Greg Karoly's Sales Edge #241 ~
Cold Calling is Not Dead:
an In-Your-Face Explanation
Cold calling is not dead. You simply have a million excuses why not to call, and a ton of technology and social media to hide behind.
I interact with high-level decision makers daily, and they universally agree that technology serves a purpose. However, when it comes to reaching decision makers and starting and maintaining relationships, they also universally agree the phone is your best friend. The people you need to reach are hit up dozens a time a day via email, text and social media platforms. Those type of messages go largely ignored or deleted. When the rare message gets read, it’s usually the result of the message being exceptionally tailored to the prospect, with credibility established and what’s-in-it-for-them clearly stated. Short of that, you’re not going to get a response. So if decision makers say they prefer phone calls and respond more positively to those who reach out via the phone, why aren’t salespeople using the phone? Simple, it’s easy to hide. It’s easy to avoid rejection. It’s easier to do simple actions, rather than complex actions. Reality check, your success in sales is determined by your ability to do the hard actions. Stop hiding and pick up the phone. You might surprise yourself when the people you want to talk to actually pick up the phone and talk to you. |