In a previous post, I admitted I love to do what most humans hate more than speaking in public or paying taxes. Most salespeople rather face criminal charges than routinely make the cold call. In all fairness, from a business perspective, cold calling typically results in lower call-for-appointment setting conversions than most warm introductions or marketing generated leads.
Before I give you a list of reasons why not to cold call so that you can show your boss or ease your conscience, here are important reasons as to why you should routinely and occasionally call people who don’t know you, may not like you, and certainly don’t trust you - yet.
- To increase mental toughness
- To improve your perspective
- To reinforce discipline (doing something whether you like it or not) while developing your improvisational skills
On second thought, instead of giving you a list of reasons why not to cold call, I will give you some alternative approaches to avoid the cold call to a targeted company or decision maker.
- Call someone you know who works for the targeted company and secure a personal introduction. Ask for your friends’ help.
- Call a sales person representing the targeted company. Salespeople have to be nice. Start the conversation by asking about their product or service. Figure out who you can now or later introduce them to and make or promise the introduction. Ask them for their help.
- Call another marketer or salesperson who sells to the same decision maker you do and refer them to someone important to them first. Find out what they need, give it to them and then ask them for their help.
Which alternative do you think will yield the most fruitful results if practiced consistently? Imagine how easy it would be if this same person referred you to someone who fit your ideal prospect profile each week. What would your business look like if this same person automatically set 4 to 6 appointments for you with your ideal client prospect every week?
If you never want to cold call again, send an email to alliancescience at ownershelp.com for an mind-altering FREE report on how to get other people to set appointments for you with your ideal client prospect — people who don’t know you, yet, but already like and trust you.