Kevin Boyle

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Cold Calling, does it work? You bet it does!

The reality of today’s very competitive marketplace is that cold calling can be a very frustrating experience if you don’t have a strong pitch, a compelling message, a strategy for building rapport quickly with a stranger and lastly and most importantly if you really don’t know the elements of a successful cold call.

I mean how can you expect to be really good at something if no one has ever shown you how to do something properly? Most sales people or new businesses cannot afford a flyer campaign linked to an offer when their making $40 or $50 thousand dollars a year.

What most people need is a step by step guide that breaks everything down and takes them from A to Z and shows them how to build rapport quickly, how to respond to the 4 most common objections they are going to encounter, how to ask for and get the appointment and lastly how to get their voice mails returned.

Most people NEED to cold call, because for them it’s a fact of life until they can get their business up and running or until they can get that critical first 6 to 9 months under their belt. That’s why most advice on the internet today about “never cold call again” is not practical for most sales people and business owners.

But the reality is that inexperienced sales and business people either hate cold calling or they feel like their terrible at it, and that only about 20% of salespeople in any given industry really EXCEL at it. There’s no reason why you can’t too, once you know exactly how to do it.

Why can I say this with 100% confidence?

Because I’ve grown 3 successful businesses using cold calling, and I know plenty of top sales producers who are excellent cold callers - and lastly, I am the poster child for “FEAR of cold calling”.

So how did I overcome my fear of cold calling?

1) I had too. Plain and simple I was that salesperson who was making $40,000 a year and I had no choice, I had to work with the tools I was given by the company I worked for (no budget, no promotions) – if I wanted to eat that month, I had to cold call.

So I had to change my mind set, cold calling is the first step in building a relationship and creating opportunity. It’s not an isolated event!

2) Your cold calling strategy has to be part and parcel of an entire relationship building prospecting strategy, a strategy that places you as “top of mind” with your prospects and also serves to educate your prospects as to why you would be the best person to do business with in your industry. Think of it as planting seeds.

3) Your inital introduction should be by Fax, Flyer, Canvassing (door to door), Direct Mail piece or whenever possible by referral.

Getting introduced to someone by referral is absolutely the best way to turn your cold call into a warm call.

4) Your sales efforts must mirror marketing principles. You must ensure you are targeting the right person/industry.

5) Your cold calling and prospecting strategies must be systemized.

 
So the next time you read an article or visit a web site that “claims” cold calling “doesn’t work”, think again.

Are there other ways to build your business other than cold calling? Yes, there is. But you need to be in a position where you can offer something of value (a discount, a “how to” pamphlet, a demo CD, etc…) to your prospects so that they will take the time to respond to your offer and basically “give you permission” to market to them.

And then you have to “wait” for them to respond to your offer. Meanwhile either your boss is chomping down your neck asking you how come you haven’t made that month’s sales targets or your landlord is asking you where your rent money is…

Don’t be fooled into thinking there is an easy way around cold calling.

So why not learn how to do it properly and excel at it?

Kevin, please show me how to get my foot in the door and get more appointments!

Kevin Boyle
Author / Public Speaker / Sales Trainer and Coach
“The Secrets to Sales Mastery”

ps – Did you enjoy this post? Do you have any tricks or tips on cold calling? Please feel free to add your comments!

Other Blog Articles on Cold Calling Techniques;

How to get your voice mails returned!

Handling the objection, just send me over some information.

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