I hate to admit it, but I’m a fan of Jeff Foxworthy and his, “You know you’re a redneck if….” Eyes on Sales has an article by Drew Stevens that puts a spin to Jeff’s famous cliche, “You might be a cold calling nuisance if…” Drew has 10 quick tips that are great reminders that you should review before making a cold call. So here goes, you may be a nuisance if . . .
- You pick up the telephone and have no idea who you are calling.
- After hello you begin with chitchat. Speak with conviction and have a purpose for every call.
- You call and have conversations with gatekeepers. Call only decision makers. Stop wasting time with gatekeepers that are paid to detain you. Research the person you want to reach before you pick up the phone.
- You do not know anything about the business or industry you call.
- Start your call with information about your company. Begin your call with a purpose and a value proposition. If you cannot articulate the value to the recipient do not make the call.
- Begin your calls with inane questions.
- Operate each call without a clear purpose. Use a checklist for each call and have a path. A call should have a beginning, middle and an end.
- Get over the myth that you are calling to sell something. NO YOU ARE NOT. You are simply calling for an introduction and to gain an appointment, any other reason is a mistake on your part.
- You fear rejection. Get over it. Lead Generation whether you conduct it for your business or other complex organization is about the rejection business. In order to be successful get out of your comfort zone and deal with it.
- Commence from call to call. I know of an organization that requires representatives make over 50 calls per day. This is unrealistic. What should be measured is not the call volume but the calls that lead to appointments. Success should be measured by quality over quantity.