What exactly does a “Cold Call” mean?
To me, it’s the first contact with a potential prospect by either a phone call or stop in.
Funny, I was looking for some images on Google for “cold call” and ninety-nine percent of those images are for people making a phone call. Going on site and good old fashioned knocking on doors is also cold calling.
It seems there are those that think cold calling is dead, and I’m thinking that person or people who believe that cold calling is dead were really not that good at honing their sales skills. Now, do any of us enjoy looking at a client in our database, recognizing that you’ve called them for four years and you’ve gained no ground in getting through to the decision maker?
Yeah, just what I thought, the answer is No!
However, you can make cold calling fun. What I do, is to put on my ultra happy as ever to call you mode. Through the tone of my voice, I’m projecting that I’m delighted that I’ve called XYZ company. I then ask if the person I’m speaking to can help me. Sometimes I’ll even tell them that I’m a first time caller to their company. The point is to have fun and be upbeat.
Here’s my five reasons why cold calling is not dead.
1) Performing a cold call in the field can help you see if the company is expanding and or embracing technology. Sometimes you can’t get that message from a phone call.
2) When I’m motivated or need to make some additional bucks (same thing, right), all I have to do is pick up the phone and I can roll through 40-50 accounts. I can’t do that with e-mail or the onsite cold call.
3) Every now and then you’ll run into Mr. or Mrs. Decision Maker when you perform an onsite cold call. That’s key, they can now place a face with the name and you can get a good feel if they require a follow up.
4) When times are tough, the tough get going. Meaning, you’ve made the phone calls, and you’ve turned up a goose egg. Change it up and plan 10 or 15 in-person visits to new prospects.
5) You just never know what you’ll turn up. Even when times are bad and you have nothing going on, each new day brings a new opportunity. Winners make things happen and losers wait for things to happen. Getting in the car and performing cold calls is a great way to break a sales slump. Just do it!
Sales is what you make of it, orders will never come to you. You need to work for those orders, if you work hard and put in the time the orders will come. Cold calling is a tool to me, as a hammer is to a carpenter. I need to cold call in order to get me everything I want.
Good selling!
