Cold Calling – The Salespersons Thorn (Part 2)

There are websites, seminars and books on CD that will help you with the dreaded cold call, but… can we get around doing them altogether.

Maybe yes, maybe no. This may not be the case for all of you, but here is a method I teach that has allowed my clients to move away from an invasive call, to a call that is not only better received, but often times happily answered.

Disclaimer: You will need to wrap your marketing / sales process around these concepts to make them work. It may be challenging to act “on your own accord” as you may not have the resources to put these measures into place.

Step #1: Adopt a philosophy that “really does” put the other person first…

I can’t tell you how many company handbooks I read through that make me want to puke with all the, “we provide unparalleled customer service.” The premise of this method  requires that you actually do give a rip about them (the client), even if they don’t end up padding your wallet. You’ve got to be willing to work for free on the front end.

Now, I know this sounds like a waste of time, but let me toss a few ideas out there. First, think about the hours you’ve spent in your professional life preparing, stalling and calling on leads only to get hung up on. Second, it will cause you to focus, really focus on the potential client. Since you are using a precise method, you’ll choose potential clients who are a good fit for what you offer, creating a better experience for everyone involved.

So, your philosophy has to be about putting the customer first.

Step #2: Give Something Away of Value…

I’m not talking about a free consultation or a money back guarantee. No, what I am talking about is honest to goodness value. You do have some of that laying around, right? If not, if you’re a “peddler,” if you’re pushing a sub par product or service… well then being ignored is the best thing for the client and in that case, keep on keeping on.

For those companies and consultants who are offering something of value, then give some away for free. You can do this many, many ways. Be creative and build your marketing and sales process around the taste test. The better the taste, the easier it is to get a decision maker in the room. The less strings attached, the easier it is for the decision maker to say yes. Make the offer a no win for you and a absolute win for them.

Then make the call. If it’s an offer they truly benefit from, why would they say no?

Note: If you’ve built a strong network, say on Twitter or Linked In…. shoot out a Tweet or In Mail. I don’t call anyone! Between those two measures and my CRM with its ability to quickly mail and tag my contacts, its a two minute process and I never pick up a phone.

Step #3: Leave Your Card…

So far I’ve done two things for you. I’ve made the call painless and I’ve gotten the person in the room. For that alone, you should kiss me. Now, all you have to do is provide the steak, not the sizzle. The day of sizzle has passed. Maybe the consumer has gotten to smart, maybe they have to much access to information. Maybe and I hope for this one, that there are so many honest options to do business with, that they can choose the steak over the sizzle.

At any rate, give them some steak on the house. . . then leave your card.

If the meal was good, they’ll come back. If the meal was great, they’ll bring friends.

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