's cell phone and/or send an email.

Always try to reach your prospect directly first. It is always better if you can have a conversation. If after several attempts and, if this is a prospect that you truly want to reach, you can leave a voice mail message or send an email.

Remember: As with your script, the rule for a voice mail or an email is to lead with the value that you provide. That is what will gain your prospect’s attention.

Look for the prospects that are looking for you

Rule 1 was to create your "Qualifying Parameters" so that you could create a targeted list. Keep your "Qualifying Parameters" in mind as you speak with prospects. Remember: You are looking for the best prospects, the ones who are most likely to buy, buy again and keep coming back to buy more. The myth is that cold calling is manipulating prospects into buying things they neither want, nor need. The reality is that you are looking for the prospects that are looking for you. So look to qualify your prospects out. If during your conversation with a prospect, you realize that prospect no longer fits your "Qualifying Parameters" then they are no longer a prospect for you. Let them go.

Learn more from cold calling expert Wendy Weiss at www.wendyweiss.com or email her at wendy@wendyweiss.com

New Rules for Cold Calling

A few weeks ago we ran a series from telesales expert Wendy Weiss with cold calling tips to bring your prospecting into the 21st century. This week Wendy's back with some final tips that will give you the push you need to convert those calls into sales, no matter what the state of the economy.

Craft your approach
Bottom line, cold calling is a communication skill. You want your prospect to understand the value that you represent and how it will positively impact them. You want the prospect to be interested and excited by what you have to offer. In order to achieve that result you must craft your language.

One thing that has not changed over the years is that you don't have a lot of time to grab and hold your prospects' attention. Because it is so difficult to get prospects on the telephone it is imperative to be prepared. When you get that prospect on the telephone you must have something compelling to say. If it is not interesting or relevant to your prospect they will not want to speak with you. This is not the moment to be winging it. If that prospect says, "I'm not interested" and then hangs up, you will not get another chance.

Lead with the value that you provide and use some concrete examples to illustrate that value. Make sure to ask for what you want, a meeting, an extended telephone conversation, or perhaps scheduling a time for the prospect to see a web-based demo. Over time you will memorize your approach. If you are just starting out, write it down so that you won't have to think about it or worry that you'll forget. You can simply concentrate on your prospect.

Create Telephone Theater
It's not only what you say; it's how you say it. Your voice conveys as much if not more than the words you say so take the time to practice out loud. Call your voice mail and record yourself, listen to how you sound. You want to sound warm, friendly and confident, happy to be speaking with your prospect and with the sense that you have something important to say.

Learn more from cold calling expert Wendy Weiss at www.wendyweiss.com or email her at wendy@wendyweiss.com

Cold Calling Rules for the 21st Century - Part 3

Telesales expert Wendy Weiss joined us last week with her updated rules for cold calling in the 21st century. Today she's back with her final rule - understanding the goal of your call.

Understand the goal of your call
Many people confuse the idea of cold calling with the idea of closing a sale. Every sale goes through a cycle from the introduction to information gathering to offering a solution to closing. Cold calling is not closing a sale. That comes later. Most sales professionals and/or business owners are making calls to set face-to-face meetings or have some type of introductory conversation. The cold call is not the sale--it is the introduction.

This concept frames your entire approach. On most cold calls you are not asking the prospect to buy from you over the telephone or to agree to let you replace their current vendor. You are only asking to have a productive conversation. This approach has two advantages: Your prospect feels far less pressure (you never want a prospect to feel pressure because they will run) and you also feel less pressure (you don't have to close on the phone.)

Learn more from cold calling expert Wendy Weiss at www.wendyweiss.com or email her at wendy@wendyweiss.com

Cold Calling Rules for the 21st Century - Part 2

Yesterday telesales expert Wendy Weiss started off a three-part series on cold calling rules for the 21st century, sharing how having a targeted list is much better than dialing number after number. Here's new rule number two:

Answer your prospect's question: Why should they be interested?

In addition to having a targeted list, your approach must be targeted to the market and the individual that you are calling. It must be relevant. There is no generic approach that will work. Preparation counts, big time. Ask yourself these questions:

--What are your prospects' challenges?
--What is their history?
--What's happening now?
--What problems do you solve for your customers?
--What problems can you potentially solve for your prospects?
--How do you help your customers?

In order to create an approach that will resonate with prospects you must dig deeply to understand them. Do your homework and do the research. They will not tell you; they'll expect you to know. Prospects today are busy; they are bombarded from all sides. If you want to get their attention on a prospecting call you need to have something compelling to say. It must be relevant. Truly understanding your prospects and their situations will help you craft an approach that will enable you to have a productive conversation with them.

Have a wonderful weekend! We'll finish this series next week.

Learn more from cold calling expert Wendy Weiss at www.wendyweiss.com or email her at wendy@wendyweiss.com

Cold Calling Rules for the 21st Century

Are you following outdated cold calling techniques like "everyone is a prospect" or "cold calling is a numbers game"? If so, you'll eventually reach your customers - but it will take more time than it should. Here telesales expert Wendy Weiss offers up some tips that will have you dialing for dollars - not dismissals.

Have a targeted list

Before starting a cold calling campaign create a profile of the ideal prospects you are trying to reach. What that means is that out of everyone in the entire world who might buy what you sell, who is most likely to? Who is most likely to buy a lot of what you sell and then keep returning to buy more?

Describe this ideal customer in specific detail. Use criteria like: What industry? Where are they located? What is the title of the decision-maker? Does this market have challenges or issues that your product or service can solve? If you are calling in the consumer market, what are the demographics of your ideal prospects? Where do they live? Work? Go to school? These are your "qualifying parameters," the parameters that describe your ideal prospect who is likely to buy, buy a lot and come back to buy more. Then, only call the leads that fit your "ideal customer profile." If a prospect does not meet your parameters, they are not a qualified prospect. You will spin your wheels and waste your time trying to reach them and they will not buy or not buy very much.

In business-to-business calls make sure to only call the highest-level person you believe is the decision-maker. If that person is not the decision-maker, they'll be able to tell you who is. Far too many sales professionals and business owners waste their time calling too low. They do this with the idea that somehow the calls will be easier. They won't. This will simply waste your time and extend your sales cycle. If you are not speaking with a decision-maker, you are not speaking with a qualified prospect. If you are not speaking with a qualified prospect, they will never buy from you.

Check back in tomorrow for more from of Weiss' updated cold calling tips.

Learn more from cold calling expert Wendy Weiss at www.wendyweiss.com or email her at wendy@wendyweiss.com

Identifying the Decision Maker

With so many people and job titles in an organization, it can be hard to find the decision maker you need to speak with. After all, it could be the VP, the CFO, the Director, the Managing Director, Purchasing, etc. Way too many choices, but it's something you have to keep digging at until you find the right person.

"If you are not speaking with a decision-maker your sales cycle will lengthen and you may run the risk of losing the opportunity altogether," says telesales expert Wendy Weiss.

"Influencers" influence. They do not decide.

Here's the bottom line from Weiss: "If you are not speaking with a decision-maker, you are not speaking with a qualified prospect. Far too many sales representatives spend far too much time courting prospects who can never and will never make a decision."

"One way to ensure that you are always speaking with the decision-maker is to always call the highest-level person that you believe would make the decision," continues Weiss. "That person will either be your correct prospect, or they will know who is and they can point you in the right direction."

Once you've got that prospect on the phone, make sure to ask the following questions. This way you will be certain that you are speaking with the decision-maker.

1. What is your decision-making process?
2. How have you made this decision before?
3. What are the steps in your decision-making process?
4. How long does it take?
5. Who is involved in the decision-making process?
6. Who makes the final decision?
7. Who else will you be speaking with about this decision?
8. After we submit our proposal/bid/quote, what happens next?
9. How long will that take?
10.When do you expect to make a decision?
11.When would you like to begin?

Learn more from cold calling expert Wendy Weiss at www.wendyweiss.com or email her at wendy@wendyweiss.com