-- Cold-calling on potential clients.

[Simply Red]

I never really opened up much over the last 7 yrs. Maybe some of you know - but; others may not. I lost my business in January. T'was a good run from '10-'17 however; Once we came home from Afghanistan spelled doom for my company - as my customer's client held a military contract for laptop repair for the marines in Leatherneck/Bastion (Helmand Province) - I almost lost everything. I never went bankrupt but chances are my leasing company will sue me w/in 3 mos. or so. This all being said, I began a new job selling RMM tools for PBX systems and network environments.

Do any of you cold-call? That's pretty much my job now and it's going pretty good. My approach is simple, take your time when/once you connect live w/ a person - pronounce your words well and have plenty of volume - generally these folks will talk to you, I've found.

Who else cold-calls? Any tricks you'd like to share?

Thank you in advance...

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by In58men

Sounds like a shitty career, good luck lol.

I'm about 100 times the business professional as you - I've done a **** load more than you. I can tell simply by how you type - you must be a drywaller or something like that - maybe landscaping. I don't want your luck. I'll take my position over yours - I would almost bet that you have a mental illness IRL.

[58-4ever]

I'm one cold calling SOB. Tools like LinkedIn have made it a lot less "cold" over the years. You have more info on folks than ever before.

I'm in Sales for Microsoft, in case you were wondering.

[cooper barrett]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

I'm about 100 times the business professional as you - I've done a **** load more than you. I can tell simply by how you type - you must be a drywaller or something like that - maybe landscaping. I don't want your luck. I'll take my position over yours - I would almost bet that you have a mental illness IRL.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by 58-4ever

I'm one cold calling SOB. Tools like LinkedIn have made it a lot less "cold" over the years. You have more info on folks than ever before.

I'm in Sales for Microsoft, in case you were wondering.

how do you subscribe to LI? are you paying month-to-month - or do you buy by the year?

[In58men]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

I'm about 100 times the business professional as you - I've done a **** load more than you. I can tell simply by how you type - you must be a drywaller or something like that - maybe landscaping. I don't want your luck. I'll take my position over yours - I would almost bet that you have a mental illness IRL.

I’m an operator in the oilfields and work for a really great company. Don’t judge me about my professionalism because of what you read here. There’s a time and place to act dumb and childish at work isn’t one of them.

Also, I was just ****ing with you man.

[Rain Man]

I'm sorry to hear about the business travails, Simply Red. Good luck with the next phase.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'm sorry to hear about the business travails, Simply Red. Good luck with the next phase.

Thanks much Rain Man.

[Bewbies]

I'm a mortgage broker. I've had years where I made less than minimum wage and 6 figure years.

What I've found works best for me isn't cold calling. I became a connector and got to know everyone. Then I could send out lots of referrals and make connections with everyone I met. Before long you're surrounded by awesome people, you get to help everyone improve their lives, and business takes off when people want to return the favor.

It's the long game for sure, but it's way more fun than standing at my desk and calling people for hours on end begging them to meet me in person or send me a deal.

If you haven't read The Go Giver that's a good place to start.

[lewdog]

I wish you would cold call me, Bae.

[scho63]

I've been doing cold calling, sales, business development, partnerships and appointment setting via the phone for 32 years and continue to do so today.

Things have changed DRAMATICALLY!

What advice can I give you?

1. Cold calling is pretty much dead in a lot of ways. You need to find a hook, connection or identify THEIR needs. Linkedin is very good to see if you know someone. Also try to find out some neat info about the person you are calling. Maybe they run in marathons, maybe they graduated from Harvard, any connection you can make with them is good. Maybe kids or sports teams. The internet has tons of places to find info.
2. Quality is much greater than quantity these days.
3. You need to let the person know your value proposition within the first 15-20 seconds as to why you are calling.
4. NEVER, EVER LIE OR MAKE THINGS UP IF YOU DON';T KNOW. Tell them you are not certain of the answer and you will get back to them with the correct answer. Also never be rude to an secretary or person answering the phone in frustration. Charm the gate keeper.
5. Emails are the preferred method of contact for most busy decision makers today. They may answer you at 11pm at night or 2am in the morning.
6. You emails must be very short and succinct-DO NOT SELL IN THE EMAIL, highlight two to three value points for them
7. Have a simple purpose for your intro call: Were you referred to them? Do you know someone at their company or have a mutual contact? Do they have any accomplishments you know of? Do you just want to get them info or make an appointment or try to sell them? You need to know your goal for each call before you pick up the phone.
8. Have you defined your sales process?
9. Can you connect with them in other ways then the phone?
10. Can you sell them over the phone or do you need an appointment or many or a proposal or a group meeting?
11. Networking works great for your industry.
12. Lastly never get hung up or stuck on a single prospect. Sometimes you gotta let someone go or put them aside for the future. Sometimes a no is much better than a "maybe"
13. Use a CRM tool like Salesfore to keep track of your contacts, activities, calendar, business and pipeline.

That's my first thoughts after many years.

[Simply Red]

yes our CRM is ZOHO - but like I said these are technology sales - not ALL of my leads are cold - several come from trade shows, where we have prior interaction.

[Simply Red]

Originally Posted by lewdog

I wish you would cold call me, Bae.

I will HOT call you!

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by gblowfish

I've done quite a bit of this over the years. It's become much harder over the past few years, because people insulate themselves. Receptionists are told to dump you into voice mail, or if you do get a person they'll say "send me an email" and then they ignore it. I start by making sure I'm talking to the right person, the actual decision maker who would pull the trigger on buying. Lots of times its not who you think it might be. Or, there may be multiple departments or divisions within a company, and you may strike out with guy A, but sell guy B. If they say they don't need or want what I sell, I ask the follow up of "is there anything that you DO buy, that you either have trouble getting, or think you should be paying less for, or have trouble with getting in a timely manner?" Hey, if there's something they buy a lot of, and I can find a way to get it to them cheaper, better, faster, I'll think outside the box and explore that possibility.

Other general tips: Don't call the first work day after a Major Holiday. On Mondays don't call until after lunch. On Fridays call in the morning only. Best time is usually from about 9:30 till 11:30 or afternoons from 1:30 till around 3pm. That's the hours most people are in serious takin care of bidness mode. Also, even if they say no, try to get an email, and then send them a thank you for taking time to speak to you. If you are able to convert a cold call into a sale, make sure to send them a handwritten thank you card after the first sale. Building personal relationships with your customers is key to longevity.

Yep all good stuff. As you stated, things have changed over the past few years as everyone is loaded up with more tasks and less time to do those tasks.

As George mentioned, most of the people in power have at least one line of defense in place to keep people out, it's either a pit bull secretary, security guards or both. I ALWAYS take extra time to get to know those people well. If you can't get into see the decision maker, you aren't going to make a sale.

If I'm in a refinery or some other big facility doing a lunch and learn, I'll make sure to buy extra food and drop it off in person to the security people and or the pit bull secretary. 99% of the sales people they deal with overlook them, so if you are part of the 1%, they definitely remember that and will love you for it. If you take a genuine interest in their life and do a few extra things, you will stand out.

I'm able to walk and or drive into some of the most secure facilities in the region without an appointment after building relationships from the ground up. In some cases I have an all access badge that normally only the upper supervisors and plant manager have. How did I get that, generally from building trust the security personal.

Always have something that is going to ad value to the persons day you are talking to. You may be able to talk your way into a place to see a decision maker once, but if they perceive that you wasted their time, good luck on getting back in. Know what you plan to accomplish before walking in the room and give them something of value.

Shut up, listen and ask for the buy. I can't tell you how many times I have had a manufactures rep in for a week and they won't do those three simple things.

While out making dual calls, they ramble on for an hour, don't let the customer get a word in, then don't ask for the sale. I will take over after they are done blowing up the call and fix things.

It has gotten better because I have a "Come To Jesus" talk with everyone one of them before every call. If they don't impress me, there is no way they are getting into my "A" accounts. One guy pissed me off so bad earlier this year, that I put him on a plane and sent him back home after the first day. I've worked too hard to hard building those relationships to have some clown that's only going to be here for a couple a days, blow things up.

If it is a true cold call, I go in with the attitude of, I didn't have any business from this person when I came in, what's the worst that can happen? You literally have nothing to lose and everything to gain from a cold call.

I generally look around their office when I first enter it, taking 10 seconds to look around will tell you a lot about that person. 99% of the people you deal with are going to have pictures, some kind of award, a big fish on the wall, things they are proud of.

Remember that old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words?" Take a few seconds to ask about something in their office, people love to talk about themselves, it will be a great ice breaker. Once you can get them to do that, they will drop their guard and you will have an opportunity to have a good productive conversation.

Once again, have something of value to talk to them about, read their body language and know when it's time to leave. They will tell you, without saying a word. If you overstay your welcome, you won't get in again.

Always thank that person for their time. They just took 10 minutes out of their day, that they really didn't have, to talk to you, acknowledge that. A lot of the time, I will send them an email that night as well, reiterating the same message.

Always keep your promises to a customer. If you can't do something, don't make a promise you can't keep. If you say you can do something, walk across broken glass and though fire if you have to, to make sure it happens.

If there is a customer problem attack it, don't run away from it. Your reputation will be made as a direct result of your actions during in a crisis.

[Simply Red]

all good stuff here - except for that Inmem dude. CP will be a better place once he's gone.

[In58men]

Originally Posted by Simply Red

all good stuff here - except for that Inmem dude. CP will be a better place once he's gone.

I told you I was messing around.